Hey all,
I have been saving my pennies for a new watercraft. I am leaning towards the NFO X5 watercraft. This will be my first framed water craft so I have little to compare it to. I primarily fish reservoirs although I would like to be able to float some rivers too.
What are your thoughts on the craft, is there a similar one you like more?... I know the price is high but this is my only hobby.
What size outboard can this model handle?
Are the ultra light oars worth the extra $$$$ (I am a public school teacher)
What is NFO customer service like? My only experience is with bucks bags who have been awesome.
How stable is it for standing and casting?
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First welcome to the board! I am no expert and I have only rode on one toon. But I have fished a lot in mine and in my float tube. Unless you are anchored I don't see how the stand up thing will work. If you are just floating the wind, current, and even fish will take you to places you don't want to go.
FG will chime in on the ride soon, if anyone knows about them she does. If you get into river floating you will be hooked!!! I love drifting down rivers going after catfish. Ron
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I got mine last year after using an 11 1/2' Cardiac Canyon Pontoon for 10 years.
They are way more stable as they are basically one piece instead of strapping two pontoons to a frame. No chance of a pontoon drifting away from the frame.
The Frames are X5 and awesome. Well thought out. Bladderless pontoons and easy to inflate.
Breeze to put together with 3 straps per side for the frame and a couple more for the shelf.
We have a 5 hp four stroke, but we did have to beef up the deck. I use a 40 electric.
The carbon oars are day and night difference from the Aluminum. I can move twice as fast with the bigger paddle and the flex of the Carbon gives more a sling shot effect.
I bought the Escape this year. They are worth every penny.
One other thing, you can put two frames on the Outlaw.
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THanks for the quick replies!
The 2 frames look awesome!!!!
So there are two models the X5 and the avenger? Is there a real advantage with the avenger over the X5? Also, how bad do these water craft catch the wind? I fish a lot of windy lakes in Colorado, Wyoming, and Idaho. THanks
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I can't answer about the Avenger as I have never used one. The Outlaw @ 10'6" is a fair size, and I don't see the advantage to a bigger other than the two frame option.
I am betting they handle equally though.
As far as wind, I find the U design more forgiving of wind than the dual pontoon. I notice my Cardiac wanted to turn sideways in the wind which doesn't happen with the U design.
These are the reasons I made the switch. I loved my Cardiac Canyon, but I am so impressed with the Outlaw X5.
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[#000000]I recently bought the X5 and have had it out 8 times so far (5 lakes, 2 saltwater bays, and one river). It's my first pontoon (been tubing for 1-1/2 years) and have only been in one other pontoon (Fishcat Cougar) so my experience is limited.[/#000000]
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[#000000]I bought the carbon oars and put a 40# trolling motor on mine. Can’t say if the oars are worth it as I have little to compare them to but they do seem to have more surface area which should translate to more power. Even then, they are easier to pull than I thought.[/#000000]
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[#000000]I'm really enjoying it so far but I'm also still learning how to best take advantage of it. It's quite a bit different than my tube. I feel more susceptible to the wind but I think that’s the nature of pontoons. I can’t say if it’s more or less than other pontoons but the diameter seems bigger than others I’ve seen so I suspect it is more. On the plus side, the larger diameter worked great floating thru rapids due to the reduced draft and the oars or motor make it a lot easier to get back to the launch.[/#000000]
[#000000]It takes me about 20 minutes to set it up which is more than their new frameless models (which are attractive from that perspective) but still not bad. I leave the frame/bags assembled except for the lean bar. The frame fits nicely in the back of my mini-van. Inflate the pontoons (<1 minute per side with electric pump), strap on the frame (6 straps), attach the wheel, strap on the deck (3 straps), tie on the anchor, attach the lean bar and you’re ready to go. [/#000000]
[#000000]I love the casting platform and stand every chance I get. I weight 150# and feel very stable. It does create a “sail” effect when I’m standing in the wind. So far, I anchor up and fan cast an area, then lift the anchor and drift a little and repeat. I haven’t tried mounting the motor on the front of the platform yet but that would mimic the bass boats and might allow me to fish into the wind better while working the shore. I just bought a drift sock for the bay but have not tried it yet. On the river it was great drifting with a chain anchor dropped slightly into the water (not on the bottom) and firing streamers at the bank. The only one person pontoon that I’ve seen with the standing platform is the Fishcat 10-IR. I don’t know anyone that has one so nothing to report other than it is less expensive but the rocker looks less stable to me for standing.[/#000000]
[#000000]I went with the X5 over the Avenger since 98% of the time I’ll be by myself and the Avenger would add unnecessary weight and length (both to portability and wind resistance). After fishing the Green River last week and seeing several couples floating, I’ve been extolling the virtues of paddling to my wife and am considering a second frame. [/#000000]
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[#000000]I think the X5 can handle at least an 8 hp motor but call Dave Scadden to confirm. I just borrowed a 6hp motor to try out in the saltwater but haven’t done so yet. I added a small brace to my deck for the trolling motor.[/#000000]
[#000000]I had one part that was misdrilled when I first got it. They sent out a replacement right away. I’m also having a slight problem with the alignment of one of my anchor pulleys and am working with them on a solution. Dave usually answers the phone himself and I get a live person at least 80% of the time. I haven’t tried voicemail or email.[/#000000]
[#000000]A friend of mine just got the Rampage last week and we’ll be comparing boats this weekend.[/#000000]
[#000000]Jim[/#000000]
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I have the NFO Renegade frameless pontoon boat. I chose it for its versatility and its light weight. I can't answer many of your questions about the X5, but I am very happy with my boat. I have no complaints on either the quality or the service. It was delivered promptly, and I haven't had any problems. It is very responsive and maneuverable. Even with its "shorty" oars it is quicker than my previous pontoon boat.
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You guys are getting me pumped for this summer. My current tube is a bucks bag my dad bought before I was born. I am now 28 years old.
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I'm really enjoying my frameless Outlaw Rampage too (same size as the X5 but with an inflatable floor, and the side tubes are divided so that it has five air chambers to the X5's 3).
The frameless sure gets the nod on packability and weight, but it's not really designed to be motorized (although you can put the X5 frame in it and run it in "Zodiac" style.
My feeling is that if you want a motorized boat, the frameless is NOT the way to go and the X5 is far superior. If lighter weight, packability and lower cost is important to you, the frameless ones are awesome, as long as you don't mind rowing and finning it around.
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Very well put and that 5 chamber is very cool. The X5 only has left and right(2) but in almost 20 years of using Scadden's toons...NEVER a leak, and this new bladderless material is awesome.
I have a 2008 version so I have the same frame that the Sky had with adjustable foot pegs and Halkey valves, plus a different skin.
(Oh and Michael, the D ring patches matched perfect on the Outlaw material, but does look orange-ish on the Escape which is probably the same material you have)
I know you are getting the newer X5 frame, and I would guess the newer material with the new valves.
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Not sure why Dave went to the divided pontoons on the Rampage. Yes, it is a slight, very slight safety advantage, but even if they weren't divided there would still be THREE chambers on that boat (including the inflated floor) and any one of them would float you.
In reality, the extra chambers are somewhat of a di
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vantage. It takes longer to inflate five chambers, you have five valves that could possibly have a problem, etc, without a discernible advantage.
And thanks for pointing out the color difference on the red X5 you have and the red Escape... if the Escape is a kind of darker, deeper red than it is the same as my Rampage, and that would explain why you thought the patches were a good color match to the X5 but not the Escape.
No biggie though. Mine are glued on and aren't coming off!
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