Which hobie to get.
 

I'm torn between the revo 11, 13 or compass. What would be a good choice to get. I would fish mostly bays, harbor and some offshore. I would be fishing 2 rods. One trolling and one casting. I'm 6' 180lbs.
Tia.

I have been chewing on the same question for the past couple of months. Have you tried them? I took a Sunday and went down to OEX. They have each model you mentioned, and an outback available to rent and they put the cost towards a purchase.

I am pretty much the exact same size as you, and I did not like the revolution. It felt narrower than my trident, whereas the outback actually felt like it had elbow room. Places to put my stuff on deck. Rectangular hatch. That thing is amazing.

I plan to go down and try out the compass now that they have one available. That said, I like the looks of the seat on the outback more than I do the compass. Has a lot more options to it.

Only reason I didn't pick the outback is the fact they are heavy load myself. I have a lifted jeep.

If you want the stability and payload of the Outback but less weight. Consider the Compass. I think they are pretty slick with lots of blank canvas to work with in rigging one up.

I think the Revo 11 will feel too small for you. Revo 13 has been my favorite Hobie from the start. When the 2015 Vantage seat came out, I had a hard time using any other kayak at my disposal.:D Speed and comfort.

Are those 11'ers in the rental inventory? Do you get much of a difference between the two in terms of width? I'm not actually sure which one I tried out

Wouldn't even consider the 11. I have the 13 and I'm 5' 11" 165 lbs and it's barely stable enough.

Andy. Do you think there'll be a sale anytime soon on the compass?
I can only hope so

I can't speak for Andy, but I will say the Compass model is less than 2 months old, so I can only assume I know the answer to your question.

As for an 11' boat. I see (almost) no reason for anyone that fishes in the salt, and is over 12 years old, to get a 11' boat to fish off of. I've thought about it for a while and just can't find anything positive to say about them (for our main intended use.)

The more I look at the Compass, the more I like it. I like a minimalist layout with max capacity. And with the Compass being 12' and its unrigged weight listed around the "lift it overhead and onto roof rack" size, its very much an option for me if I really thought about it.

Hmmmm...............

What Hobie Model
 

I have been using a 2016 Hobie Revolution 13 for the last 16 months after paddling Malibu's and Jackson kayaks for 3 years. I absolutely love the Mirage drive and the endurance using leg power. The stability and tracking is not as good as on my 2016 Malibu X Factor, but it it nice having the hands free. I enjoy using both, but if I had to pick a Hobie model right now. It would be to use out in the ocean and surf launching almost always. I would get the new Hobie Compass. It comes as a great blank canvas to be able to rig it up for the individual likes. The best thing is the starting price.

I'm 5'10" 185lbs. Own a revolution 13 and an adventure. The revolution is plenty stable for me, but it lacks capacity and speed that the adventure has.

I went through the same questions not so long ago. After my research, I just bought a used 2016 Hobie revo 13. I'm 6' and 185lbs.
It has plenty of stability specially secondary. I was able to load n unload on a roof by myself for the first time with ease. Plenty of space to have my essentials. Could be hard if you like to carry a tackle shop with you when you try to fish. It's pretty quick but I only compared to compass and outback. It cuts through water and I stayed dry on my first voyage and didn't come close at all to flipping even with power boats flying by me.
Outback is too big in my opinion but I was looking at a compass too. The compass weights less and is a bit more stable but does not track or cut as well as a revo, again In my opinion. The compass does have a good price range for a new which is a plus.
I was on a budget, so when I got a good deal on a 2016 revo, it steered me away from the compass.
Try both and see what you are comfortable in and do some roll tests.



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Everyone's experience is different. For me personally, the Revo 13 suits me best for the salt, although I do miss my Adventure at times for tracking and speed. If u r going to spend that kind of money on a yak, definitely test-pedal all of them. Would you buy a car without test driving it? Good luck, and congrats.

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Demo Day????
 

I also have many more questions than answers when it comes to what drive I want on my yak, seat other options etc. Currently using a lifetime 10ft to bounce around the bays and save for a fishing machine.
Would anyone else want to get together and set up a demo day with a couple shops maybe a willing rep? With 2 knee surgeries and ease of reverse I might go rotational vs push petal but I am lost when it comes to not spending money to demo the different styles.

X2
 

look at weight capacity’s and be real. I have had about 5 or 6 hobie’s now. I agree that the 13 does feel pretty tippy. 11 is not gonna cut it for an average adult with a descent amount of gear. Unless you are not planning on bringing the fish home!

No 11 in the demo fleet at the moment. you were in a 13

We reimburse up to $100 in rental/demo toward purchase.

Honestly you won't see the new Compass going on sale any time soon.

If you're worried about your knees definitely go with push pedals instead of rotational. Push peddles give you the option of just a little motion or long strokes. After my knee surgery I was on my Hobie Revo long before I had enough motion to ride a bike.

Steve thanks for the input hobies are at the top of the list. Old Town Predator is also on my must try before buying, iceman and oex will get a fair shot, want to buy new just to avoid issues (unless its a smoking deal) and i will get good use of it. in my opinion and research seats and newer models are trending towards more comfortable now with better support and ease of use. I compare the cost full d day trips :reel:at $150 a day and I can justify the cost as saving after just a few months.
:paddleersmilie:

I went with a '16 revo 13. Had an adventure before (avatar) and wish I'd gone with the revo 16 instead. I miss the low and long hull when it's choppy.

The seat's awesome though and it is nice to have able to open the front hatch otw.