I'm in the market

[trouthungry]

I'm in the market for my first float tube in the price range of about 100 to 150 does anyone know of any quality tubes in that price range any help will be appreciated
thanks
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[hustler898]

Take a walk through Garts and Sportsmans Warehouse. At Garts you'll find some name brand tubes as well as some brands that aren't well known. I got an outfitters expedition from Garts and I love it. I also hear the day tripper is a great tube or you can go with some of the well known brands like the Kenenbeck that come with waranties for a higher price. I would recomend a pontoon style tube for all the benefits it offers unless you plan on packing it for long distances then go with the more compact single bladder tubes. Garts usually has sales on tubes at this time of year. You can get a great bargin if you check in from time to time. For example a $120 tube for $70 or $80. You can't beat that!
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[TubeDude]

[url "javascript: addTag('cool')"][cool][/url][#0000ff]Welcome to the forum and welcome to BFT. Also, congratulations on your decision to join our elite fraternity (with a few ladies in the bunch too).[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Hustleman gave some good input. Let me add that you should probably include the Outcast Fish Cat 4 in your list to look at. I'm sure you will have some input from at least a couple of the regulars here who have bought the FC4 and who are happy with their decisions.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]The "off brand" craft mentioned by Hustler appear to be private label models of the same tubes sold through Trout Unlimited. His thrifty acquisition is identical to the Gunnison model from TU, but at a much better price. I know he has put it to good use and it has served him well for about a year or so.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]As always, try to become aware of the differences in options and features before you make your final decision. One of the big issues with me is pocket size. I like to carry larger lure boxes afloat, and some models either do not have much pocket space, or else the pockets are too small to hold the larger boxes...unless you "customize" them with a pair of scissors.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Another biggie is the seating. Older models of the "round boats" had seats that had you sitting low in the water, with much of your lower extremities below the water line. That decreases propulsion and increases the potential for chilling in cold water. Many of the more modern Uboats, Vboats and mini-'toons have seating that keeps much of your body above the water line. Both the TU and Outcast lines are good for offering higher seating.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I'm not sure if we are talking about the same "Daytripper" Hustler, but the one I am familiar with (looks like a bunch of bananas) is not highly favored by those who have bought them. They ride very high in the water, and are somewhat unstable. Big waves, or leaning too far forward to net a fish, can slip you out of yur craft on the hard slick seats.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Good advice to look for bargains now. Many tackle purveyors are specialing out the summer lines and buying in stuff for fall and winter. Of course, we hardy souls know that except for "hard water" time, there is no closed season for tubing.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Come on back if you need more input. Feel free to post up any models you are considering and we can help with reviews and suggestions. [/#0000ff]
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[Parstealth]

I have been tubing off and on since I was a kid. My tube has finally blown a zipper. I have been reading the post on here and will most likely get a fish cat 4. I have been looking for about a month now trying to find a good Tube forum. This is the best place I have found.

Thanks
Parstealth
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[TubeDude]

[#0000ff][url "javascript: addTag('cool')"][cool][/url]Hey Parstealth, welcome to BFT and welcome to the float tubing forum. Interesting choice of user names. Any info on the reason for it?[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Glad you like our humble little workshop here. We have fun and we would like to think we help our members make better decisions, make their lives easier and help them save some money once in awhile.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Sorry about the loss of your old friend, due to zipper failure. But, if you look at it as an opportunity for an upgrade, I am sure you can withstand the loss. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Hope the catastrophe happened in the garage and not out on the water. That can ruin a good trip.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]How about letting us know a bit about ya? What part of the country do you live in, and what kind of fishing do you do most?[/#0000ff]
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[trouthungry]

I'm curious as to what you are calling a "long" trip and why the single peice tube would be better
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[JapanRon]

Hey there trouthungry,

Welcome from a fellow tuber. As you've haunted the board for a while, you know well by now that we love tube thingys. If you hang around here long you will get the itch and if your tube doesn't have that extra margin of weight capacity.... you may find yourself in the middle of a 'seperation'.

Don't yet know your neck size or whether you like boxers or briefs (don't really want to know that one), but choosing a tube right for you is pretty serious business.

Outcast tubes will give you an edge as their capacity is pretty good from the get go. That will be my next tube. Remember that if you do a lot of tinkering, what was built for one tube may not be 'right' for the next 'significant other'. Heed well the wise words of wisdom from Master TubeDude annnnnnnd his acolyite! Count on everybody having something to say to help.

