Dagger Kayaks Large Code Review: XL Paddler Impressions

[@joemamma5350]

From one “Delicate Flower” to another, thank you for your review/input. If you’re able to, please keep the reviews coming, There are plenty of us larger paddlers who simply experience boats and the water differently from our smaller brothers and sisters. Thanks again.

[@ericjensen4434]

Great to see a review from a big guy. Thanks! I'm going to demo this boat and if it paddles well and my feet fit I'll buy it! I'm 6'-4" with size 12 feet. A data point for those considering a large rewind which I own, is that I have the bulkhead maxed to the front and only a thin foam block on the plate and I just fit with the seat in the middle. I cannot move it forward. Also my feet barely fit as the Rewind has a somewhat narrow bow. However I do fit and the boat is fabulous. I bet there will be ample room in the code with the wider bow.

[@WVWes]

As a large paddler, i appreciate any content out there for us. Whitewater kayaking aint designed for us sometimes

[@DownstreamV]

Thanks I’ll have my brother do something on the big foot soon!

[@WVWes]

@@DownstreamV that would be great. I've been looking at that boat. I think I could learn a lot in one of those.

[@Hakudog5]

Thanks a TON! I don't have your big feet...but I'm really close to your height and weight so its really great to hear a review from a fellow XL boater! I'd love to hear your thoughts on the Scorch L too and even the Scorch X.

[@oscoastierob]

I haven’t had a chance to get in the Large Scorch yet but I would like too because I generally prefer the style of hull it has. But I honestly have a feeling that it’s not going to be big enough for someone my weight. Pyranha has a tendency to be overzealous on their weight range numbers. Take this with a grain of salt but they usually are about 25-30lbs too heavy on their max weight number. And the Scorch X is more of a Medium boat despite it being a little longer so that is probably not even worth me trying out (at least for what it’s intended for). I’m gonna try to do some more reviews though and post them on Matt’s channel. I don’t really want to have my own channel but if I can help some larger folks out I think that’s a good thing.

[@DownstreamV]

Might trying to start having my brother do more of these stay tuned !

[@uriahjones4871]

Nice review. Sounds promising. I've been paddling a L Nirvana since it came out and interested in other options. At 6'3" 245lb I can definitely say the L Scortch is too small. The outfitting is roomy enough but I really overloaded it and was not able to get the performance out if it. I would think that the Scortch L is actually going to top out around 215lbs or so despite what the recommended weight is.

[@oscoastierob]

@@uriahjones4871 im not surprised, I love Pyranha designs but they’re way too overzealous on their weight range recommendations on some of their boats. Just because you can fit into a boat doesn’t mean it will perform worth a damn if you’re too heavy for it. Just like the Large Ripper which they have the max weight at 275lbs when it really should top out around 230-240lbs (at least if you’re plan on paddling it on stout whitewater…)

[@danenewman800]

@oscoastierob Thanks for a review for bigger guys like us. Curious if you have tried a machno and how does the code float you compared to a machno?

[@jankubista3335]

Hi, nice review! How does it surf? I know its not its main objective...and does the edges have enough bite to carve in and out of eddies well? Thanks 👍

[@DownstreamV]

Great surfing boat. Obviously not a playboat but surfs Well for a half slice. Has plenty of edge.

[@jankubista3335]

@@DownstreamV Thanks for the answer!

[@sbaldwin21]

Thanks for that review on the large. How does it compare to a WAKA OG? I’m 5’11 and 235lb.

[@DownstreamV]

Neither of us have paddled an OG but I am pretty familiar with waka boats and I paddle the small code. I would say they are comparable boats. Both hybrid hulls with good amount of bow rocker. The large code is going to be a bit bigger volume wise than the OG and float you a bit better. It may come down to outfitting which both are good also. The code is also a bit safer with step out roto molded bulkhead and actual metal grab handles.

[@LukeOsborne1]

How is the knee position in the L Code? Higher like the L Nomad/L Axiom, or lower like the L Rewind?

[@DownstreamV]

Rob ?

[@biggieb8900]

I'm 310, really rolling the dice on the dagger code large, but I don't know of any other options. I hope I don't regret it! Time to lose weight I guess

[@shanemurphy35]

Great to see someone looking at big boats. I'm around 225 which would put me in a large, but this boat looks huge, any thoughts on that.

[@oscoastierob]

It’s a big boat for sure, and could probably still float someone 10-15lbs heavier than me without the boat losing much performance. Honestly at your weight I think I’d go try and demo a Medium despite being over the max weight for it, you’ll find that it’ll probably still float you just fine. The specs on the medium are almost identical to the Phantom, and despite me being about 20lbs too heavy for a phantom at 275 I was still able to make it work and you’re a lot lighter than me. However that being said, it’s always easier to paddle a boat that is a little bigger for you than a boat you’re too heavy for. You can pad a bigger boat out and make it fit and you’ll have a much drier ride, whereas if you’re too heavy it will most definitely change the performance of the boat and it’s generally not a positive change.

[@DownstreamV]

This is Matt. I am 135 and paddled my friends large that he demoed. It actually paddled way easier than I thought. I think a large would be fine. It paddles smaller than it looks.

[@shanemurphy35]

Cheers for the feedback guys. The Code has not hit Europe yet so it's all theoretical for the time being anyway. Most of what Ill be using it for are small rocky runs, did I say SMALL and ROCKY. I will defiantly try a medium anyway, come from a background of paddling smaller boats/playboats on everything

[@oscoastierob]

@@shanemurphy35 it does paddle like a much smaller boat as far as how it feels on the water. I think that is contributed to the amount of bow/stern rocker it has. Which is why it also spins really well when you’re surfing it in a hole. It feels a lot more nimble than most creek boats that are similar in size and I think it wouldn’t be nearly as hard to surf your way out of a large hole in it compared to other large creekers like a nomad or even a mamba.

