Travel Tubes???

[EricM]

I'm looking for a nice, smaller tube I can use for travel and backpacking. What would you guys recommend? Not looking for anything really elaborate, just something I can pack up in a small place and use to get out a little further from shore or drift into tight places. I fish a mix of still and flowing water, but mostly smaller bodies of water. What would you suggest? So far I am looking at the High Sierra II round tube.
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[albinotrout]

I have packed a caddis nevada in to a lake before. Folds up nice and tight. What you want is something small and light. Caddis tubes fit that bill just fine. There are others as well. I also have a small pump for it. Last place I saw a pump that would work for a general good price was kmart. Also a k-pump would work too.
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[EricM]

I had a Nevada and for the life of me, couldn't get it to cooperate with me, it always sat really low despite me being light (160 lbs). Left a bit of a bad taste in my mouth since it was my first tube. I have over the years bounced around between a few different U and V shaped tubes though. My reason for going for a round tube is so its framless and doesn't need a support bar, which would be something else to bring along/break. I'm thinking of just rolling it up and keeping it in a small bag or rolling it in my foam mattress when packing it in.

Any thoughts/input?
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[kochanut]

NFO Outlaw Escape?

http://www.northforkoutdoors.com/2012catalog/page8.html
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000FF]There can be a lot of variables to consider. If all you need is some floatation...no problem. Almost anything will work and you can simply go for smaller and lighter. If you will be fishing cold high-altitude lakes, you will need to factor in the bulk and weight of additional layers and waders.

If you can get by with a round tube, go for it. If you were looking for something to cover more water on bigger lakes then a good V boat with floatation seats and greater weight capacity would be better.

Caddis generally puts out a decent product for a low price. I survived through several of them in my earlier years. I'd never make it with a round tube anymore.

If you are really weight conscious...as any backpacker should be...the round tubes are a better bet these days because they now have the lighter weight vinyl air chambers. In earlier days the bladder was a butyl rubber truck tire tube...much heavier. However, the vinyl bladders are more prone to pinhole leaks and seam failures if you abuse them or aren't careful about where and how you put them on the ground.

What state and area will you be primarily using this tube?
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[valley_sports]

For a tube to carry around in your trunk or pack in I like the caddis high seirra. It's light and affordable. That's all the tube you need for quick spur of moment fishing.
[url "http://www.beatthebigboxboys.com/store-products-HSFT-Caddis-High-Sierra-Float-Tube_1097357112.html"]http://www.beatthebigboxboys.com/store-products-HSFT-Caddis-High-Sierra-Float-Tube_1097357112.html[/url]
Valley Sports Ron 360-757-8171

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[pontoonman]

Eric:

Good suggestions by above members.

For small waters, I like the 7# ODC 420L which I have used for a number of years. Good bang for the buck when they are on sale or on e bay for $100. You get extreme comfort by taking time to adjust the 3 seat bladders, and your butt will be out of water if you weigh less than 180# or so.

The weight and bulk of the tube itself will not be as significant as the accessories to make it work. Waders, fins, paddles, pumps, fishing gear and miscellaneous all add up to greater weight/space. The more or these accessories you can do without, the better. An alternative is to find the lightest/collapsible versions to make carrying everything easier. I use the smallest high volume inflator, and omit waders/fins when on water distances are short.

Hope this helps.

Pon



[quote EricM]I'm looking for a nice, smaller tube I can use for travel and backpacking. What would you guys recommend? Not looking for anything really elaborate, just something I can pack up in a small place and use to get out a little further from shore or drift into tight places. I fish a mix of still and flowing water, but mostly smaller bodies of water. What would you suggest? So far I am looking at the High Sierra II round tube.[/quote]
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[pontoonman]

Oops, there's only 2 seat bladders on the ODC, which can be adjusted slightly forward and back, as well are for tilt and cushioning firmness...

P.

[quote pontoonman]Eric:

Good suggestions by above members.

