Looking for a Playboat? Consider the Star, All-Star, or Super Star if you want the best overall package available today!

May 7, 2006

EJ writing in from the RV before his morning session at Reno Whitewater Park with Emily (who learned to McNasty yesterday- sweet!).

Here are the things I can tell you in advance that you will like in the Star series over any other available playboats, (or those who are unavailable too).

If you were to do a side by side test with the available playboats that have come out in the past three years the Star, All-Star, or Super Star (depending upon your size) would be…

1. More comfortable
2. Drier (they don’t leak!)
3. More leg room (you won’t have to cut off your feet or go to a size that is too big for your weight)
4. Lighter weight
5. Less Expensive ($895 brand new)
6. More Durable- better plastic (cross-linked HDPE)
7. Stiffer hull

Performance Features that the Star series excels at and worth comparing to the other boats you try

1. Loops easier and bigger
2. Smoother, easier cartwheels in flatwater or holes
3. Super Easy to get air on your blunts (reels up easier, and edge transfer is easy)
4. User friendly in normal paddling mode (easy to roll, river run, and keep upright for when you are in between playspots)
5. Perfect balance of speed, where you don’t have to stress about keeping your bow from catching, and you have enough speed for the moves you want to do and waves you want to surf.

(I don’t want you to take this as gospel just because I am telling you this, try the boat for yourself!)

Where has the Star series been all of this time, how come your friends didn’t recommend it to you, and why are more people buying Star series boats in 2006 than in 2005 or 2004? This is the fun part for me.

In order for you to take the time to try a new boat you need to feel it is worth considering. Jackson Kayak has failed to properly market the Star series in the past two years. This is the first year that we are showing the capability of that boat in a way that gets most people excited. 1st off- instead of telling you about how awesome of a big wave boat it is, we have actually taken cameras and video cameras to big waves and let the boats do what they do best- FLY! I had no idea how much focus most average playboaters had on big wave surfing when they come from Colorado, for example where big waves are not exactly easy to come by. A typical public comment to me about the All-Star from a wise guy paddler who is more interested in aligning himself with another companies marketing than checking out the boats available to him was “Hey, EJ, get out of the holes and on a wave!” It was the best thing the guy could say to me because it proved that the general public had no idea what the Star series, or Team Jackson Kayak did or was all about. Thanks to those type of comments, I decided to make my “2006 Jackson Kayak Promo Video” with the sub-title, “Paddle Better”. This video is available for free to anyone who goes here: and clicks “sign up” and fills out the form so we can mail it to you.

Meanwhile- I am at Reno Whitewater park playing in small holes, and medium sized (and really good) waves as I prepare for the 2006 Reno Invitational where Jay Kincaid, Stephen Wright, Emily Jackson, Ruth Gordon, Devon Barker and more will be competing in Star series kayaks.

What does all of this mean to you? Simply that the best freestyle kayak in the world, the one that you would have the most fun in, progress the fastest in, be the most comfortable in, and go the biggest in doesn’t do you any good if you aren’t in it. Marketing often tries to convince people that an apple is an orange. Well, these apples are apples and after three years of putting them to the test, they are the most successful freestyle kayaks to hit the water! Check out the photos and what these boats have achieved.

Also- did I mention that you can buy one today? Pick a color and we guarantee that you will get it within three weeks and usually ship it within the week. (that is if you don’t want the one on the showroom floor!)

Star, All-Star, Super Star:

2004 Pre-World Champion
2004 National Champion
2005 WORLD CHAMPION
2005 National Champion
Won 1st place in all but 1 of the major USA events in 2005
Won both men and women in Teva Mountain Games

Does it really go that big? Check out these photos I got from Ruth Gordon and Stephen Wright this month alone! Yes, the Orange boat is a girl in a Star, sweet!

Click here for the specs for your weight and size: