Not interested in the boat but always stoked to see the review!! Thanks, Alex! 🎉

@AlexBarham

Жыл бұрын

Lol thanks man! I appreciate it.

Great review, Alex. I had the 96 for a while this spring. I'm 6'2, 210 with size 12's. The volume of that boat was too much - HUGE. I now have the Hot Whip and the RMX86 in the quiver. I'd say you're spot-on with the analogy - the Whip sits low and deep for me given my weight, but it's crazy how much similarities in handling there are in the rapids despite the very different shape and size between the two in the sense that the RMX feels more like a halfslice than a volume creeker. The drainplug can block flow if you stand the boat on end - rock it a little on the outer tips of the tail and it empties easily enough. My experience thus far, the plastic is pretty soft on these new LL's. Finally, the biggest gripe I have with both - the back-band dive - they slip down very easily. On the plus side, I love the handling and speed of the Whip, and it's wicked fun to play around with that tail. The RMX can be a bit of a run-away train for me at times, but I'm a beginner. I do appreciate how you can side-slip to scout with a paddle in the water and then you're at top speed with two good strokes once you've set your line...what happens at the other end of that line has tested my bracing ;-)

@AlexBarham

Жыл бұрын

Thanks for the feedback Brent! I had the opportunity to paddle the large, but after eyeballing it, and from talking to Shane decided not to.

Alex, spot on review. i am 5'8" 155 lbs and bought the RMX 86 under the advice that volume is the name of game in creeking. i had a devil of a time in big water venues like the Keenies on the New. in the show room the 76 fit like a glove but went with the prevailing paradigm aforementioned. i had the opportunity to paddle both the 76 and 86 in the same place and day; the 76 offered me way more of inuitive feel and comfort! so volume may be important in creeking but i would say that the balance of volume AND control should be in the calculus! thanks for the review!

@AlexBarham

4 ай бұрын

Thanks man! We also had a lot of issues in big water. I wound up paddling it out twice because the person who started the run in it didn't want to finish.

Awesome review couldn't agree more

@AlexBarham

Жыл бұрын

Thanks man!

I have the RMX 86, it’s super fun but does take a bit to get the hang of. Definitely size up to avoid the boat’s edges grabbing. My RMX takes care of me and seems to excel on high water days

@AlexBarham

3 ай бұрын

Sizing up works to a point, but for those looking to race that will take a lot of paddlers completely out of the 9ft range.

Hi Alex, I am very much looking forward to your Ninja Review!

@AlexBarham

Жыл бұрын

Thanks! Pick them up this week!

6’ 190#’s. Over the last two years I’ve gone from class 2 paddler to solid 3 and dabble in some 4’s. During that time I went from a Phantom, to a Mamba 8.6, to a Med Code, to a Puffy Steeze and now the RMX-86 for the last two months. Whether it’s due to my skill progression or the boats used, the RMX is by far my favorite to paddle. The outfitting; like all other boats besides Daggers, sucks. Takes stupid time to fiddle with and shim to feel engaged. What’s up w flat seats when your knees need to be higher to engage the thigh braces. Is Dagger the only company that understands the human ergonomics?! The RMX is fast and skips over everything with just a couple strokes. Duh, long waterline. Fantastic secondary stability. To over come that straight as an arrow tendency ya just have to lean it over a bit; and crunch your stomach muscles a bit more than a shorter boat. No big deal. I have not sensed the stern grabbing anymore than the phantom or the puffy Steeze. Perhaps they prepped me for this. I used to hate how the phantom needed to be paddled at a fast speed to keep control or it. I don’t feel like I have to with this RMX. But I’ve also come a long way w understanding and utilizing an active blade for control when descending a rapid. I can slow it down to scout the line and then QUICKLY speed it up to get it where it needs to go, which I’m finding is over the top of most deflective features 😂. You are probably right that it’s not a beginner boat, but it’s definitely easy to roll and brace friendly and would be a great “next” creek or river runner boat. Drain plug; yeah, dumb location, “cork’s itself” it sure does!

