The Pyranha ReactR is the last creek boat you will ever buy! I was pretty late to the game to give this thing a spin as this is the second season the boat has been on the market. I was a little skeptical at first because I love my Pyranha Scorch and I was thoroughly convinced that there wouldn’t be a better hull design coming out anytime soon, but let me tell you, the ReactR is so sweet.
At first look I was quick to judge, I assumed that the extra width the ReactR has compared to the Scorch and Pyranha’s other race/Creek boats, would slow it down and maybe make it less snappy/aggressive/sporty. But the width didn’t hinder any of those attributes, while adding extra stability and confidence in hard pushy whitewater. My first lap in the ReactR I took it down my home run the Poudre Narrows at a healthy medium flow. I was immediately blown away by how easily the boat turns without having to engage an edge. It is so responsive, all you need to do is look where you want to go and it’ll take you that way. Turning and pivoting on a dime, I believe it is even more responsive than my Pyranha Firecracker half slice! My other reservation was that the slicey stern would be a little too playful in demanding class V, but this is not the case at all. I didn’t even notice I was missing any stern volume until the boat did me a solid and the stern engaged to push me up and out of the hydraulic I managed to temporarily get stalled out in.
After getting a feel for the boat I decided to see what it’s really got, and took it down some waterfalls and advanced creeking on the North Fork of the Little Wind River. In a wilderness setting in challenging whitewater that requires quick moves through fast and steep mank, I could not have been more comfortable in any other boat than the ReactR! Last second adjustments at the lip of each waterfall were a breeze, and the boofs were effortless/automatic.
Stop in to RMA to give their demo a spin, or just take my word for it, and pull the trigger on the last creeker you’ll ever need!
-RMA Team Paddler Heath Bradley
The ReactR is in-stock now at Rocky Mountain Adventures.
