[img]images/boats/juice-side-small.gif[/img]Boats Database: Dagger Juice 7.1

Finally. A kayak that combines the downriver performance, volume, and speed you want with a wicked playful hull, an easy chair of a cockpit, and the best outfitting system the world has ever known. This combination of proven design features means you get comfort, a loose hull, predictability in hero-sized rapids, and hull speed to get you where you want (need?) to be. We'll even throw in a D-Bone™ subframe for stiffness and safety, and the Performance Fit System™ with Precision adjustable thigh braces, a Flipswitch™ backband and our six-way adjustable AirCore™ seat and hip pads There! A boat that all your friends will be begging to borrow. Our suggestion: Don't let them. Really. We won't think you're a jerk. Remember what happened when you loaned out your lawnmower.

Anyone have any thoughts on Dagger Juice and it's suitability for 'longer' paddlers

I have one. At 83 kg, and 1,76 cm I'm not a \"longer\" paddler but for me is a perfect allround. Comfortable, predictable in a big water and a little creeks but requires a active mode in paddling. Not It's fast for his length, surfs perfectly and spins very well.

Not a creek, not a playboat. Just in the middle point. Some of my \"bigs\" friends think very highly of him.

Hope this helps.

Don't forget when you get in one that the bulk head foot brace comes out. I'm sure that you can get some sort of foam to use instead of the foot brace.

Is that comes out as in can be taken out or falls out when used?

The central front foam block can be removed by undoing the clip, needs a bit of a slap to remove it. Allows you to remove the entire footbrace.

I should add I'm 5'10\", 220lbs, size 8 (UK) feet and fit fine.
It's easy to roll as you are quite low in the water making it easy to get the paddle above the water for your set-up.

I found that I needed a footplate in between the size of the large & small one provided, made one out of plastic and glued a bit of foam to the front to make it a bit more comfy.

I'm 6foot 4 and three quarters (be be accurate). I tried the big one but could not fit in with the 'old keeper foodrest in so I wount have to remove it and make my own. I am hoping the larger agent might be ok although it's weigh5t limit is less so i will have to go back on the healthy eating plan and cut out the flap jacks....

If only dagger would make an extra big playboat!

I was also considering modufying a foam block to make a footrest, you can buy one for the wavesport project here for a about £25. They look about the same size & shape, might save a bit of work.

Yeah the foam works perfectly. I've been paddling mine with a foam block as foot rest now for about a year. ME...6'4 with stupid long legs.

I will have to see if the shop will let me take the footrest out and give it a go.

Cheers for the comments

Hey guys,

What's your thoughts on this boat for a beginner?

It's an Ok all round beginners boat, but if you want to do creeks or play especially this boat may not allow full on stuff (depending on your body) other good beginners boats similar to this are; pyranha stretch, Perception blaze, drago rossi squashtail and Jackson fun series. The RX from dagger is a more play orientated design but does the job

I would recommend it - depending on what you want to do - I use mine down the beach, in the pool, it's OK for river work but a bit slow and wants to go all directions apart from the one you want it to paddle in. Fits me well, seems to be well made, is easy to roll ('cos you'll want to learn to roll as soon as you can), not too heavy so you can carry it, fits onto a roof rack single handed, probably fits inside an estate car.
If you want to do long trips, load it up with gear then it's probably not very good for that. I wouldn't take it too far out to sea either.
Its a good all-rounder.

Would suggest you try it before you buy it. If you are in a club, most people are happy to advise and let you try theirs. If not I suggest you find a local club and join it. Do try several boats, you'll soon find out which are comfy and which sren't.

At the end of the day if you don't like it, you can always flog it on e-bay.

Good all-rounder,Great surf boat.I started of in it and still have it and use it a lot.I am 6'1'' size 10(uk)feet it fits me perfect apart from my big feet are a bit tight,My friend also has one and is 6'4'' size10(uk)feet and had to take out the footrest and he finds it hard to get his feet into it,But he still loves it.
I cant say a bad thing about them.
Its all good(Well for me anyway)But demo some others

I have the same problem. The only way to fit in is to remove the footrest. Tried an agent 6.4 and had the same issus. My feet pressed firmly against the inside of the boat.

Andrew

I have had mine for 3 years and I love it. Its a super all around boat. I have had mine creeking up to a low 4 and it did fine. It will play just fine, but by no means a playboat. I am 6'4 with size 12(us) feet and i fit in it fine without the bulk head. In my experience, this boat is really good for beginners and someone who wants a predictable, stable boat that is easy to roll.

im 5'10 not sure on weight would like the 6:9 version at the moment have the acrobat 270 been paddling for 5/6 years would like to get into playboating more but still surf at sea but also planning on running rivers such as Upper dart and Alps next year for first time (as biggest river i have paddled is Tryweryn upper and lower)and dont want to use a playboat would this kayak be a good buy for what i want to do if i have tried and liked it

Friend of mine bought one of these, he is at least 6'4" and weighs about 205 pounds. we bought our boats at about the same time and i was having difficulty rolling mine at first ( perception Full Tilt) and tried his once and it is the easiest thing to roll i have ever been in, granted i havn't tried more then a few boats. I think this boat would be great for a larger longer paddler, and espicially for a beginner because it is very easy to get the basics down in this.

I thought I'd add a review...

I've had this kayak (the 7.1 one) for about 4 or 5 months now. I'm very happy with it. Here's why...

Good points:

I'm 6 foot exactly and fit in it with no problems (plenty of space). If you are taller, the whole footrest and front foam bit come out so you can do what you want.
Although I'm not great at this yet, it's well balanced on its ends. The extra length helps a lot. I'm told by other people at my club who have borrowed it that it's nice to cartwheel as it does it quite slowly. I'm still learning, but it seems ok to me too, I just need practise.
It's easy to get the front and back under (I'm 14 stone 8 at the moment which helps, but it really is easy, the front and back are very slicey on its side).
It fits in my car. I just have a normal car, not an estate.
The plastic seems strong. I haven't hit it really on anything yet, but it's doing well so far.
It's comfortable. No cramp or pins+needles in my legs/feet here. The seat is good.
Rolling it is fine, no better or worse than other boats I've tried.
I like the front, it doesn't bury when surfing unless you want it to as the front points up quite a bit.

Bad points:

There are quite a few bolts, screws, holes in the shell where I'm not 100% sure they were needed... With my previous Necky kayaks, they had an absolute minimum number of places where they'd had to drill to hold something in place. This has them all over the place. Having said that, my Necky had insanely minimal outfitting and Dagger make more of an effort. As far as I can see, the bolt fixing places didn't leak, but I've sealed mine up with silicon sealer all the same. It's actually not a big deal, although it did annoy me at first just in principle.

Overall:

So overall, I'd definitely recommend this kayak. Although Dagger don't advertise it as a playboat, it certainly fits into my definition of what a playboat is. Cartwheels, bow stalls, all that stuff is fine and it surfs nicely and easily. Assuming it is a playboat (which Dagger say it isn't, they say it's a river runner...), it's one you can paddle down rivers in without stressing. If you compete in freestyle stuff or something, maybe something more extreme is needed, for everyone else I'd say it's a good choice, especially if you only want one kayak.