# Prijon Cali



## kayakfreakus (Mar 3, 2006)

Any specs on the Cali? Is it bigger than the XL?


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## darinm (Nov 7, 2005)

Same specs as the XL for the width/length, but a couple more gallons in the stern. Right now volume is just estimated, we're waiting to hear back from them when they check this week. Weight is what they are telling us due to new lighter outfitting, we hope it's this light but will weigh again when the container comes in 

Length: 8'10"
Width: 27"
Volume: 90 Gallons
Weight: 45lbs


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## SKeen (Feb 23, 2009)

That boat looks sick! I love my pure xl, and am not in need of an upgrade at the moment but would like to get in a Cali some day. This seems to imply that availability will be more regular again now and in the foreseeable future?


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## glenn (May 13, 2009)

Any east coast distribution outside of the above mentioned shipping?


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## darinm (Nov 7, 2005)

We hope to continue to import for the indefinite future, but it's a complicated business with slim margins. Provided we do not lose money we will be importing 

East Coast, same thing although we may try to do one big shipment to a good central location out there too. Still have to figure out the details. The boats will arrive in mid May so we are still figuring out details.


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## Melrose (Nov 2, 2005)

*Disappointed*

I really wish this was a post praising the new Prijon Cali I just received. The boat looks great, however, there is a huge problem.....I don't fit. 
I am a large frame guy (6'1", ~200lbs) and size 36/38 waist. With ALL the outfitting removed (just plastic) my ass is still to big to sit comfortably in the boat, even in just boxer shorts.
Yes, I bought a boat without sitting in it, but I've paddled the Pure XL for a season and had no problems, so fitting my butt inside was never a worry.
I have paddled jefe's, burns, nomads, habitats, etc.
Are all the guys in Germany skinny jean wearing dandies?
Really Prijon, you made a 90 gallon creek boat nearly 9' long, and if your waist size is larger than 35" you can't fit? Really? What's the deal? 
It appears you could be nearly 8' tall and fit just fine as long as you are skinny waisted. No amount of weight loss would make me fit, my hip bones are literally to big to sit inside with NO outfitting other than the plastic seat!
So disappointed. Not sure what my options are for stuffing myself in the boat at this point.


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## Dave Frank (Oct 14, 2003)

A JK karma or Zen come to mind!

This is good news for KSC! His is sure to fit him well! 

Bummer, dude. 


Sent from my iPhone using Mountain Buzz


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## bobbuilds (May 12, 2007)

that is a real bummer man, I hope you can get it to fit. I am 6'3 280 and liked the pure xl. I was a bit to big for it, but I was hoping the Cali would be bigger.

What is it you dont fit about the boat? seat width? cockpit height? Have you tried the seat all the way forward?

I'd like to look it over some time this season if thats cool with you.

hope you get it dialed


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## KSC (Oct 22, 2003)

I just got mine as well and sat in it last night. I was expecting to have to put a ton of shims in to get it tight enough in the waist and that really wasn't a problem so I could see how you'd have issues fitting. 

I'm worried about the opposite problem being on the lower end of the weight spectrum (of course I knew this could be an issue when ordering it). The knees are waay higher with a ton more volume there than I'm used to in the Nomad 8.5. Feels bigger than when I sat in a Pure XL, but it's probably my imagination. 

I'll just have to see how it feels on the water.

It seems like retrofitting the seat is your alternative. I've heard some people who didn't like to seat in the Pure ripped out the old one and built a foam seat, or threw in a seat from another boat. Kind of a pain in the ass though.


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## darinm (Nov 7, 2005)

Sorry to hear that about the fit, I would guess it's all the seat as the thigh hooks are the same as the Pure XL and the interior is just a touch larger. If you can't find one locally I'll start looking around here to find an old Pure XL seat that can retrofit in quite easily.


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## KSC (Oct 22, 2003)

First impressions:

For anyone that's curious, I picked up a Cali and have paddled it a few times now on some local stuff. 

I'm going to fall a little out of the norm as I'm about 155# right now in my skivvies. That puts me on the low end on the weight range for the boat. I'm fairly lanky though, so reach isn't usually an issue. I've previously been in the big Nomad, which is an awfully sweet creekboat. 

