"The genius on this design is that it is both narrower than some comparable models and well-proportioned relative to the length of the stern."
- Branden Baltich, CKS regular
First Impressions: CKS Customer Review of the Liquidlogic RMX 96
This boat is rad!
My first whitewater kayak was a Liquidlogic Remix 69. I have had two Remix 79s since then. I think the main reason I kept going back to that boat was how connected I felt to the river when I paddled it. It was also fast. It was a great feeling.
I was an early adopter of the Squirrel 95 and the Alpha 90. I have also had an Alpha 75. The Alpha 90 was a great boat for me.
Outside of the Liquidlogic family, I have paddled other brands that are arguably in the same category as the RMX. Those include Dagger (Newmad, Phantom, Code), Dragorossi (DRX), Jackson (Zen 2.0, Gnarvana), Pyranha (9RL, Scorch X), Titan (Dragon), and Waka (Steeze which I regard more as a sporty creeker than I do a half slice).
First impression: It is great to see a Liquidlogic design with rails! Visually, it looks like what I might have dreamt about seeing in an update to the best seller in the Liquidlogic line up. The bow has very a modern (ample) rocker profile. The planing hull is playboat flat enabling it to turn on a dime. The stern has volume where you want it and width to retain stability. I also really appreciate to ratio of stern to bow—a little bit more stern back there than some other recent designs.
Back to the bow. The genius on this design is that it is both narrower than some comparable models and well proportioned relative to the length of the stern. That results in it being very precise even when crossing curlers and holes. It simply holds the line better where other boats may have some deflection. If you are used to a super high volume bow, this may be a little of an adjustment.
Back to the hull. The flat bottom makes it super agile. The boat does seem to want an active paddler, not sure if passive boaters would like it as much (someone report). It spins in holes really well, particularly for a 9’6” boat. Overall, the feel is much smaller than both the length and volume might suggest. I think it is as agile as many modern sub 9’ creekers. The rails/edges are there, but they are tucked up nice and high. That means they don’t hang up sliding off of rocks S.E. style. When you put it on edge, it responds extremely well and predictably. There are times when the boat can be controlled by active edging and weight transfers and very little paddle effort. The width under the seat adds to a feeling of stability.
Back to the stern. I love the humps behind the cockpit. Great for stability. So too the extra width in the stern carried all the way out to the tip compared to the Alpha. I already mentioned the length of the stern—think longer relative the bow to stern ratios of the Scorch X and Gnarvana. Some will love that. Some will love the shorter super sporty stern of the other models mentioned. For me, I feel like that contributes to the connectedness-to-the-river feeling I used to have when I would paddle an OG Remix.
I am super impressed.
See it in action: Liquidlogic RMX 96 | Sexy Thing | Youtube Video
For reference, I am 6’4” tall with a 34” inseam, size 11.5 shoe and weigh 205 lbs (give or take a few).
Written By: Branden Baltich
