About the reviewer

I started paddling in 2006, paddled a lot in 2008 bringing myself up to confidence in running class 3 and I have paddled class 4 on about half a dozen occasions.

Test environment

Polish rivers at flood levels, Austrian and Swiss Alps, the Vltava in the Czech Republic

Review

Outfitting:
Very comfortable, but definitely not "flash" - it's functional and it works. The only problem is that the material on the hip shims which attaches to the velcro comes off quite quickly, but this doesn't seem to matter - I've never had a shim slip out. The ribs which are used instead of foam pillars give you unbelievable foot room! The sitting position is exactly what I like - knees held wide and quite high. This doesn't appeal to everyone though...

Materials used:
The plastic is thick and hard, but on the heavy side. The support ribs give the boat awesome stiffness. From my contact with Fluid, they are dedicated to their boats' strength and toughness. The footrest is plastic, which worries me on one hand (possibility of it breaking), but on the other it could save your legs by breaking in a piton situation...

On the water:
It's a short creeker. The top speed isn't impressive, but you can dial in very good acceleration. It is very forgiving over smaller holes, gliding over them, which once led to my complacency for which I was punished - it can be stopped, so speed up for punching just in case. It is very maneuverable and catches eddies in a flash. I mainly do river-running and the one thing it lacks for me is tracking and carving. It has rails and isn't very bad at either, but I would honestly prefer something that feels sharper (which is why I bought a Riot Thunder and am anxiously awaiting Fluid's new river-runner). Resurfacing rocks!

Conclusion

It is a creeker and though I haven't really used it as such, I am very satisfied with how this boat handles. I cannot overstate how important comfort is on the river and the Solo (in fact every Fluid boat) delivers wonders in this respect. I am thinking of switching to a river-running type of boat, but those looking for a creeker should definitely take the Solo under consideration.