Fishing Forum

A new tube on the market. Actually been out for a little while, but I wanted to give a little review

North Fork Outdoors Escape.



It is 6' long and 52" wide. A little heavier than allot of tubes at 24lbs. but it has the inflatable floor plus the oars. It is also Bladderless three chamber.
Very heavy duty material.

The Oar set up is simply remove the ball by unscrewing it (it even has a string attached so you can't drop and loose it)



The Oar has a hole in it that you now slide over the peg:



Replace the ball by screwing it back on and ready to go. The oars stay in place on the side of the tube.



Next, attach the cloth seat with four straps and clips:







Footrest is a bar with a special clip.

Extra features are a pressure release valve built into the floor:



And SKID PLATES. Sorry I didn't get a picture of this, but there are rectangle patches about 12" x 8" on the bottom of the tube that are replaceable. They are located on the up sweep portion allowing you to pick the boat up by the ring on the end of the boat and pull it to the water.
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So is there going to be a follow up review after this craft has has some bathing time? [] Looks very nice.
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you and your new toys sis.. LOL.. but looks great.. is this the replacement for the h3?? or just an updated version??

MacFly [cool]
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It is the replacement. Looking forward to adding water.
One thing, these do not have the large storage area behind the seat.
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I see that now.. but then again the side bags look to be huge...

MacFly [cool]
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Expensive kid---$700.00
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Like TD said, you get what you pay for...LOL
I trust these and know they will last no matter what I put them through.
But then several of my rods are in that price range.[]
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Yes, we are reaching a constantly improving market, sometimes sooner than every year. Depreciation is probably worst than cars, for us that don't have a network to unload our kids from last year, like FG. When Dave comes out with an even better kid next year that does more of what I want, I'll be stuck. Unloading a $100 ODC 420 at close or even more, than I paid is easy. Unloading something with a less than perfect design compared to NEXT year, even if it lasts forever, will be hard to recover at even close to $700. That's one reason why I like to build my own, from old parts bought for pennies on the dollar that I specifically design, to outperform anything on the market for what I like to do

Pon.



[quote leewan]Expensive kid---$700.00[/quote]
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True if you talk a year, but times that by several. My pontoon cost me $1,000. sold it nine years later for $600.
Ain't no way I could have found something for $400. that would have lasted that long and still looked that good.

Plus, because of the quality, people are not afraid to buy an older Scadden or NFO. I think the longest any of the tubes or toons have been up for sale was maybe 5 days.
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You made out like a bandit on that $1k pontoon, but you are a guide, and have the network and maybe high dollar clients that can shell that out from pocket change. Still, its hard to figure why anyone would pay $600 for something 9 years old that Dave might have the IMPROVED equivalent of, for just a little more. Anyway, you have a valuable charm for sales, if you can do something like that in 5 days! Kudos.

Pon

[quote flygoddess]True if you talk a year, but times that by several. My pontoon cost me $1,000. sold it nine years later for $600.
Ain't no way I could have found something for $400. that would have lasted that long and still looked that good.

Plus, because of the quality, people are not afraid to buy an older Scadden or NFO. I think the longest any of the tubes or toons have been up for sale was maybe 5 days.[/quote]
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Quote:That's one reason why I like to build my own, from old parts bought for pennies on the dollar that I specifically design, to outperform anything on the market for what I like to do

Would really like to know how you do that, I need a pontoon for about three floats on the Big Horn this summer and likely little else.

chuck
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You are definitely not familiar with NFO or Scadden's boats. They sell themselves.
We are talking quality.
He does change design way more than any other out there and that is the attraction. He adds more for the Angler where others are taking more things off (like D rings) for the cost. plus sending them overseas to be made with less quality control.
Has nothing to do with guide or clients, just two guys (yes there were two boats) saw them and wanted them.
11 1/2' by 12" diameter pontoons made from tuff PVC cover and Urethane, Aluminum frame, full aluminum deck...68lbs.& USA made
......really was an easy sell. Through in the warranty which on that boat is lfetime.

Ask Tube Dude why he prefers the $300+ "V" tube, and Noiso about his Escape....Michael and Tarpon Jim, and a few others here, why they prefer the top dollar boats?

I don't have children, my vehicles are paid for, house is almost mine...all from hard work, so I imagine that a $700. tube out of my pocket probably stings as much as a $100. tube out of the family man/woman.

Just different life styles and what you are willing to do for it.

A BFTer just bought my H3 for basically 1/2 price. It is in NEW condition and top of the line. I am happy, he is happy.
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Looks good!
You have the X5 and now an Escape. Which will you use for what? I am interested in what you consider each design to be best suited for --- what kind of water or fishing situation.
Thanks.
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[cool][#0000ff]We may not always agree on every issue, but we are 100% in agreement on quality.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]By the way, I am sure that Brian told you that I told him about your H3 for sale and told him it was a great craft at a super price. Even though I had comfort issues with my H3 I never found ANYTHING else that I could complain about. Great product with super materials and craftsmanship.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I am sure that Hnaf will enjoy your Rojo for years into the future and that he will sing its praises.[/#0000ff]
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The oar system on the Outlaw Escape puts it into a totally different class than float tubes.

A couple weeks back Mark, Emily, and I went to Del Valle reservoir for some fishing. At one point Mark was rowing my Outlaw Rampage (10'6" long) and Emily was rowing the Escape. I was walking their dog Delilah back to the launch ramp on the trail.

Mark's a big guy and has some problems with knee interference with the oars on the Rampage (but if we'd moved the adjustable position seat back he'd have been OK). That said, Emily was just smokin' along in the Escape, going way faster with much less effort than on ANY float tube. She was also sitting completely out of the water with the exception of her lower legs.

The Outlaw Escape is much more a small pontoon boat than it is a float tube, and uses all the same heavy duty high quality components as the Outlaw Renegade, Rampage, and Challenger. I understand why it costs more than a float tube, it's way more advanced than a float tube.

If you have any doubt, watch this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqi9uYhr1...re=related
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That is one pretty kid you have there FG. When you are ready to sell that one for 2 bills shoot me a PM. hehe I cant wait to see it on the water.
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[quote pontoonman] That's one reason why I like to build my own, from old parts bought for pennies on the dollar that I specifically design, to outperform anything on the market for what I like to do

Pon.


Pontoonman-
I really would like to see a picture of your 'homemade' kickboats that will outperform anything on the market. For what you like to do is float on the water I'm assuming. So cough them up, let's see the product along with your Dewalt powered trolling motors. You've been talking about them for over a year now and I'm anxious to see some pictures.
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I'd like to see those pictures too, Pontoonman. Post 'em up!
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I would like to see some pictures too. I think the NFO's are overrated and overpriced but to each his own.
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Took the tubes out yesterday for a test drive.
OMG, they are fantastic. Wind was blowing pretty good so it was perfect test water.
Kicking/rowing...it was both effortless.
Sit well out of the water too. The old man weighs around 225.



and the cut through the water with ease



Road construction on the way up there and I couldn't help but notice:



PINK & BLUE pipe? Of course, boy and girl[crazy]
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