Dagger Kayaks Stratos 14.5 Review + Video

2/8/2014

A quick review of the Dagger Stratos 14.5 + video

I just spent the last few days paddling the Dagger Stratos 14.5S. Its dubbed as a high performance ocean tourer that is ideal for beginners and expert alike which is a pretty broad spectrum to cover but I think they have pulled it off. I was in the market for a new sea kayak recently and I had decided I wanted a 14-15ft boat that surfs well has good speed and would be comfortable for doing daily tours, rock hopping and some day touring. After a bit of searching online I had a few contenders to consider.(The P&H Delphin, Venture Jura, North Shore Aspect and a few more.) Then I gave Colm in I-Canoe a call to see what he had available and he mentioned he was paddling the Dagger Stratos and really liked it.
To be honest I was a little surprised as I never think of Dagger and touring/sea kayaks. Anyway the feedback was good and it sounded like it was worth a try. The next day the boat arrived and a soon as it came out off the truck you could tell there was something good wrapped up. As soon as I got it opened I was impressed, the rocker profile and sleek lines looked great. I have failed to find a picture that does the boat justice and give a good sense of the rocker profile so I didn't include one. It really has to be seen in the flesh.

Full deck lines

Sleek hull

The outfitting is simple but very comfortable. The leg lifters are a really nice feature and provided great support. I had it fully set up in about 5 minutes. The only negative I could find with the outfitting and the boat in general was the tight braces. They are a bit flexible but once set up correctly they are not to bad.

Dagger Startos outfitting

That evening I headed straight for the surf. 5-6 ft with lots of reformers and a long slow shoulder was perfect conditions to test this boat. It surfs great! Very easy to turn, accelerate and catch waves on the fly. The rocker means it doesn't peril even in the whitewater. Paddling out is a joy, the bow cuts through breaking waves and rides high over foam piles.

I have to say this boat has surpassed my expectations, it looks fantastic and is a real joy to paddle. Definitely worth considering if you want to put some fun into your (sea) paddling or are looking for a good all round kayak. It is well equipped with full deck lines, two hatches and skeg. Not bad for RRP €1000

Did I mention how good it looks? so good!

If you have paddled this kayak and have anything to add please leave a comment.

Check out this quick video I put together below. This is 3ft surf at Enniscrone Beach in Co. Sligo

35 Comments

tony

9/8/2014 02:44:26 am

I to own one of these. ..I was looking for a sea kayak that would be fun to paddle. ..its a Exellent boat. ..it ticks all the right boxes its fast in a straight line. .handles off shore blow ups with ease. ..I totally agree that it was a tall order for dagger to pull off but they have done it. .and in the uk they retail at £650...so excellent value for money. .t

David Horkan

14/8/2014 09:44:49 pm

Hi Tony,

Thanks for contributing. I am really happy with mine as well. Thats a great price in the UK. Bargain!

6/12/2014 12:43:08 am

We bought three of theses beauties so got a great deal. Great to look at, excellent in the sea, super on rivers with its quick take off. Its a perfect fit and easy to paddle. Easy to edge, turn and plough through any water. Lovely.

phil

12/4/2015 09:10:01 pm

Great video! I've just brought a Stratos and can't wait to get out in it!! 😊

Lloyd Bower, NZ

24/6/2015 09:04:37 pm

I bought one of these a year ago, having done a fair bit of research wanting a small tourer/day boat with skeg instead of rudder. It cost a wee bit more getting it exported to NZ! but it's been worth every penny, a super boat, easy turn and control, great in all conditions.

25/6/2015 12:27:54 am

Hey Lloyd,

Great to hear it. Im still enjoying mine.

Lance Smith

18/3/2017 02:28:41 am

Hi Lloyd . Where did you buy it and how much $$ to land one here in NZ ?

tony press

4/7/2015 01:07:18 am

Just a bit of a update. ..i have been living with the stratos for a year now and what can i say...firstly im still i love with it...only last weekend i took it to a local grade 2 white water spot..and it made my Jackson hero2 look like a old clunker. ..everyone joked at why would you take a sea kayak. ...until they had ago..it surfs standing waves like a dream...most of the day i hand paddled the play spots as its so eager you dont really need a paddle..!..please anyone thinking of buying onw reading this don't be put off by daggers ideal beginner's kayak spiel...it really is a great boat...and my boat of choice for most occasions. .t

David Horkan link

5/7/2015 07:29:32 pm

Hey Tony,

Thanks for the update. I couldn't agree more. It really is one of the best kayaks I have ever paddled. So much fun in surf and rock hopping. It turns so fast and is still fast enough for short day trips. Have a great summer. David

11/7/2015 12:13:17 am

ron watson link

7/10/2015 12:43:20 am

After a lot of searching, I bought 2 of these boats in March 2015, for myself and my son - both beginners to the sport.
I can certainly attest to the superb performance of the Dagger Stratos and the confidence it gives to the less experienced paddler. We have been out in varying Northumberland sea conditions and any understandable nervousness we may both have had were swiftly allayed by the stability demonstrated by the boat. At no time have we ever felt we were not in control on the water this is more a testament to the boats stability, rather than our paddling abilities, however owning a boat like this can only provide a stable platform to improve on our skills.
A 'fun' boat - highly recommended and not just for beginners.

