Liquidlogic Kayaks

Stinger XP Kayak

Heading to the Grand Canyon for a two-week river trip requires a boat with ample storage space and an untamed taste for foamy falls and speed. The Liquidlogic Stinger XP Kayak is an expedition boat with the body of a race boat. You can either contend for the podium at the Green Race or you can hit the river for weeks on end. The XP has the same specs as the Stinger, but the XP sports an adjustable skeg and stern hatch storage for your week's worth of gear.
Just like the Stinger, the XP craves roiling rapids and churning chutes. The progressive rockered high-volume bow and high-crowned deck give this boat buoyancy. The deck sheds water, and air up front helps the boat nose spring up and on top of the water after you've plunged down a drop. The slightly-rockered long stern tapers to a tip, giving you a bit of tracking when you're screaming across the flats. An adjustable skeg turns a little tracking into a full-on manhunt, giving you the ability to paddle a straight line across flat water.
A skeg also helps you escape dizzying eddys at the bottom of heart-stopping rapids. Instead of having your boat batted around by swirling water, drop the skeg and paddle away from the endless spirals. Bad-Ass Outfitting gives you a responsive ride you can customize with adjustable hip pads and a flippable seat for rear access. And speaking of the trunk, and of junk in that trunk, you wouldn't mind if someone noticed your Stinger XP can handle some. The rear hatch cover, secured by two retaining straps, opens to reveal over 50 gallons of usable space. With that much space, you'll be tempted to bring the tome of ancient Greek poetry on your two-week expedition—or you could just bring an extra beer.