I am looking to buy a new kayak and have my eye on the Dagger squirt as i have been told its the best alrounder anyone got any more suggestions, i am tall and do need to carry a lot of equipment.

try a pyranha they are great boats

Try the seven 0 good river runner good playboat can get kit in the back! dagger squirt not on there website u sure u got the name right?

I don´t know a dagger squirt, but that name does not indicate a river runner all arounder. maby check out the jackson fun or dagger mamba or phyrana h: series I think, probably also a liquid logic out there or a wave sprot.

(funny how I feal obligated to mention liquid logic in all my poast knowing that shane might be reading this )

Okay so what boat you buy depends on a number of factors. Firstly your size/weight/footsize and secondly are you planning to buy new or second hand? Then also you might want to consider (due to the amazing range of boats for every occasion that are out there at the moment) are you looking for a river runner with a little bit of play or a playboat that you can take river running?

After you've taken all of that into consideration - the best thing you can do before you part with your hard earned cash is demo demo demo. Get into as many boats as you can. Like people - boats come in all shapes and sizes and some people are more suited (through body shape and paddling style) to some boats than others. So get yourself into as many different boats as possible and find what you like and let that be the main factor influencing your decision.

Now for boats that you might want to try out...

Dagger squirt - I've never heard of/or seen on a river so I can't comment.
Some one also suggested a Dagger Mamba or one of the Pyrhana H series which are more creeker/river runners and won't really allow you to do a whole lot of playboating.

New Boats:
Pyrhana I:4 - More river running than play
Pyrhana Seven O - Was originally Pyrhana's funky new playboat but now they've suddenly decided its their latest river runner.
Waveport EZG -
Liquid Logic CR - these are brand new and I dunno anyone who has paddled one so don't believe the hype till you've sat in one for yourself
Jackson Fun - More play than river running
Riot Turbo - Again will allow a lot of playing and a good river runner.

Second Hand - Alot of these boats you should be able to get fairly cheap second hand:

Pyrhana I:3/Inazone
Dagger Juice
Wavesport EZ/Ace
Riot Booster
Riot Disco - more of a playboat but hey i'd try one anyway.

There are plenty more out there, these are just som boats that you might want to look out for....
Hopes this helps!

Forget the Squirt then, im liking all of your suggestions but have any of you seen or played in a Prijon Wizard they look and sopund great. Im goping to the Outdoor Show in March so hopefully will have a chance to find my perfect match.

demo demo demo. Most importnat thing to remember. Demo every single boat you can borrow steal and beg.

The Pyranha I4 is quite cool

i just bought an i:3 last week, really good fun, more river runnuing but does play the waves quite well.

Yeah, the I3 is great! And if this one is too new take the older Inazone, the're great aswell.

and a hell of alot nicer and more playful than the I4 IMHO hence it got replaced with the 7 O

Don't know about most of these boats, but I paddle what is effectively a smaller version of the Wavesport Ace and love it... Being 5'5 and female though, one of the most entertaining things is watching anyone else try to get in it, so you'd almost certainly need the Ace. However, I find it to be a solid playboat/riverrunner, although definitely in that order, do occasionally wish it had a little more volume. Probably not really what you're looking for, but a nice boat anyway.

check out a dagger juice/rx or a jackson fun

Have you look at Bliss-Stick SCUD playak.com/kayaks.php?id=336

know how you must feel hunting for a kayak, after looking around i've decided to go for a dagger g-force

but will a g force allow me to carry all necerray equipment whiles instructing on river runs, im not to sure, when it comes to Dagger im looking more at a GTX or the Honcho, both are tailered more at river running and my size anmd wait as well asc giving me that bit of play i want

GTX HONCHO bit of play if your a russian weight lifter! you would be better off with the inazone 232 or 242 they will cartwheel on the flat and have enough space to get all your teaching gear in and are lighter than the heavy Dagger stuff or try the bigger juice theyve come down in price recently

At the end of the day you got to figure out what you want the boat for. I use a H3 245 for teaching and steep stuff and a sevenO s/m for play and fun rivers up2 grade 4. What are you paddling t the minute as you could keep that for teaching and get a new boat for play etc

I only have the gold to buy one kayak at the minute im a level two coach and only go out on low grade rivers and ponds. I am happy with coaching on that but on a personal level i want to be advancing on to at least grade 3 water. So i need a boat to cover both senarios

Jackson Fun, no doubts!

I moved from the Perception Blaze (another good crossplay boat) to the Fun and find it unbelievably resposive and forgiving for such a tiny boat. I am now regularly running Grade 4 (and the odd 5) in it and love it!

I have had a play in a Jackson Super hero and it was great fun. I like the way Jackson boats feel but to buy one would leave me with no treasure to bury whwen i reached cross paddle island.

Riot Booster 55 or 60 both under £500 new! Good river runners good in th surf good playboats o start with will do all the moves on the waves or holes! and have room for all your kit. They have nicer outfitting than the other companies boats at the same price ie honcho gtx!

thanks for the advise im going to the outdoor show this weekend and will definatly have a look at the riots, i still like the look of the prijon wizard and cross but i think there a bit pricy though and have never met any one whos used one.

I have a Prijon boat at the moment, and although it's lasted me a long time (five years of moderately heavy use), I wouldn't recommend them to anyone, and certainly wouldn't buy another.

The quality isn't as good as Pyranhas and Daggers. One of my thigh braces has been wonky for a while, and I can't seem to sort it out, no matter what I do! They seem heavier than other boats I've paddled.

I'm looking for a similar type of boat myself and will either get a Dagger Juice or Pyranha Seven 0.

maybe it was just the names and looks that atracted me, i will proberly be getting a dagger as the club i paddle with uses a fleet of inferreds and redlines which have lasted well and are eseay to maintain.

yo! Urge..

i agree the riot booster 55 is the way foward. i have one, its one of the best all round boat i have ever paddled! if you ask me go buy one

respect, M.Y

To late my good shipmates

Ive done it!

I captured myself a Prijon Wizard, more a river runner but possibility to play, nice features and a good price with a free paddle. Could not refuse.

If its rubbish though i will make it walk the plank?

a Party barge pontoon boat. These things rock. You can hold 12 people, fish off the bow, dive off the stern. Great for any water adventure.

Not very easy to roll a party barge or get the tricks flowing