# Hyside Paddle Cat (shredder)?



## gkelchner (May 21, 2007)

*Shredder*



WhiteLightning said:


> Have any of you guys paddled Hyside's shredderlike craft? I saw one last year, and have been thinking about getting one to run some lower volume stuff, or just to R2 around with and not have to screw with the trailer, etc. I like that it is hypalon, and I can roll it up and store it vs. Jack's Plastic's version.
> 
> Any feedback? Anyone know anyone trying to sell one used? Anyone ever run smaller creeks in one?


There's a river guide at Timberline Tours in Eagle named Wizz from NZ who has several of these Hyside shredders to sell. He should be back in the US any day. Leave message at 328 6161 10a-4pm


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## WhiteLightning (Apr 21, 2004)

Thanks Greg, I'll check it out.


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## DanRauer (Jun 8, 2006)

Those boats are sweet. I looked at one and almost bought it, however I did not like the floor set up. One thing I did not notice at first is that the "floor" sits really low on the tubes (well below mid-point). If you look at the pics, this is not easy to see. The JPW shredders site alot higher out of the water. The JPW shredders are cramped, but seem to be a better design. 

Check out one first hand before you buy it.

Dan


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## stinginrivers (Oct 18, 2003)

Dan,

I agree try them both as they are different designs, but I think the hyside with the lower floor has a few advantages. With the lower floor you have more room, which will give you more personal stability i.e. less chance of getting dumped out, as well as you will have a lower center of gravity which I feel gives the boat better stability.

The hyside design reminds me quite a bit of my Colorado Headwaters Stinger, although the hyside is about 20 pounds heavier. 

WhiteLightning you should get one you will love it, I have taken mine down all kinds of fun runs, and if you want you can R-1 it and not worry about finding a paddle partner.


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## raftus (Jul 20, 2005)

I have paddled the Big Rocker Shredder and the JPW Culebra. I'm 6'5", and the lower attachment points on the Shredder's floor compared to the Culebra's was a game changer in a positive way. A lower foot position is both way more comfortable (and didn't cause my inside leg to go numb) and more stable (lower foot position means you don't fall out as easy). The shredder design has been proven on a lot of rivers and the Hyside looks very similar. There is one on display at AAA Inflatables in Denver. Definitely look at it before you buy it. Personally I would be tempted to get the Shredder instead.


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## brettb (Apr 9, 2005)

I own one of "wiz's" prototypes and I THINK I got the last one last August but he may get more this year!

very nimble and will do class 5 for sure! 

definitely has advantage over the "shredder"
1. longer tube and waterline
2. Hypalon vs neoprene

have not fully tested it in the meat but took it down lawson and numbers at lower water and it slices thru shit like butter! makes Lawson feel like class 2
may have to keep running the mini-me at low water for fun factor!

we should round up a bunch of us with stingers,shredders, hyside paddlecats,etc (other small rubber crafts) and float then everyone can test and compare! do some BBQ and beers too?


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## raftus (Jul 20, 2005)

> definitely has advantage over the "shredder"
> 1. longer tube and waterline
> 2. Hypalon vs neoprene


The shredder is 12'4" according to the brochure that Tom Love (the owner of Airtight Inflatables who makes the Shredder) sent me. Hyside says their boat is 12'. So the Paddle Cat dosen't have a longer tube, it has a shorter tube. 

The Shredder comes in three models, two are rockered for easier turning and have shorter water lines, but the straight tube Shredder, from which Hyside appears to have copied the design, has a longer waterline. Rockered tubes turn faster, straighter tubes hold angles better - the Shredder gives you the choice of which you prefer. A lot of people running class IV-V creeky stuff will probably value faster turns over direction holding.

As far as Hypalon being superior to Neoprene - that is fairly thin ice. They are fairly similar synthetic rubber compounds. Many inflatable manufacturers use neoprene coating on the inside of their tubes and Hypalon on the outside. Hypalon is probably the better coating for the outside of the tubes, but the difference is minimal. And any meaningful comparison between them would also have to include the properties of the base fabrics that the neoprene or Hypalon coating is being appiled to. Both Hyside and Airtight have been making quality boats for decades. 

If someone offered me a great deal on either boat I would go for it, but I don't think the Hyside offers any actual advantage over the Shredder. In fact with the three Shredder models you can probably get a better fit from Airtight Inflatables. My 2¢.


