Hi François.
--1, 2 and 3 are good choices. Where is the Dagger Mamba 8.6? Nomad L?
--Also, many folks like the big Jackson Zen too as a 'do everything' boat, big enough at 89 gallons.
--The Karma L is... huge. My knees don't quite reach the knee pockets, I would fall out if flipped!
--Riot boats are now made in China, the plastic is a bit soft. The hull is great but dated--and only 80 gallons. It has no edge--a real creek boat. But the real problem is the outfitting. Ask Bastien B-D, who had a bad swim because his new Magnum was stock. Expect to spend a few hours customizing the strange Riot outfitting to achieve comfort and safety.
--My experience with a Burn II (if my memory is correct) on big water (Kipawa) and steeper stuff (Rouge, Aux Écorces, Métabetchouan, others): the boat needs to be paddled aggressively, leaning forward all the time. The rear has some edges and the top part is not round. Not as forgiving as a Karma or Villain, the rear can get tripped by weird currents, eddy lines. Also, the stability characteristics are such that bracing needs to be done early, as once the boat is past a certain angle, it flips suddenly. The Villain and Karma, on the other hand, can be leant at a much higher angle and still recover with a brace. I ended up selling the Burn. Too bad, because with it you can attain and surf the shallow waves etc.
--The new Pyranha Machno solves the problem of the Burn top rear getting tripped by currents, as it has a very round A$$...
--If you are seriously considering the Burn III, consider also the Everest on sale at MEC for 999$. It's a bigger version of the Burn II unless I am mistaken.
--In general terms, due to the height of the rear part of the cockpit rim, where the hips are, the Burn and Everest are a bit harder to roll. Again, the new Pyranha Machno solves the problem by having a very low cockpit rear, à la Dagger Nomad. Compare the images below.
Have fun shopping!
--C.
