Friday, November 20, 2015

Dagger Stratos

This week I got to paddle the Dagger Stratos 14.5.  Dagger touts the Stratos as "A playful, sporty touring boat that makes open water, rock gardening, and ocean surf fun and exciting.  The Stratos has been available in the UK for a little over a year and is scheduled to be available in the United States in 2016.  It is 14.5 feet long and is available in 2 sizes - small and large.  It has 2 bulkheads, 2 hatches, perimeter lines, and a drop down skeg.
Dagger Stratos 14.5L in the rock gardens of the Mendocino Coast of California
I think that Dagger may have found the missing link in the kayak industry.  As ocean rock garden play has been gaining in popularity so has interest in shorter more maneuverable sea worthy kayaks.  There have been a few other shorter sea kayaks on the market, but they miss the mark in different ways.  As a result, sea kayakers have been looking toward the newer longer whitewater kayaks for ocean rock garden play.  The industry has responded by putting bulkheads, hatches, and skegs in their long creek racing kayaks (11-12 foot range).  Many of us have enjoyed the stability and forgiving nature of these kayaks but found them to be lacking in performance.  The Dagger Stratos is designed to be a playful sea kayak.  After my test paddle, I think that Dagger has the playful sea kayak that many of us have been looking for.
Jeff Laxier rock gardening in the Dagger Stratos on the Mendocino Coast of California

Review of Dagger Stratos
I got to paddle the small Stratos for an afternoon in the rock gardens and surf on the Mendocino Coast.  I also got to see both the small and large sizes perform side by side in the capable hands of Jeff Laxier and Ben Lawry.
Ben Lawry having fun in the Dagger Stratos
First Impression
Two words describe my impression of the Dagger Stratos - Nimble and Responsive.

The Stratos maneuvered like a whitewater kayak but with better tracking.  For those that like carving edged turns, it carves nicely on both inside and outside edges.  The kayak is nimble yet quite stable in chaotic water. I was pleasantly surprised by how quickly it accelerated to catch waves, ride surges, and punch out through waves.  Here's a short clip of Jeff surfing the small sized Stratos.

Fit
The small Stratos fit without any custom outfitting.  The Stratos is equipped with adjustable sliding plastic foot braces and adjustable thigh hooks.  I adjusted these and hopped in and paddled it comfortably.  I am 5'4" and think that the small Stratos could easily be adjusted to fit smaller paddlers.  My only complaint is the long cockpit which seems to be a trend these days.  For a small paddler, this creates a dilemma - Do I wear a looser fitting spraydeck that I can easily get on myself or do I struggle and sometimes require help from a teammate to get a properly snug spraydeck on?  At 5"11, Jeff enjoyed the performance of the small but preferred the roomier fit of the large.
Dagger Stratos 14.5S surfing on the Mendocino Coast of California
Conclusions/Recommendations
Paddlers who are looking for a playful plastic sea kayak for ocean rock garden and surfzone play should definitely put the Dagger Stratos on their radar.  Look for opportunities to demo them as they come out in 2016.  Size choice is likely to be a personal preference as opposed to manufacturer recommendations so demoing them is going to be key.

I am ordering mine this week and plan to be teaching rock gardening classes in it at Paddle Golden Gate.  Stay tuned for more . . .


49 comments:

  1. I'd be interested in hearing about it compares to the Alchemy, if you have any thoughts on that.

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    1. Hi Peter, The Alchemy and Stratos are 2 very different kayaks. The Stratos is definitely a higher performance craft - less primary stability and a lot of secondary stability. Definitely feels more maneuverable. I am working on a blog post that will have more thoughts on the 2 as well as some of the other popular kayaks for rock garden and coastal play. Cheers, Cate

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  2. Here's the promo video from dagger for it:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=crY1F0vKJDI

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  3. Thanks for sharing the review and the comparison to the Alchemy. As a fat paddler I might prefer the stability of the Alchemy as I have no problem getting it to turn or edge, but I do want to give the large Stratos a test

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  4. The more I paddle the Stratos, the more that I am liking it. Our students are too. Follow up review to come.

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  5. Nice write up Cate. I just ordered a small version of the Stratos. I don't have a chance to demo and fell between suggested sizes. I'm 5'11" 170 lbs, what are your thoughts on the small for a day tourer for large inland lakes and up to class II rivers at my height / weight?

