2022 Ultimate Creeker Showdown - Pyranha Scorch vs Dagger Code vs Waka OG 

The Code. I cannot gush enough about it having boated a Mamba for 8 years then getting rid of it. Was in a half slice Axiom/Rewind which I love and they were my only boat for a few years. I wanted a creeker again and then I bought a Code. I am kind of jealous that new boaters these days get to learn on all the modern designs of any maker. This was a really great comparison review. Stumbled on it randomly.

Nice that really covered paddler weight. Very helpfull

Having owned 2 ( OG and Code L) and demo'd a Scorch L you pretty much hit the nail on the head dude. I broke my OG and had a choice of either of the other 2 from local dealers. I bought the Code L, let me qualify a bit. I'm 95-100kg or 210-220 lbs depending on the season, I had been away from Kayaking for 20+ years and I'm not as sharp as I was back then. That bit of forgiveness you talk about in the Code is there for sure. The large is a big boat but handles very well and feels smaller than it is, particularly when in decent water, thats moving fast. Don't be intimidated by the size of it, it's a great boat. Saying that I'd happily go back to the OG. We really are spoiled for choice now!

I paddled a OG for one season (before I broke it). I am around 220lb, so towards the upper weight of the boat, and found it very responsive and boofed excellently. I was paddling mostly steep creeks in Scotland (class IV).

Great review! Thorough details and qualified thoughts! I’m 190, recently bought the Med Code, coming from a Large Mamba then to a Phantom, I feel like the Code is the perfect in between of those two boats. Faster than the mamba, stable and forgiving as the mamba, but can be paddled “slower” than the Phantom while still being in control. Its been such a great “fit” for me that I need to be careful and not get overly confident in it, as it’s allowed me the comfort/confidence to run more challenging water than I would have if still in the Phantom. Anecdotally I feel like the plastic in this new blue code is softer and gouges more than the 6 yr old red mamba. Curious if others have noticed a difference in plastic lately.

Great video, Seth. Thanks for putting this together. Your comments about the sizing of these boats seems dead on. I wonder if the M Code would be more comparable to the OG and L Scorch than the L Code? That L Code is such a huge boat, it is almost in a different class. The M Code is 89 gallons, which is comparable to the 90 gallon L Scorch, and its 8'9" length is in between the L Scorch and OG. I would be interested in knowing the vertical distance from the floor of each kayak (bottom of the hull) to the chine on each side. In other words, if the kayak is flat on the ground, how high up off the ground is the chine on each of these kayaks? In the video, it looked like that measurement would be highest in the Code and lowest in the Scorch, but I couldn't tell for sure. I think that measurement makes a huge difference in how edgy or forgiving the boat will feel because it determines how far you have to lean to one side to engage the chine and how hard the boat will track when put on edge by a water feature. I find the chines on the Scorch L very responsive, but they can also cause it to oversteer and deflect abruptly off water features in surprising ways. I would also be interested to know more about the rocker distribution, from tip to tail, of each of these boats. We know from experience that a more abrupt rocker transition ("kick rocker") feels and responds very different on the water than a more gradual ("progressive") rocker profile. Subtle differences in rocker distribution can make a bigger difference than might appear at a glance. Similarly, I believe each of these boats has a flat section of hull under the seat, which is intended to make the hull plane out and rebound better than a more continuous rocker profile, like we see on a Machno. It would be interesting to compare the length of these flat sections because it determines how far away from center the bow and tail rocker begin. I think you mentioned the reported weight of each boat when you gave the specs, and this seems like a feature where the OG has a clear advantage. The L Scorch, at a reported 54 pounds, is really heavy for a whitewater kayak. The L Code is reportedly 52 pounds, but I have heard its actual weight is higher. If the OG is under 50 pounds, as Waka states, the difference should be noticeable. The weight of the L Scorch is one of its most obvious disadvantages. Thanks again for the cool video!

Small scorch is great at 5 foot and a bit / 121 lb. Just needs a sweet checks 200. So easy to roll and pretty forgiving. Already inspired enough confidence to get me in trouble ;)

My name is Hank and I'm a yakoholic. I do have all three. I would agree with 99% of all you said, but that's not the reason I just subscribed. I read a lot of reviews and few provide a good analysis of design elements, link them to effects on performance and make specific recommendations. I would add suggested trim adjustments, but that probably requires more time with the boats. One quick opinion on the OG, it feels like a Machno with edge and control to me.

I am very curious of how you felt "small" in the large Code. Were waves kicking you around?

Could you all review the new Lifetime Tundra 103 Kayak? Interested in how it tracks, etc. Thank you

Any idea which airbag size fits the best in the stern and bow of a medium scorch? Looking to buy some for my scorch that is arriving next week

Looking to buy my first WW kayak and I’m pretty set on the code. That depends if and when I can even find one but I’m going to take a class before I pursue anything further. I’m 5’11 195-200lbs on any given day. Looking on input if I should seek out a large or a medium. Thanks!

Hey Seth, I'm 168 and there is a scorch L for sale near me; but I'm thinking that I would be better off in a medium. Your thoughts, please. TIA.

I am a beginner, do you recommend a scorch as the first bottle? I plan to run large volume rivers.

What would you recommend for someone who is 180lb and 5 ft 7?

Bruh. In Austrlia there is like two or three kayak dealers in the whole country.

I know that all boats are "easy to roll"--but which of these is the easiest to roll?

What about the jk nirvana?

Dagger customer service in Colorado.... 💩

I wouldn't be concerned about the lack of retail involvement, either in sales or local events. Really not much of a factor, and not to hurt anyone's feelings. let's just say outdoor sports dealers have never impressed me or ANY of my outdoor buddies as offering significant help after sale over and above factory contacts. You don't exactly got a Porsche service team at your service when you have an issue.