2011 Jackson Hero Review

Alec Voorhees

On Sunday, March 6, the 2011 Hero was introduced to the North Fork of the Payette
River at a flow of 380 cfs, and it did not disappoint. With such a low volume river with tight and
technical moves to maneuver around rocks, the Hero was the perfect length because it would
fit into little slots when no other boat on the river would. I am really glad that I was able to
paddle on that certain day in the Hero.

The Hero is a different boat than any other I have paddled. It did really well on that
certain river and I think it would have performed that well on any other river because of these
characteristics:

Outfitting

The outfitting the boat was great. The Sweet Cheeks and great hip pads kept my legs
from falling asleep. The foot room in the bow was a big factor for me with a size 13 shoe. But
the best part of the outfitting was the backband. It was much higher than all the other boats in
my opinion. I did not have to have it pulled forward so much because of the added height.

Performance

The most important part of the boat and not just the pleasure of how it feels: the
performance. When I took the boat off the car instantly I realized how light it was. It is
noticeable carrying and paddling. With the low weight of the boat it was very fast and
extremely maneuverable in the water. It is shorter but just as fast as or maybe faster than the
last hero. As I mentioned before the length makes it ridiculously easy to fit into tight spots
through rocks.

Now because it is so light and has so much rocker it gets massive boofs. Whether it is
getting air cause you want to brag to your buds or a must make skip over a hole to avoid a long
ride, it is the easiest boat to boof. On one boof in Jakes on “Rock Drop” I took such a hard boof
stroke I landed on my stern and then went up and over. With a great boofing boat you want it
to resurface fast. You won’t have a problem.

With the hero it can be paddled by a beginner or expert paddler. This boat is super easy
to roll. A boat that rolls easy can be the difference on boosting a person’s confidence. Going
down river it will stay on line, but also gives you the option to correct with one sweep or draw
stroke. I would recommend this boat to any beginner paddler.

During my one run in the Hero, it gave me a great feel for the boat. This is a true expert
or beginner boat which in not very common. The Hero is a great design that anyone should
consider. Hope to see you on the river in a 2011 Jackson Hero!