Hi,

For the second year the French Publication "Canoe-Kayak Magazine" has been organizing a Test Camp in the French Alps, in the Durance area between Briancon and Embrun. The idea here is to elect the Boat of the Year. First, the readers vote online for their favourite boat. The 5 boats receiving the most votes are then selected for the Test. Then, out of the voters, 5 people are picked randomly to compose the "jury" and are invited for 3 days, to come and paddle the beautiful rivers of the area and test and review the 5 boats. As part of the Magazine's crew, I was there to supervize the operation and accompany the voters on the water, as well as shoot a short video for the magazine. Also here was photographer Raphael Thiebaut who documented the Test Camp for the magazine as well. Look at the photo credits next time you open your favourite paddling magazine and most likely you'll see his name next to that beautiful shot that draw your attention - oh, and he's one of the very best creekboaters out there too!

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After 3 days of intense paddling and detailed reviewing, I'm happy to announce that the Fluid Solo has been picked as the Boat of the Year! It is especially interesting, considering the competition the Solo was facing: Wavesport Habitat, Jackson Rocker, Pyranha Karnali and Eskimo Diablo were the 4 other pretendants. The testers all insisted on the easyness and forgiveness of the Solo, and the feeling of safety that you get when you sit in it. They appreciated the good compromise that the Solo offers on the water: its edges offer a good precision and drive, but not as the cost of userfriendliness. For some of our testers who described themselves as average or below average kayakers, it really made their life easier. We also had expert paddlers in the group, who saw in the Solo a very good boat to embark on harder runs in a safe and predictable boat.

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All in all a great time was had by all. This area is really fantastic and over just 3 days we could paddle a good variety of runs, from volume on the nearly flooded Durance to tight technical creeks, the Guil and the Gyronde. It was also a very good reminder of what the "average" user of a boat is looking for. And this has been pretty much Fluid's motto since the very beginning : no gimmick, no bullsh--, Just Fluid... ;-)

David Arnaud

testcamp_786_hd3pgm.jpg pics: Raphael Thiebaut/Canoe Kayak Magazine