For small waters, I like the 7# ODC 420L which I have used for a number of years. Good bang for the buck when they are on sale or on e bay for $100. You get extreme comfort by taking time to adjust the 3 seat bladders, and your butt will be out of water if you weigh less than 180# or so.

The weight and bulk of the tube itself will not be as significant as the accessories to make it work. Waders, fins, paddles, pumps, fishing gear and miscellaneous all add up to greater weight/space. The more or these accessories you can do without, the better. An alternative is to find the lightest/collapsible versions to make carrying everything easier. I use the smallest high volume inflator, and omit waders/fins when on water distances are short.

Hope this helps.

Pon



[quote EricM]I'm looking for a nice, smaller tube I can use for travel and backpacking. What would you guys recommend? Not looking for anything really elaborate, just something I can pack up in a small place and use to get out a little further from shore or drift into tight places. I fish a mix of still and flowing water, but mostly smaller bodies of water. What would you suggest? So far I am looking at the High Sierra II round tube.[/quote][/quote]
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[albinotrout]

Yes round tubes will do great for you. Also to think about are the fins. Creek company make a pair that works great. I used them, they are light weight and easy to pack. Work great at propulsion as well. retails around
$30 depending where you get them.


[inline "pack fins400.jpg"]
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[EricM]

Thank you for all the insight everyone. Let me elaborate a little more on my intended use.

I do a lot of wading and LOVE it, but in some instances, I am limited. Say I am wading and it starts to get too deep, or I need to cover a lot of ground to fishing destinations, or I just need to get off of the bank and a little deeper. This is where I know I need a tube and have a DOH moment.

The tube will be used for slow drifts down small to medium streams 85% of the time to meet the needs of the first two reasons I listed. I can drift over deep spots and drift through undesirable waters to better fishing grounds easier in a tube than fighting water while wading. I have a small boat and kayak to get out on most lakes I fish, but want my tube for some very remote lakes. Again, just getting off the bank is the goal not any huge marathons to cover water. I catch fish from shore, but I know I would have a better chance at larger and more fish in deeper water when I can reach it and fish it properly.

I have a very small pump already and like the fins that AlbinoTrout linked, thanks very much. However, TubeDude, gotta say you got me concerned about leakage. I am in the sticks, mostly New England/East coast areas, and no longer bring waders because they get too trashed and would hate for the same to happen to my tube. What else would you guys recommend to get around this problem???

Also, Pontoonman, can you post or send me a link? My searches yielded nothing in that range.

Thank you again all.
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[flygoddess]

Maybe look into Bucks Bags Mustang. It is Urethane bladders and pretty thick outer.
Weight capacity of 300 lbs.
As for the back pack flippers, I do have a pair and they work okay. If you have a larger foot, this will make a difference. If you have current, they are at best, okay.

Donut tube does make sense but if you are in thick over growth, trying to climb in and out of one could be a challenge.

Good luck with your search. There were some gents on another forum talking about small rafts that weight under 5 lbs. and roll up very small.
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000FF]If you are dragging your tube through barbed wire and brambles it won't make much difference what kind of air bladder you have...unless you can go stainless steel. A direct poke with a sharp point will puncture vinyl, urethane or butyl rubber.

During the years I lived in southern Arizona I packed my tube into some remote launching spots along several desert lakes. I usually carried them inflated and balanced on my head. There were more than a couple of times I arrived at the water and plopped my tube in the lake only to see and hear a stream of bubbles. There are lots of stickery things along the way to assault the inflatables.

And I also had to look carefully along the edges of the lakes to be sure there were not some washed up cactus spines concealed in the shoreline junk. Laying a tube down...even carefully...was asking for a puncture unless I was on really clean sand.

All that being said, you should not have to worry as long as you exercise proper precautions. But also a good idea to carry a quick patch kit and an air pump if you are going any distance.

One other thing. I generally try to discourage anybody taking a float tube on flowing water, especially if there is a strong current and/or shallow stretches. Unless you are very experienced in launching, beaching and wading in flowing water with your float tube you invite disaster. Going butt over teakettle in shallow moving water can be hazardous to both you and your gear.

