Fishing Forum

So I've been coveting a Super Fat Cat tube, but I love my little red hotrod FC4 Dx. Well I finally got a Fat Cat last night, but it's a drab green, old spec one - granted in great shape. Well, I inflated both of them up and placed them side-by-side and started noticing things... Interesting things...

Anyway, in the interest of science and the need to know that my lust is well founded, here's what I found:

Fat Cat:
Tube Diameter: 12.6" (Advertised diameter - 13")
Weight: 11 lbs 6oz (Advertised weight - 12 lbs)
Pocket Volume (not including seatback pocket): 1120 in3
"Trunk" area: 200 in2

Fish Cat IV Deluxe:
Tube Diameter: 13.2" (Advertised diameter - 12"!?)
Weight: 14 lbs 11 oz (Advertised weight - 14 lbs!?)
Pocket Volume: 960 in3 (no seatback pocket )
"Trunk" area: 150 in2

Soooo...

Based on photos of the new Fat Cats, the pockets on this old one are definitely smaller than the current ones. How much smaller? Maybe 15%? Even with this, not as much difference as I thought...

The tube diameter thing was a surprise though. Can someone verify the tube girth on a new spec? Divide by 3.14159 to get diameter. That's how I got my diameters since it's tough to directly measure this without a good square etc... Based on this, I have got to believe that I'll end up sitting about the same height if not higher in the FC4 and inflatable seat vs. Fat Cat and foam. Even if I shove my air cushions in the old Cat I may sit higher in the FC4. Hmm...

Weight - yes, for SURE I noticed the Fat Cat was lighter. Thing is I think the new vinyl coated fabric is heavier than the stuff used on the old one, and of course there's a bit more of it on the, uh, ta-ta's on the modern one.

Trunk volume still has me jealous. I can fit a set of golf clubs in the Fattie. Barely a small ice chest and a drybag in the FC4 plus fishfinder transducer mast.

After airing up the Fat Cat a few times, I can appreciate the single valve, though the redundant flotation of the pair of bladders is nice. I rarely snag on the Boston valves, but the flush valve on the Fattie is nice.

Sooo... I think I'll stick with the FC4 for now. I've lost a bit of the Fat Cat envy and I'm not sure the extra $150 for a new Fat over Fish is really worth it unless you need the weight capacity. That said, should a mint condition red SFC drop in my lap for a price I can't refuse, well...

Pics:





_SHig
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VERY INTERESTING!!

I'm in the market for a "new" tube, and am comparing the ODC420 and the Cats/SFC (as is Sheldon). I'm looking forward to reading the responses from those better-informed than me. []
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Came across this interesting photo. Outcast must have boosted the size of the SFC at some point. Though my FatCat is larger than my FC4, it's not THAT much bigger!



_SHig
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[quote SHigSpeed]Came across this interesting photo. Outcast must have boosted the size of the SFC at some point. Though my FatCat is larger than my FC4, it's not THAT much bigger!

[.IMG][url "http://www.totalflyfishing.com/images/articles/fishbyfat2.jpg[/IMG]"]http://www.totalflyfishing.com/...fishbyfat2.jpg[/IMG][/url]

_SHig[/quote]

In this photo, is the SFC the one on the right? (Asking 'cause thought you said - in your original post - that your FC4 was actually BIGGER than the SFC...????
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The SFC is suppose to be 5 1/2' long.
The Freestyle H3 is 6 feet and everyone thinks they are huge...SFC 6" smaller

Wanna talk TRUNK!



and side bags!!!!


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[quote ydoc][quote SHigSpeed]Came across this interesting photo. Outcast must have boosted the size of the SFC at some point. Though my FatCat is larger than my FC4, it's not THAT much bigger!

[.IMG][url "http://www.totalflyfishing.com/images/articles/fishbyfat2.jpg[/IMG]"]http://www.totalflyfishing.com/...fishbyfat2.jpg[/IMG][/url]

_SHig[/quote]

In this photo, is the SFC the one on the right? (Asking 'cause thought you said - in your original post - that your FC4 was actually BIGGER than the SFC...????[/quote]

Yes, FC4 on the left. The tubes are bigger, though the Fat Cat is longer and has more storage.

_SHig
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Is yours a Fish Cat 4 delux or a Super Fat Cat?
The FC4 DX is 54" long the SFC is 64", plus the SFC is 1" wider.
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Red one is a FC4 Deluxe LCS. The green one is a Fat Cat.

_SHig
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I got that, but is the green a Super fat cat or just a Fat Cat?
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Ah, if you look again you asked if something was a FC4DX or SFC.

The green one is a foam seat Fat Cat.

_SHig
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