Blackfly Option Review

Wendy · Post by **Wendy** » Sun Mar 27, 2011 1:37 am

From my perspective I loved paddling the Prelude (Original Motion Adventure) and current version, but creaking in the L'Edge feels so right because I can boo and slide down tight slots and not have the edge flip me. It is fun finally having open boats that perform better as creek boats and others as river runners besides the wonderful Fly series, especially for we heavier paddlers

Creeker · Post by **Creeker** » Sun Mar 27, 2011 1:58 am

Larry, as per your request, in this album you can see some pics of Gumpy in his Option one in particular is real nice where Joe was going for the attain move around hat rock. I'm liking the Canon 7D, it makes friends look awesome.

all the pics are 18meg shots at a ridiculously big 3456 x 2304. If anyone sees something they'd like just ask.

http://www.fullgnarlz.com/community/64- ... ?albumid=3

xmas0c1c1k1 · Post by **xmas0c1c1k1** » Sun Mar 27, 2011 2:18 am

RodeoClown wrote:
One thing to keep in mind when comparing the L'edge, Option, and Ion is that most of the boats they'd be compared to are over 10 years old. There's been a lot of progress in boat design theory- and paddling technique/theory- in that time. Until now, most of it hasn't made it into the canoe world, so obviously the new boats are going to paddle a lot differently than the old boats.

Yeah, and now we need a new c1 please!!!!

Both boats look great to me!!!

the great gonzo · Post by **the great gonzo** » Sun Mar 27, 2011 3:31 am

xmas0c1c1k1 wrote:
RodeoClown wrote:
One thing to keep in mind when comparing the L'edge, Option, and Ion is that most of the boats they'd be compared to are over 10 years old. There's been a lot of progress in boat design theory- and paddling technique/theory- in that time. Until now, most of it hasn't made it into the canoe world, so obviously the new boats are going to paddle a lot differently than the old boats.
Yeah, and now we need a new c1 please!!!!

Both boats look great to me!!!

I absolutely agree with xmas0c1c1k1 !!

TGG!

kanur · Post by **kanur** » Sun Mar 27, 2011 2:45 pm

I have not got to paddle an Option yet but hope to soon as one of my paddling buds just got one and we are almost the same size so we can trade boats easily.

He bought a L'Edge after trying mine but was shocked when his open version came in at over 60 pounds and he promptly sold it.

My open version weighs in at 54 pounds fully outfitted with pump and battery. My wood gunneled Prelude comes in at 53 fully outfitted with pump and a slightly bigger battery. The plastic on the L'Edge is noticeably thicker than the Prelude.

After paddling Preludes (flattened by me) since they came out, I could not be happier with my L'Edge. At 54 years old I'll take any crutch I can get

, But it is nice to have Options (I know, bad pun)

econpaddler · Post by **econpaddler** » Sun Mar 27, 2011 6:27 pm

Okay, I wanted a little more time in the boat to post my impressions, but it looks like it may be a while before I'm back in the boat. I've only paddled the Option for two days on the upper Tellico. My usual boat is the Zoom (been paddling it for 5-6 years). I paddled the L'Edge for 6 days in Mexico the first week in January, and one day on the Ocoee last fall. The only way to review a boat, in my opinion, is to compare it to other boats. So here goes:

The Zoom is ridiculously unstable. It's a shaky event to just get yourself into the boat. The first thing I noticed getting into the L'Edge was its primary stability. And shortly after that, its secondary stability. The Option is a very stable boat as well, but not quite as stable as the L'Edge. The L'Edge is also a very dry boat. The Option is a dry boat, too, but again, not as dry as the L'Edge. Remember, this is from someone paddling a Zoom.

I really appreciated the L'Edge in Mexico. I was comfortable with the boat within an hour, and I really needed the confidence the boat's stability gave me while there. I had already experienced that stability the one day I had the boat on the Ocoee, but it was a different story on unfamiliar whitewater. But I also missed the playful nature of the Zoom. I have put up with the edginess of the Zoom for a long time because it is just a very, very fun boat. But I can't trust it when stepping up a class -- in fact, I may have avoided some runs just because of the boat (though I did get to run the Ramsey's section of Greenbrier at ALF in the Zoom -- something I'd been waiting for years to do).

So, I was hesitant in purchasing the L'Edge because I thought I might miss that playfulness. So I tried the Option for two days at the end of ALF. To my delight, the Option is as playful as the Zoom, but in a different way. The Option did not have that sluggish feel that the L'Edge had. It snaps into eddies much quicker, and peels out faster. I've seen comments that the Option can't be steered with the knees as well as the L'Edge. I've always described the "steer" as something you do with your hips, but I'm thinking it's the same thing. But my impression is different: I feel I can steer the Option better with my hips, and must use the paddle more with the L'Edge. One problem may be the outfitting -- the stock Option saddle seems to bring my knees closer to the center of the boat - not out on the chines (other people who paddled the boat made the same comment). I haven't changed the outfitting yet, but that should be easily remedied. The Option has a sort of double chine -- I think that this allows it to be turned either without much of a lean (it spins into eddies with either a "right way" or "wrong way" very slight lean). But you can also get a really good turn with a larger lean as well.

