If you are looking for slice and speed in a whitewater kayak, the Pyranha Ripper and Dagger Rewind are both great options. These whitewater kayaks offer a full volume bow and a low volume stern that makes it easy to get vertical on stern squirts and splats. The slice revival really started with the Liquidlogic Braaap and Party Braaap. While the Dagger Axiom was technically the first modern slicy river runner, the Braaap was the first boat to really get people excited abut the idea of a fast, slicy, river running whitewater kayak.
After the release of the Braaap every other manufacturer came up with their own updated slicy river running kayak. Pyranha released the Ripper and most recently, Dagger released the Rewind. When it comes to slicy river running kayaks, the Rewind and the Ripper are at the top of the food chain. There are a lot of similarities and differences between the Pyranha Ripper and the Dagger Rewind. In this article we will do our best to dissect the similarities and differences between the Ripper and the Rewind so you can determine which kayak is the best fit for you.
For a more in depth look at the Rewind check out our Dagger Rewind Review!
Similarities Between The Pyranha Ripper and The Dagger Rewind Whitewater Kayak
Being that both the Ripper and Rewind are both in the same whitewater kayak category they share a few basic similarities. At first glance these boats look extremely similar. Here is a brief rundown of the similarities between the Dagger Rewind and the Pyranha Ripper.
Rewind vs. Ripper Length
The Dagger Rewind and the Pyranha Ripper are both around 9ft in length. The medium Ripper is exactly 9ft long while the rewind is slightly shorter at 8ft 9in. The three inch length difference won’t be very noticeable on the water. What will be more noticeable will be the slight difference in width. The length of these kayaks allow paddlers to carry speed over drops.
Ripper vs. Rewind Planing Hull
The Pyranha Ripper and Dagger Rewind both sport a planing hull. This provides these boats with plenty of speed and awesome carving ability when surfing a wave on the river. Both of these whitewater kayaks have solid edges that provide paddlers with the ability to carve in and out of eddies with ease. The increased speed is also valuable when launching off of drops and skipping over sticky holes.
Rewind vs. Ripper Volume Distribution
Although the total volume is different, the volume distribution is very similar in both the Ripper and the Rewind. The defining feature of these kayaks is their playful, low volume, stern and full volume bow. These boats were designed to hold their own in stout whitewater while also allowing paddlers to get vertical on their favorite eddy line or splat rock.
Differences Between The Dagger Rewind and The Pyranha Ripper Whitewater Kayak
If you were to take a quick glance at the Ripper and Rewind side by side they would seem quite similar. However, there are unique features of each of these whitewater kayaks that make them unique. Here is a rundown of the biggest differences between the Pyranha Ripper and the Dagger Rewind.
Rewind vs. Ripper Volume
While the Rewind and the Ripper share the same design element of a low volume slicy stern, they differ in total volume. The Dagger Rewind has a volume of 67 gallons and the Pyranha Ripper has a volume of 62 gallons. The slightly lower volume of the Ripper will make it a little bit easier to get vertical however the higher volume of the Rewind will help it surface quickly after drops, punch holes easier, and provide more pop for big pirouettes.
Ripper vs. Rewind Width
The width difference between the Ripper and the Rewind is small but noticeable. The Dagger Rewind has a width of 25.5 inches and the Pyranha Ripper has a width of 24.5 inches. Although the difference is only one inch, the paddling performance between these two boats will be different. The Ripper is more narrow which will allow for quicker acceleration than the Rewind. Typically whitewater kayaks that are more narrow are easier to capsize however the added length of the ripper makes it surprisingly stable yet easy to roll.
Rewind vs. Ripper Rocker Profile
If you want your river play whitewater kayak to have some serious rocker, you may favor the Dagger Rewind over the Pyranha Ripper. The Rewind features a much more aggressive rocker profile that is strikingly similar to the super fast Dagger Phantom. Dagger designers have admitted that the bow of the Rewind is modeled after the Phantom. While the Pyranha Ripper has enough rocker to get by, it does not have as much rocker as the Rewind.
Have questions about these two kayaks? Comment below and we will help you get them answered!
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I paddled both of these boats in size medium on the Wenatchee River, WA, on the play run from Rodeo Hole to Cashmere on back to back days in May, 2020 while the river was running between 9300 and 9500 cfs. Here’s my take as a person who weighs around 188lbs fully dressed in drysuit, pfd, etc. The Ripper rides lower in the water, feels more tippy in class 3 rapids, but is predictable, faster, and totally rips fast steep waves (front wave at Drunkard’s Drop) as well as allows one to catch flatter green waves I would have thought not catchable. It spins surprisingly well in small holes (Turkey Shoot aka Gunclub) and retains small holes better. The rewind rides higher in the water, is slower, turns easier, and rides higher on a fast steep wave. It spins in small holes well but does not retain the hole as well as the Ripper did (a volume thing?), and was easier for me to tai stand, which was surprising (a seat location thing?). Both boats have positives and negatives in their outfitting but the Ripper felt much narrower to me when sitting in it which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. As for fit, I am 72.5 inches tall with a 34.5 inch crotch to floor length, wear size 12 or 12-1/2 shoe depending, and both boats had plenty of room for my legs and feet with neoprene booties on.
I paddled both of these boats in size medium on the Wenatchee River, WA, on the play run from Rodeo Hole to Cashmere on back to back days in May, 2020 while the river was running between 9300 and 9500 cfs. Here’s my take as a person who weighs around 188lbs fully dressed in drysuit, pfd, etc. The Ripper rides lower in the water, feels more tippy in class 3 rapids, but is predictable, faster, and totally rips fast steep waves (front wave at Drunkard’s Drop) as well as allows one to catch flatter green waves I would have thought not catchable. It spins surprisingly well in small holes (Turkey Shoot aka Gunclub) and retains small holes better. The rewind rides higher in the water, is slower, turns easier, and rides higher on a fast steep wave. It spins in small holes well but does not retain the hole as well as the Ripper did (a volume thing?), and was easier for me to tai stand, which was surprising (a seat location thing?). Both boats have positives and negatives in their outfitting but the Ripper felt much narrower to me when sitting in it which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. As for fit, I am 72.5 inches tall with a 34.5 inch crotch to floor length, wear size 12 or 12-1/2 shoe depending, and both boats had plenty of room for my legs and feet with neoprene booties on.
These are few additional comments relating to my initial posting Ripper vs Rewind. I took the Ripper out for a second run on the same stretch of the Wenatchee River at 10,000 cfs and caught the same set of notable waves: Rodeo Hole (not quite a retentive hole at these flows), front wave at Drunkard’s Drop approx 4’ high, steep and fast) and Grannies Wave/Hole). Initially I said the Ripper felt much more tippy and I should clarify. It feels a bit more tippy than the Rewind and this is probably due to its narrower profile and convex bottom vs the Rewind’s flat bottom. To me this seems to make the Ripper quicker edge to edge but no more likely to inadvertently flip over. That said, both boats will reward the inattentive paddler with a flip over if the stern edges aren’t well managed in heavy water, says lazy me. Also, as I mentioned before, the Ripper is faster. I caught waves with it I didn’t expect to and paddled back into several when I thought I‘d lost them. Last detail, the cockpit combing on the Rewind has a square edge and made a sore spot on my lower back from leaning back while surfing. The Ripper’s combing is rounded and didn’t bother me when doing the same thing otherwise both boats are comfortable but there are differences in leg spread, the thigh braces, etc, that should be checked out.