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    1. Hi Scott, Thanks for checking out my blog. I think you will really dig the small Stratos. The small has a very playful feel to it and accommodates a wide range of sizes. Jeff is 5'11" and prefers the small for everyday paddling (he uses the large when we might need to have a larger client use the boat or when needing more volume for gear or guiding. Please let me know what you think when you get yours! Best, Cate

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    2. Thanks for the input Cate! It's hard to find sizing info on this kayak so I appreciate it. Will do on the follow up.

      Scott

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    3. Hi Cate. Thanks so much for your awesome blog and reviews. To follow up on Scott's question and Jeff's experience--I am 6'4" 200 lbs and curious if I would fit in the small by any chance. Would you say Jeff is at the max height for the small or is there some room to grow? Best regards--(another) Scott

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    4. Hi Cate, thanks so much for your awesome blog and reviews. To follow up on Scott's question and Jeff's experience--I am 6'4" 200 lbs but I like the specs on the small size-- trying to figure out if I would fit? Have you had any larger paddlers in the small? Does Jeff have room to grow? Thanks!

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    5. Hi Scott, I would think the small would be a bit small for you based on your height. Best bet would be to demo them both. Best, Cate

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    6. I agree with Cate. A little too cold for me to hit the water yet (a dusting of snow last night here in MT) but found that the small fits me very snugly yet comfortably at my height as long as I wear form fitting footwear for my size 10 USA (27.5 mondo) feet. The small feels like a perfect performance fit for my relatively new to kayaking self. I can't wait to get out on the water, but am in mountain biking mode for the time being. Signed, the first Scott.

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  6. Hi all,I have a Dagger 14 and wife had a charleston 15..I've been on the lookout for replacing these,for faster,less cumbersome and more responsive boats..ith all the positive comments ont he Stratos,I'm going to try one for sure..Thank you!

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  7. Ive been paddling a small stratos for just over two years (uk)..i cant rate this kayak enough its my boat of choice for most occasions ive even ran up to grade 3 rivers in it...exellent value for money. .and i cant see you finding a better short seak kayak around. ..best bang for your bucks. .t

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  8. I chose the Stratos from reviews. Yours amongst others. I am grateful that you took your time to respond on your blog.

    Anyway, I got it, and I am very happy about it: ending in a sidesurf is a breeze, controllable, being tossed backwards - no probs, cruising speed acceptable.

    The hatches though, I am a bit worried that the rear one might pop off one day. Seen some taping it...

    Again. Thanks for your time and review and competent answers  

    PS from a recent trip to Norway; https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=oa.1123549234361182&type=3

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    1. Yes, the rear hatch cover popping off is an issue. We have put a layer of duck tape around the rim to make it a bit snugger and give it more friction. Also we put a strap across the hatch. We are making other modifications to the boat this winter. I will post them on my blog. Here is a link to our hatch cover strap. https://photos.smugmug.com/Kayaking/2016-Kayaking-Adventures/Sea-Kayaking-2016/Random-Sea-Kayak-Photos-2016/i-RVDchcp/0/L/P1020012-L.jpg

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  9. Hi Kate, I sent this to Jeff last week.

    Did you ever outfit your Stratos for the surf with a bulkhead, thigh braces, hatch straps, etc.? How is it holding up? I couldn't get a buyer for my surf Delphin last year so I ended up selling the Stratos for what I paid for it. Took the Delphin out in small waves a week ago and still hate how much effort it is to maneuver before it gets on a plane or if I'm dinking around on the inside. I'm considering buying a Sterling boat, either a Reflection or a Progression, but either is a serious chunk of change at 4x more than the Stratos. I think I recall seeing you try a Sterling - any advice re either the Stratos or the Sterlings? I'd be using the boat as a long surfboat, tide rip surfing, and as a day trip boat. I have my Fusion for rockgardens.

    Thanks,

    John

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    1. Hi John,
      Thanks for checking out my blog. We put a strap on the rear hatch, some shims on the footbrace keepers, and a different seat in my Stratos. It has been good to go. This spring, we plan to put a center pillar and foot brace bulkhead in it.

      Regarding the Stratos vs a Sterling Sea Kayak. I am happy with the performance and price of the Stratos. It does everything that I want and need it to do. Sterling Boats are nice but way out of my price range.

      If you decide to go with a Sterling Boat - definitely demo the Progression.