Outfitting: The new outfitting seems pretty solid. The seat is a lot more minimal than the one in the old Pure, but the seat is comfortable (if you fit in it - see above), hip pads fit me nicely, and the thigh hooks have better contact than anything I've ever been in. I worry a little bit that the thigh hooks could break with reverse pressure applied, but otherwise they're awesome (I hope Jackson is taking notes). The back band is solid with a standard ratchet system (ahem, Jackson...) Some rubber bands hold the back band in place, which makes access to the stern extremely fast and simple. I worry the rubber bands might wear over time and break. A yearly replacement might be good maintenance. It has a small track for a water bottle with some elastic bands that's pretty rudimentary. I expect constant water bottle slippage while portaging/hiking with the stock system.

When seated in the boat I felt like I was seated with an odd slightly upward tilt, but it felt normal after paddling for a bit. I have had the seat slip out of the track 2x now. The first time, I'm not sure if I had tightened the screws down properly, so that might have been the issue. The second time, I definitely tightened them down, but I don't know if I had the entire slider bar in the track or not, which may be the problem. Basically there's a slider bar that attaches to a screw through the boat that slides into a rail on the seat. Unless I'm totally off base, it uses friction from tightening down the screw to hold the seat in place. I definitely have it set fuly in the rail and tight this time, so we'll see how it goes. 

The bulkhead is standard, though it has a special pad on it that I haven't messed with yet (I kind of wish they just had a similar system to the Daggers where you can add foam on top of the plastic bulkhead, but maybe there's a way to do that... I haven't looked very closely yet). I have a 32" inseam and size 10 foot and there's plenty of leg room and sufficient foot room.

The boat comes with foam pillars (unlike many past Prijons), which I think is a fine idea and plan on leaving in. They feel solidly in place, offer a step out platform, and the rear pillar still offers easy access to the back (overnight packing would be a breeze with this thing).

I like the way the Nomad carries on the shoulder a little better and it has better hand placement inside the boat, but the Cali is adequate.

The cockpit is large and easy to get in and out of. It's certainly partly to do with having a new skirt, but the boat has been remarkably dry. I might throw away my sponge.

Performance:
I got the Cali rather than the med Pure both because it's the new hotness and reports I'd heard that sizing seems to run smaller compared to most manufacturers (and I paddled a Pure XL at the end of a run once and it felt ok). As I noted in my post above, when I first sat the thing down, it looked big! The boat is at least an 1" higher around the thighs than the Nomad. It has more volume behind the seat as well. 

The Nomad feels like your old steady friend. It's slow to react, but very predictable, stable, and forgiving. It's just awesome at holding a line, even if it's not always the most nimble.

Despite its size (3" longer, ~10 extra gallons compared to the Nomad), the Cali feels more like a sports car. It is nimble, but feels faster both going straight ahead and redirecting. I wonder if some of this has to do with me being on the lower weight end. It has a very tapered bow, and combine that with floating high, I don't think there's a lot of turning resistance. I'm curious if heavier people experience different performance.

The Cali has a gentle double chine. It has similar sharpness and placement to the Nomad, except the Nomad has a single chine. I find that it likes aggressive edging in order to snap into eddies. The primary stability is not great on this boat and the balance feels less forgiving than the Nomad. Secondary stability is no problem. I also still need to add a shim or two to the hips, which should help a little bit with that.

The nose of the boat is more aggressively tapered than most. I still don't know what to make of this except that is scares my friends when I turn too hard into an eddy they're sitting in, and I as I stated above, it may contribute to the turning ease. 

The boat has decent rocker and boofs as well as anything I've paddled. I find myself riding over things more than the Nomad. All that volume in the rear deck seems to be good at preventing the unintended enders. I've found rolling slightly more difficult. The extra length and peaked rear deck make the backdeck roll slightly slower. The lack of primary stability and maybe the higher cockpit rim mean it takes just a little more umph during a normal sweep roll.

Ultimately, I need to paddle the boat longer and in a wider range of conditions, but so far I've been generally having good lines with it (and the bad ones I suspect were user error). 