JapanRon
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[tubeN2]

Hey there trouthungry. You have been informed well. I too have a FishCat4 and really like it. It is a nice craft for the price, really easy to trick it out and nice to ride in as well.

Just give us a holler if you have any questions in reguards to the FC4 or any other tubes.[url "javascript: addTag('cool')"][cool][/url]
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[TubeDude]

[url "javascript: addTag('cool')"][cool][/url][#0000ff]To me, a "long trip" in a float tube would be any journey that requires a long period of sustained kicking to either get to where you want to fish, or to return when you want to get out of the water. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Most fishing excursions for me are built around using weather patterns to help me move down a shoreline, fishing as I go, when the morning breezes are blowing their normal direction. Then, when they lay down and gradually begin to blow the other way (as they do on many lakes), I take that as my cue to "go with the flow" and begin working my way back to the vehicle.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]In some cases, you do not have easy vehicle access to a point or cove you might like to fish, and you have to launch a fair distance away. That means you have to kick for a half hour or more to even get to your fishing area, and then the same on the way back. That is, unless a stiff wind has come up, blowing directly at you from the direction you need to go to get back. That is Murphy's Law, applied to fishing. It always seems to happen that way.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]A one piece tube? Don't recall putting it in those terms. I may have made reference to multiple air chambers. Pontoons usually have two, and the Fish Cat craft have dual air chambers too. Those are more trouble to inflate but they offer a measure of safety in the event of a spine puncture or other intrusion upon your air chamber.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]The other possible meaning, as I interpret it, would be the difference between a pontoon style design as opposed to a Vboat, like the Fish Cats and Fat Cats. Pontoons usually sit higher in the water and are more difficult to jockey in the wind, even if they have the pointed air chambers. The upraised bow, with a point, on the Cats models have proven to be much easier to power into wind and waves, and they also help with efficient movement across the water during normal operation.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Hope that addresses the questions.[/#0000ff]
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[hustler898]

Not sure if you were referring to my coment on packing in a tube. If you were, the single bladder tubes, or any tube without lots of foam and stabalizer bars can be folded compactly to fit into a backpack. They are also light enough to be comfortable to carry in a few miles or more. I just learned how difficult it is to carry in my tube which has a foam sit and backrest. 2 stabalizer bars, and a foam "spacer" behind the seat. There is no way to back pack that baby with all the necesary gear comfortably. I created a carrying rack for my tube but it is still cumbersome. All that foam ads plenty of weight and since it can't be folded remains very bulky.

As TD mentioned you have to consider where exactly you will use the tube a majority of the time. If you will be hiking to high mountain lakes you will need something that will fit in a backpack easily when deflated. If you don't need to carry your tube for more than a mile then go with the "luxury" models [url "javascript: addTag('')"][][/url]. A pontoon style tube will be more comfortable keeping you dryer and offering you excellent stability as well as low er water drag so you won't get tired easily.

BTW, does anyone else own or ever used the tube I use, Outfitters expedition? I have never heard of anyone on this forum who uses it. I have never seen another tuber with one. I guess I'm unique, LOL. Probably the color turns them off. Only comes one color, GREEN!!!
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[hustler898]

I'm sure we are talking about the same day tripper. You ride high out of the water and I'm sure its a pain in windy conditions. I agree with you TD. I ran into some guys with the tube and they said it's comfort is unsurpassed by anything on the market. Then again, they probably haven't tried any other tubes. I'm sure it's very comfortable but when the wind picks up you'll wish you had another
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[hustler898]

It ain't nuttin like the Gunnison!!! Oh TD you losing your mental abilities already??? Must be the high UT altitude[url "http://javascript:%20addTag(':P')/"][tongue][/url].

Gunnison:



It's most like the Kennenbeck only better. I don't think the Kennenbec has the foam spacer under the rear pocket but I could be wrong. I also like the pocket design on mine better:

Heres mine just not fully inflated:


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[TubeDude]

[url "javascript: addTag('cool')"][cool][/url][#0000ff]Okay, Hustleman, flog me with a wet water weed. If I had consulted my archive of pics (which include some you have posted) I would have not have miss-spaken myself.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Thanks for the input and pics. Good stuff.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I don't know of anyone else who scored the same good deal you did, either. The important thing is that you are getting good use out of it and that you enjoy it.[/#0000ff]
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