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I have 2 questions for you gurus of float tubing.
I received my first float tube 3 yrs ago as a X-mas present. It was a bottom-of-the-line Caddis. I have used it the past two seasons and have fallen in love with fishing in a tube for several species. I used it the past season, about 3-4 trips per month, for trout, smallies, and a few trips to Utah lake for white bass, walleye, and cats. The problem is that the main air bladder sprang a succession of irritating leaks all summer long. The valve stem also leaks. There is one leak I can't find to save my life. I contacted the Caddis website and found replacement dog beds. Further research has obtained for me some contact numbers but I also found a store that carries replacement bladders. With all of the hassle though, I am planning on just up grading my tube. To that end, I have 2 questions for you esteemed gurus.
1) Have any of you dealt with "The Float Tube Store" online or otherwise?
2) The tough one, When I upgrade, what might you recommend for me? Cabelas has a model that has a 5 yr. warranty, that is low profile and looks nice but I'm concerned that the low profile might get me splashed, as many of the lakes I like can develop chop really fast. I also can probably afford the "super fat cat" from Outcast if I save my dimes. Is it worth the extra $$. It looks like it. The other outcast products look nice too. Primary concerns are durability, (since I thrashed my first unit so fast.) safety, and storage capacity. (I guess those are concerns for everyone) Thanks in advance. I know that it probably is a question with a lot of varied opinions.
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Thanks for your question and welcome to the Float Tubing forum.
The Outcast line of float tubes have become very popular and especially on this board. I personally have an Outcast float tube.
Outcast makes the Super Fat Cat, the Fat Cat and the one I have, the Fish Cat4. All three of these are very good in quality, comfort and style.
When the Super Fat Cat is out of the price range for most people, the Fat Cat is somewhere around $100 less. The Fish Cat 4 ends up around $200 less than the Super Fat Cat. $140 is about the average price for the Fish Cat 4. It may be more in some areas and less in others.
As a review, the Fat Cat and the Super Fat Cat have slightly larger pockets than the Fish Cat 4 and have a single chamber for inflation.
The Fish Cat 4 has 2 chamber and although slightly smaller pockets then the aforementioned models, the pockets are comparatively larger than some other manufactures of float tubes.
The Super Fat Cat has an inflatable seat. The Fat Cat and the Fish Cat 4 have a hard foam seat.
Please feel free to ask any more questions that you may have in reguards to these models. There are other members on this board that also have some of the Outcast float tubes. I'm sure that they can also give you their opinions about the Outcast family of tubes.[cool]
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[cool][#008000]Hey there doggonefishin - sounds like you are making the right decision about buying a replacement tube. I have the Super Fat Cat which I really like. Bought mine from Riverwire.com. They are located in Oregon. They don't charge shipping or a state tax. They are good people to work with. [/#008000]
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[cool][#0000ff]Hey Barry, welcome to the floatation forum. You have already gotten some pretty good input. I suggest you wander back through some of the past threads and look at pics and comments. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I have worn out several Caddis round boats over the years. Until the advent of more U-boats and other open-ended craft, I didn't have much choice. I would never go back to a donut. Being able to get in and out of the water, and your craft, by just standing up and sitting down through the opening in the front is light years ahead of getting in and out of the donut.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]The pointed bow (stern) designs of the Fat Cats and other Outcast craft are much better at handling chop and wind too. It makes it possible to maneuver and maintain position even in some Utah "breezes". [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]These craft also ride higher on the water, and you sit higher out of the water. That not only helps you stay warmer in cold water, but makes for better and more efficient propulsion too. More of your power on each kick goes into moving you ACROSS the top of the water, and not plowing your way through it.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]If you like to carry lots of lures and goodies, the large pockets on the Fat Cats are unbeatable. You can take several large lure boxes on each side. Best I have found in that department.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]If you want to try before you buy, let's hook up down at Lincoln Beach or the State Park. I have two complete Fat Cat rigs, and TubeBabe is often tied up with family stuff on Saturday mornings these days. I can put you in her "tricked out" craft and let you see and feel how it works. Then, if you decide it is worth the extra investment, you can go head on til your head hurts.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Shoot me a PM if you wanna work something out.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Oh yeah, I do recommend riverwire.com. That's where I got my Super Fat Cat. No tax and no shipping. The prices are kept pretty much the same by all Outcast dealers. You don't find much special pricing on them.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]If you look at the Trout Unlimited craft...like the Togiak and the Kennebec...I can give you some input on those too. I piloted a Kennebec around for over a year. Good high flotation, but lousy pockets. Several small ones (for fly flingers), but you can't carry large lure boxes. The stabilizer bar on the front is a pain too. None on the Outcasts. Finally, the Kennebec is two mini pontoons. It rides high but when the wind comes up...fuggitaboudit. You can't maintain any control at all in the wind. Of course, we never see any W in Utah. Right? [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]The Togiak is designed more like the Fat Cats. They have the pointed bow, and are much easier to keep control in breezes. However, they still have the small pockets and the stabilizer bar. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Ain't nothing perfect. The Fat Cats have a lousy apron system. I have made my own modifications (a hard apron, made from the lid of a Rubbermaid storage container...a "shushi board"). The seats can also require some adjusting to get them just right. They are also heavier than some craft, so they are not good for packing long distances. But, most of the places I fish, I can drive pretty close to the launch spot. And, the PVC coating on the bottom (that adds to the weight) can save a lot of pinhole punctures from plopping your craft on hostile terrain.[/#0000ff]
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Thank you all for the insight. I reviewed the riverwire product review and old posts. (both very helpful) I am now down to either the fat cat or the super fat cat with a purchase in late March or April. As I understand it, the main difference between the two is the foam vs the air filled seat. I saw a post here that stated that foam seats in general harden over time and can cause back pain and seating instability. The potential drawback of the air filled seat, I would imagine, is puncture. Also, is there a difference in portability? They both weigh 12 lbs. Thanks in advance.