Once in the water, it paddles like a much smaller boat. I'm having a little trouble getting used to its twitchiness, but that quality is nice for last minute corrections. I also feel like I have to stay on top of the bow direction a little more when charging something, sometimes doing more active draws than I might normally, and I'm still getting used to managing that when landing boofs. The same holds true for ferries. 

Overall, my initial impressions are that it's a solid boat design, has good outfitting, and of course, the bomber plastic.

(I'll try to update this review once I've been paddling the boat for a while).


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## darinm (Nov 7, 2005)

Hey KSC, thanks for the feedback!

The seat coming off the track is a problem that we are trying to resolve. One of us will be in Germany this week and hopefully come away with a solution to fix the issue. For now, if you can find a metric brass nut that's wide enough, that should work better than the supplied stainless part. Sorry for the inconvenience, I know it's a pita and we are suffering with it too, I'm headed to the hardware store tomorrow.

Thigh Hooks, most of us are using 2-3" of foam on the outside of the thigh hooks. It makes it so they don't flex out and _considerably_ improves the handling of the boat. I initially tried contact cement between the foam and hull to keep it in place, but just could not get it to stay. Duct (or even better, Gorilla) taping the foam the the thigh hook works much better.

I'm 170 and came from a Nomad too. Once you go back it feels painfully slow and sluggish. Previously it was my favorite boat. The Cali certainly rewards a forward posture much more than the Nomad, the king of lean back and ruddering.

Glad you are liking yours so far, I'll keep you updated with what find to improve the current seat issue until we get an official response from Prijon.


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## KSC (Oct 22, 2003)

Thanks for the outfitting tips Darin. I'll definitely try the foam on the thigh hooks. So you're saying the material of an equivalent sized brass nut will provide more friction than the stock stainless steel one? Glad this is a known problem being worked...


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## darinm (Nov 7, 2005)

Correct, in theory the brass should work better. Also there is a material between the stainless and the track. It's supposed to add enough friction but does not. I'm not sure what it is, but word is that replacing it with a rubber washer works far better, I'll probably give that a try.


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## darinm (Nov 7, 2005)

I spent way too much at the hardware store today, tried a lot of different things and had the best results with just placing a brass washer on top of the stainless rectangle nut used in the track. It's better but not perfect. 

When we have a real fix for the seat we'll mail it to you, sorry for the pain it is and thanks for understanding.


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## fullmer (Aug 23, 2006)

Hey Darin,

Will you post a picture of the foam duct taped to the thigh hooks?

Thanks.


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## darinm (Nov 7, 2005)

Will do, but might be a day or two. Boats on the roof and driving tomorrow.


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## KSC (Oct 22, 2003)

Shawn, it's like you read my mind. I was just looking at how to foam the thigh hooks. I can see how they flex, but it seems like the primary flex is going to be inward (i.e. towards the cockpit rim). There's plenty of outward flex, towards the hull of the boat as well, but I'm thinking you're not likely to be torquing it that way. Anyway, is the foam covering the entire backside of the hook, basically to make it thicker and therefore unable to flex as much?

On the seat: that spacer between the stainless steel and the track just looks like some sort of cardboard to me. Half of it has already broken away on one side. I wonder if cutting out a bike inner tube or something like that would work better.

I think I'm going to also foam the inside of the shell in front of the knees a bit. I had a very minor piton upside down, but it was enough for my right knee to slide forward and hit the plastic. I like how the Nomad extends their thigh pad liner down a ways for that purpose.


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## fullmer (Aug 23, 2006)

Kev,

Great review. I'm a little heavier then you at 175, so it will be interesting to see how the Cali performs. Let me know if you figure out something for the seat.


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## darinm (Nov 7, 2005)

The photo will explain a lot but yes, foam on the outside of the thigh hook that also extends forward for padding as well as down a little so it's also a bit of a knee block. I've had better luck taping it to the thigh hook than gluing it to the hull, as I can't get the glue to hold more than a week. That could be due to the heat out here.


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## darinm (Nov 7, 2005)

These are of the left thigh hook, viewed from above then flipped over. The foam both keeps it from flexing out as well as provides padding, I like to sit forward enough in the thigh hooks for my knees to extend past the end of them and in the foam.


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## fullmer (Aug 23, 2006)

Thanks for the photos.That's helpful

Hey, what skirt do you use on the Cali?


