Test: Waka Kayaks Steeze - with Pod

After focusing primarily on the Waka Kayaks Steeze 's river running capabilities in my initial review , I was repeatedly asked how the boat handled with the pod attached. Since I hadn't yet tested it on more challenging whitewater, I couldn't provide a detailed answer. However, a few days ago, the time had finally come: the Steeze was tested for two days – under bright sunshine and temperatures around 10°C – with the pod attached on Class III-V rapids.

From river runner to creek runner

By attaching the pod, which is screwed onto the stern using four Allen screws, the Steeze transforms from a river runner to a creek boat in about a minute. Sounds a bit futuristic, or too good to be true? That's exactly what I thought at first! Especially regarding its whitewater performance, I assumed that the Steeze with the pod attached wouldn't be able to compete with other "pure" creek boats. Well... I was proven wrong. The Steeze impressed me so much during the boat test that I'll probably be using it 95% of the time this season. Only on very rocky and steep streams will I still opt for the Waka OG . It has more rocker and provides more lag on landings, giving me more time to react.

Driving characteristics

With the pod attached, the Steeze feels a bit like a cross between a Waka Gangsta and a Waka OG, and its handling characteristics are comparable to the Jackson Nirvana in many ways. As I write this, I'm still amazed at how much the Steeze's handling changes with the pod installed. With the pod in place, landings after drops and paddling eddies require significantly less upper body work and weight shifting to keep the tail dry. The higher sidewall at the stern makes the boat sit more calmly and stably on the rail before jumps/boofs, and it sinks less during pull-throughs. This results in considerably more power on the paddle blade during boof strokes (and various other single strokes executed on the rail) compared to paddling without the pod.

The Steeze's greatest strength, however, is its high top speed combined with the ease with which this boat can be edged. I've never had so much fun paddling eddies and especially executing S-turns behind rocks and boulders with clear intersection lines in any other whitewater kayak.

Conclusion

The Steeze is a fantastic boat for people weighing between 70kg and 110kg. If you weigh less, you shouldn't expect too much from the Steeze's river running capabilities. So, if you weigh under 70kg and are primarily looking for a boat for river running, I would recommend a different boat, such as the Pyranha Ripper or EXO Rexy , and – in true old-school fashion ;-) – a suitable creek boat as a second boat.

























...a good solution when things get boring. The pod obediently follows along the cowtail. Except when crossing – there it acts as an ideal sea anchor :-)!