A cross between a hardshell and a packraft for hiking into remote whitewater? Yep, that’s what we thought, too, but that’s exactly what the Game-Changer (GC) brings to the water table: a hybrid hardshell-inflatable whitewater kayak that reversibly reconfigures into a backpack. Hard-boat performance on the water. Portability off it.
“It’s a new type of boat in a class of its own,” touts designer William Martin from New Zealand’s Good Cats Kayaks. “But we have to gauge how much demand there is for it.”
For that, boaters interested are invited to go to www.goodcatkayaks.com to both weigh-in and pre-order.
“Demand from this round decides whether the GC becomes a commercial V1 or a community joint venture,” he adds. “If you want one of these boats, the most useful thing you can do is tell us, and tell us what it’s worth to you.”
What you’ll get is a groundbreaking addition to the modern whitewater scene: a kayak with a hardshell bottom and packraft hull, that converts into a backpack. It also comes with built-in cargo storage. The hybrid combines a modular, composite bottom shell, that rivals any modern whitewater kayak rocker, that breaks down and pieces back together for the hull. “It’s a four-piece, modular shell that comes apart,” he says.
Then a packraft-type upper shell comprises the top portion, where you don’t necessarily need the hardshell performance but you do need weight savings. And the whole thing is a backpack conversion system, designed that way for the likes of hiking into New Zealand’s umpteen hard-to-reach, roadless whitewater runs.
“It’s a hardshell design on the bottom, the part where it’s really needed,” says William. “The hardshell provides rigidity and performance, with an inner inflatable. We just removed the shell from the top half of the kayak and replaced it with an inflatable made from tough TPU nylon.”
“Any river you can hike to you can now bring your kayak,” he adds. “A kayak with hardshell performance that becomes a backpack.”
Watch promo video here:
Watch “Deep Dive” promo video here:
See it on Instagram here:
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DbHGog-pMFF/