# To Hobie owners,Revo and Outbacks



## margray1962 (Jan 8, 2008)

hi i have read a lot about peddles versus paddles,Hobies versus others, etc.etc.so i am not interested in that type of debate.
What i am interested in is Outbacks versus Revos,I want to hear from any one who owns or has owned either of these hobie models and the virtues of each .also the down side too .I have made up my mind that i will be buying one of the above .however i cant make up my mind which one . As an example
Is the width of the outback a problem when paddling ,???? is the revo unstable?????
which is the most user friendly for estuary fishing and also ocean fishing and why,??? 
what difference between outback/revo and outback/revo fish model???? 
I would appreciate your input in helping me make the right decision, 
I will be adding the sailing rudder, ST fins, and i am trialling both models tomorrow (thursday) at maclean dealership 
this will be my third and last kayak.The secretary of the finance department has allocated the funds . to be used as soon as i sell my cobra .
I am not a big person ie 170 cms.( 5ft 8 inches) 68 kilo (12 stone)
reasonably fit for my age ,(70) i have a trailer so lifting overhead is not a problem 
So fellas lots of posts please, your input is important to me 
Regards Ray


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## Abner (Jul 26, 2008)

Hi Ray,
I have the same problem I want to know all of the above,please post your results,if and when you can
I'd be very interested in the findings,
Have you used the peddles before,and if not, why have you gone for them now? Is it for fishing?
Best regards
Abner
aka Bob :lol:


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## GoneFishn (May 17, 2007)

Try sending a PM to AGE he has both he may be able to help out.


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## JimmyT (Jun 13, 2008)

i've got a revo and i have no regrets. i was tossing up between both when making the purchase but figured the revo would be better for offshore work coz it's longer and track better.

i did try the outback during a demo day and found it to be very maneuverable, having said that however, it did not track in a straight line very well when using paddles and it was slower than the Revo.

I say get the outback if you're intending to do more estuary and freshwater fishing, as the shorter length and better maneuverability of the outback will help you get into tight snags and make turning easier.
The Revo would be better suited if you're thinking of going offshore at all, i doubt the Outback can handle swell and small surf well. because of it's longer length and better tracking ability, the Revo would be able to cut through chop and still move straight.

Both are very stable, it's nearly impossible to tip them and you can lean as far to each side without capsizing. the outback would be more stable coz it's wider.

the Outback also has more features in terms of rod holders and utility trays, but these can be easily added on later anyway.
because of the longer length, the only downside to the Revo is that it's much heavier than the outback, but once you get the hang of loading on to your roof racks, it's really a non-issue.

the best thing is to try them out for yourself, that way you know what kind of ride you're gonna get.


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## lampukameister (Mar 7, 2008)

i think you are after some pros and cons comments.

I have an outback (2 actually). I tossed up between the 2 as you are doing. we chose outbacks largely becuase of space and stability and we were primarily looking to fish out of them in places like Port Phillip Bay, Gippsland Lakes and various freshwater lakes. a typical day for us is travelling less than 10kms so speed for covering great distances was not a real consideration and comfort and stabilty were.

we (my son and I) tested both the revo and the outback. we both preferred the outback although the revo was clearly a faster boat.

I will only comment on an outback from now on as I have no real pracitical experience on the revo other than the test drive.

Pros:

- Super Stable - you could almost dance on it. you would really have to be doing something very silly to tip it.

- you are sitting "higher" in an outback than a lot of other kayaks. this seems to give me the ability to stay pretty dry most of the time.

- it has a very high loading capacity - so if you like to take lots of junk you can (maybe this is a minus ;-)

- if you really want - there is nothing you have to do on an outback. just grab a rod and some lures and go fishing. there are enough hatches, spaces, rod holders etc. take it from the showroom down to the water and go for it.

- Plenty of room for stuff while you are fishing - the side trays are surpsingly useful when you are out on the water and need to put something down - like pliers or a lure when you are fiddling.

- its layout means you can customise to your hearts content - but to be honest you don;t really need to do much at all other than fit whatever electrics and electronics you want/need.

-in its basic form it is surpsingly manouverable - although I have noticed that the my recent inclusion of the sailing rudder has made a good boat great in terms of handling.