Noel Whelan link

1/2/2016 04:27:49 am

I have just bought a good demo model from Colm at iCanoe ( Dublin ) . Im looking forward to testing it out on the estuary / and sea . I went for the Dagger because I did not need a 17 foot kayak , also it is stable which suits me as I only kayak as a means of keeping fit .

Ron

4/5/2016 07:03:34 am

Hi,
Great session. If you don't mind, it would be helpful to know you weight. I am interested in the boat and am wondering which one to consider for day paddling in the surf and inlets. I weight 85 kg. Any thoughts?
Thanks!

David

4/5/2016 07:06:00 am

hi thanks,

I'm about 75kg in my gear. try both if you can if not probably go for the larger one so you can carry some extra kit.

4/5/2016 09:30:06 am

Hi ron...in 75kg. .but i load it right up and have no issues. .and mines a small. ..a friend has a large model and he's about your weight if not more in winter gear....t

ron

5/5/2016 12:26:30 pm

hi Tony

I weigh in at 75kgs and and i am 5 ft 7 - i have gone for the larger boat and would say thats ideal for me.

Mike M

28/7/2016 04:31:00 am

Hi Tony, thanks for a great review. I'm going to buy my first kayak this summer and I weigh in around 210-217lbs (95-98Kg) at 5'11. I may not be able to get to a dealer to test. In your opinion do you think the larger Stratos would be good for me? Thanks in advance, Mike.

Jon

23/9/2016 05:16:14 am

Great review really enjoyed that but what I would like to know is how much gear are you able to carry , would love to get one of these for exploring the West Wales coast and then stopping on the beaches but would like to know what amount of gear are you able carry

Cheers

23/9/2016 06:00:42 am

Hi jon....i can easily get enough in for two nites...there is equally as much space as my p&h bahiya and thats 18ft but a lot narrower. ..it really depends on how lifht you are prepared to travel. ..have fun out in Pembrokeshire. .i was over there a couple of weeks ago some exellent paddling. .t

lloyd bower

12/2/2017 02:32:03 am

Yeah likewise, despite the skeg taking up a wee big of room in the rear hatch, and being relatively short, there's easily ample room for a couple of days. I've managed 4 night summer camping trips in it on NZ lakes fitting in some lightweight walking gear too.

Andy Coupe

27/12/2016 07:52:35 am

Just bought one of these boats. Only paddled it once this morning, but I love it. Very manoeuvrable, and not too sluggish either. It also looks awesome - loads of rocker.

Mike Chirlston link

25/6/2017 12:45:59 pm

Great review and very helpful. I am looking at buying a used kayak and have the option to buy one of these. Thanks.

Pierre Pirotta

1/7/2017 02:01:26 am

I am about to buy a dagger stratos 14.5. I am 5ft 9inches and wieght is 75kg. I want to buy it for open sea and only for a day tour which one shell I go for? The large or Small.

thanks

Phil

1/7/2017 02:30:19 am

The large will be more comfortable for you. I'm the same size, and glad I went for the large. Beautiful boat and never fails to impress!

7/7/2017 09:45:29 am

Thanks Phil

BWM

15/10/2017 04:42:39 am

Nice video, David. At first, I thought you were broaching, then I realised (unless I'm mistaken) that the kayak was allowing you to run along the wave face. That's impressive for sea kayak as the mostly just bus-drive, the trick being to run straight and not broach for as long as possible.

We don't see many new dagger kayaks down my way, so I bought one, sight unseen -a 14.5 L. It's an unfortunate green colour (prefer the red or red/yellow ones), but it goes great. I really like the fact that it responds so well to edging on the wave, with minimal stern rudder. It turns so quickly that you can be paddling out, see a wave coming & turn so easily to catch it.

I find it easy to roll which surprised me as it is wide compared to a typical, modern sea kayak. It's also slower than my Impex Force as there is minimal glide between strokes, but it is still fast enough to keep pace with others on a typical day trip.

If it's useful to others; I'm about 186cm tall and 83kg and might have fit into the 14.5S, but there wasn't one available to try, so settled for the L as it was a demo boat at a good price ($1200 AUD). I think these will normally sell for $1800 in Australia.

If you are not stuck in the mindset that a sea kayak must be narrow-beamed & fast, and are looking for a manoeuvrable kayak that surfs pretty well and suits rock gardening, caves etc, at an easier price, the Stratos would really be worth trying out.

