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Rock Star L Featured
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Short Facts
Brand
Jackson Kayak
325 Iris Dr.
Sparta
TN 38583
USA
Phone: +1 931-657-3530
· Show brand details.
· Show all Jackson Kayak products.
325 Iris Dr.
Sparta
TN 38583
USA
Phone: +1 931-657-3530
· Show brand details.
· Show all Jackson Kayak products.
Model Year
Usage
Intended Paddling Environment
Type
Construction & Material
Stats
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Keep blowing your mind on what you can do in a playboat! The Rock Star takes playboating to the next level, once again! Intermediates and Experts will not want to miss this show.
The Basics: Shorter, faster, bigger looping, easier cartwheels, looser, lighter, and snappier makes playboating a joy! Once again a boat that makes you better, right away! The secret? Refined rocker profile, drop chines, more volume, refined bow shape, balanced volume distribution, and a new higher seating position that gives you more leverage.
The Playboater’s Advantage: What you can expect when you get in the cockpit of this new high performance machine.
• Beginners will be more challenged for river running, but be rewarded with easier/bigger/faster moves. The higher seating position will take some getting used to, but if you want to progress uber fast, go for it. For the best in conventional playboating and seating - get the 2010 All-Star
• Intermediates will truly know they have jumped into something special. It will take a day or two to get used to sitting 1.5” higher up, but Moves will be easier, bigger, snappier, and your friends will be impressed with your playboating in your first day. The speed and looseness of the hull will shock you as the boat is a full inch shorter than the All-Star.
• Experts will rock this boat after a few rides to get used to the 1.5” higher seat. Wave riding will be more aerial, faster, looser, and the moves will feel effortless. Hole riding will be like a trampoline ride. Powerful launches up and out of the water for loop moves, while the boat will rotate around your body like a pin-wheel for vertical moves due to the improved volume distribution (more in the stern). McNasty and Phonix Monkey moves were made easier with improved rocker profile in the bow to allow it to “reel up” high before throwing. Wow, then Wow, and at least another 20 Wows every time you try something different.
Rock Star compared to All-Star: While moves are easier and bigger, faster, etc.. the All-Star has the standard seating position and is simply the easiest playboating package for beginners, or anyone who doesn’t want to get used to a higher seat.
Key features that set the Rock Star apart from the Star series:
• 3 more gallons - but cartwheels easier - goes bigger
• 1” shorter - but faster
• Sit up higher - 1.5” and more leverage, everything easier, but takes a little getting used to.
• New rocker in center 2/3rds
• Better/looser hull - WAY looser
Addtional info
• Available as SL or Elite version
• Max inseam/footsize: 36-13
The Basics: Shorter, faster, bigger looping, easier cartwheels, looser, lighter, and snappier makes playboating a joy! Once again a boat that makes you better, right away! The secret? Refined rocker profile, drop chines, more volume, refined bow shape, balanced volume distribution, and a new higher seating position that gives you more leverage.
The Playboater’s Advantage: What you can expect when you get in the cockpit of this new high performance machine.
• Beginners will be more challenged for river running, but be rewarded with easier/bigger/faster moves. The higher seating position will take some getting used to, but if you want to progress uber fast, go for it. For the best in conventional playboating and seating - get the 2010 All-Star
• Intermediates will truly know they have jumped into something special. It will take a day or two to get used to sitting 1.5” higher up, but Moves will be easier, bigger, snappier, and your friends will be impressed with your playboating in your first day. The speed and looseness of the hull will shock you as the boat is a full inch shorter than the All-Star.
• Experts will rock this boat after a few rides to get used to the 1.5” higher seat. Wave riding will be more aerial, faster, looser, and the moves will feel effortless. Hole riding will be like a trampoline ride. Powerful launches up and out of the water for loop moves, while the boat will rotate around your body like a pin-wheel for vertical moves due to the improved volume distribution (more in the stern). McNasty and Phonix Monkey moves were made easier with improved rocker profile in the bow to allow it to “reel up” high before throwing. Wow, then Wow, and at least another 20 Wows every time you try something different.
Rock Star compared to All-Star: While moves are easier and bigger, faster, etc.. the All-Star has the standard seating position and is simply the easiest playboating package for beginners, or anyone who doesn’t want to get used to a higher seat.
Key features that set the Rock Star apart from the Star series:
• 3 more gallons - but cartwheels easier - goes bigger
• 1” shorter - but faster
• Sit up higher - 1.5” and more leverage, everything easier, but takes a little getting used to.