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## darinm (Nov 7, 2005)

I'm using an IR Royal that was sized for a Nomad, it's a good fit, no implosion issues so far. Rok is using a WildWasser with good results.


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## doublet (May 21, 2004)

Yo Buzzards!

I just bought a Cali and paddled it for a couple of laps on Clear Creek at proper flows. Figured I would throw out a few thoughts on it.

I'm the type of paddler who picks a boat to stick with for a few seasons. For the past 3 seasons I've paddled a Remix 79 and it has become my all-time favorite boat. 

The Remix is extremely precise which makes it fun. The precision also makes it unforgiving. I've been paddling the Remix for all of my personal scariest descents, so I didn't feel the unforgiving nature was holding me back much, but it's definitely a "plan a" boat. While I consider myself to be a fairly conservative boater I still manage to miss lines and occasionally find myself getting beat down in the Remix due to it's unforgiving nature.

In simple terms, the Cali is high performance and precise, but not as much as the Remix. On the other hand, it is way more forgiving than the Remix and even after only two days in it I would already choose it over the Remix for the most difficult runs. 

To use a comparable boat most people are familiar with, I would say the Cali feels like a higher performance, higher volume Nomad.

Now, a note about plastic. This design is comparable to the other creekboats on the market in terms of performance (acknowledging that all boats have pros and cons), but the plastic is not comparable. The Prijon plastic can take a ridiculous amount of abuse. I've had trips ruined by broken boats and I've wasted way too much money replacing cracked kayaks. I also want to point out that a weak kayak is a liability on any type of expedition. 

I will miss certain performance attributes of the Remix (and I really want a Braaap) but I'm done thinking of my kayaks as "future garbage". This fall I'm moving to South America for an extended time and I don't want to think about buying a new kayak while I'm there. I am very stoked to be rocking the Cali.

On that note, I've got a Remix for sale. I will miss it.


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## dcjohnsonwv (Jul 1, 2015)

