Review: 2015 Hala Atcha

When you pick up the Hala Atcha, you know it's different. First off it's heavy. Not in a 'this-is-a-pain-in-the-butt-heavy,' but in a 'this-thing-could-take-anything-you-throw-at-it' heavy. The high quality PVC combined with the burliest drop stitch on the market is obviously made by river folk for river folk because river folk play hard. The fins are even rubberized so you can paddle your favorite shallow-water runs without worrying about wrecking your keels. Wrap it around a rock, throw it in the back of a truck, leave it in the sun and it'll keep on kicking.

Second, Hala inflatables have river-specific rocker lines. The Atcha has rocker from tip to tail, which allows paddlers to be aggressive punching through waves and provided us with greater success rate in rapids. The upturned-tail allowed us to know where our back foot was without looking, which is key when every second counts on the river.

If whitewater isn't your thing - or if you need to stretch out your rio-weary muscles - the Atcha moonlights as a great yoga board. At 36-inches wide, six inches thick and with a full length deck pad, it's a yogi's dream. Plus, you don't even need a rack on your car. A board for mountain couples to fight over.