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[cool][#0000ff]I have both the regular and super Fat Cats. The SFC is slightly larger flotation capacity, and has the inflatable seat. Hard to tell the difference just looking at them. I have paddled both around, although the regular FC is TubeBabe's. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I originally thought I had been had by paying more for the inflatable seat. Now I like it, because it allows for "adjustment" in your "ride". Usually you want it very firm, but sometimes it feels better when you let a bit of air out of the bottom. It can feel like a rock bench after a few hours.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]One of the big differences in the two types of seats...foam vs inflatable...is compactness when you stuff them back in your vehicle. If you got a truck or big SUV, and only one craft, no problem. If you have two, and a smaller cargo compartment, you can squeeze the craft with the inflatable seat into a smaller space.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]The foam is a firm closed cell foam. It is rigid, but not rock hard. It does not get any harder over time. But, as you point out, it does not suffer from punctures either. I have had a couple of pinhole leaks in the seat of my inflated model because I laid fish baskets with spiny fish on them. Easy to remove the seat, find the hole and repair it though. Much easier than taking out the main air chamber and patching it. However, with the PVC protective coating over much of the air chamber, it reduces the potential for incidental punctures. Of course, if you are determined to poke a hole in it, a big hook or a knife point will get the job done. Most leaks are the result of fish spines or setting your tube down on stickers of some kind.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]There are straps for seat adjustment. You have to work with them over a couple of trips to get them where they provide good support, but do not tip too far backwards. Improper seat adjustment will cause backaches. Actually, the seat design is one of the negatives I have found with the Fat Cats. I have always used tubes and mini-pontoons (Kennebec) with seats that came up most the length of my back...and I am a big guy. The seats on the FCs only come up about half way, so they do not provide the full back support for someone who likes to really lean back. Still, when properly adjusted, they work fine.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Portability? I attach a wide strap to the underside of my SFC and pull it up onto my forehead, like a "tump line". Even with a bunch of extra weight from sonar, battery, rod rack, tackle boxes etc., I can trudge my craft a long ways comfortably. However, if you are looking for something to pack a few miles back into a remote mountain lake, look at something lighter than the Outcast Cats. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I have a GMC Jimmy. It is smaller than Tahoes and Suburbans, but it will hold two Fat Cats fully inflated, plus coolers, rods and other gear, when the back seat is folded down. If I am going to be driving a long ways, and packing other stuff for a long trip, I deflate the FCs. They either fold up into a manageable size, or else I bungee them down on my rooftop carrier. No problem.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]If you go back far enough, I have posted a lot of pics that illustrate what I am talking about. If you need more, let me know. I either have pics in my archives or I can shoot something quickly with my digital.[/#0000ff]
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Thank you, It sounds like I can't go wrong either way. My main portability need is from the parking lot to the water, (except at Rock Cliffs/ Jordanelle which is a bit of a walk at the moment) so that won't be a problem. I can use the caddis for pack-in trips if needed. I am looking forward to coming out to the next Utah Lake flotilla and seeing them in action.
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[cool][#0000ff]Let's keep in touch by PM. Sometimes TubeBabe is doing family stuff on Saturday mornings and I can put you in her Fat Cat for a test drive. She has taught it how to catch fish pretty good. She usually catches the biggest walleye. And, when I let Mikecromaine use it on one of our flotillas last fall, he was the only one in the group to catch a walleye.[/#0000ff]
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