Antix 2.0: A Love Story

I paddle my Medium Jackson Kayak Antix 2.0 a lot, more than any of my other kayaks. Why? It matches the style of paddling I do most often. It can do a bit of everything, making for a great day on the water. It is predictable through rapids, surfs exceptionally, rolls with ease, and is comfortable to sit in for hours. When I need to make a snap judgement on what I want to take to the river, I usually think about the Antix 2.0 first. Here’s why…

I appreciate the Antix 2.0’s versatility. I enjoy paddling it on play runs like the Wenatchee River, PNW classics like the Skykomish River, big water runs like the Grand Canyon of the Colorado River, the Cedar River Slalom Course, and my local after work trips like the Middle Middle section of the Snoqualmie River. On the Wenatchee River, I can surf all of the waves with plenty of hull speed and easy carving back and forth. There are plenty of times I feel like I have to purposely stop surfing so others can hop on, it just feels that easy. Most days on the water, I want a kayak that surfs well while performing well through technical rapids.

My first experience with the Antix 2.0 was paddling it on my first paddle of the Grand Canyon (blog post: https://hub.jacksonkayak.com/2020/10/first-jackson-antix-2-0-ride-on-the-grand-canyon/). No pressure. I had previously owned an Antix 1.0 so it felt familiar as soon as I hopped in it. The new leg position from 1.0 to 2.0 felt more comfortable and offered more responsiveness between my body-boat. I appreciated the comfort of this kayak across the many days I spent paddling on the Grand Canyon. I never felt like I needed to get out and stretch until the end of the day. The stern was a bit more responsive than the Antix 1.0, which I quickly learned at one of the massive waves at House Rock Rapid. When I sat upright and with good posture in the middle seat position, I felt stable and the stern very rarely squirted when I didn’t want it to. As soon as I moved the seat position back one notch , the stern would activate more. On days I’m not looking to get too squirty, I use the middle seat position. On days I’m looking to do a lot more stern squirts and rock splats, I move it back on notch. It’s so easy to adjust the seat position with all Jackson whitewater kayaks, so I can even adjust throughout the day if I want. The stern is a lot more confidence-inspiring than you might think at first glance, hence why I feel confident taking it almost everywhere I paddle.

The Antix 2.0 helped me get into whitewater slalom. I live 15 minutes from a local slalom course and I found the Antix 2.0 to be wonderful for learning how to perform slalom maneuvers like pivot turns and learning to navigate the slalom gates. I competed in local slalom races in it. No, it’s not as long as a composite slalom boat but it was a perfect kayak to help me get started with the sport and build up my skills and enthusiasm. I needed a comfortable and confidence-inspiring kayak to push myself outside my comfort zone while learning slalom and the Antix 2.0 fit my needs well.

While I’m teaching a whitewater kayak class, I really value the Antix 2.0 for myself and students. First and foremost, I can fit all my safety gear in the stern including a 4-piece breakdown paddle, first aid kit, and pin kit, which fits best in the Medium with the seat in middle position. This is essential to me that safety gear fits, especially the breakdown paddle! For myself and students, I look for a kayak that is approachable, performant, and versatile. I want students to learn how to pilot their kayak rather than plow through everything in auto-pilot. I want students to try surfing early in their progression. The Antix 2.0 fits this need well (as well as the new Flow).

I also appreciate the Antix 2.0 being lightweight. It’s a perfect fit inside the common Subaru Outback or an easy lift onto a roof rack. Long walk to the river? No problem. Portaging around a rapid? No problem. Loading onto a car? No problem. Sometimes it just feels nice to carry around a lighter boat that is durable enough to endure plenty of rock contact.

Do yourself a favor and try out the Jackson Kayak Antix 2.0 at your local kayak dealer, paddling event, or buddy who has one. For reference: I’m 6’0’’, 190 lbs, and wear size 12 shoes while paddling. I own the Medium Antix 2.0. I could also comfortably paddle the Large. The mostly use the middle seat position.