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## brettb (Apr 9, 2005)

well I own the hyside and a friend has an airtight inflateables
comparing the 2 side by side (I Imagine that there may be some changes to mine as it was produced privately and AA seems to may have changed over times also? 
1. my hyside is longer than the AA
2. hyside has longer water line
3. Hydie has 4 D rings AA has looped fabric
3. as raftus mentioned fabric can be similar but if you paddle them both there is a big diff in performance (i think) the hypalon is more rigid and does not need to be topped off alot as my friends does it is very spongy, the aa being kind of spongy slides over rocks easier (round ones any way) while the hyside can stick and spin a little but is more durable

also they both maneuver so incredibly fast that having a shorter line for creeking does not concern me before you know it in either of them you can be spun around and surfed! the hyside will give you a little more speed if you need it! I think in higher water or in nastier rapids I would much rather be in the Hyside (plus you can get them easier I imagine the wait for a year on an aa is still the norm????) either way if you can pick one of these suckkers up do it like Raftus said! very fun, very unique!

it is really preference though as everyone has opinions thats why I think we should get together in afew days and hit lawson (only 30 min run) or something and try each others out? I almost bought a Culubra but have not paddled it nor the stinger!!! then we can chat our opions over beer not internet waves!!

anyone wanna shred clear creek this spring give a shout we go out 3-5 times a week at least!!


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## WhiteLightning (Apr 21, 2004)

Does the Hyside come with footcups or something like that? At the company I guide with, we have an old Avon shredder-like craft, and it just had kind of a round hole in the floor that you can grip with your toes. It doesn't seem like the best way of doing things.

The reason I was thinking Hyside, is that it probably is easier to get one, and quicker, I might be able to order with outfitter/guide discount or find used, and my Hyside 13ft raft is super bomber. Plus I like being able to fold or roll it up in the winter.


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## brettb (Apr 9, 2005)

My highside came with two footcups in front and I put 2 more in so you can paddle with both feet in foot cups! pretty slick so far! plus you can put 3-4 people in it if you wish but performance is greatly hampered!!!
If you want to go let me know we could meet up somewhere and you could try before you buy! but I am sure you will enjoy it
RE: folding up...... this could rool up nicely and slide into a NRS Bills bag im pretty sure! I thought it would be great for south america nad such trips!!!!!!!!


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## WhiteLightning (Apr 21, 2004)

Do any of you guys ever come up to the Eagle or Shoshone or anywhere out this way? What is Lawson like?


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## raftus (Jul 20, 2005)

The Lawson to Dumont stretch has two main rapids, but there are something like 17 ledges in one of them (at high flows most can be read and run by class IV+ boaters). From Dumont down is probably a half grade easier but sports a lot more whitewater than the Eagle below Dowd Chute. At 1000 it is roughly comparable to Dowd chute at say 2500. The stream bed is also a lot smaller (narrower). As the water drops there are a lot of rocks that appear in potentially bad places. Clear Creek is also a mostly man made riverbed, whereas in places the Eagle is relatively natural. In a lot of ways Clear Creek is kind of just a bunch of Dowd chute type rapids (man made constrictions) one after another, but with calm sections in between. (p.s. I did my guide training on the eagle and guided commercially on Clear Creek last summer)

Shoshone is totally different, usually lot more water, a way bigger riverbed, and easier rapids.

Lower down on Clear Creek offers good class V on The Black Rock stretch with class IV above and below it on the upper and lower stretches. Well worth the drive from summit/eagle county if the creek is above say 600-700. You could run from Lawson to Golden in one long action packed day, but two would probably be better since you haven't seen it before.


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## brettb (Apr 9, 2005)

the amount of whitewater on clear creek compared to other rivers keeps me here but as I wait for water to rise here I will travel to the numbers/shoshone just because/ crystal/ and would like to check out the Edwards Mile! and may do so on Tuesday!!! what would you recomend for most bang for your buck on the eagle?
here is a pic around 700 at the bottom of outer limits! click on the photo to get the real feel!


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## nicmayer (May 19, 2007)

Any feedback? Anyone know anyone trying to sell one used? Anyone ever run smaller creeks in one?[/quote]


I know this is kind of an older post but thought I should comment anyway. I have friends who have Airtight Shredders and I have paddled with them for a few years. When JPW came out with the Culebra I falsely thought it was a better design, so I bought one. Let me just say that I now own the Hyside Paddle Cat. 

Here is the problems with the Culebra. The floor is indeed higher and sits out of the water, the boat has a much higher center of gravity and for a silly girl like me who lacks upper body strength it was pretty hard to get back in. When it was upside down it was even harder to get on top. The JPW thwarts sit higher than the sides wich puts it even higher out of the water when flipped. With the floor being laced on instead of welded it is a flawed design. The floor has gaps in the front and really stalls in the rapids. Those gaps act like breaks in rapids... not a good thing. The floor also does not take on water like the shredder or the Hyside. A floor taking on water is a good thing, it provides a bit more weight and stability than the Culebra can offer. 

The foot cups are a whole issue on their own. The foot cups in the Culebra are a joke. It would almost be better if they were not there. The ones in the Hyside are standard, they actually hold your foot in. 

I like having Hypalon better than Neopene or PVC. Maybe that one is personal since I have another hypalon Cat. I have paddled big water in the JPW, Hyside and Shredder. I would take the Hyside or the Shredder anyday over the Culebra. 

