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Mad River Adventure 16 Canoe

$799.00

(8)

Item # 785484

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The Mad River Adventure 16 canoe provides stable paddling performance for both the entry-level paddler and those looking for a reliable family canoe.

Its design is well-suited to a casual family paddle trip around the lake, early morning fishing or even an overnight trip
Gen2™ high-density polyethylene construction offers performance, rugged durability and affordability
Multichine hull design delivers stability, rigidity and excellent tracking; shorter hull length facilitates easy handling and transport
Extended decks offer protection from sun and spray, while a rolled gunwale provides extra rigidity
Adjustable seats on bow and stern ensure comfort and grip with contoured EVA foam
Center bench seat adds space for a third paddler
Design features generous tumblehome which allows canoe to be paddled easily with standard canoe paddles or longer kayak paddles (230cm +)
Padded carry handles, multiple beverage holders and storage trays all increase paddler comfort
Updated stern design features a motor mount that accepts a trolling motor

Made in USA.

Item 785484

An oversize shipping charge of $95 applies to this item (plus regular shipping fees). Or ship it FREE to any REI store for pickup. Please allow up to two weeks for delivery (except for inflatable and folding boats).
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Mad River Adventure 16 Canoe Customer Reviews

REVIEW SNAPSHOT®

by PowerReviews

Mad River Adventure 16 Canoe

4.0

(based on 8 reviews)

88%

of respondents would recommend this to a friend.

Pros

Rugged (6)
Cleans easily (4)
Dries easily (4)
Waterproof (3)

Cons

Best Uses

Day trip (7)
Flat waters (6)
Rivers (4)

- Reviewer Profile:
- Casual/ recreational (4), Recreational (4)

REVIEWS

Reviewed by 8 customers

Sort by

Displaying reviews 1-8

Apr

2009

(12 of 21 customers found this review helpful)

1.0

Tippecanoe and Tyler Too

By the F-team

from Antioch, CA

About Me Recreational

See all my reviews

Pros

Cons

Best Uses

Comments about Mad River Adventure 16 Canoe:

I am an intermediate paddler, but I have never owned a canoe. My husband and I read the reviews, and it seemed like people either liked this canoe or hated it. We thought we'd give it a try since the price was good, and we could return it. The minute I got into the canoe, I knew there was a problem. Even as I wiggled my rear into the seat, the canoe felt unstable. We paddled for a little while on the delta, and the canoe just seemed to rock from side-to-side. I have never been in a canoe where I felt like I had to balance myself on the seat. My husband felt the same way. We brought the canoe back the same day, and ordered a better quality model.

Jul

2009

(8 of 8 customers found this review helpful)

4.0

Fast and Roomy

By Soko

from Plano,TX

About Me Recreational

See all my reviews

Pros

Cleans Easily
Dries Easily
Good Waterproofing
Rugged

Cons

Heavy

Best Uses

Canoe camping
Day Trips
Flat Waters

Comments about Mad River Adventure 16 Canoe:

My wife and I are long time canoe-ers but never owned a store bought canoe until now. We took it on its maiden voyage on Lake of the Arbuckles in Oklahoma, a large Corp. lake with quiet, open water. We immediately took to the canoe's ease of paddling and stability and were impressed with it's speed. The canoe is great at straight line travel but with it's two counter sunk keels and skeg rudder it takes some effort to make a 90 degree or greater turn. There is plenty of room for a third paddler or camping equipment. At 84 lbs., it's bit heavy so we picked up a canoe dolly to help transport it from the car to the lake. Our second trip was on Bonham Lake, a smaller city lake, and again had no trouble launching, paddling and enjoying this durable canoe. The padded seats and backrests are to die for! Our Corgi also enjoys the roominess of the center seat and found it provided a shady place to get out of the sun. This is a great, fast canoe for lakes, ponds or quiet rivers. It is almost impervious to cross winds and the material is very durable although wavy in spots.

Jun

2010

(5 of 5 customers found this review helpful)

5.0

Operator error

By Cbehnke

from Belle Plaine MN

About Me Casual/ Recreational

See all my reviews

Pros

Rugged

Cons

Hard to Clean

Best Uses

Day Trips
Flat Waters
Rivers

Comments about Mad River Adventure 16 Canoe:

I wasn't sure about buying the canoe because of some of the reviews. I did, and took my two young boys out for the first lake trip. Giving them instruction in case we flipped. After getting into the water it was obvious that this was a great canoe! Zero chance of tipping in the windy water and with the boys moving around while catching fish. I can't believe some of the negetive reviews. I'm not an expert, but I was completely comfortable even for being 6'4". So I find it hard to believe people having problems. That's my take.

Aug

2009

(5 of 5 customers found this review helpful)

4.0

Comfortable & fast but a little unstable

By PerkPacker

from Alpine, UT

About Me Recreational

See all my reviews

Pros

Comfortable
Manueverable
Rugged

Cons

Hard to load
Mildly unstable

Best Uses

Day Trips
Flat Waters

Comments about Mad River Adventure 16 Canoe:

