In a world where nine-foot-long, high-volume creek boats and half-slice river runners have taken over, the Jackson Flow diverges. While other boat categories push the boundaries of high-performance river running, the Flow promises fun and forgiveness for paddlers running their local creek classics and leveling up their games. But make no mistake—nothing about this kayak’s abilities is dulled down for the sake of friendliness.
Meet the Flow, from Jackson Kayak
Jackson Kayak Flow (Medium) Specs
Length: 8’5”
Width: 26.75”
Volume: 77 gal
Weight: 47 lbs
Paddler Weight Range: 130–190 lbs
MSRP: $1,599 USD
jacksonkayak.com
Design & performance
When Jackson made the Gnarvana a couple of years back, they cranked up the bow rocker and volume from previous creekers to make a 90-gallon kayak capable of a dry ride on the most insane runs out there. But the Gnarvana is also much more boat than most paddlers need for a daily driver. Dare we say, the Gnarvana can even be boring on easier whitewater.
Jackson solved this by creating a shorter, less voluminous river-running creeker with a nimble feel. Enter the Flow. The medium size comes in at eight feet, five inches long and 77 gallons. It’s a sporty size and feels like a throwback to some classics released two decades ago. You won’t find anything old-school about the Flow though.
For more than a decade, Jackson’s Zen series fit the space in the brand’s lineup for local class III–V runs and building abilities. The Flow is its successor. Comparing the Zen and Flow side by side, you’ll find the Flow is not an update to the Zen series but a rethinking of the category. At its broadest, the Flow is a quarter-inch narrower than the Zen 3.0, with a sleeker tapering shape and a more intuitive feel on the water. The Flow features more rocker than the Zen, utilizing one of the design elements that made the Gnarvana popular.
Taking from the Gnarvana, the Flow has a high rocker profile at the bow and stern, making it easy to boof ledges and clear holes. The stern profile has a taper to it and a flat deck. The Flow is nowhere close to a half slice, and you aren’t going to be stern squirting your way down the river, but the stern profile does allow the paddler to lift the bow over features with techniques like leaning and sweeping boofs. The combo of rocker, planing hull and stern shape also provides paddlers with the tools to skip out of the bottom of drops rather than stall. Even on small ledges and pourovers, you’ll feel the Flow accelerate away from the drop.
On the water
October in the Pacific Northwest means the return of rain. When it came time to test the Flow, river gauges were on the rise. The west slope of Oregon’s Cascades is cut with one mossy gorge after the next, and I was fortunate enough to catch a run called Butte Creek with water. Butte Creek is exactly the type of run the Flow was designed for. The creek is class III–IV with a smaller watershed. It has some ledgy drops with a splash of technicality, not to mention a few small surf waves. It was just the place to see how nimbly the Flow handles.
My favorite aspect of paddling the Flow was the combination of the planing hull and profile of the boat. The flat hull, combined with lots of volume around the paddler and short waterline, allowed me to drop into holes and spin like a top. It might have the loosest hull of its kind I can remember paddling.
Similarly, the Flow can tear up waves. The dropped-chined edges running to the tapered, lifted stern allowed for tight carving, easily transferring edges back and forth. Combine this with the high rocker to keep the bow from diving, and you can sit on waves all day.
Surfing is a blast and all, but how do these features translate to downstream progress? The loose hull can spin to make quick corrections and change course. The edges and tapered stern are present when you decide to engage on your line and drive down it. Even better, these elements give you the confidence to move around on the river utilizing reactionary waves, pillows and anything else you wish to carve across.
Jackson Flow outfitting
The Flow is a comfortable and easily adjustable ride thanks to Jackson’s outfitting inside. The Uni-Shock Bulkhead System is a clever, shock-absorbing foot brace system that adjusts with rope and cleat, similar to the Sure-Lock Backband System Jackson is known for. This means you can pop your skirt open in any eddy and pull the foot braces closer or push them farther back without getting out of the boat.
The Flow combines Jackson’s well-loved Uni-Shock Bulkhead System and the Sure-Lock Backband System with Velcro inserts on its Bees Knees Thigh Hooks for better boat control. It’s an interior system that is a dream for paddlers who are obsessive about the fit of their outfitting and want to adjust on the fly.
The Jackson Flow is a kayak that feels right the moment you jump in it. The time I spent paddling the medium Flow on a ledgy class III stretch was easily one of the most fun days of kayaking I’ve had in a spell. I expect this boat will join the ranks of classic river runner designs like the Liquidlogic Remix and Dagger Mamba in the years ahead.
Where to buy the Flow
Flow
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This article was first published in the Summer 2024 issue of Paddling Magazine. It’s official: sub-nine-foot kayaks are cool again. | Feature photo: Owen Roth
