Long boats were always kind of a mystery to me. I thought of them as the old school of kayaking, and liked to paddle them on class three or four to spice things up a little. A fall day came a couple years ago that I paddled the class V South Fork Feather in California in a long boat, even raced it, and my perception of the boating style changed. Then I knew that long boats were not to be relegated to easier runs and the Green.

When I paddled the Karma UL for the first time, I knew it was going to a charger for me, and all I could think of running was my favorite stretch of river anywhere, Fantasy Falls on the North Fork Mokelumne. Last week Stookesberry and I were feeling the old school vibes and took our new school long boats for an epic ride. For a stretch of river we know well, the Karma UL’s were amazing and made for two of the best days of paddling of my year.

So many first descents were made in older long boats, and even now running hard whitewater in a long boat is nothing new, I’m just excited now to have caught up and to have an amazing boat like the Karma Unlimited!