World Champion, Emma Christie, reviews the Riber PHOTON sit-on-top kayak:
On a beautiful cold morning in January, I braved the below-freezing temperatures to test out the PHOTON Sit-on-Top Kayak!
I am currently in the depths of winter, training for the upcoming 2025 wild-water racing international season with the aim of defending my current World and European Championship titles. Last year I competed across Europe, winning 5 gold medals. Kayaking has allowed me to see some of the world's most beautiful rivers, including the Noche, Italy and the Soca, Slovenia.
Read about one of the wins here: https://paddleuk.org.uk/christie-sisters-make-history-at-wildwater-world-champions/
I started paddling at age 8, in a range of boats. This allowed me to hone my paddling skills, leading to the confidence and success I have now. A boat like the PHOTON is a perfect example of this.
The PHOTON is incredibly easy to manoeuvre on the water while still holding a straight line. Early this morning, on the Beeston Canal in Nottingham, the PHOTON allowed me to navigate the twists, turns, and general obstacles the canal presents with ease.
Find out more about paddling the Nottingham Canal here: https://gopaddling.info/blog/canals/nottingham-and-beeston-canal/
Due to my short stature (5”2, 158cm), I often struggle to find a boat that appropriately fits and allows me to feel confident on a new body of water. I found the accessible design easy to navigate, due to the simple clip-in seat and backrest, the various lengths of foot placements and the elastic paddle holder.
Driving around with a kayak on my roof is something I am very used to and the PHOTON was easy to tie on to my roof rack. Although, I did require some assistance when loading and unloading the boat from my roof due to its robust and durable build. For someone not used to carrying boats, I would recommend the use of the particle trolley (buy here), as I struggled when carrying the boat alone to the canal.
While my paddle today was only an hour, this boat would be perfect for long summer paddling trips. Its size and sealed waterproof compartment would allow for perfect fishing trips or for keeping your picnic dry! The backrest and ergonomic design provide the ultimate comfort for any shape or size.
The boat’s versatile design offers excellent safety features, including large grab handles great for towing and manoeuvring the boat on land. This boat is unsinkable, which means no airbag purchase is required!
The PHOTON is a superb beginner-friendly boat suitable for all ages and abilities. Its stable design is perfect for anything from your first time in a boat to a Sunday evening leisurely paddle down your local canal. The boat offers a super easy way to experience the magic of kayaking.
