Fishing Forum

OK so i have read a few post asking about the difference between the two and i to was curious. I found a GREAT! deal on the "regular" 420 and bought for me. Brought it home and examined it in its entirety. I am super pleased with it and feel it is an extremely rugged tube. The bottoms of the "pontoon" sides are lined with the super tough skin used on regular pontoon boats. Its very thick and i imagine very puncture resistant.
I'm sure most of you are familiar with the regular 420 and its durability so let me move on. Three days after my purchase of the 420 i came across another "cant beat deal" on the 420L combo. This one will be for my wife (or at least that's how i justified it hahahaha!). Well i finally got it home and it was time for a comparison. What was it that made this tube sooooo much lighter? As i picked up each box i could instantly tell the differance in wight between the two, even though the 420L had a pump and Fins in the box with it. Pulling them out and setting them side by side the were as close to the same size as you could get. Flipping over upside down is were i noticed the only difference. The "Light" did not have the heavy wight cover on the bottom of the pontoons! I then pulled out the bladders and they were also exactly the same. They were very thick and seemed very durable. I proceded to inflate them both and they both sat up off the ground just the same. The seat cushions were identical and of the same thickness, both seat and back rest.
So i guess in conclusion. The only differnce is the skin on the bottom of the regular 420. Now that bing said the skin on the 420L is no slouch. It is of a slightly thicker matterial as the top of the toons. It feels like the bottom of my Uncles old "U-boat Classic" which has never been torn or punctured. Bieng a newbie i can't make any promisses here and i'll be sure to keep you guys posted on any miss haps; however my initial diagnosis is that the 420L will last a long time and is just as tough as most everything out there. I have no experiance with the SFC's but i can't see this 420L giving anything up in terms of durability to them. I will try to take some picks and maybe post them on here.


Oh one more difference the 420L is a cool green color instead of the normal gray. Don't think that contributes to the wieght loss, but how knows. I have heard that wearing stripes or the color black makes you look like you lost a couple of pounds. Maybe that happened here LOL. This needs further review.

It is interesting to see that it lost half the weight buy just using a different material on the toons. Man that must be some REALLY tough stuff.
Time for some feild tests! hahahah.
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Sorry if this has already been written up and I'm just regurgitating known info, i just could not find anything in the search and i have seen a few threads asking this question. Hope this helps someone make a decision on a good tube. I would jump on another 420L deal in a heartbeat with no reservations on durability. Just my $.02.
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This is great! I don't think it has been covered as completely and hands on as you just did.
Good to know stuff and should be in the archives.
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Thanks, MadBasser. I have the regular 420 & I love it. I've been contemplating taking it backpacking in the Sierras but I may have to look into the 420L for that...8 pounds is significant weight savings for an old fart like me.
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The weight savings is very significant especially if you are carrying it on your back for any length of time. I do have to say that once folded up they take up basically the same amount of space, so no space savings are realized if this is important.
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Thanks for that. I have always felt that the 420L would be fine, seeing as how my previous 3 tubes had plain nylon all the way around.

Still, I like the PVC bottom. I don't ever have to carry mine very far, and the lake I tube most has a lot of submerged trees. Depending on the water level, the bottom of a tube can and does brush up against them unexpectedly. I'm afraid one day there will be a crankbait or other lure in those treetops.

But I have heard of some good deals on those 420Ls, nice to know they are worth it.
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Thank you for your great report on the 420L. Its good to
know that stuff. I have the super fat cat and love it.
I would like one more float tube but light one for backpacking into Sierras.Sounds like the the 420L
just maybe the one.[]

Peter
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Please post how they compare moving through the water.
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I would not suspect either to be any faster or more maneuverable that the other in the water. They are both of the same design and the same size. They both sit up at the same height on the ground. I suppose that maybe one material would be more slick than the other or the heavier one may sit a smidge lower in the water but i don't think i would notice either one of those differences as they should not be significant.

I will get them on the water and report back any findings, there may be some unexpected differences. Thanks for intrigue.
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Any "on the water" comparisons as yet?
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I appologize if I'm read as pushy, but I've got a friend I've been steering toward a 420 and I've been giving some thought to buying another 420 as a "buddies" tube. I'm seriously interested in knowing whether the cheaper version is as good in the water as the original which I'm very fond of.
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