Stephen’s 07 All Star Review and Vid

By Stephen Wright

After 2 weeks in the 07 All Star, I’m ready to give it my review. I’m
5’4, 150ish lbs with very short legs and I have been able to paddle the new
boat in a wide variety of features: from Z-dam to Brave Wave and everything
in between. I have been paddling an 07 2 FUN for the past 2 months and was
eagerly awaiting the new toy. Here’s the verdict:

This is the best all-around playboat I’ve ever paddled.

It’s improved over the original All Star in every way I can think-of: more
leg room, easier to just surf and spin, WAY faster with more pop on waves,
easier to flatwheel and cartwheel in holes, bigger loops than I’ve ever
done, and it’s brought me more fun in the my old playspots! Here’s my
experience broken-down:

Small Waves (top waves at Rock Island, and Upper Center Chute on the
Potomac):

• Much more speed and crisp carving. It’s easy to get where I want on the
  wave and surf greener and flatter parts of the wave.
• Slippery spins are more retentive than ever.
• The slicier ends make carving blunts and backstabs effortless…while
  cartwheels are a dream.
• It’s easier to keep the stern from catching while back surfing, spinning,
  or landing blunts. This is a VERY user-friendly surf.

Medium Waves (Brave Wave at 3,500-3,800 cfs)

• The great speed and rails allow me to get-out away from the pile for easier
  air.
• The stern shape lets go of the water with tons of pop for easier airblunts,
  airscrews, pan-ams, helixes, and clean blunts than I’ve ever done. This is
  great boat to get your first-ever airblunt, or throw the sickest combos you
  can imagine.
• I don’t catch my stern while backwards on Brave Wave, which is a big deal.
  I can rocket down the wave backwards without fear and enjoy the ride.
• It’s easy to carve around and set-up.
• Backwards moves wheel-up at a super high angle and throw almost too easily.

Small Hole (Z-dam at a flushy level):

• The 07 All Star is great for endless cartwheels and spinning around is a
  snap.
• I have hit the biggest loops of my life in the past 2 weeks. This thing
  LAUNCHES.
• I’m more retentive when I end a move, and I can move around in the hole
  without catching edges.
• Blasting around is fun again.

Big Hole (Rock Island):

• Tumble Wheels are easily recovered.
• Air Backstabs are HUGE
  -It’s just a lot easier to set-up than other boats I’ve paddled. A
  combination of a loose hull, more speed, and crisper carving helped A LOT.
• I can launch out of greener parts of the shoulders and down the middle for
  bigger air than before.

The ’07 All Star has made me excited to get on every kind of feature. It
actually is better than the original in every way. I never imagined that
the improvements would make playing this much more fun. Enjoy the vid that
I shot last night at Brave Wave (QuickTime, 5.0 MB). I can’t wait to get back on the water!!!

Live from Rock Island,
Stephen Wright