About the reviewer

iv been paddling for about 2 years now and have been demoing lots of boats latetly so i have good comparisons.

Test environment

i paddled it at holme pierre point in nottinghamduring the paddlefest. there were lots of companies there to test all their boats. the coarse had just been re-opened after being remodelled. some very nice waves on there. nice shallow looping waves and big steep fast ones.

Review

I love this boat! i have to congradulate bliss stick on creating a boat for such a diversity of people. even the RAD range goes from 5'9" up to 6'4" so there is a boat for everyone. anyway back to the 185. i was suprised that i fitted into it a i have 36" legs and struggle to get into most small boats, i was even more supprised that i fitted in it with their thigh braces. i fitted in with the seating position about halfway to two thirds of the way back. plenty of foot room. nice set up with the outfitting. i was dmoing an old one so it looked a bit worse for ware but was still operational.

flat water. i found it very big at the front so cartwheels were hard but with practice i think you would get these going no problem.

on the wave. i got on the wave and it carves very nicely on the wave. nice front rocker on it. as for tail rocker i think slightly more is needed. backsurfing requires a fair bit of concentration. if your not concentrating then you may just get back looped, just keep that weight forward.

LOOPING! well one things for sure, they got the name right! i stuck it in for a loop and i swear the people on the banks looked like ants! i was arial for sure! i went for a pop out and my girl friend who was watching told me it was the biggest air she'd seen all day. i cannot say enough about how big this boat goes.
it was heavier than i'd expected so you really have to boss it around on the wave for bigger stuff. im not the best at arial moves to cant comment on any of the other stuff (arial blunts etc).

as for rolling. well its one of the easiest boats iv ever paddled. i could have rolled it with my mind, its that easy!

because of my height and weight my choice of boat is very small and i think i have found a boat that i can really get into. i previously paddled a jackson allstar and i found i was sitting right back so backsurfing was extremely hard but bliss stick have created in my opinion the first tall and skinny mans boat that isnt over 6'2". well done bliss stick.

Conclusion

freakin awsum! spend alot of time getting the ourfitting perfect itl make all the difference.

cant wait to demo the smoothy which has more tail rocker.

About the reviewer

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Test environment

grade i-ii rapid, awesome eddy lines, small waves.

Review

At first i found the boat very tippy, but after moving the seat right the way forward it was a lot better. When going for an ender you have to initiate it before you get in the hole otherwise the volume in the bow makes it really hard. Stern squirts are easy but unstable due to the short stern. Surfing small waves is very easy but you have to make sure your sitting right on top otherwise the bow dives , but it is easily recovered. Tried to spin it and got it into back surf but flushed off as the wave wasnt very retentive. Ferry gliding is very easy. I found it very slow on flatwater but it could be because im used to paddling an inazone. Mine came with no foot block but it has been fine without one.

Conclusion

good boat, good value for money

I have mainly used my RAD in the surf both in Dunedin and around the Southland Coast. I would have to say it peforms pretty dam well in the surf and I havent felt restricted by ther boat in any way. The Volume is a little bit above my weight but due to my height its what I had to get, and I have not had a single problem with it cartwheels, loops all the flatwater stuff is fine with a bit of practice lol. In the surf it is simple to get massive air and do anything you want, Bliss-Stick didnt call it Radical Aerial Device for no reason. Ive taken it down some big water rapids and it handled just fine, you just have tro keep that weight foward! lol
In conclusion it is a great boat.. I love it..and would reccommend it to anyone whos looking to go a wee bit bigger..

The RAD 185 is a freestyle kayak that suits me down to the ground. I have tried numerous other boats and I keep on coming back to the RAD.

I am right at the top of the weight range for this boat and I wouldn't recommend you buy it if you weigh over 105kgs. There is plenty of foot room, I have size UK 11's and I am confortable.

Due to the length of the boat, of lack of, it performs extremely well in shallow holes. The thing that surprised me the most was the speed of the hull on the flat, racing back up the eddy and on the wave.

So, a great low cost freestyle kayak that lets us bigger boys go big without getting in a bath to do so!

About myself

I have been paddling less than a year, but with the Reno playpark in my backyard and the sierras so close, i have been able to paddle almost everyday.

About the test environment

I tested this boat on the South Yuba, the playpark, the South & North Fork of the American.

Review

The RAD is a great versatile little boat that is easy to roll and affordable. It runs the river well, plays great and is fast. The speed comes from the wide, low rockered tail in the rear, which can cause problems in steep holes.
It does well on waves, carves up a storm and is loose on the foam pile, not as loose as some boats, but everything in life is a compromise.
The outfitting is good and I love the seat and backband. I am not crazy about the thighbraces, as my legs sit more upright than i am used to, but a newer system is coming out this summer.

Conclusion

For 750 plus shipping the value is hard to beat. I recommend demoing one as always to make sure the boat is right for you. I do work for Bliss-Stick, so take this review for what it is worth.