People talk about girlfriends or boyfriends who ‘got away’ and they never truly got over. For me, the kayak equivalent of this is the Pyranha Kayaks Firecracker! I took a Firecracker 232 down the Tryweryn in the early days of it’s release. My thoughts at the time were all pretty positive but I already had both a Zone and an Ozone so decided I didn’t need another ‘fun boat’.
Fast forward a year, and suddenly, I was surrounded by paddlers grinning ear to ear in their Firecrackers, having the absolute time of their lives. I found myself regularly thinking about that kayak. Last autumn, Pyranha generously lent me a demo to test out, and six months later, I’m hooked. I’ve now ordered my own Firecracker to replace the demo when it’s time to send it back. While I’ve favoured the 232, this review applies to all sizes— so read on!
A little about me
I have paddled regularly on white water over the last 10 years and my most common paddling spots would be my local white water course Holme Pierrepont (HPP), the river Dee, the Tryweryn and various sections of the river Tees. I would say I’m pretty average at kayaking but my friends tell me that I am better than I think I am. I can surf a wave and am working on my tailees but still have plenty of room for improvement. Most importantly I paddle for the fun of it! This is the background I am writing this Firecracker review from!
I’ve also spent a huge amount of time in both a small Zone and a small Ozone – two kayaks I adore and have hugely enjoyed paddling! A lot of my comments in this article reflect how I have found the Firecracker in comparison to the Zone and Ozone.
Firecracker vs. Ozone – Stability
From my first lap in the Firecracker at HPP, I was struck by how stable it felt. The volume in the front smoothed out crossing over eddy lines and allowed me to paddle through holes effortlessly.
With the Ozone, I always had to be mindful of weight distribution, if the tail caught an eddy line unexpectedly, I’d end up vertical whether I wanted to be or not! While that’s great when deliberately playing on the eddy lines or in the boils, it could be frustrating when simply trying to paddle back up the eddy for another surf. The Firecracker, by contrast, offers a playful tail without the risk of unexpected tailees.
This stability gave me the freedom to paddle even when I was feeling exhausted, especially during an evening session after a demanding day at work. A boat that requires minimal effort to ferry glide or paddle it back up the eddy? Perfect. I could focus on enjoying my paddling without worrying about my tail being sudden grabbed by the notorious eddy lines of HPP!
The Firecracker’s stability also meant that I would be more open to paddling this kayak beyond grade 2/3. Whilst I’ve loved the Ozone, I’ve never quite been comfortable enough with it’s playful nature to take it down anything harder than the Upper Tryweryn. On the other hand, I’d gladly paddle the Firecracker on more demanding rivers. A friend tested it on big volume water earlier this year. She spent her day practicing kickflips on every wave and loved every second!
Firecracker vs Zone – Playfulness
The Firecracker isn’t just stable – it’s fun.
From surfing waves to tailees, rock spins, eddy spins, and boofing off waves and holes, this kayak turns makes every tiny feature on a river fun. I recently spent a low water day on the Dee, taking five hours to complete a single lap. Our friends were surprised, “What took so long?” they asked. The answer? We were playing!
Nearly two hours alone were spent at the get on, practicing tailees on a single eddy line. There is so much class joy to be had on a river like the Dee and the Firecracker makes that joy easily accessible. While I’m still working toward holding a tailee, the tail of the Firecracker is so easy to catch, motivating me to start up some daily core strength exercises again.
Even when the kayak doesn’t quite reach vertical, it loves to spin. Catching the tail sometimes results in effortless, smooth rotations on the eddy line which is an absolute joy! The Firecracker’s tail playfulness matches the Ozone, and far surpasses the Zone.
Firecracker vs. Ozone vs. Zone
When I got the Ozone, I loved how playful it was. But I kept my Zone because of its stability and reliability as a river runner. Now, with the Firecracker, I feel like Pyranha has blended the best qualities of both into one boat.
The Firecracker’s balance is fantastic, it provides the confidence of the Zone with the agility of a lighter boat. Unlike bulkier creek boats, it feels nimble, making it ideal for effortless laps on your favourite sections. On the Dee, I completed six laps of Serpent’s Tail without feeling too fatigued, something I might not have managed in a heavier kayak.
For those who love playing on features, the Firecracker delivers the tail engagement of the Ozone while offering a more predictable response. Whether you’re carving into waves, spinning on eddy lines, or working on tailees, this kayak keeps the fun flowing without feeling overly twitchy.
The Firecracker perfectly fits the category of a playful river runner. It has earned a permanent place in my fleet, and led me to make the decision that it was time to let go of my Zone. While the Zone remains a fantastic kayak, I now find myself consistently choosing the Firecracker over it. And with Pyranha’s elite new outfitting as well their upgraded customiser options, getting my own Firecracker was an easy decision.
Firecracker sizes
A lot of people have asked why it is that Pyranha kayaks have called the different sizes of the Firecracker the ‘232’, the ‘242’ and the ‘252’ instead of small, medium and large. The reason is one I can get fully on board with. Kayaks are not designed to fit people based on stature but on weight. The choice of Firecracker is dependent on 2 things: your weight and want you want it for. You can outfit most kayaks to fit you in if you have enough foam. If I wanted, I could outfit the 252 to fit me. I just wouldn’t want to as I would be so light in this kayak.
At 70kg and 5ft6, I opted for the 232. I could probably paddle the 242, but being a heavier weight in the smaller volume Firecracker 232 gives me that extra playfulness I love. Meanwhile, some of my heavier friends have chosen the 232 precisely because it makes their experience more playful by being overweighted for it.
If you’re considering a Firecracker, I highly recommend testing a couple of sizes and really thinking about which one is going to suit your needs more. If you want a nimble river runner, you might size up. If you want maximum play potential, size down!
Another viewpoint
Whenever I review a kayak, I always try to get input from other paddlers to ensure a well rounded perspective. Nottingham locals, father and son duo Paul and Jacob Gill, both dedicated white water paddlers, had a go in the Firecracker, and shared their thoughts with me.
Paul already owns a Firecracker 242, but Jacob wanted to try the 232. Both had great experiences, but preferred different sizes based on their personal paddling styles and weights. Here’s what they had to say about it!
Paul Gill
The Pyranha Firecracker is my go to kayak. If I could only have one kayak, it would be this one. It does a bit of everything; you can use it for river running and playboating. It tailees so nicely and surfing it is amazing! You can paddle it on decent sized water as well which is good. I had a Firecracker which I broke and when I looked at getting another kayak, I thought I should try something else. But then nothing was as good as the Firecracker and I thought, why get a kayak that won’t be as good? So I bought my second Firecracker! If that doesn’t show you how good this kayak is then I don’t know what will.
Jacob gill
The Firecracker is a very responsive boat. I enjoyed paddling it and it was so easy to tailee it. I’m hoping to get a Firecracker 232 of my own soon as I preferred paddling the 232 over the 242. It made it more playful which I liked.
Thanks Paul & Jacob
A big thank you to Paul and Jacob for sharing their thoughts about the Firecracker. Hope you have a Summer full of Firecracker fun together!
Final thoughts
Every paddler has different preferences, and the best way to know if the Firecracker suits you is to try a demo.
For me, Pyranha has done something truly special with this kayak. Whether I’m tackling river runs, practising tailees on eddy lines, or surfing waves, it brings a level of confidence and excitement that few boats match. Across the kayaking community, I keep hearing the same thing: this boat is a game-changer.
So, if you’re setting one paddling goal for 2025, let it be this—get out there and take a Firecracker for a spin!
Leave a comment to let me know what you think of the Firecracker and as always – happy paddling!