Option compared to the L'edge?

Helly · Post by **Helly** » Mon Sep 19, 2011 1:50 am

Anyone have experience with a comparison between these boats? I'm interested in differences/similaries of riverrunning...ie, eddyhopping (crispness of catching eddies), and peelouts, ferries etc. It appears both boats run rapids very well and surf well also.
thanks for the info and sorry if this has been posted previously. I searched & couldn't find anything.

Thanks.

truckeeboater · Post by **truckeeboater** » Mon Sep 19, 2011 2:29 am

Hmmm... Curious about that myself!

Smurfwarrior · Post by **Smurfwarrior** » Mon Sep 19, 2011 3:32 am

There are a bunch of us, me included, who's opinion would be looked at as being biased toward one boat or the other based on sponsorships or being the actual designers of said boats(Craig and Rodeo clown). So, with that in mind don't think that people are ignoring your question. Just remember that people who own one boat or the other will be biased toward the boat they bought, regardless of its actual qualities, or lack thereof. I'd strongly suggest that you paddle them both yourself as you are the only person who can decide which is best for you.

With that said. I love the L'Edge and believe its the best creek boat OC1 out there.

TheKrikkitWars · Post by **TheKrikkitWars** » Mon Sep 19, 2011 12:35 pm

Smurfwarrior wrote:There are a bunch of us, me included, who's opinion would be looked at as being biased toward one boat or the other based on sponsorships or being the actual designers of said boats(Craig and Rodeo clown). So, with that in mind don't think that people are ignoring your question. Just remember that people who own one boat or the other will be biased toward the boat they bought, regardless of its actual qualities, or lack thereof. I'd strongly suggest that you paddle them both yourself as you are the only person who can decide which is best for you.

With that said. I love the L'Edge and believe its the best creek boat OC1 out there.

Better advice you couldn't ask for... It doesn't answer your question, but nontheless it's good advice if demoing both boats is an option that's open to you.

Shep · Post by **Shep** » Mon Sep 19, 2011 12:58 pm

I have posted on this very topic. Don't remember the thread title, but I believe it was an Option review. If you read that and have further questions, I will do my best to answer. I believe others have had more saddle time in both boats than I, but I am getting an Option in a week or two.

Shep

esprit · Post by **esprit** » Mon Sep 19, 2011 1:37 pm

Esprit will have L'edges, Options and Ions as well as the rest of our fleet of boats in Jalcomulco this winter. You can come try them out side by side on a variety of rivers AND have a great winter week of paddling!

Jim

TNbound · Post by **TNbound** » Mon Sep 19, 2011 5:28 pm

Oh man. Let's see if we can do this without starting fist fights.

I've taken a ledge for a spin, and an option for a slightly longer spin. Both on class II/IIIish stuff.

L'edge: Very stable, but I felt it sacrificed a lively disposition. Didn't accelerate quickly and felt a little bit slow. The edges caught eddies well. Don't think I tried surfing or rolling or boofing. Overall, I think the boat is overly stable/wide (for me, anyway) and too heavy/slow. (once again, this is for me. Your opinions/experience may differ.)

Option: Still very stable, and more lively/snappy. Definitely faster than a Ledge, but not as fast as my prelude. Plenty of edge for snapping into eddies. It even was easy to control surfing in a hole, easy to surf out too (probably more important for creeker). The Option also boofed well, I'm pretty sure i got the entire boat out of the water on a little rock boof and was also able to keep the boat completely dry on a little series of pour overs.

In conclusion, I think the option is a better blend of stability and speed, where the L'edge leans (bad pun, just move along...) a little too much to the side of stable and wide.

milkman · Post by **milkman** » Mon Sep 19, 2011 5:44 pm

So Anthony, did either boat make you want to go out and replace your Prelude?

I've had very brief paddles in the L'edge and had similar impressions to yours. But it may be the kind of paddler I am and the kind of boat I like. The lack of primary in the Prelude makes me feel much more connected to the water. It allows for more give and take. I've wondered if the Option provides more of that feel. I don't get it in the L'edge.

markzak · Post by **markzak** » Mon Sep 19, 2011 6:21 pm

Anthony's review is on point with everything I would say. Good stuff. Another thing to add is that I think the Option seems more controllable and maneuverable with water in it and even full of water than the L'edge. We're talking about two really great boats here and finessing over small details, so really a test drive is what you need.

TNbound · Post by **TNbound** » Mon Sep 19, 2011 6:22 pm

I actually did buy an Option (picking it up early October). Now, I LOVE my prelude. The only thing I don't like about it is how hard it is to roll combined with the general lack of stability. The combination is a killer: I don't capsize much, but when I do, I hit maybe 10% of my rolls. For me, the stability of the Option and how easy it rolls are going to make me just a little bit more comfortable on harder runs. While the L'edge is stable and [so I'm told] rolls well, I think it would be pretty boring running class IIIish stuff in it.

The Option definitely feels more "alive" or "connected" to the water. More than the L'edge, less than the Prelude. I really enjoy lively, playful boats. More challenge = more fun. However, on a steep creek I find the drops themselves are often enough of a challenge and that a boat that will help me stay online and out of trouble is somewhat appealing. I think the Option is just about the ideal blend of stable and not feeling like a pig.

TNbound · Post by **TNbound** » Mon Sep 19, 2011 6:26 pm

markzak wrote:Another thing to add is that I think the Option seems more controllable and maneuverable with water in it and even full of water than the L'edge.

Forgot that... When the L'edge is full it is FULL. Lots of volume in that boat.

truckeeboater · Post by **truckeeboater** » Mon Sep 19, 2011 6:33 pm

so with all this awesome talk of stability, ease of rolling, and connectedness to the water (which I also find very valuable and frankly is one of my main motivations for even being a paddler), which of these two boats would be recommended for a relatively novice paddler who has lots of time and motivation to improve?

woozymoose · Post by **woozymoose** » Mon Sep 19, 2011 6:38 pm

Both are great boats. I have been paddling the option since ALF and have also been able to paddle the ledge on some occasions. I have noticed that the option seems a bit more stable than the ledge (if it is possible) and more playful. Both are extremely stable but slow. I would recommend the option if you are looking for an EXTREMELY forgiving, stable boat that can still play very well. Hope this helps.

Shep · Post by **Shep** » Mon Sep 19, 2011 7:09 pm

The other issue is paddler weight. I _think_ the people here who are talking up the Option are all under 200. Again, this is an argument for why you really ought to try to demo both. There are more and more Options out there as time goes on, and at this point, you just about can't throw a rock without hitting a L'Edge on the Ocoee. Where are you located, Helly?

To sum up my old review... If I were running big water, I would get a L'Edge, for small water, an Option. Here in Arkansas, we don't have big water, ergo, the Option.

Helly · Post by **Helly** » Mon Sep 19, 2011 10:14 pm

and would like to paddle an Option. Hopefully will get to in early Oct.
What part of Ark are you located in Shep? I'm in southwest MO.
I guess what I'm hoping for is a faster detonator. Detonator was my first real WW canoe, and loved how it played, stability, caught eddies p
retty well. only thing i didn't like was the speed of it....it didn't inspire confidence in my ferries (coming out of eddies).
I definitely like the fact that it is made from plastic though.....i'm kind of hard on boats.

C-Forum

Option compared to the L'edge?

Option compared to the L'edge?

Easy answer!

Really appreciate the comparisons