      Cheers,
      Cate

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  10. Hi Cate.
    I hesitate between Stratos S and Alchemy. I'm 132lbs and5,5'.
    I look for a manoeuvring and funny kayak
    News on the comparison both?

    Thanks

    Valentin

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    1. Hi Valentin, Thanks for checking out my blog. I definitely prefer the Stratos over the Alchemy. It has a little more hull speed and is more responsive to edging. I always feel like I have to lean to edge the Alchemy. Edging the Stratos is easy and very effective. Best bet is to paddle them both and see what you prefer. Feel free to contact me if you have additional questions. Cheers, Cate

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    2. You're quick!
      Thank you Cate.
      I live in France and it is impossible to find Alchemy on approval. Just one shop for test the stratos.

      For you, stratos and alchemy have same manevrability ?

      Cheers, Valentin

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    3. Ahhh. I am working in the office today so your questions are a welcome distraction. I would say the Stratos is more maneuverable and a more performance oriented kayak - especially for smaller paddlers like us. C

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    4. Hi Cate.

      Thank you for your advice, I ended up buying the Stratos. He's amazing.
      I sailed with it at sea, on lake and river and I am very happy. Thank you.
      I leave you the link to my youtube channel where you can see some beautiful French landscapes.
      https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLHwcxiAs2ByKuGTy-4AbkQ

      Have a nice Day.

      Valentin

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  11. I just got the stratos 14.5 S last week and have taken it out twice on flatwater. I freaking love this boat. I also have a Perception Swifty but I wanted a boat where I could paddle further all day without tiring out so easily. My first thoughts comparing these two boats were the swifty is like pedaling a bike on a high gear. It is easy to get it going but really you are just spinning your wheels and getting nowhere fast. The stratos is like pedaling a bike on a low gear. Takes a little more force to get it going but when you do it zips through the water effortlessly. There is a huge difference on flatwater when the skeg is down vs. when it is not. Especially with any sort of crosswind. I loved that when I pulled the skeg up I could easily maneuver in and out of nooks along the shore like in my swifty and when on the open water I would put it down and it tracked perfectly with no extra effort of paddling. Also, there is a huge difference in the way this boat handles wake from the multitude of fishing boats on the lake. This is the first boat I have had that has such a snug fit which I was nervous about but I quickly saw the benefit of "fitting" your boat. I am 5'6" 170 lbs and to be honest I have mama hips from having a baby and was disappointed at first when the seat was way too tight. I saw the hip pads were removable so I pulled them out and actually moved them to the back for some extra lower back support because I get back pain easily. This worked marvelously and the fit was perfect after the simple change. I also moved the knee pads back a notch and with some trial and error got the feet pegs in the right place. My only problem I never had before was after two days of paddling I had ankle pain but only my right ankle. I think it was from not knowing where and how to comfortably place my legs adjust the seats hip lifters at first. Once I made the proper adjustments I noticed a difference right away. I also upgraded to a Werner Camano paddle and had wrist and forearm pain that I have never had before but I think I found the solution for that on another blog. Overall, I am extremely pleased with the stratos and I can not wait to take it out on the larger more sea like lake that I live near. In my swifty I felt nervous on this lake and could not go out very far because the water gets pretty choppy and therefore took forever to paddle out and back in to shore. I think the stratos will handle it like a champ.

    Jessica P.
    Instagram
    @pierceyerface

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    1. Hi Jessica, Thanks for checking out my blog and sharing your thoughts on the Dagger Stratos. I am glad that you are enjoying and think you will the more and more you paddle it. Happy Paddling!!! Cate

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  12. I am confused which one to order between the large stratos and the Small. My weight is 75kg and height 5'9". I wanted for a day tour only and very few storage. I am going to paddle in open sea only. Any suggestions.
    Thanks

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    1. Thanks for checking out my blog. Either size would work for you. Your best bet is to try them both out and then decide.

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  13. Hi Care, at 6'1" & around 83kg, do you think that the Stratos S would be OK. I'm really interested in this kayak for the good surf in my local area but at 62cm, the Stratos L just sounds too wide. By comparison, my other sea kayak is 52cm wide.

