Waka OG Walkthrough and Review

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Since 2011, Waka has made world-renowned kayaks that everyone loves to paddle, from pros like Nouria Newman to beginners and local crushers. The OG, or Original Gangster, is one of their most enduring designs, and for good reason.

Local paddler Dave Farkas recently paddled our Demo OG on a self-support overnighter through Westwater Canyon. With over three decades of paddling and industry experience, Dave knows his way around a boat. In our newest YouTube video, he gave us an overview of the Waka OG and why he loves it.

Specs

Performance and Maneuverability

Despite its size, the OG is nimble, faster than expected, and easy to control and steer. Or as Dave put it, “It does not paddle like a 95 gallon boat.” 

Flat Hull

The wide flat hull of the OG makes it spin on a dime. In fact, as others have claimed and Dave confirmed, the OG will flat spin in a surf and “relatively easily.” 

Secondary Stability

Secondary stability refers to how stable the kayak feels when tipped up on its edge. Getting the OG onto edge and engaging its secondary stability is effortless. Once there, boat tracking and steering are second to none for a big boat and it’s “faster than expected.”

Boofability

The OG is the ultimate boofing machine. The bow comes up quickly and the boat skips out of and over boily water with that “Waka skip that we all know about.” The rocker will keep you high and dry. But, even if you miss your boof, the OG will get you through.

Stability and Rolling

The hallmark of the OG is its stability, which gives everyone the confidence to stomp challenging whitewater. “There’s a reason the hardest rivers in the world are being paddled in this kayak.” The volume and width of this boat allow it to hydroplane and skip over big features. What’s more, it rolls “really really easy.”

Self-support

The OG performs as well if not better when loaded with overnight gear. The volume of the bow and the stern provides ample space for gear and makes it easy to “equalize weight in the kayak” without moving the seat. Access to bow and stern compartment is as easy as moving the bulkhead and unclipping the seat back.

For his one night overnight in Westwater Canyon, Dave brought “a breakdown, a grill, a chair, all the safety gear,” making “self-supports… no problem.”

Photo from dave

Outfitting and Adjustment

Waka Kayaks has and continues to lead the industry in kayak outfitting and comfort. The seat is like a “cushion.” The built-in thigh hooks are padded with thick half-inch close-cell foam to provide a locked-in secure feeling without sacrificing comfort. 

Adjusting the seat or bulkhead shouldn’t be a lengthy process. With Waka, the bulkhead moves similar to most modern kayaks, by removing the screws and sliding the bulkhead to the correct position.

Moving the seat takes only a few minutes. Simply, loosen the hip pads, remove the seat bolt, slide the whole seat into the desired position and replace the bolts. 

Final Thoughts

Dave joins paddlers across the globe when he says “Waka is one of the best and most cutting-edge boat companies out there.”

Although now a few years old, the OG is still a favorite for both new and expert boaters. It’s stable, easy to maneuver, and boofs like a dream.

In other words, “If you’re gonna go charging on something and it’s gonna be hard and you want to be safe, this is the kayak you want.”

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Check out the whole review!