One important thing that I miss with the Option: the L'Edge is a boofing machine. Yeah, boofs are sweet in the Option, but it just doesn't skip over rocks and holes like the L'Edge does. That characteristic is, to me, the most amazing the about the L'Edge. But I think the Option is going to be a surfing machine. Yeah, I know, there's no really good surfing on the Tellico, but on the few little waves I got on, I was really impressed with the Option. It just seemed to to settle down in the trough, and carving back and forth across the wave was amazingly predictable and fun. Can't wait to get it on the Ocoee to see just what it can do. I just know that those decks are going to make for great enders.

I also think that the open L'Edge, with the ash gunnels, is a prettier boat. The ones lying around in the KOA campground at ALF, either on a vehicle or on the ground, were simply gorgeous.

I can't really say which boat I prefer: the Option, the L'Edge or the Zoom. Each has its own characteristics, and each is fun in its own way. I'm thinking that I'll eventually own all three. I'll use the Zoom on class II-III, the Option on harder creeks and when I want to play, and the L'Edge when I'm stepping up a class.

So, those are my impressions for now. They might change over time, as I get more time in the boats. And I'm sure that others will have their own, different, impressions.

Hope this helps.

fleckbass · Post by **fleckbass** » Mon Mar 28, 2011 4:10 pm

kanur wrote:He bought a L'Edge after trying mine but was shocked when his open version came in at over 60 pounds and he promptly sold it.

My open version weighs in at 54 pounds fully outfitted with pump and battery. My wood gunneled Prelude comes in at 53 fully outfitted with pump and a slightly bigger battery. The plastic on the L'Edge is noticeably thicker than the Prelude.

Hmm, your open version is 6 lbs. less with Batt. and pump???

kanur · Post by **kanur** » Mon Mar 28, 2011 11:21 pm

fleckbass wrote:
kanur wrote:He bought a L'Edge after trying mine but was shocked when his open version came in at over 60 pounds and he promptly sold it.

My open version weighs in at 54 pounds fully outfitted with pump and battery. My wood gunneled Prelude comes in at 53 fully outfitted with pump and a slightly bigger battery. The plastic on the L'Edge is noticeably thicker than the Prelude.
Hmm, your open version is 6 lbs. less with Batt. and pump???

That's right, there seems to be a batch that was made lighter for whatever reason. Mine is #8 and is 1# heavier than my wood gunneled Prelude and the plastic is noticeably thicker than the Prelude.

My bud that bought the Option kept trying to get Esquif to make him a lighter one but didn't get anywhere. Jeremy told him he could make him whatever he wanted so...... he has an Option

YTcanoe · Post by **YTcanoe** » Tue Mar 29, 2011 5:54 pm

BUMP - Still sitting on the fence .......... considering my "options"

Thanks, gumpy, econpaddler ad others for the reviews.

I wondered how the asymetrical rocker would be, I'm a little hesitant on the idea in such a short boat. Do you notice any "teetering" feel or other oddness.
I'd have expected it to be a better boofer than the L'Edge, and the more symetrical L'Edge to track better and be the better playboat.

Keep the reviews and comments coming.

Thanx

markzak · Post by **markzak** » Tue Mar 29, 2011 6:33 pm

Here's a few pics of the Option in action at ALF... because everyone loves pictures:

TonyB · Post by **TonyB** » Tue Mar 29, 2011 7:23 pm

good pics of the options bottom!

Craig Smerda · Post by **Craig Smerda** » Tue Mar 29, 2011 8:11 pm

TonyB wrote:good pics of the options bottom!

let's play nice... there's pictures of all kinds of "bottoms" in his album https://picasaweb.google.com/mzakutan/Alf2011Carnage#

Shep · Post by **Shep** » Tue Mar 29, 2011 8:19 pm

YTCanoe, Never once did I sense any squirleyness in the Option. There are probably moments I should have boofed, but I didn't. It was a confidence-inspiring ride.

Hope this helps,
Shep

Larry Horne · Post by **Larry Horne** » Tue Mar 29, 2011 8:36 pm

Craig Smerda wrote:
TonyB wrote:good pics of the options bottom!
let's play nice... there's pictures of all kinds of "bottoms" in his album https://picasaweb.google.com/mzakutan/Alf2011Carnage#

that's funny. someone likes carnage!

Craig Smerda · Post by **Craig Smerda** » Tue Mar 29, 2011 8:43 pm

Larry Horne wrote:that's funny. someone likes carnage!

That's why NASCAR has been so successful over the years... and it ironically also hails from the Southeastern part if the U.S.

There's no such thing as an unflippable whitewater boat... period.

C-Forum

Blackfly Option Review

Prelude vs L'Edge creeking

option impressions