@AlexBarham

Жыл бұрын

I truly do not know why making seats is so hard. There have been great "power seats" or whatever you want to call them since the 90s, but somehow many do almost nothing for the paddler.

@AlexBarham

Жыл бұрын

I think you've spent the seat time to get used to this boat, and I'm glad you're enjoying it.

_Let's Get It Boys!_ Great video. New subscriber here!

@AlexBarham

11 ай бұрын

Thanks!

Been paddling the RMX 86 for a couple of months on some IV/V CO creeks and the occasional "big water" river, and I have been curiously awaiting your take. Being on the smaller side of its weight range (155#), I can't say I have found this boat's chines or parting lines to be as grabby as you have. I'm not an expert boater by any means, but so far, this boat seems to provide the right amount of forgiveness versus a demanding nature that has been allowing me to progress so far.

@AlexBarham

Жыл бұрын

I think for sure being so light in the boat is an advantage as long as you can also muscle it around. At 155-175 you're probably hitting the nail on the head.

Hi Alex, very interesting review! I currently have a 86 on preorder with my local LL dealer, but I just learned it might be some time before the order is made so I got time to think. I’m at 6’1 and 185lbs, currently have a Ripper 2 medium and in the process of changing for a large. I really like the agressive edge profile of the Ripper 2, and am looking for a fast/sporty creeker. I was mostly looking at the medium or large Scorch or the RMX 86. Would you recommend the Scorch over the RMX? If so which size would you recommend? Thanks a lot for putting out thoughtful and balanced reviews!

@AlexBarham

Жыл бұрын

Jean to some degree it also depends where you are. Quebec? Given those 3 options and your build I'd probably wait it out for the RMX 86.

@JF.Rivest

Жыл бұрын

@@AlexBarham Thanks for the input! Yes I’m in Quebec city. I had a chance to see it in action with a few of the Quebec Connection guys, they really seem to enjoy the new LL designs. The feedback I got regarding the sizing of the RMX was also the same as what you mentioned, the 96 is a huge boat while the 86 seems more like a medium-large.

Alex: thanks for the review, did you like it better than the Alpha?

@AlexBarham

Жыл бұрын

I would probably pick the Alpha, and that is what the people I know who own both are paddling more.

Would it be worth upgrading from an Alpha75 to the RMX76? Sounds like they’re two different boats based on how you describe it.

@AlexBarham

6 ай бұрын

They are very different boats. If you're enjoying the Alpha it is definitely the higher performance option from LL

@IraFowler3

6 ай бұрын

You are saying the Alpha is the higher performing option from LL? Just want to make sure I'm reading that right. Thanks!@@AlexBarham

@AlexBarham

6 ай бұрын

@@IraFowler3 100% the Alpha is higher performance than the RMX in pretty much every metric aside from sheer hull speed.

Alex, do you prefer the Gnarvana over the RMX?

@AlexBarham

11 ай бұрын

For my style I prefer the Gnar.

I hear a lot of negatives about LL’s plastic when it comes to durability compared to companies like zet and pyranha. Any truth to that from your experience?

@AlexBarham

Жыл бұрын

While I can literally scratch this boat with my thumbnail, that doesn't really mean it is more or less likely to break. When it comes to plastic durability it seems like aside from Zet just being in a world of their own, everything else is kind of relative. For example, how the boat is outfitted is going to have a massive impact as well, but no one ever mentions that.

@followingrj

Жыл бұрын

@@AlexBarham yeah I can see what you mean by the outfitting, thanks for the feedback.

@AlexBarham

Жыл бұрын

Sure thing!

I am agree. The stern could be more up or could have more volume or another form. Like that i would not buy it.

Yes we love Shane but you better be ready for non intuitive, top heavy, leash grabbing dogs, to your point. I do not have time for that dropping 400 feet per mile in the Smokies.