Liquid Logic Remix 69 Review

When I first started whitewater kayaking, I ended up going with a creek boat and playboat as my first boat purchases. This is a path a lot of people go down. After a few years though, I started thinking... we spend most of our time on rivers and creeks (not super steep creeks) and a river runner makes a lot of since to have in the quiver. Enter the Liquid Remix series. 

So somehow, despite Liquid Logic coming out with the Remix series way back around 2009, I had never actually boated in one. Not sure how that happened given it's extreme popularity but it is what it is. I even had bought one for my wife a year ago or so, which she loves, but I can't fit in it. Anyway, I finally decided to see what all the fuss is about and ordered myself a brand new lime green Remix 69. 

For those of you that don't know, the Remix comes in 3 different sizes, 59, 69 and 79. The numbers correspond to the amount of volume each boat has. My wife has the 59 version, which works great for her petite 110 lbs and 5'1 height. Like usual with me though, I'm kinda on the cusp between medium and large at 180 lbs and 6'1". After consulting with Liquid Logic, I decided to rock the 69. It was a great decision and I would only trade up to the 79 if I was planning on doing more overnights, etc. But hey, I have a Stinger XP for that. 

The Remix 69 comes in at 8'8" long and weighs around 44 lbs. You may be thinking, wow that is long! That was my inital reaction when seeing the length on paper especially since it is 7 inches longer than say a Dagger Mamba 8.1. It really doesn't look that long in person with the sporty lines, 13" bow rocker and 10" rocker in the stern. As most kayaks have become shorter and shorter over the years, Liquid Logic felt like something was missing from the experience and so have enstilled a little "old-school" into their boat design. Basically they made it a bit narrower than a lot of modern kayaks and added some length.   

The added length and sporty hull combine to give you something some newer yaks have been missing. SPEED. As an owner of a Liquid Logic Stinger XP, I've become used to some serious speed from my kayak but I didn't expect it out of one that isn't a "long boat." The Remix surprised me though with the same kinda feeling of speed although obviously it's not quite as fast as the Stinger. You have to experience it to understand but once you feel the Remix pick up momentum, fly through a rapid and then glide out, it will change you.

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On top of the speed, the narrower hull combined with the extra length and modern chimes gives you an excellent overall platform. Stability is still very good and it has a little extra width at the ends to help with that. The edge placement and chimes also allow you to carve like crazy, which makes for catching eddies at a fast rate of speed and stopping on a dime extremely satisfying. This slalom boat'ish feeling is something I really enjoy in my Dagger RPM and makes the Remix feel kinda like a more modern interpretation of it, with it's own twist. At least in my opinion. 

The hull of the Remix is also a displacement design. This means that it is rounded. If you are used to a planning (flat) hull, this might take some getting used to but it works just fine on the Remix. One benefit is ease of rolling and the ability to glance off rocks very predictably. The rocker for boofing plus the displacement hull actually make the Remix a popular creeker as well as a river-runner. The extremely durable Aquatuff plastic it is made out of helps with that as well as it can take some serious abuse. 

One of my favorite things about the Remix, aside from the speed, is the flat'ish spot on the stern. When I first saw it I was concerned that it might be a problem area when caught in a boil, would cause you to get backendered in a hole, etc and I have seen some people on the internet saying the same thing. However, in actuality, it is very useful. When you need to make a quick course correction, you can actually throw the stern under the water a bit, making your spin or turn much quicker. Not talking about a full on stern-squirt here. It's just enough to cut the water resistance down and allow you to be more maneuverable with the longer boat. It also helps make front-surfing very easy. A nice design aspect that you have to experience to fully appreciate and no, it will not cause you to backender. LL knows what they are doing, trust them.   

The outfitting of course is Liquid Logic's Bad-Ass outfitting. For those of you that don't know, yes that is actually the name. It really does live up to its' name by providing all-day comfort and serious durability. There is an adjustable bulkhead with rails on either side down the bow. Thigh pads adjust a little bit back and forth, along with the hip pads and then you have a ratcheting back band. Everyone has their opinion on which outfitting is best for them but I personally really like LL's setup. One thing to keep in mind is that the back-band sits a lot lower than say a new Jackson Kayak so it is something you have to get used to if coming from another boat manufacturer. Works great though, regardless. 

One thing to keep in mind when piloting the Remix is that seat position matters. If you sit more towards the front, you will get better tracking out of the bow but it will make it a bit harder to manuever. If you sit too far in the back, it will make the stern track better but again, will be less manuaverable. I found that a neutral seating position gave me the best control and if I want some additional speed and tracking, I just lean back a bit to help engage the stern more. This works both on the Remix and the Stinger for me. 

Overall, I love the Liquid Logic Remix. It's a really fun river-runner that will put a smile on your face. Very fast, sporty hull, maneuverable (helps to throw down the stern a bit), etc. Just a good all-around boat that makes every run just that much more enjoyable. If you haven't tried one, do yourself a favor and do so immediately. You will not be dissapointed.

We will update this review with info and photos as we get additional river-time in the Remix.

PROS:

- Fast

- Sporty hull

- Easy to roll

- Comfortable Outfitting

CONS:

- Not as maneuverable as some shorter boats but still great if you know how to use it.

- If you are used to planning hulls, displacement hull might take a bit to get comfortable with.  

SPECS (Remix 69):

- Weight: 44 lbs 

- Length: 8'8"

- Width: 25.5"

- Volume: 69 gal

- Paddler Weight: 130-240 lbs