- it has acceptable speed. we can troll/pedal at 5-6kmh hardly rasing a sweat. in fact it is difficult to only troll at 2kmh becuase you have to stop pedalling all the time to do so. 7-8kmh is pretty easy and we can burst to 10kmh but I am not fit enough to maintain that for any length of time. in fact I am really not fit at all and I can still pedal for hours. a few pumps on the pedals to get it moving and it is relatively easy to keep it going.

- handles various water conditions well. I have been out in 20knot winds on the Bay and felt quite safe. I have zero intentions of ever going offshore in a kayak so cannot comment on its ability to do that. neither do I have intentions to surf launch. it handles wash and swell from other boats in its stride.

Cons
- not the greatest kayak to paddle. it takes a bit of effort to get it moving but once you have done so it is easy enough to maintain some speed, but you have to work at it

- when travelling into a large chop or into the wind, you can take the odd splash over the front but this is just a length thing though.

- it is a heavy boat (it is a little under 2kg heavier than the revo) so lifting it onto the car requires a bit of effort and technique but is quite doable (it weighs about 28kg).

- it is a wide boat (this is a pro in a lot of cases but ...) however this can cause some challenges with transport. At 84cm wide you cannot fit much else onto a set of standard roof racks.

Overall

very happy with the outback. it has met or exceed my expectation in many regards. faced with the same decision - I would make the same one again unless my circumstances and requirements changed. I would only consider a revo (or adventure) if I wanted to start travelling vast distances (20km+) or I wanted to play more than fish.


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## Jonq (Apr 3, 2008)

G'day Ray.

As been said time and time again, they are both great boats and will do much the same things with only slight differences. I went through the same debate Outback or Revo and after an extensive demo on a very windy day still could not make up my mind. In the end I went for the Outback but only because of the stability and the "extras" that came with it.

There is nothing like a few demos to help make up your mind with the thought that whatever you buy it will hold its value and, if the boss lets you, you can change after a few years without much financial loss.

Dealers are very helpful and will ask you questions about your intended use for the Yak and this can help as well even if only something to argue against. And take the boss with you when you get the demo. She'll fall in love with the boats as well!

I have the sailing rudder and ST fins and they are the way to go for the reasons already given. The extra manoeuvrability makes a significant difference.

See if the McLean dealer will give you a sail demo as well. They're hard to resist.

As far as being 70 goes, neither Yak will cause you a problem.

If you are heading north at any time perhaps a phone call or two to other dealers might be worthwhile as sometimes there are price differences in some extras such as the sail cart etc., that might make it worthwhile.

See you at Broomy before Christmas??

John


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## sbd (Aug 18, 2006)

I've had an 06 Outback & now I'm in an 08 Revo. Both fabulous boats, for an armchair ride the Outback is the goods, with all the room for accessories on the side rails & trays. It sits higher off the water, which is nice in cold conditions. The Revo is sleeker, faster (but not that much faster than an 06 Outback) & easier to maintain cruising speed (significantly), but does require more thought for fit out although I've got everything on mine that I want. The Revo is much less affected by wind, but is a wetter ride. Both of them can be a cow to lift onto roof racks (like most yaks I suspect) but it's more about technique than strength.

I suspect it will be obvious to you after your trial tomorrow, but I'd go for the one that fits you best. At your size & weight, I'm leaning towards the Revo.


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## cog (May 13, 2008)

I'm 177cm and 86 kg and so far very happy with my hobie sport which I chose over the others for easy storage and transport on my motorhome [bought 2, one for my wife too]. Weigh only 20kg each so easy to lift etc. Plenty of room and very stable on the water. Have had out to Julian Rocks at Byron with no drama but have only owned them a few months so lots more exploring to be done.
While on hobies too has anyone used one of the pump up models? [bit off topic, sorry]


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## mcbigg (Jul 14, 2007)

Just bought a Revo. Took it for a couple of spins over the weekend (see Trip Reports).

Very stable. Good speeds (cruising and top) with the ST fins.

Apart from having to get used to breaking out the paddle if I drifted too close to a snag, I found maneuvering it quite easy. Especially with the large rudder.