We took this canoe on a four day trip into the backcountry of Yellowstone. Observations:
LOADING: The canoe has a narrower beam than other 16' canoes. For long trips with lots of gear, this meant loading gear well above the gunwales creating a higher center of gravity. The molded seats also made arranging equipment a little more painful.
PADDLING: After three lumbar back surgeries I needed a canoe that had comfortable seats and adjustable backrests. The seats were outstanding - better than any other canoe seats I have used! The canoe was also faster than other canoes we traveled with, perhaps due to the narrow beam and rounder profile. However, the seats are positioned fairly high, so I found the canoe to be mildly unstable. We never came even close to turning it over, but we had to be careful to keep ourselves centered and balanced throughout the trip. Loading more weight in the very bottom improved the stability a little.
MANEUVERABILITY: Most of our canoeing was on a large lake, typically with 1'-2' waves as well as a brief run on some minor river rapids. This canoe was very maneuverable in these conditions. C-strokes and J-strokes would quickly control drift and despite the lack of a keel it ran very straight even when quartering a strong wind.
DURABILITY: Part of our trip including running minor rapids down a section of river. The canoe was very tough even when scraping across rocks.
OVERALL: I would recommend this canoe to anyone who is pretty comfortable and experienced with a canoe - the stability of the canoe won't tolerate mistakes. The canoe is very comfortable, especially on your back. It is also very easy to clean. I only gave four stars because, (1) the stability requires caution and (2) I wish the canoe could handle more gear below the gunwales. If MadRiver lowered the seats just a little, and made the canoe a little longer for gear (closer to 18'), it would be perfect.

Apr

2010

(4 of 4 customers found this review helpful)

4.0

Great for a family of four!

By Scot

from Round Rock, Texas

About Me Casual/ Recreational

See all my reviews

Pros

Cleans Easily
Dries Easily
Lightweight
Rugged

Cons

Best Uses

Day Trips
Flat Waters
Rivers

Comments about Mad River Adventure 16 Canoe:

I purchased this canoe two weeks ago. I used it today at Lake Georgetown. My wife and i along with our two kids 6 and 8 year olds went out and had a great time. There was some strong winds but we still had an easy time with the canoe. I was worried about some of the comments from other reviews about the canoe being stable. I was completely satisfied with the stability especially considering that i had two kids in the canoe. The canoe is well built and i loved the padded seats and back rests. I purchased this canoe becuase of the padded seats and back rests hoping that it would help get my wife out with me. She thought they were great, her words were that se thought it was very comfortable. Because the back rests fold down, you have to becareful when getting in and sitting down. Once you get used to it it shouldn't be a problem.

Jul

2009

(2 of 3 customers found this review helpful)

5.0

dont judge to soon

By dzionbluz

from las vegas nv

About Me Recreational

See all my reviews

Pros

Cleans Easily
Dries Easily
Good Waterproofing
Lightweight
Rugged

Cons

Best Uses

Day Trips
Flat Waters
Kayak Camping
Rivers

Comments about Mad River Adventure 16 Canoe:

before you judge this boat from the reveiw before mine you should read the 7 reveiws that all give a 5 star rating listed under the 14' conoe. i did and it made me see things from another side.

Nov

2010

(1 of 1 customers found this review helpful)

5.0

Great recreational canoe

By KarlT

from Flagstaff, AZ

About Me Casual/ Recreational

See all my reviews

Pros

Cons

Best Uses

Day Trips

Comments about Mad River Adventure 16 Canoe:

some other reviews said this canoe was a little unstable and it almost made me not buy this canoe [...] Those people should not be on the water if they had a problem with this canoe. I use this canoe on small lakes in Northern Arizona and have had my family of 5 in it on day trips. It is as stable as it gets and tracks great. It can even handle some choppy water. I hooked up a trolling motor and it was wonderful. I also loaded it up with gear and took it on a several day camping trip. Fishing is breeze, the cup holders are great, and the seats are very comfortable. It is a little heavy, but it was still much faster than the older, lighter canoes my camping partners were in. I bought the Yakima boat loader for my SUV roof rack, which makes it very easy to load and unload with one person. You do have to watch the rocks because the plastic can get scratched up. Overall for the money, this canoe is a great value and will provide many hours of relaxation on the lake.

Oct

2011

4.0

stabile platform for fun and advenure!!!

By paddle junkie

from Richmond, Va.

About Me Casual/ Recreational

See all my reviews

Pros

Cleans Easily
Dries Easily
Good Waterproofing
Rugged

Cons

Heavy

Best Uses

Day Trips
Flat Waters
Kayak Camping
Rapids Paddling
Rivers

Comments about Mad River Adventure 16 Canoe:

Great canoe for the price!
Stable enough for me to fish standing up on a river with rapids!
GREAT SEATS= very comfortable. Used with a frind with a broken back (4 weeks of recovery)Fished 18 miles of the upper James River with no pain at all.
Handles Great-Fast on flat water and stable in the rapids!Class I-III. Very surprised at the dryness of the raised gunnels.
After several trips I have found the canoe to respond without thought.
The only con I have is the weight. I am a 150 pound person and I load it ontop of my S.U.V. with moderate effort (not to heavey)
The comments of the canoe bing unstable are a stretch, my 6 year old runs around in my this conoe like a mad man jumping from seat to seat as he fishes! Ya , he out fishes me every time :).
All in allI think it is a great buy for the price after using it on 10 trips (day/multie day,camping).
A frind of mine bought the 14 foot mad river and has strugled with the stability (rolled it twice in flat water). I tried it for a mile or two and could not weight to get back in my 16 foot adventure!
Packs well,traks good, lots of creature comforts, rod holders, drink holders, Did i mention the reclining seats WOW!
Needs paddle straps and this would be a complet package deal. P.S. REI hooked me up with the straping and suplies to add paddle straps. Great service, Free shipping (store),Great canoe, Get your "adventure" on!:)