Pyranha Fusion Kayak Review

As the name would suggest, the Pyranha Fusion is a versatile kayak that successfully merged the capabilities of a flatwater touring boat with that of a whitewater river running boat. Recently Pyranha added a Small Fusion to this fleet of versatile kayaks. The Small Fusion is perfect for anyone; man, woman, or child, that sits in the regular sized Fusion and feels that the size is too large and therefore would compromise their ability to effectively paddle the boat.

Fowlersville - Moose River Photo: Jeremy Laucks

For my first time paddling the Small Fusion, I chose the Upper Yough, a class IV run, which involved a long flatwater paddle at the beginning and end, a handful of small surf waves, and several lines involving boofs, tight cracks, and quick moves. The first thing I noticed about the kayak was how unbelievably light it was. The speed combined with the drop down skeg, which tracked magnificently, was great for the flatwater sections. While paddling the whitewater, the boat was a lot of fun because it was fast, very maneuverable, and boofed well. And to my surprise, the Small Fusion even surfed well, spinning with ease in small holes. An obvious choice for flatwater paddling, I would also feel comfortable taking this boat down more difficult whitewater.

Jeremy Laucks surfing at Hole Brothers on the Black River in NY Photo: Dave Fusilli

Specs:

Fusion

Small Fusion

Pros:

• Lightweight
• Stable
• Fast
• Tracks well on flat water (especially with skeg in use), but still very maneuverable in whitewater
• Handy accessories for placement of fishing rods, GPS units, and other things I do not know much about. But, the bungy system in front of the cockpit was great for carrying my Gatorade.
• Rear storage compartment. Great for keeping items dry, such as overnight gear, warm clothes, and lunch.

Nicole on Fowlersville at the Moose River in NY. photo: Dave Fusilli

Cons:

• Lacks front or rear pillar, so not a good option for serious creeking

Nicole flatwater paddling on Ellicott Creek in NY finding turtles...

The Verdict:

A hybrid of sorts, the Fusion is ideal for the person that wants one high-performance kayak that excels in a variety of circumstances. The Fusion is equally at home on fishing trips, flatwater paddles, overnighters, and whitewater river trips. And Pyranha filled this niche for smaller people by making the Small Fusion!

Read more about Nicole and the rest of Team Pyranha by clicking here:

http://www.teampyranha.com/

If that’s not enough reading for you, there’s  the Demshitz site too, which is always worth looking at:

http://www.demshitz.com/demshitz/Home.html

Related posts:

1. Pyranha Fusion River Touring Kayak Review
2. Nicole Mansfield Reviews The Pyranha Burn
3. CKS Squad Review:Nicole Mansfield Reviews The Keen Payette Water Boot
4. Pyranha Z.One Whitewater Kayak Review
5. Pyranha Everest Whitewater Kayak Review By CKS Squad Member:Dan Piano