First post here, but was looking for other reviews of the Cali and decided to chime in. Here’s my rather long initial review.
 I received my Cali in WV early last week, and luckily some heavy rains brought some local stuff up right in time to give it a good workout the past week. I’ve been using a Jackson Super Hero as my primary creek boat for the last 2 years, but wanted a more traditional displacement hull, better plastic, and some speed. I’m also 6’1” 205 lbs., 36” waist, 30” inseam. I fit in the boat just fine, but could see where someone slightly bigger may have issues. I was a little loose with just the stock hip pads, but a little too tight when I added a shim to each side. Had some thinner 1/8” minicell that I stuffed in and it fit like a glove. Had to move the bulkhead pretty far in towards the seat, and moved the seat just slightly forward a few inches. Really like the thigh hooks; a big improvement over the Jackson. I added ¼” neoprene foam all around the thigh hooks and up into the knees for more comfort and glued in knee blocks with some neoprene foam layers glued over that. The knee blocks really helped with the performance. Also had trouble getting them to stick at first, but it was hot and humid the day I did it, and I didn’t let the DAP cement cure long (about 12 hrs from application to when I was on the river). Re-glued and haven’t had an issue yet. When the boat arrived, a good portion of the black graphics (stickers?) had worn off. It almost looked like it melted off, as there were black smudges all over the deck where it wore off. No scratches or dents, and was well wrapped when it arrived. Not a complaint, just an observation about stuff not sticking to the plastic (thankfully, very slick on rocks also). 
Still need to work on the bulkhead. The pads feel comfortable, but I had to move it up so far that there are large gaps all around with a lot of play up and down. My foot would actually get wedged between a gap in the bulkhead and the metal rail when entering if I wasn’t paying attention. Plenty of room for my size 12 feet and Rasslers though. I like how the front pillar doesn’t extend all the way to the foot area. I was thinking I’d remove it, but it’s not in the way at all. Same with the stern pillar. I can see where the rubber bands that hold the pillar and backband in position will wear out. It seems ok, and is easy to use, but probably not the most durable setup. Seat is comfortable for me. 
The boat feels heavier than what I have seen for the listed weight, but lighter than the Recon 93 and Karma L by a good bit. I found it extremely awkward to carry. Doesn’t balance well on the shoulder and can’t get a good grip on the front pillar. I found myself grabbing the rubber band on the front pillar before I realized what it was and decided that it wasn’t a good idea. I like the water bottle/throw rope set up on the seat track, but a bottle does come out easily if not clipped in. The rope attachment points behind the seat feel solid. Not a fan of the flat angular grab handles around the cockpit. Overall, I knew from the Pure XL that I would be doing a lot of outfitting work off the bat, so none of these “issues” were of concern for me. I wanted a durable, performing creek boat. Sooo, onto the water I went.
On the water, the boat really performed great. I didn’t think the primary stability was poor at my weight, in fact it felt incredibly stable. I also thought I sat a lot lower in the boat than any other boat I’ve ever paddled, but it wasn’t noticeable on the water. It floated me very high, and felt a little corky at first, but in the rapids, it was fairly sporty and incredibly fast. It took a few strong strokes to accelerate, but once it was up to speed, nothing was slowing it down. The boat went up and over most features, and the pointy bow speared through bigger holes without hesitation. Boofs were effortless. It turned easily, but I did have an issue with the bow wandering a bit offline at first if not driven aggressively. Keeping an upstream angle in harder ferries also proved to be a chore, but after a few days in it and some more concentration, I’m not noticing it is as much. Though it’s sporty, the extra length in the bow and stern were noticeable to me coming from shorter creek boats. It caught eddies very cleanly, even when not edging aggressively. I was actually surprised at how well it surfed. That was something I thought I was compromising on, but it surfed and spun pretty well on waves. 
Haven’t had the seat shifting issue yet (not that I noticed anyway, need to check when I get home). I noticed what appeared to be leather on top of the aluminum block when I adjusted it. It was actually a pain to get it back in the slot when I first adjusted it, as it kept bunching up and coming off. Currently using a like new Mountain Surf large keyhole rand skirt, but the boat was really wet at the end of each day. My Jacksons have the edge there. Will be trying other skirts and putting aquaseal on the bolts. I definitely had to be more form conscience when rolling compared to my Super Hero or 4Fun, but it wasn’t difficult to roll by any means. 
Overall, I really like the boat and glad I took the plunge and bought it. I don’t think it’s for someone who doesn’t like to customize the outfitting and is afraid of foam and glue. Probably not a boat most can jump in and feel comfortable with the stock outfitting. The performance was everything I wanted. The plastic feels ready solid. It’s a sharp looking boat (except the graphics coming off before it ever got on the water). I really like the overall design, and the proportions fit me very well. Within a day of paddling, I felt incredibly solid in it.


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## darinm (Nov 7, 2005)

Thanks for the feedback guys, agreed the outfitting needs work to make the boat shine. I find it worth the effort since I don't have to replace and outfit new boats a couple times each season 

In one boat I used rear pillar foam (from an old broken boat) to make one huge block to cover the whole foot plate. Works like a charm and makes it possible for other people to adjust the bulkhead if I want to loan the boat out. On my personal boat I swapped the bulkhead for all foam and saved about a pound of weight. If you're taller you'll save more weight.

For carrying I added some webbing inside, using the bolts for the grab loop just in front of the cockpit. Easy to do and vastly improves carrying.


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## buckmanriver (Apr 2, 2008)

*Cali outfitting ect 2017 update*

I have had my Cali for about 2 months now and have been paddling it every weekend, from creeks to big water. 

I have petitioned twice in the boat both times the seat moved forward then back absorbing some of the impacts. As is such I think the track is a good design feature. 

1. I got the outfitting square away with foam blocks added to the inside of the thigh hooks! And to the top of the seat, after which I put back the stock pads. This has increased my stabilization in the boat substantially. 

2. I purchased the boat full price from Darin taking a bet on the plastic. I have kayaked allot had have broken two play boats (Jackson rockstars) and two creek boats (burn, and shiva) in the last 18 months. So I am hoping this one will last longer. 

I have some photos of the foam install: 

Zip ties for the thigh blocks / sanded then epoxied the blocks to the seat.

How are everyone's boats holding up?

Photos:

I am not the guy boofing the scary hole. I am the guy rolling in the pool at the bottom of the brush creek slides.


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