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    1. Hi Dirk, Thanks for checking out my blog. I can't really say. Most guys your size find the Large much more comfortable. You would have to demo them both to know. The Stratos surfs well for a sea kayak but if you are looking for a kayak specifically for surfing I would recommend looking at a surf specific kayak. Please let me know if you try the Small Stratos and your thoughts. Cheers, Cate

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  14. Thanks for replying, Cate. I don't need an actual surf kayak because its still a small trip to get to the surf zone and I like the idea of a kayak that can keep up with the big guys (for a while). A friend has a P&H Hammer and I saw how much effort he had to put in to paddle just a few km on a hot day. It's not for me :). Since I can't test paddle a Stratos here, but I have spent time in a poly Gemini SP, the Gemini is still on my list. Is the Stratos your preferred kayak because it's simply better for rock gardening? Sorry to plague you with questions but there's a drought on sea kayaking info atm :) and you are an interesting and active blogger.

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    1. Hi Dirk, I'm happy to share my experience and opinions. I have paddled the Hammer, Stratos S, and Gemini SP quite a bit in a variety of conditions including loaded for multiday trips. The Stratos is my go to boat for coastal play. I really like the hull design. The Stratos is more maneuverable and surfs better than the Gemini SP. The Gemini SP does have better hull speed and drier hatches. I really like the Hammer. It is just too big and heavy for me. I just am not sure how to advise you regarding sizing for the Stratos. Jeff is 5"11 and 150 pounds. He likes the performance of the Stratos S but keeps paddling the Stratos L because it is more comfortable. I will be seeing a bunch of paddlers soon at Lumpy Waters - let me do some surveying for you. Cheers, Cate

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  15. Stratos S much more playful than the Gemini SPrm but not as good for going in a straight line, depends what you want to do, I use the Stratos on rivers as well as coastal trips where i like to explore caves etc so prefer the stratos, the single layer plastic seems to be less affected by scratches than the Valley 3 layer which looks scruffy really quickly, and Stratos is better value for money by far, on the rear hatch i have put some layers of gaffer tape around the edge of the foam insert in the hatch cover, seems to have tightened the fit up enough.

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    1. Hi Simon, Thanks for checking out my blog and sharing your experiences with the Stratos. I need to write up a long term review. The more I paddle the boat, the more I enjoy it - especially for coastal play. Cheers, Cate

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    2. I owned a Gemini SP RM & really liked it. I was quite surprised at how comfortably I could keep pace with the group in their longer f/g boats. The Gemini made sense to me as a versatile, responsive & smaller sea kayak, retaining the keel of a "normal" sea kayak, rather than the flat planing mid-section of something like the Pea & Ham Delphin. It was why I chose it over other more "surfable" boats. I wanted a kayak that would respond nicely to paddle strokes, edging/leaning with good rough water ability, keep up with the group, catch waves, resist pearling, and the Gemini met my requirements. When you think about it, that's covering a lot of bases for one single sea kayak.

      I absolutely regret selling it & would buy another if I had that money burning a hole in my pocket.

      I also have a Dagger Stratos 145L & it is super responsive, quite good in surf & among the rocks -better than the Gemini but is also a handful to paddle in very windy conditions and noticeably slower than the Gemini. The Gemini will handle strong winds and track well in most conditions.

      I find the Stratos surprisingly fun to paddle on dead flat water because it is so responsive and manoeuvrable. It's interesting that both boats are roughly the same length yet the Dagger feels like a short boat and the Gemini felt like a longer, "traditional" sea kayak.

      The Gemini is the do-it-all sea kayak for me.
      The Stratos is a fun boat, maybe a little more "niche" but is ideal for rock gardening and surf.

      Neither kayaks are true surf craft as most would realise, but my context is sea kayaking.
      I've never paddled a proper surf kayak and I guess it's a whole other world to sea kayaking.
      What's surfing to me is probably childs-play to someone who actually surfs in one of those amazing, slipper-like craft :)

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    3. Hi Dirk,
      Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I agree that the Gemini is faster and feels like a more traditional sea kayak and that the Stratos is super fun on flat water (and even more in dynamic water). I enjoy just spinning 360's with edged turns on flat water - so fun!!! Cheers, Cate

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  16. I am 5'7 and 140 lbs. REI has just Stratus14.5 L available and I'm wondering if the Large vs 14.5 small is going to make a difference for performance for me?

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    1. Hi Tammy, Sorry for the delayed reply. Did you end up getting a Stratos? If so, which one and what are your thoughts? If you are still shopping, let me know and I will discuss performance of small vs large. Cheers, Cate

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    2. I would love to hear what your thoughts are on performance between between the two sizes.

