Love the Jackson Antix 2.0!

Written by Adam Swett

I think I received my first Antix in the winter of 2016 or 2017 and started paddling the large version that winter in Blue Hill and on the ocean waves of Bar Harbor in Radio and Otter coves and southern Maine beaches. I was a big fan from the start and started noticing I didn’t want to paddle any other boat. Blue Hill has a good eddy line for stern squirts, an OK hump of a wave to surf and a second wave that is even better to surf. Practicing kick flips there was a lot of fun. The only thing about the first antix was I had a tough time spinning or blunting the boat but I am a front surfing soul surfer at heart so NBD.

Fast forwards to 2021 I am over the top happy with the design of the new JK Antix 2.0. The biggest improvement overall is the ease and balance of the stern squirt with this boat. I haven’t looked at the old and new side by side comparison but subtle changes make a huge difference with these two designs. So far I’ve paddled a medium and small and love them both although I am way too heavy for the small but I have so much fun paddling the small and medium.

Secondly this boat releases into blunts, surfs, splats so nicely I am again not wanting to paddling anything else but the 2.0. Such a nice feeling to blunt a longish kayak. Still a great soul surfing, front surfing shred machine that runs rivers with confidence. The 2.0 has to be a awesome teaching boat, beginner boat or play machine but also heads downriver with stability.

A third aspect I like a lot with the new 2.0 is knee position. Still out to the side but way more knees up and out which I really find comfortable. I noticed yesterday how much contact my back, thighs, knees and feet had in the 2.0, really just an extension of my lower body.

Last I think the 2.0 is best at is speed down river and on a wave. A touch faster with more carve and you can front surf your arms off. Try this thing out, I bet you’ll like it!