[@MrBrewcrew11]

This is great info. How do you feel about the phantom compared to the Lg code for someone 5’11 225 who uses a medium rewind as my typical boat? I’ve used the 9R L a few times and liked it but that felt pretty big at only 90 gallons.

[@ArneHB1]

Matt, please tell your brother to start his own you tube channel to cover topics for larger boaters, like you for smaller. As a heavy padler I'd love to see his review of boats. Also get him to do some on water review if possible. It'd certanly subscribe to him!

[@oscoastierob]

I’m not sure I want to have my own channel but I’d be glad to add more content for larger paddlers for his channel. I had originally intended to do this a few years ago and had started a blog but it didn’t seem like I got much traction. This seems like it’s a better platform to reach people though. As for on water reviews I could definitely try to do that. I’m not the greatest at coming up with stuff to say on the fly, I do better after I’ve had time to think about it or get something on paper.

[@ArneHB1]

@@oscoastierob Great! I honestly think you should start your own youtube channel. Then you can have more content spesific towards larger padlers, and you get followers that are interested in that. Matt has alot for smaller padler and he've buildt up a great follower base, but they are mostly smaller padlers. I think what works for you will be the best! Why I said on water review is something Wade does and works for him, but most important is to do what works for you. But I'd love to see video of you padling, not to judge your padling style or show off your skills but to get an idea how the boat behaves. Then after the padling have a summarized, final thoughts. See if you can get a structure of things you go through so it's easy to compare with other boats you review. How it boofs, edge, stability, rails ect ect. Maybe also how it performes with seat forward and backwards. Also I'm sure Wade would have you on his podcast where you can chill out drinking beer and talking about boats

[@DownstreamV]

My brother doesn’t paddle as near as much as me so I think it would be tougher for him to do a full channel but keep a look out for some more large boat reviews from him on my channel!

[@ArneHB1]

@@DownstreamV Yup it's certanly something missing there as you saw there was missing for smaller padlers. Great stuff keep it up both of you!

[@oscoastierob]

I’m lucky if I can get out one day a week to paddle, and honestly I’ve kind of retired on paddling a lot of the big stuff I used to paddle. I’ve had 3 spinal surgeries in the last 4 years so my days of running big drops are over. But I still get out on stuff like the Upper Yough and class 3/4 creeks pretty often. I’ve just dialed it back on the class V stuff. But I do have a lot of seat time in a bunch of different boats over the years and have a pretty good perspective on how they handle as a xl paddler. Back when I was a teenager, you were lucky if a company had a boat in 2 sizes and even then the larger of the 2 was always still too small for me..

[@kevinhill.8]

Excellent. I’m def passing this on to some buddies who are interested in Lg. Wild how different you and Matt are in size. 🤯 I agree 100% on preferring planing hull w edges, so nice to hear this didn’t feel too loose/displacement, though since you are at top of weight range that could be causing edges to sit lower and engage more. I’ve heard others say they needed to get it pretty far up on edge to engage. Also crazy to me that Md and Lg are both 27” wide. I’m 6’ 135lbs, and I sat in a Sm and Md. Sm knees too low, and Md too wide, so sticking w my Md Scorch and Goat. Btw, glad only beginning suffered from VVS. Nice recovery. 😆 kzbin.info/www/bejne/eJfCo62Ho6ploZY

[@oscoastierob]

The VVS is because I recorded it on my phone and didn’t have someone else videoing for me. Also I will say that the edges engaged on a wave while front surfing when I had my weight shifted back a lot better. The edge is more defined on the stern and it seemed to front surf much better keeping the bow up out of the water and sitting on that planning surface.

[@DownstreamV]

Thanks for commenting Kevin!

[@timgraves4209]

How about on water Lg rewind review.

[@DownstreamV]

I will see if my brother can do something!

[@rustyshackleford4299]

Tony Soprano ...a boater! Who'd a thunk it?

[@FeWolf]

Very interested in this boat

[@DownstreamV]

Great boat !

[@FeWolf]

@@DownstreamV Would love to hear is view on the Rewind, I have not decided on the Code or Rewind, he sounds alot like myself as far as paddling style. Plus like your brother, I like a plain hull, so very interested and thanks for posting this.

[@DownstreamV]

@@FeWolf that’s his main boat I’m sure he can make a video of comment on here about that

[@FeWolf]

@@DownstreamV Thank You Sir

[@oscoastierob]

@@FeWolf I can definitely do a review on the Large Rewind. I’ve been paddling that boat for over a year on pretty much everything and I also had input on the production release. I was given the opportunity to paddle the prototype for a month or so and let Snowy know what I thought about it as a larger paddler (what I liked and didn’t) which did have an effect on the final release version.

[@artfisher1235]

Creeking above Class II may not be a safe choice for you despite the size of the large Code. These manufacturers truly only hope that their largest boats will take care of 240 pounders in Class III waters. Yeah they say up to heavier weights, but that is pushing their boats far beyond what is appropriate for real handling performance. I paddle the large size of boats as a 6 foot 3 inch 192 pounder who runs and bikes really hard., and I am very comfortable in Class V water dropping 400 feet per mile. But I am very careful and gentle with my larger buddies, taking them down only the beginner sections. I can tell just by casual observation that you big guys are pushing the hulls of these boats beneath the parting lines on the water surface, and that is a very dicey prospect when you hit the slightest cross current or hydraulic. Bottom line is: drop the unneeded weight. God is not making the creeks any bigger, and God is not making your cardiovascular system any bigger.