• New rocker in center 2/3rds
• Better/looser hull - WAY looser
Addtional info
• Available as SL or Elite version
• Max inseam/footsize: 36-13
User reviews
Overall rating
4.3
Design
5.0
Perfomance
5.0
Quality
4.0
Value / Money
3.0
The list of cons may look big but they are only very minor cons and the pros far outweigh the cons. I have not paddled this boat on any big waves yet but I have blunted it in very small ones so I think it will be a sick wave boat!
IMO the best boat on the market at the moment for a plastic freestyle boat.
If you are tall and light like I used to be (now tall and a bit heavier) I would get the large not the medium because you will be able to do so much more in a well balanced large boat than sitting right at the back of a smaller boat.
Example. a kid that I paddle with paddles the rockstar small and weighs much below the "recommended" weight and he throws it about all over the place. He gets the biggest loops out of all of us!
4 people I work with have bought one and I will be next on the list!
Review
Affiliated
No
About Me
Paddling for 10 years, freestyle 2 years, level 4 coach. 6'2", 13.5stone. ridiculously long legs.
Demoed at Cardiff International White Water Center.
Demoed at Cardiff International White Water Center.
Pros / The Good
Best playboat I have ever paddled so far. I'v never really got on with playboats as I am very tall and used to be a lot lighter so I would always have to have medium boats and have the seat all the way back. I have since put on a stone and a half and this boat is perfect. I am sitting one notch from the front (but could put it all the way forwards) I can wear any booties i like as long as they are not too chunky and still have room to spare.
It is very balanced and makes cartwheeling on the flat very easy compared to the new superstar. They have increased the stern volume but shortened it so the stern goes down easily as well as the bow. So good on the flat.
In a hole it comes into its own. So much pop! even if you dont try very hard it will still loop properly and easily. I actually accidentally looped it a couple of times without trying.
Cartwheeling seems easier in this boat as it more balanced but im not an authority on cartwheeling as I can only get 2 or 3 ends in a hole.
I have been learning a few new moves and it makes it very easy to learn. Tried back looping and had one within 5 or so goes. McNasties, fonics monkeys are all coming along a lot faster then in my previous few boats. The balance of the boat really does matter, and the extra hight in the seat really aids the moves.
The outfitting really holds you in tight but i might think about replacing the string with some thin prussik cord as I have seen quite a few JK's with the string going or gone.
It is very balanced and makes cartwheeling on the flat very easy compared to the new superstar. They have increased the stern volume but shortened it so the stern goes down easily as well as the bow. So good on the flat.
In a hole it comes into its own. So much pop! even if you dont try very hard it will still loop properly and easily. I actually accidentally looped it a couple of times without trying.
Cartwheeling seems easier in this boat as it more balanced but im not an authority on cartwheeling as I can only get 2 or 3 ends in a hole.
I have been learning a few new moves and it makes it very easy to learn. Tried back looping and had one within 5 or so goes. McNasties, fonics monkeys are all coming along a lot faster then in my previous few boats. The balance of the boat really does matter, and the extra hight in the seat really aids the moves.
The outfitting really holds you in tight but i might think about replacing the string with some thin prussik cord as I have seen quite a few JK's with the string going or gone.
Cons / The Bad
There are a few minor glitches with the boat. The back rest sits too high up on your back and digs into your sides. either lower it or put sweet cheeks in to raise you up even more.
rolling is a bit more difficult. Because of the raised seat and shortness of this boat I find I have to come up on the front deck. So screw or back deck roll work but I have to finish forwards which is a bit annoying. This is only the case on the flat when you get flushed, its fine in the hole.
I have spoken to a lot of people about this boat and they seem to find it very twitchy but I have no problems with this. I think it is definitely an advanced playboat for intermediate paddlers looking to do all the big moves. perhaps not the best for a beginner.
Lastly because it is such a playboating machine it sacrifices river running ability. Personally I find it better than the superstar because i'm more balanced. Not great at running anything more than grade 3. Can be done but not ideal.
lastly it is a bit short to surf very small waves and stay on them for a long time but this is only on very small waves.
rolling is a bit more difficult. Because of the raised seat and shortness of this boat I find I have to come up on the front deck. So screw or back deck roll work but I have to finish forwards which is a bit annoying. This is only the case on the flat when you get flushed, its fine in the hole.
I have spoken to a lot of people about this boat and they seem to find it very twitchy but I have no problems with this. I think it is definitely an advanced playboat for intermediate paddlers looking to do all the big moves. perhaps not the best for a beginner.
Lastly because it is such a playboating machine it sacrifices river running ability. Personally I find it better than the superstar because i'm more balanced. Not great at running anything more than grade 3. Can be done but not ideal.
lastly it is a bit short to surf very small waves and stay on them for a long time but this is only on very small waves.
Recommend
Yes
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