I think both are fantastic boats. I would love the trays of the outbacks, but wouldn't like the width.

Flip a coin. You'll be thrilled with either.


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## Greybeard (Mar 17, 2008)

Did the same test last weekend at sailing scene mona vale to see which of the two I would buy. Eveything said in the previous posts is true especially if wanting to fish outside or in the lakes ,rivers and dams I weigh 105kg and could turn around and kneel up in the revo but when pedaling the steering arm was slightly under my leg and difficult to find. The outback I could stand up on it easily with no fear of falling over and I appreciated the extra room down the sides so I decide to go for the outback as I wont be fishing outside. One thing I will mention is that was told by a salesman (no names) that if you go forthe ST Turbo fins that if you try to peddle to fast instead of a slow cadence that it can load up the mirage drive to much and that the peddle arms can spread slightly creating a problem getting the locating pins into place on the peddles on the outbacks this WAS evident to me on the turbo setup I tested , He said that there had been a problem with a few of these types of setups.
Cheers
Greybeard


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## lampukameister (Mar 7, 2008)

StevenM said:


> ...
> 
> at 68kg you may be a bit liight for the OB...have a play with the Sport if the OB fits your needs..same set up just smaller.
> ...


pretty good advice there. the sport is pretty much a scaled down outback.


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## fishydude (Dec 30, 2007)

G,day mate, Love my Outback 8) . Regularly crack the 20km trip mark with it and I'm not very fit ;-) . Extra stability vs. length and speed are probably the major issues and I admit I was a bit put off by the bulk of the Outback :? .....until I took one for a test drive and realised that it really didn't matter with a mirage drive 8) . If you are after a long range yak the Outback will sail better due to it's stability and the addition of a sail will increase your range ;-) and some days I just head out for a sail and leave the rods behind 8) ...lol. I have noticed a lot of people looking at the same decision between these 2 yaks and the bottom line is you need to know what you want from your yak and take a nice test drive. I imagine the dealers really hate going out in a yak for a few hours instead of staying in their nice shop...lol. The Outback doesn't paddle well but that's not what you buy it for. Load capacity, stability and fishability are certainly the stand out features of this yak.....but I also like the Revo. Unfortunately none of us can tell you what is right for you. Test drives are definitely the go. You are lucky you have already shortlisted to 2....lol...as some people get stuck with half a dozen yaks to choose from. :shock: :lol: ;-) Best of luck with the choice mate.
Cheers
Mike


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## Revo (Aug 3, 2008)

G'day Ray. As has been said, you've narrowed it down to two great yaks. My brother bought a 2007 Outback because he wanted to only fish from it. I bought a 2007 Revo because I wanted to tour in it (nature photography, etc) as well as fish from it. I like the extra length in terms of handling the swells and chop on the open sea, and the little extra speed (and ST Turbo fins are worth adding if speed is important to you). With a bit of thought about how to rig the yak for fishing (lots of good ideas learnt from this forum), I am now configured (see my posts in the Kayak Rigs section) with everything I need. The Outback model offers more options in terms of rigging for fishing though. This forum has mentioned that both models can be improved further in terms of tracking by fitting the sailing rudder. I'm adding this larger rudder to my Revo this weekend. So, when you test paddle/pedal both models, understand that the standard fittings can be upgraded to improve the ride even more. 

As others have said - whatever your choice, you'll have a great yak.


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## Huwie (Mar 16, 2008)

I test drove both and bought an outback. I'm new to kayaking in general however and felt a little more stable in the outback. I can see myself evolving into a revo next time round. If you're an experienced kayaker and you like to paddle and can be patient with the learning curve and dont mind a couple of ram rod holders than go straight to a revo.

For me however the outback has been awesome and will never be wasted, as a backup yak for the wifey or mates down the track when I eventually get a revo it will be perfect.

Huwie.


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## ausbass (Feb 15, 2007)

I dont want to be seen as a desktop or an experienced hobie expert, but I bought my Revo yesterday after a long demo. In my demo I definetly found the outback more stable than the revo, but the revo does a a fair degree of stability. the outback also seems to float higher in the water. Both kayaks turn well, but better when at the faster speeds (obviously) but I made my decision based on the more compact layout and performance of the revo.


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