Hull Materials
Kevlar KX
Mad River’s been building canoes of Kevlar® aramid fiber longer than
anyone else so we know it well. Kevlar’s got an awful lot going for it,
such as a tensile strength 5 times that of steel. This provides
tremendous impact absorption and tear resistance, traits that make
Kevlar a choice material for body armor for the military and police. At
the same time, Kevlar’s not perfect in all respects and over the years
Mad River has married the best attributes of Kevlar to a hybrid
composite matrix containing fiberglass, graphite, and core material to
build the most durable canoes per pound available.
Royalex RX
Royalex is a vacuum-formed sheet laminate consisting of external vinyl
layers enclosing multiple ABS plastic layers and a foam core. Not all
Royalex is the same. Each canoe is made of a specific Royalex sheet
designed for the intended use of that canoe. Royalex is very resistant
to impact and its’ moderate weight makes it the preferred material for
paddlers wanting to balance durability and weight in demanding
conditions. It has “memory,” allowing it to distort to absorb impact
and then rebound to original form after pressure is relieved. Royalex
is repairable should the worst-case scenario ever occur.
Polyethylene
Single solid layer of linear high-density polyethylene is used
exclusively in our economically priced Adventure 14+16s. Polyethylene
has excellent abrasion and impact resistance but if unsupported is too
flexible for efficient paddling. Rather than simply put a reinforcing
pole down the center of the hull we opted to integrate the hull and
deck structure to provide the necessary rigidity and gain the strength
available in a uni-body style construction. The result is a very tough
and virtually maintenance free hull at a very modest price. Weight is
comparable to TT hulls.
Triple Tough TT
Mad River’s proprietary polyethylene skin/foam/skin hull material
produces a tough, durable, maintenance-free, value-priced hull. Foam
core provides integral flotation and stiffness. High density linear
polyethylene skins provide superior impact protection and are
repairable. TT hulls average about 15 – 20% heavier than Royalex and
offer similar performance characteristics.