I have only just got it, therefore not used it a real lot but its potential is immediately apparent once you start messing about in more advanced scenarios -by which I mean stuff that you might need to develop basic skills for (like broaching/bracing, edging etc) rather than just padding about. And yet it also seems ideal for beginners who might just be "padding about" & testing the waters as it is really stable and still responsive to paddler input. The only issue for beginners might be that it doesn't track the best in winds from the side, though the skeg is effective in countering that.

The above is my honest opinion and I may add more later as I get to paddle in different conditions. I have no interests or affiliation with dagger or any retailers. I say this because it seems to me that dagger are quite good at their marketing material. In this case, I actually agree with their marketing videos...it seems to be the kayak that they claim, only it will not be as efficient to paddle on longer distances as it might appear in the videos, although that also depends on your own expectations and preconceptions. It is pretty good for a short, rockered kayak but the Gemini RM is more suitable if you are wanting something short but harder tracking for longer trips. The Gemini is a very nice boat too, just more of an actual sea kayak than a fun-boat like the Stratos, so you lose out a bit on manoeuvrability, responsiveness & surf-ability.

Pony Moore

7/7/2018 02:49:24 pm

Great article, thank you
Love the look of this boat, but yet to see or try one
I have searched everywhere to find some kind of definition as to what Dagger consider to be a smaller paddler and a large paddler. So, which is most suitable, L or S ? With no definition, it is difficult to know

Tony press

7/7/2018 03:00:50 pm

There are two sizes. .can't remember the full specs ... but I still have my small youngest daughter uses it mostly but I'm 80kk now and it's fine at that empty and loaded ...

Manuel

7/9/2018 07:30:45 am

Hi david
Can you tell me how you solve the tigth braces "problema"?
I have a Stratos S.
I have already changed the position of the tigth braces, but I still being "loose" in the seat when I do a rol. `
Best regards,
Manuel

davidhorkan@hotmail.com

1/11/2018 10:05:36 am

Hi, I never did anything with the thigh braces, just got used to it! David

James D

18/9/2018 12:09:26 am

I bought the Stratos S this Summer for surfing in Cornwall Uk. We also did a short trip around Lands End in a 3 gusting 4 beaufort wind and chop. It is really good.

I’m 5’8 and 73kg, experienced iand a good roller. I built slalom bro boats in the 1979’s and competed in white water racing. So I know the feel of both slow agile and stiff turning fast boats.

Not much experience at sea.

The stratos rolls well, I found I could still hand roll, a strange feeling after all these years, with my son doing the same in my old slalom boat next to me. Smiles.

The whole speed v agility thing will keep us going for years, but my take on it is this.

I used to tour around the Solent in my slalom boat, in didn’t have an option. It was slow and a pig in cross winds, but just fine. And so much fun in haystacks and eddies.

My white water racers were such pigs to turn. But good speed machines.

It was really hard for me to be objective and realistic about what I would really be doing in the new boat. It was so easy to think of long trips and speed and getting the best super cruiser in composite. But in the end I knew it would be mostly day trips and exploring close into land.

That’s the crucial bit I guess... do you like logging miles, maybe far out from land, or prefer the intimacy and variation of a slow pick along the coast and some rock hopping. I went for the latter. The Stratos is so rewarding and playful, responding to all the different strokes so well. Speed wise I reckon I’ll just have to work and burn a bit harder than the narrower longer boats if I go with them. Which means my ultimate penalty is after 4-5 hours I’m going to slow them down and feel knackered. And over multi day trips that will multiply. I reckon I’m flatwater it does 3.5 mph for the same cruising input that a 17’ boat would do 4.5mph. 1mph difference, max. Roughly.

Say 20% slower. so over 5 miles I’m a mile behind unless I up my work rate.

But I’m the real world there are waves. The Stratos does these very well. And there are pauses for filming, chats, play in caves, lunch.

So real world... I don’t think the Stratos will hold anyone up for friendly recreational trips.

And golly, it’s a complete joy in anything white and frothy.

But, realistically, how often do I do those?.. nope, they are mostly fireside dreams.

So thank you Dagger for giving whitewater spirit to sea paddling. The Stratos is a lovely boat,

18/9/2018 12:17:09 am

Sorry about all the grammatical errors... I posted before I meant to!

18/9/2018 02:54:19 am

It seems that i'm the only one to complain of the softness of the tight braces :)

31/10/2018 07:07:41 pm

Great review! I completely agree with your summation. The Stratos is a great little kayak, especially in anything white & frothy and apart from perhaps testing (and finding I prefer the smaller Stratos S) I'll be keeping this boat until I can nae mair.

1/11/2018 10:06:22 am

Thanks, glad you like it. I still have mine and love it.

Dagger Kayaks Stratos 14.5 Review + Video

A quick review of the Dagger Stratos 14.5 + video

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