Always wear an inflatable PFD.
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[albinotrout]

I would discourage use of any round tube on flowing water. Too dangerous. Open front u boats or v boats are best. As TD put it tubes and flowing water don't mix we'll, that is where toons are better. And yes you will need a pfd.
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[pontoonman]

[quote EricM]Thank you for all the insight everyone. Let me elaborate a little more on my intended use.

I do a lot of wading and LOVE it, but in some instances, I am limited. Say I am wading and it starts to get too deep, or I need to cover a lot of ground to fishing destinations, or I just need to get off of the bank and a little deeper. This is where I know I need a tube and have a DOH my moment.

PON; Yes, I still like the feeling of water up to my shins and a tube allows that, without marinating the hindquarters. I stay away from waders/fins for other reasons as well. Saw on another forum that in a tube race between fins and paddles, a guy using two ping pong paddles won by a huge margin. I think oars would be better suited and even faster than ping pong, though.

The tube will be used for slow drifts down small to medium streams 85% of the time to meet the needs of the first two reasons I listed. I can drift over deep spots and drift through undesirable waters to better fishing grounds easier in a tube than fighting water while wading.

PON; Me, too. Hovering in a deep spot with moving water needs special accessories, though.


I have a small boat and kayak to get out on most lakes I fish, but want my tube for some very remote lakes.

PON: Very remote lakes greater than a couple of miles over rough terrain require transporting the tube in a deflated state inside my pack and assembly on location. Unless I am going over flat ground with no overgrowth.

Again, just getting off the bank is the goal not any huge marathons to cover water. I catch fish from shore, but I know I would have a better chance at larger and more fish in deeper water when I can reach it and fish it properly.

I have a very small pump already and like the fins that AlbinoTrout linked, thanks very much. However, TubeDude, gotta say you got me concerned about leakage. I am in the sticks, mostly New England/East coast areas, and no longer bring waders because they get too trashed and would hate for the same to happen to my tube. What else would you guys recommend to get around this problem???

PON: Carry deflated and assemble on location. Pressurize and let sit overnight a day before packing, to see if it holds.

Also, Pontoonman, can you post or send me a link? My searches yielded nothing in that range.

PON: There probably won't be anything now until late November, as the specials come at the end of peak fishing season.

Thank you again all.[/quote]

See comments above.

Pon
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[EricM]

Ok, I was not planning on packing in a fully inflated tube for start and my launches all take place from easily accessible areas. I am confident that in the slow moving waters I fish, that a tube will be safe. These are very clearwater streams were I can see very well for obstacles.

I was going to drift into a fishable location and tie off to a branch or root and fish. In shallower areas, I would just get out and walk. No real hazards, definitely not trying to clear whitewater.

Pontoonman, thanks for your replies. I will keep my eyes out till then.
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[pontoonman]

[quote EricM]Ok, I was not planning on packing in a fully inflated tube for start and my launches all take place from easily accessible areas.

PON: OK, I guess you meant that your waders were trashed while moving around IN the water? My waters are also clear, and once I know the area, the puncturing rocks, rapids, branches, brambles in the water are easily seen and avoided by going around or walking around if necessary. It helps to turn the tube to face into them, so you can see.

I am confident that in the slow moving waters I fish, that a tube will be safe. These are very clearwater streams were I can see very well for obstacles.

PON: I do class II rapids that have unobstructed paths and usually they are knee deep, enough to touch bottom for pushing the tube around the best route while seated. The white water sections are mid calf deep and wadeable, with good river sandals.

I was going to drift into a fishable location and tie off to a branch or root and fish. In shallower areas, I would just get out and walk. No real hazards, definitely not trying to clear whitewater.

PON: Yes, there are brush clamp systems for this, but I just use an old battery jumper cable with rope. Two anchors also hold good position if I will spend a lot of time in a hole, but are more of a hassle.

Pontoonman, thanks for your replies. I will keep my eyes out till then.

PON: Watch this board around December, a couple of us post when the specials with free shipping and the special codes required. You can check the past archives around that time for an idea of what days and specials have been available in the past.

