Opinion of Dagger Axiom

I'm thinking of getting back into kayaking after a decade of not really boating. I've done a few Westwater trips and local town runs occasionally, but no play boating or creek boating. I had some shoulder issues and got married and had a son and kayaking kind of fell by the wayside.

My playboat is a Pyranna Sub 8. Decent hull shape, but I hate the outfitting and it is easily 12 years old. In order to fit in it I have the seat slammed all the way back, and that makes it squirrelly in surging water, but it front surfs great. I'm looking for more of a fast river running boat with a planing hull for surfing and flat spins. I'm 6'4" and about 230lbs and was looking at the axiom 9.

Does anyone here have any opinion of this boat? Opinions of similar boats? I'm not interested in play boats or river running creekers like the Mamba.
Thanks

It is a great boat that kinda led the retro down river play movement. That said you have other options like the LL Braaap, Jackson Antix/Fun/Fun Runner etc. Most people love Dagger outfitting but their boats leak bad. My advice is to drive over the pass to CKS and demo. The Axiom is basically an RPM with a planning hull.

I seem to remember the KiWi instructor we had here thinking the axiom was a good boat for teaching the basics

I think similar to ski boots you will fit some brands better than others

personaly I'm a wave sport kinda guy

Thanks Foggy. I might check out those makers and boats. I don't have the spare time to test a bunch of hulls though. Years ago before the kid I would do that. I think I might just plop my ass in a few and buy one.

XXXer, one of my favorite boats was the Wavesport Z. I don't feel like shoe horsing into a boat like that again. I perused their current boats, and nothing looked like a boat which I'm searching for

Watchu talking about , a whole family of boat people could live in a Z they were so fucking big

I didn't get the XXX handle from doing porn, it was the boater talk days and paddling the XXX

Altho It did take me 6 trys and 2 months to fit " comfortably "

crazy boat eh

My feet were crammed in there, even with the pillar carved out so my heels touched. I replaced the Z with a Sub8 l, which had a better hull shape in my opinion. It's outfitting is sub par though

I think EJ was 145 lbs, Corran addison was skinny, all the best play boat paddlers were little fuckers so the boats they developed tend to fit those small factory paddlers and thats what the buyer gets

I used to carve the pillar out and use heel a tapered heel block, foot size IS important with play boats, I can fit in any boat with my size 7 feet but it sure makes buying ski boots a pain ... literally

Axiom is unimpressive! and I say that as a Dagger fan (love my RPM and Greenboat). Something about the Axiom has just never clicked for me, it's easy to surf but the stern shape makes it harder to squirt than I would like. At your weight, a Braap would probably be a hoot (though I don't love that one either!!). Pyranha Loki is a fun boat to consider as well though not entirely the same category. Also that new Pyranha ripper is supposedly pretty fun too! Smaller size is more fun so a medium would be a playful ride even though the L would prob float you better

Regardless of other opinions, you need to try this option yourself. Many nuances, I recommend to rent and try, all your doubts will be solved.