Rewind, The Jackson Kayak Mixmaster is back!

2023 marks the return of the Mixmaster, our favorite full slice boat! Whether you’re a longstanding Mixmaster fanatic that’s been waiting for this day for years, or a kayaker that loves to have fun and is wondering what the hype is all about, you’re in for a treat with these full slice machines coming to a dealer near you.

What’s new and what’s the same?

This is the tried and true Mixmaster that Jackson originally released in 2017, available again for a limited amount of time. Both of the original sizes are available, the 7.0 and 7.5. The 7.0 is designed for paddlers between 100-180lbs. While the 7.5 size is designed for paddlers up to 200lbs. These ranges overlap greatly and therefore choosing which size is best for you may come down to sitting in both sizes, to see which is more comfortable, or simply thinking about what you’re looking to do with the boat. Paddlers looking to squirt and play a lot in the Mixmaster may choose the smaller size if they are in between sizes, while in-between paddlers looking for comfort to go downstream in, may choose the larger size.
New this year, all mixmasters will have bees knees included! These thigh hooks are fully customizable and a great addition to Jackson’s kayaks. I really like these in my kayaks because they connect me to the boat I’m paddling, allowing me to have more control of my boat when I’m stern squirting, and allowing me to edge aggressively without my legs moving in the knee braces. This year’s mixmasters will also come with a footblock that is adjustable. There are two outer layers of foam that can be removed from the larger piece of foam that creates the footblock. The footblock can be removed from the boat and cut to the paddler’s desired size. (image 1) As always, hip shims will be included to adjust how much hip padding each paddler needs.

Why we love it:

The Mixmaster is a sleek design with very playful ends. Both the bow and the stern are slicely with a small amount of rocker, allowing for bow and stern play on eddie lines, on waves, and even in holes. I love this boat for long stern squirts on eddie lines, or endless cartwheels, but I also like this boat for surfing features. The slight amount of bow rocker means that the bow doesn’t pearl as easily while front surfing as with some other full slice designs. This design also allows for looping the Mixmaster, which is really fun!
For anyone that is new to playboating of full slicing, this design is a great boat to start your playing career in! The ends are relatively easy to get under the water, compared to a playboat or an half slice. This boat allows for some of the easiest stern squirts one can do in a boat, and the same can be said when learning to play the bow of the boat. With time and good technique, this boat provides progression to those looking to get vertical!