From major waves to mellow flatwater, this is one dynamic river runner.

Why It's Cool: Sharp edges and the swallowtail make a hero out of the i:3, the best carver in this collection. For towing a swimmer, I found the sturdy rescue clips to be a reliable biner-snap away, putting this kayak on the A-list for instructors. Good hull speed and high bow rocker combine for responsive hole-riding; those of you who don't like foot pegs will enjoy the bulkhead and included sack o' foam pads that allow you to fine-tune your outfitting. It's available in three sizes.

Hmmm . . . Be prepared for the occasional stern slam—at seven foot three, this boat bottoms out in skinny water.

Company Line: Serious, no nonsense river running playboat with exceptional internal comfort and control.

The I:3 is an evolution of Pyranha’s popular freestyle S series and river running Ina Zones that leans happily toward the river running side of life. Take a few strokes out into the current and you’re reminded why we ever paddled long boats. The I:3 instills confidence – it is rock solid in current, accelerates, and carves a real eddy turn. It was great to paddle something that required way fewer correction strokes than power strokes. It has much less of a modern planning hull and more of a continuous rocker profile. The bow has enough rocker to keep it up above the surface for punching through eddy lines or making those really heavy-feeling ferries easy. Sharp edges let you dig just a little and go with precision while the long-feeling stern screams for eddy line stern squirts and controlled pivot turns.

The I:3’s stern locks you onto waves for long, controlled front surfs while you learn or relearn the joy of edges to rocket back and forth. The I:3 borrows the S series spin characteristics and slows them down so the beginners and intermediate playboaters can keep up with the rotation, grab water to help pull them around and most importantly stay in control.

Bottom Line: The I:3 excels for cruising when speed and confidence are more important than the sheer number of ends.

Pro: Long-boat feel. Speed – holds a line and carves an eddy turn. New seat and solid backband rig.

Con: Outfitting finicky to set up: interchangeable thigh hooks, peel-and-stick foam hip pads and a fixed bulkhead.

Christian:
- Comfort/Outfitting: The I:3 is a three-sizes-fits-all boat. Feet feel free and alive. Torso feels aggressive and alert. My 6-foot-4 brother paddled this boat comfortably for two hours.
- Stability: It's a pretty high-volume boat with sharp edges that are there when you need them, but don't leave you hanging on a brace in the swirlies.
- River-running: It's long, fast, and stable enough that I'd feel comfortable in this boat on big water. But it also has a blunt nose, which is ideal for creeking.
- Playboating/Surfing: This boat bears a strong resemblance to the Wave Sport Big EZ in the way that it surfs, except that it might be a little bigger. This boat spins, cartwheels, and even blunts without purling.

Veronica:
- Comfort/Outfitting: Really comfortable-I felt like I could take a bubble bath in this thing. The adjustable back band helped me to lean forward.
- Stability: I rode so high in this boat, it felt like the water was way beneath me. I never felt unstable.
- River-running: I never swam out of it. I thought it was pretty fast around the rocks, and it matched my dry top.
- Playboating/Surfing: Same answer for all boats: Surfing makes me swim. Enough said.

Rob:
- Comfort/Outfitting: It was very comfortable, with lots of room for the feet. I would feel comfortable bringing my kitty cat with me in the boat.
- Stability: Very stable-I felt very much in control.
- River-running: I would feel more comfortable running big water than creeks because it was stable, but it is a little slicey.
- Playboating/Surfing: It surfed really well. It spun and cartwheeled really well. I thought it was the best of all of them in this category. I think this would be an ideal boat for a beginner learning to playboat.