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    3. Hi Tammy, Being a smaller paddler (5'4" 125 pounds), I find the large Stratos too large for performance paddling. The small is much more responsive and is a better fit. I find it a dream to edge on both flat and dynamic waters. Jeff is 5'11" and 145 pounds and he also prefers the responsiveness of the small over the large. If you are a smaller paddler, I would go for the small. Larger paddlers should give both a try to decide. Hope this helps, Cate

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  17. Hi
    I have a dagger stratos, and I love the boat.
    My only problem is with the Thigh braces, which do not give me enough support when I roll, and I often get off the boat ...
    I've already moved them, but they do not feel confortable.
    Does anyone have the same problem?
    How did you solve it?
    Thanks

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    1. Hi Manuel, Thanks for checking out my blog. I wish the thigh braces on the Stratos were more solid but have found the sweet spot for them and do not find that they are lacking when I roll. Make sure that you are fitting snugly enough in your kayak. Some people use foam to pad out the sides of the kayak to make for a snugger fit. You can customize your own thigh hooks or retro fit thigh hooks from another boat. To make your own, get some mini cell foam and shape it to what you want and glue it in. Or you can take the plastic thigh hooks out of another boat and attach them (probably with screws). Best bet for finding these thigh hooks is to find someone with an old or broken whitewater kayak. I hope this is helpful. Let me know what you find to work. Cheers, Cate

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  18. Hi Cate
    Thanks for your response and for your suggestions.
    I read a lot of reviews about the Stratos Dagger (before and after buying it) and rarely saw any mention of the strength of the tigh braces, which in my opinion are the "Achilles heel" of this kayak.
    I have often read that it is not a fast kayak, which in my opinion is not a defect but rather a feature of the drawing (the kayak was designed with the aim of being manoeuvrable and has no goal of being a "running hare" :D.
    At the moment, I resolved to change the position of the tigh braces, and reinforce the sides with foam (which come with the boat.
    Let's see how it turns out ... :)
    Anyway, I will study your suggestion to adapt the tigh braces of another kayak ...
    Thanks again and congratulations on your blog!
    Manuel

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    1. Manuel, did you come up with a different thigh brace set up? If so, can you please share? Thanks, Cate

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    2. Hi Cate.
      No. I did nothing to the thigth braces.

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  19. Hello Cate,

    I recently discovered this blog looking for reviews of the Gemini and Stratos, y ended up checking your post archive. Very interesting!

    Now that I'm comfortable with different rolls, turning techniques and confident on the sea, I want to change my actual kayak. My aim is to own only 1 kayak, and I live in a surf zone with 2 main rivers around, and nice touring to coastal villages around.

    My usual trip is around 3.5 nautical miles, some rolls, a bit of surf and home, about 1 hour at sea. Few times I have the time to do a nice 9 nautical miles trip we have.

    I live in North of Spain, where usually blows NW winds and is quite usual in winter to have 6' swells (or more) with 4F-6F winds. The coastal touring is usually towards East/West, so wind is a factor to consider.

    Dagger Stratos 14.5 was one of the kayaks I was considering, I love the size, and because I have the feeling it will open access not only to the sea, but also to the rivers around which end up in the same sea I paddle (I tend to be conservative with my fiberglass kayak and rocks). However, I've been told that If I tour with the Stratos in the conditions I mentioned above, it won't be fun, but tedious, because the Stratos seems to have problems going straight even with the Skeg.

    That's why I've been checking reviews of the recently released P&H Virgo. Same sizes, less rocker, it seems a touring version of the Stratos, less playful but playful enough, and probably I could paddle it in some rivers around but probably not as efficiently as the Stratos would do: https://vimeo.com/401834446

    I'd love to hear your opinion on this. What's your experience with the Stratos with different sea conditions? I've nowhere to try this kayaks and I'll have to purchase blindly, based on opinions and reviews.

    Many thanks, Inko.



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    1. Hi Inko, Thanks for checking out my blog and asking about the Stratos and Virgo. Both sound like they would be good choices for you. The Stratos is definitely more maneuverable and playful for rock gardening and surfing. The Virgo is faster but not as maneuverable. Regarding handling in conditions, I prefer the Stratos. I find the skeg to be very effective at assisting with tracking. I hope that this is helpful. Email me if you have additional questions. I can be contacted through www.liquidfusionkayak.com
      Cheers, Cate

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    2. Thank you very much! I'll probably get the Stratos and share my reviews.

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