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Mini max or puma

15K views 22 replies 14 participants last post by  Sherpa9543 
#1 ·
Looking at buying a small boat for next season to r2 and at times put a small frame on and do a little fishing. I have a few Aire boats and know the quality and durability but don't know much about the hysides. Anyways any input from folks that own these boats would be greatly appreciated.
 
#4 ·
Both GREAT boats. No worries with either option. In MT you don't have too much silt so the bladder is not an issue. If you are going to roll all the time the hyside has an advantage. The Aire has the ease of repair, but neither should need it. Buy with confidence they are great boats and you will enjoy either.
 
#5 ·
I'm no expert but both companies have a great rep around here. My beautiful lady friend bought a Minimax last year and I love it. We R2 it and basically are able to run complex kayak lines on lower water Ark and paddle it at higher flows when I wouldn't be comfortable in my kayak. She has a frame for it too and it is wonderfully nimble. Like any boat, it has its sweet spots and things that it is not as good at. We use it to do multidays with her rowing and a couple of us in kayaks and its great but it would be a wild ride on big water like the Grand. Again, I'm no expert and have limited experience with catarafts but I prefer the raft. I like how I can smear a rock with the bow and not end up straddled. YMMV.
 
#17 ·
We are launching a new Spider design this year too! A little wider to accommodate a larger cooler for extended trips and still a mean R'2'n machine. Our Fall Sale is happening now :) For both the Spider and the AIRE Puma if that is what you are looking for. Let us know if we can help! Keep it Right Side Up, Renee
 
#8 ·
I did a late season Lodore trip last year and a couple guys R2'd a Minimax with all their gear including drybags and a cooler. It seemed like they had a blast and that they could make it go wherever they wanted. No problems with it flipping.

Alternately, I went on a Yampa trip this year and this guy Larry had a 1st generation Aire Puma. He said it was a bit smaller and slightly different design to the current one, but it did great and he also seemed to be able to move that thing wherever he wanted on the river. Here is a video of him in action on Warm Springs rapid at ~14-16k cfs(second blue/teal boat)...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Htr8smFmGo

In that category, for me, it would be hard to not look at the Rocky Mountain Rafts Storm raft. It is their equivalent to the Mini Max and is significantly cheaper. They are both import rafts so that isn't an issue. The PVC on the RMR rafts is harder to roll and a bit heavier compared to the Hypalon or Neo Hyside, but both seems to hold up well.

I guess the last thing I'd say is that its relatively rare to see the small size Puma on the used market. There are plenty of them out there, so its not because they aren't well liked but more because they are so well liked that people don't sell them. Seems more versatile to me, but if you are just looking to get out R2ing then the Mini-Max or Storm might be better. You see come up more on the used market then the Puma, but they also seem to hold their value too. I know a couple places are doing end of season specials on both, so its good time to buy new setups too.

Either way, I don't think you can go wrong with any of them. They were all a bit small for my taste as an oar rig, so I opted for a 12' Hyside that I got recently to supplement my 16' Avon Pro gear hauler.
 
#12 ·
Maravia spyder is a sweet boat. I love mine. If I could only have one boat that's what it would be. That being said........ Its a little to big and heavy to R2 all the time. My adult son and I can move it well but we are both stronger than the average. My wife "who is a great paddler" has trouble with it. I've been seriously considering getting the Sabertooth as my R2 machine of choice. The puma and the minimax are both great R2 boats as well. I just need to make a decision weather a raft or a paddle cat would work better on the really steep stuff I like to R2.
 
#13 ·
I got a mimimax at DRE's fall sale. Took it out this weekend and it was great. Very bony run, but floats nice and light so I scraped only a handful of times. Great to R2, but also could easily accommodate 4 paddlers (possibly 5). Never run a Puma so cannot compare the two although I was on same trip as video above and I know individual in Puma really liked it as well. I just love Hypalon boats - minimax rolls to smaller than my PVC IK.
 
#19 ·
Can't speak for hyside's neo, but my 1994 DIB Section 4 is still in great shape after more then 16 years of commercial use on a very abrasive "down to the bedrock" river. Shredders are very durable boats too, another boat that's been around forever and available in any color you want as long as it is black.
 
#21 ·
I ran a neoprene mini max for a season, it was a great boat. I was able to upgrade to a Hypalon mini max due to warranty issues. Both boats were/are great, and I wouldn't hesitate to buy either again, with that said I am a bit happier with the Hypalon mini max, it just seems more stout. Hyside makes great products, and makes sure they have happy customers. Smaller rafts are badass, you will be stoked whichever brand/model you go with.


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#23 ·
Very minor stuff. mostly me being a hypochondriac, a few cosmetic things with the urethane coating, and a d ring starting to peel in a corner. I would not discredit the neoprene, or hyside at all from my experience. I own two hysides, they are both excellent boats.


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