Ultimate Kayak Fishing: Looking To Buy A Hobie Outback - Ultimate Kayak Fishing

I'm considering buying a Hobie Outback and I would like to hear from anyone out there that has one,had one and what you think of them. I have read reviews but I would like to read some real candid thoughts about the Outback. Good and Bad. To me it appears to be a good fit but I have not had a chance to demo yet which I will do before I take the plunge.

Thanks for your help,
Carl

Carl

I have a Hobie Outback and really enjoy it but this was my FIRST kayak. I bought it as a "fishing platform" not as a "recreational kayak". It is not the easiest thing to paddle. It is heavy but it is STABLE!

I was out yesterday in the roughest water yet. The wind kicked up on me and changed directions. I was peddling into a quartering sea that was coming in from the right front. I was literally taking water over the bow and when I swung around the point of land I was broadside to the waves. Even though I took some waves over the side of the yak at NO TIME did I feel uncomfortable about the stability of the boat.

Some people say they don't like to fly fish from them because of the peddles and other things to catch your line. I fly fish and I have not found that to be a big problem.

I actually own two of them - I came across such a great deal on the second one I couldn't pass it up. The guy that sold it used it maybe a total of three hours. Watch Craigs list and some of the other fishing/yakking webs and you may be able to buy a really good used one.

IusetoRockFish just bought a Hobie Revo. It meet his needs better then the Outback. It is a longer and narrower craft and it feels like it weight less then the Outback. I have stood up in mine (I don't make it a practice) and he can also stand in his.

If you have any specific questions don't hesitate to shoot me a PM

Similar to Mac,..I also own an Outback which is my first and only kayak so far. I don't think there are too many fishermen that buy a Hobie and then wish they'd gotten something else. It is just too much easier IMO to peddle & fish,...than to paddle & fish.
I pretty much agree with everything that mac has to say about them. When I was buying,...it was a choice between the Revo & the Outback for me. These days there is also the Hobie Pro-Angler to consider,..but the weight of that makes it more of a boat to me than a kayak.
Outback vs. Revo: The Revo is built more for getting from here-to-there, while the Outback is built more for functionality as a fishing platform ie, more stability and more nooks & crannies to hold stuff within easy reach. (That isn't to say that the Revo doesn't have any,..just that the Outback has more.)
The one thing that really pushed me towards the Outback though was when I read somewhere that it is a much drier ride since you sit higher. Similar to mac, I've also seen some conditions where I was getting tossed around pretty good in my Outback yet always felt perfectly secure,...outside of being in some actual surf (or flooding the hull somehow...) I really don't think I can tip it while staying in the seat!

My 2-cents bottom line,...if you are going to routinely traverse a lot of water to get to where you want to fish, go with the Revo. If you routinely launch pretty close to where you fish,..go with the Outback.

This post has been edited by Just4fun: 06 January 2010 - 08:11 AM

Thanks Mac and Just4fun.
My primary use of the Outback would be for fishing and only fishing. I now have a Current Designs Solstice and an Old Town Loon 138 if I just want to cruise. I have been using the Loon for fishing and that's the platform I want to update.
When the weather gets a little warmer here in Ma. I will demo one and see what happens.

Thanks again for the input. I'm sure I will be asking more questions.
Carl

I have two Outbacks, an early model and a new one I bought last year. I, too, spent quite a bit of time debating the Outback vs. the Revolution. The deciding factor for me was stability and lots of space to store gear. I take a lot of stuff. The tradeoff, I thought, was speed, responsiveness and paddle-ability. I saw somewhere where a guy did time trials between the two boats and went further in a Revolution within the given time, but not so much further as to make a difference to me. The other thing is that I troll a lot and do not want to go too fast in the kayak at an easy natural peddling pace. This rate is 2.0 mph for me, 1.5 if I consciously make an effort to go slower.

When I actually started using my new Outback, I was surprised at how much better the hull is than the old Outback. It is faster, tracks better, is more responsive, and is much easier it is to paddle than I expected. Day and night between the two boats. The last item, in particular, was a relief to me, because to be in a situation where you need to paddle the old Outback a significant distance in challenging water would be a real problem. This was the big compromise I thought I was making. While I wouldn't buy the Outback as a paddle boat, it does not feel like a handicap to me if I need to paddle it. In other words, the compromises I thought I was making by buying an Outback vs. a Revolution really didn't feel like compromises once I got the boat because it is so much nicer than the old Outbacks. I am sure the Revolution is faster and easier to paddle, but the Outback doesn't make me miss these qualities and I would not sacrifice the stability and storage it provides.

Bottom line, I love the Outback and am glad I chose it. I am really happy with the way the boat responds. Also, with the new front hatch system, you can fit a lot of gear inside the hull and scoot up and get at it while you are on the water. It has four rod holders, vs. two on Revolution, which is nice. Unless you routinely need to cover great distances between fishing spots, the Outback is a really good choice for fishing.

Thanks for the reply. Speed is not what I want this kayak for. If I want to sprint I will use my Current Designs Solstice.
I want this for a day on the Lakes and Rivers fishing,drifting and just relaxing. I too like to take a lot of stuff with me.
Guess I will join the Outback ranks.
Thanks you everyone for you input..

Shad,
I bought a new Outback in December, primarily for fishing and exercise, and absolutely love it. I agree with what everyone else has said. I did consider the Revo as well but liked the storage on the Outback. I only have a couple of things to add: 1) these Hobie kayaks are durable. I pretty much lost control of mine getting it up on top of my SUV and dropped in from 6 feet onto my driveway. Scared the heck out of me because I thought I probably cracked it. Not so, didn't bother it at all. Second, replaced the standard rudder with the sailing rudder and it seems to track a bit better. I have not stood up in mine yet, I want to wait until spring/summer when the water temp is no longer in the 40's!
Speaking of water in the 40's: If you kayak in winter, take a look at the Kokatat Tempest Waterpant with the integrated boot. It's great! I can wear sweats underneath and stay warm and dry even with air temp at 40 or lower, and you sit high enough on the Outback that you don't worry about getting wet on top.