The Nano has been about for a few years now. It’s made from Prijons/Eskimos bombproof plastic which doesn’t require central foam pillars to provide the boat with rigidity. This in itself puts the Nano in the enviable position of being able to have a narrow bow whilst still having adequate foot room. The boat is also considerably lighter than some on the market which is great for long walkins/outs.

The outfitting on Eskimo boats is pretty basic with no ratchets to be seen. This does mean that the likelihood of breakage is reduced. The footrest system is simple foam block affair and the stern of the boat is filled with a large airbag for buoyancy. Don’t expect anything radical.

I had a chance to try the Nano out over a weekend. I Velcro-ed some hip pads into position and took it out onto the water. Although the new fully functional outfitting you see around is great, what really matters is the design of the hull. I was not disappointed with the Nano. It’s a fast boat so catching waves and hitting eddies wasn’t a problem. It also cartwheels very well since it is so slicey and really required only the minimum of effort to get the ends going.

So despite the lack of radical outfitting the Nano is a solid boat with solid performance. Spend some time outfitting one out and take it out for a spin. It’s a perfect river running playboat that will no doubt last for years (Eskimo boats always do!)

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