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Good luck.

Pon
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000FF]Okay, I guess I should fess up. When I lived in Sacramento, CA I took my old round tubes down several of the rivers in central California. But I always drove along them and scouted them out first. I made notes of where they shallowed up and where there might be problems with "sweepers"...branches hanging out over the water. I would not fish a stretch of river if I did not feel completely safe.

Those rivers held various species of anadromous fish during different times of the year...salmon, steelhead, striiped bass, shad, etc. They also usually had year round resident populations of largemouth and smallmouth bass, crappies and sunfish...and catfish. Oh yeah...sturgeon too. Actually caught a 115 pounder once while fishing for stripers.

I never took an anchor but I did carry a brush clip and a length of rope. Sometimes I would help keep myself in place by attaching to a branch...or to a suitable spot under a bridge...but never in strong current.

A lot of my fishing could be accomplished by just kicking into a slow eddy and maintaining position with fin power alone. Sometimes I had to work into the shore...in slow water...get out and then wade and cast into the deeper runs and holes.

I could cover a lot of water in a day, but I seldom did. I preferred to work one target area thoroughly, much as I do on a lake. But if I was able to work out having my wife leave a vehicle at a more distant take out spot I sometimes had to rush the last part of my float to get there before dark. Hard to quit fishing when the fish are biting.

What I found from experience was to pack plenty of nutrition and fluids and to be totally respectful of the power of moving water. I never got into any kind of serious trouble but had some close calls with idiot boaters roaring up the rivers and not watching where they were going. Good to carry an airhorn.
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[EricM]

I wreck waders like nobodies business. Haha. Usually leaving a spot and crawling up and onto the banks and finding a few sticks and thorns. I am very familiar with my locations and know where snags and depth changes are. Flows are very low and no boat traffic exists because these streams are so small and remote.

My only real concern is crossing riffle areas. They are pretty shallow and have some large rocks. The current is really strong there and I have a tough time wading them at certain times of the years when the flows are up. I could just walk around them, but does anyone have any experience drifting through them? It seems doable without being insanely dangerous... Have looked at some pack rafts more suitable for this appilcation, but those prices are just ridiculous for a glorified pool toy.

Thanks again all.
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[pontoonman]

[quote EricM]I wreck waders like nobodies business. Haha. Usually leaving a spot and crawling up and onto the banks and finding a few sticks and thorns. I am very familiar with my locations and know where snags and depth changes are. Flows are very low and no boat traffic exists because these streams are so small and remote.

PON: Yep, nature sounds/quiet and low boat traffic are the best parts.

My only real concern is crossing riffle areas. They are pretty shallow and have some large rocks. The current is really strong there and I have a tough time wading them at certain times of the years when the flows are up. I could just walk around them, but does anyone have any experience drifting through them? It seems doable without being insanely dangerous... Have looked at some pack rafts more suitable for this appilcation, but those prices are just ridiculous for a glorified pool toy.

PON: When the bank is walkable, I will use a rope to slowly guide the boat and equipment through the riffle areas, but you must be careful how you tie up. I use a similar technique to go upstream against the current by "sailing" the boat/equipment like a kite around rocks and through some rapids. Another way is by dragging your feet pointing upstream to slow down the rate of drift and guide between rocks and slow areas, but you need turn your feet with heels up so the midsole to toe area takes the hits to give you steering control. All the lightweight packable boats I have seen are very thin material and won't hold up more than a few times if scraped across rocks, regardless of cost. Maybe the NFO lightweight escape material would hold up to the scraping better?

Thanks again all.[/quote]

Comments above.

Pon
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[TubeDude]

[#0000FF][cool]All I can say is to avoid strong current when combined with shallows and rocks. There are plenty of places you can take your tube and fish safely. Fast moving water is deceptively dangerous. Only takes one minor error in judgment to ruin your day.

Whenever I know that such a zone exists ahead, I either get out and portage...or line the tube downstream ahead of me along the edge.

Be safe.
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