Another positive about the Hyside is it is blue not black. I can't tell you how many times I have burned my a** because I didn't think about it being hot out and sat down on a black boat... ouch!

The Shredder and Hyside are small enough they can go almost anywhere a kayak goes (within reason). They doe well on creeks as long as they are not too shallow. 

I guess ultimately we bought the Hyside because of the availability vs the shredder and I really am not a fan of a black boat. 

Good luck, if you already bought one hope you like it.

We run Shoshone if you would like to check it out, but our "home waters" are the Ark.


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## Chip (Apr 7, 2007)

*Thrills & Rescue, too (copy of post on Gear Talk)*

On my last Grand trip there was a Jack's Culebra, that we traded off paddling. 

It was an incredible R-2 joyboat, pretty close to unflippable even with novice paddlers. Pissed me off to watch the Culebra flying through the roaring gut of rapids that I was tempted to sneak (in a Pack Cat). 

It was also an amazing search-and-rescue craft. 

The Culebra crews retrieved lost oars, rescued half-drowned kayakers, and even busted back upstream into keeper eddies (e.g. the righthand cliff suck on Specter) to retrieve a trapped duckie (the paddler having taken a thrilling swim). 

Pic below of Culebra rocking in the grip of the Grand:



Seriously great fun boat for Grand trips and other bigwater thumpers— given plenty of support craft. Not exactly a gear hauler. 

Chip


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## honjarte (May 25, 2008)

*Pulebra*

Hey-
I just paddled a Jack's Pulebra from 9th Street to High Bridge on the Animas 2 days ago and it was a blast. The floor and footcup issues mentioned earlier are totally acurate, but the trip was so short it didn't matter. We also did not flip, so I can't commment on getting in/out of it while righting. The floor was indeed very high, I noticed. We hit Smelter dead on, we took the kayak line through Corner Pocket (rip) and we went right through the meat of Santa Rita. It was never even close to sketchy. It was just fun. I would totally paddle that thing down the Grand. I cannot however give any comparison between the other models mentioned in this thread. But that Pulebra was awesome. 


Honjarte


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## fluxDave (Jan 22, 2008)

*JPW Culebra*

I just bought a JPW Culebra (10' model). It's great to paddle, but I definitely notice the disadvantage of having my center of gravity up high. I'm game for getting together to paddle the other models. Let's make it happen. Tuesday or Wednesday this week is good for me... who's in?


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## brettb (Apr 9, 2005)

We are off tues. and wed this week! might be interested depending on river and flows!
as far as the culubra: too much design, it could be a great boat with some mods.

paddled the Culubra yesterday in the Teva games!
found it to be sluggish on the first run and we flipped on an eddy line!
second run felt faster but flipped again going around a gate, we had to transfer some weight to make the gate and flipped!

foot cups suck, definately too high, not flippy if your just running down river I dont think I would want one for technical stuff!

very rigid but PVC and i prefer Hypalon 
they seem shorter than my Hyside

also as far as rescue if you picked up a swimmer in the Jacks it would be hard to fit them in there! my Hyside could easily paddle 4 but would compromise the design of the boat we have paddle 3 and found the performance was not the greates but that was the blue at 500 perhaps we will try a higher volume run?


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## ross (Oct 19, 2006)

*Culebra's for sale...discounted*

I have a couple of Culebra's here at Alpine Quest Sports in Edwards. Jack made a bunch for the Teva Mountain Games and they are now for sale at discount! They were only used for two hours during the games. Please call we can let you demo.

They do roll up and store in their own small bag. 

Ross 
Alpine Quest Sports
[email protected]
970-926-3867


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## brettb (Apr 9, 2005)

Hysides come with 2 footcups (more like and open toed cup not really a strap) that are really sweet with river shoes
they dont seem to advertise them directly but the guy I bought mine from is there in Eagle at Timberline and he has just contacted me re: receiving 7 new ones all for sale! $1795 I beleive?

these are light and would roll up and fit inside a "bills bag" they really are slick! and i believe a little more stable yet really fast on the water! I am sold after having paddled all 3 types now on the market!


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## WhiteLightning (Apr 21, 2004)

ross said:


> I have a couple of Culebra's here at Alpine Quest Sports in Edwards. Jack made a bunch for the Teva Mountain Games and they are now for sale at discount! They were only used for two hours during the games. Please call we can let you demo.
> 
> They do roll up and store in their own small bag.
> 
> ...


How much of a discount? The PVC probably isn't best for keeping rolled, right?

Sorry I missed the other posts about doing shredder test drives. If anyone is up for it again on the Eagle, please post. It sounds like the Hyside is the way to go, unless maybe AQS has a really good discount. It's funny that the Culebra flips twice in the Gore creek park, but is bomber down the Grand. I guess it depends on how you ride it, huh?


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