Having kayaked Landsford Canal State Park, SC earlier this week, I decided to invite some more folks to share the experience with me. Every year, between late May and early June, this park draws people who come to view one of the largest colonies of rocky shoals spider lilies. This Memorial Day weekend was no different; the park was packed with hikers, picnickers, and boaters. After unloading the boats and shuttling vehicles around for the take-out, we geared up and discussed the planned route.
With everyone in their kayaks we put in and played around a bit to give everyone an opportunity to settle into their boats. Today I was in the new Jackson crossover kayak, the All Water 9; designed for flatwater and whitewater, Jackson touts the All Water as a “do-all” kayak. Initially I was a little concerned about fit in the kayak since I’m on the upper end of the weight range for the All Water 9. Whatever concerns I had quickly went away once I was in the boat and on the water.
Boasting Jackson’s Sweet Cheek seat and their simple, but effective backband system, this kayak is comfortable. It has enough of a whitewater feel for beginners to expand their whitewater skills and enough of a flatwater feel that it simply doesn’t suck on slow moving sections. The All Water 9 was just as fast on the slower sections as some of the 12 and 13 foot kayaks in our group. However, the AW was more nimble and less prone to hanging up on rocks in the shallower sections of the river.
If you are looking for a kayak that can handle a variety of kayaking situations then this kayak may be just your ticket.