Dagger

Nomad 8.1 Kayak

Step up your game on big water or steep creeks with the hard-charging Dagger Nomad 8.1 Kayak. Whether you're an old hand at running steep and deep chutes or you're ready for a challenge on a high-running river, the Nomad provides paddlers with high caliber performance and the forgiveness of a saint. Despite a burly attitude, this boat turns on a dime and sports endless safety features to boost your confidence when you're pushing the limits of your paddling capabilities.

Unlike it's cousin, the Mamba, the Nomad has a displacement hull. Flat is for pancakes, and you'll be hard-pressed to find a curve-less surface on the bottom of this boat. Not only does this design help the boat track better and boof with the best of them, it also saves your back. As you slip down a 100-foot fall, the thrill of being airborne is quickly replaced with the dread of impact. The displacement hull distributes the energy of impact throughout the boat, rather than sending it directly up your spine.

The bow rocker and peak design means boofing is beautiful and you get over aquatic obstacles with the ease of a champion hurdler. Even bow-to-stern volume keeps the Nomad riding high on the water. Creeking can be treacherous, and the crew at Dagger went all-out with safety features. Six attachment points let you secure the boat with carabiners or ropes from any angle. The rigid step-out pillar affixes directly to the hull, dramatically increasing bow rigidity. If you happened to get pinned, the pillar makes it less likely the bow will crumple and provides a place for you to put your foot when you're getting out of the boat.