2010 All- Star, Best birthday present of my life

By Jeremy Adkins

Last weekend I had the pleasure of spending my Birthday with my wife, good friends and in the most amazing freestyle boat I have had in my 20 years of whitewater kayaking: the 2010 All-star. Most boats are good at specific aspects of freestyle, but fail to meet the standards at other playspots. The 2010 Jackson Kayak All Star does everything so well, it is a dream to paddle. On the Ocoee River, I realized that each move I have executed throughout the past 20 years was suddenly easier and more consistent allowing me to feel as if I was running the Ocoee for the first time. I was able to work on almost every move depicted in the Triktionary and found 2010 All Star makes all the moves so much easier. So, if you see me on the river, please don’t hesitate to ask to try it out. It is truly indescribable so see for yourself. The following top ten reasons to paddle the 2010 All Star though I’m sure you will find there are so many more like 4 sizes. Woo Hoo!

10 reasons you should paddle a 2010 Jackson Kayak All-Star

Speed – The 2010 All Star is faster surfing than 2007 All-Star despite being 4 inches shorter. It actually holds speed better toward the corner than any other boat I have ever paddled and will stop in the smallest of foam piles. This makes setting up for moves easier, and you’ll get more consistent at catching those ‘hard to get’ waves like the top wave at Hell Hole.

Edge to edge transition- The boat has great edge-to-edge transition. Whether getting speed to the corner or carving to the top of the pile the edge to edge transition is great for setting up for moves. The boats edges aid in your downriver creativity because you can change from one carve to another so quickly.

Comfort- The boat is narrower but has ample knee and foot room making you train harder with no breaks. With the Happy Feet, Happy Seat/ Thruster Combo, 200 beaded Sweet Cheeks there is nowhere you do not have contact with you body parts that are essential for doing any freestyle trick. The new hip pad design holds you hips into the backband giving you more response when you are upside down in trying to roll quickly. Staying so comfortable in the boat means you can paddle it as long as you want to.

Volume – With all the volume around the cockpit you are more retentative, get air more consistently and have an easier time sticking all the moves. The volume distribution also aids in paddling downriver because it resurfaces well in the waves and holes.

Hull- Many tricks are set up by bouncing or spinning on the corner of the feature. This boat is amazingly good at bouncing down the features and spinning to the corners. This makes all features extremely fun because many moves are possible in so many new places. The boat spins, carves and surfs better than any boat I have paddled yet.

Downriver Ability- This is one thing many people were worried about but it is a dream to paddle downriver. The boat length, resurfacing ability, edge-to-edge transition, speed and comfort make it hard to put into words how fun it is. Just take it out and see for yourself. You can make a class 2 rapid feel so much harder but still stick the lines on the class 4 rapids.

Boat Length- The boat is shorter making moves easier because you have more less swing weight and will not hit bottom. The length helps completing moves because you can throw it around faster. Go back to your favorite spot and you will hit more moves in a day than ever before. The downriver moves will really open your eyes because you don’t hit bottom even in places where we always did before.

Old School Ability- Even though the boat is so short is still held stability on edge and on ends. This enables splats, blasts, wavewheels, blunts and super cleans to be more prevalent and consistent. When you can throw a huge Air Loop into 50 ends without stopping .. possibilities are endless.

Multi colors- Get your boat with the colors you want to have your own ‘signature’ color niche on the water. Not sure how long this will last…

Goes bigger- Buy a 2010 All-star if you want bigger and faster moves. This boat is unbelievably amazing and I cannot wait to get it out on the Locust Fork (Home of NAWF) and the Mulberry Fork of the Warrior (some of the best waves in the state)

Because I had so much fun on my birthday I decided to tell you my top ten things that I did on my birthday weekend.

Top 10 things I did on the Ocoee River for my birthday.

1. Paddled the 2010 All-Star on a river with thousands of playspots.
2. Brought my wife (Great company and you get more photos.)
3. Got into a Mega Rocker at Hell Hole and did huge enders and pirouettes.
4. I saw a black bear and Emily Jackson Troutman in Tennessee. No Nick though. 🙁
5. Taught a playboating clinic first day I got there with a Father and Son from Texas.
6. Did a 5 second mystery move at Flipper in a plastic boat.
7. Took a friend down the entire river for the first time. (Way to go Kelley)
8. Did a Macho Move so big I landed looking right back at the raft in front of me.
9. Mountain biked 4.5 miles downhill Chilhowee Mountain in 20 minutes.
10. Threw a 50-point Cartwheel and 10 point Super Clean Cartwheel in one day.

After 20 years of boating and it being my 20th year on the Ocoee River I want to tell EJ thank you. David and EJ have completely outdone themselves on this new boat. Way to go guys. I am proud to say that I paddle for Jackson Kayaks and look forward to starting.

Hope to see everyone on the river soon.
Jeremy Adkins
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