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 Post subject: Revo 11 vs. Talon
PostPosted: Mon Sep 24, 2012 6:21 pm 
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Joined: Mon May 21, 2012 7:07 pm
Posts: 11
I'm interested in a Revo 11, but am having trouble swallowing the cost. I'm comparing it to the Eagle Talon by Field & Stream.

The only difference I can see between the two kayaks is the price and the pedals. Are the pedals really worth an extra $1500? Am I missing something, or are there other differences?

My main purpose for the kayak is fishing on small lakes.

I've never had a pedal kayak, but love the idea of it. Any help, comments or advice is appreciated. Thanks.


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 Post subject: Re: Revo 11 vs. Talon
PostPosted: Mon Sep 24, 2012 7:02 pm 
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Joined: Wed May 26, 2010 5:34 am
Posts: 258
You can't beat a Hobie Mirage drive kayak for fishing. There more to the extra $$ than just the pedals. Hobie are made in America and hulls and drives come with a 2-year warranty. Field & Stream are pretty generic boats. Maybe made in China? I can't imagine fishing with a paddle kayak. See if your Hobie dealer for a demo. You'll become a believer too.

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 Post subject: Re: Revo 11 vs. Talon
PostPosted: Mon Sep 24, 2012 9:52 pm 
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Joined: Sat Nov 12, 2005 10:46 pm
Posts: 3017
Location: Escondido
Sharing the local lake with the big $$ bass boats, it becomes apparent that it's not so much about the cost of equipment but the enjoyment of the fishing experience. But then, everyone's sense of value is different.

Yes, you do pay a premium price for the Mirage Drive. But you're really comparing apples and oranges. Hands-free fishing is not possible with regular kayaks. The pedals give you quite a bit more -- longer range, faster transport, position holding in winds, currents and tides. Even the ability to glide through the water silently is a whole different experience.

The Hobie price also includes paddle, seat and rudder system, three hatches, etc., so it's not just the Drive. The premium cost gives you a premium boat. You'll also notice Hobies hold their value better than other kayaks, so the economic investment is solid.

Beyond the product, the company is great. as you've probably seen on the forums, Hobie has an excellent reputation for taking care of their customers if a problem should arise.

If you just want something to sit down in while you fish nearby, I'm sure the Eagle (or any other kayak) will do the job. If you want to maximize your fishing potential in the limited amount of time most of us have to enjoy the sport, then I would say the Hobie is the bargain. I have a Revo 11 -- IMO the extra cost easily justifies the extra capability many times over.

Hobie sells a lot of Mirage Drive kayaks despite their premium prices, so this is not just my opinion; there are several thousand other fishermen and kayakers who obviously agree. Before you spend your money, test drive a Revolution 11 and see what you think! 8)


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 Post subject: Re: Revo 11 vs. Talon
PostPosted: Tue Sep 25, 2012 3:04 am 
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Joined: Sun Aug 12, 2007 5:17 pm
Posts: 679
Location: Auckland NZ
I "umm-ed and ahh-ed" for ages over the premium price and was it really worth it before I bought my first Hobie mirage drive yak. And, believe me, here in NZ the price really is a premium due to the NZ-US exchange rate !

That was 7 years ago and I have had 5 (or is it six?!) different Hobie kayaks through my hands since then... I still have two (one for me & one for t'wife).

Can I suggest that you don't allow yourself to be put off by the premium price until you have tried a boat...?

Also you might like to consider the likely cost per sea mile on a Hobie vs a paddleyak: I have covered a vastly greater distance as a result of being on a leg-powered boat than I would ever have been capable of in an arm-powered boat and I am convinced that the cost per sea mile I have achieved is far lower for the Hobie than it would have been had I stayed on paddleyaks (the cost per hour would also be better - had I been on a paddleyak I do not think I would have wanted to spend the amount of time in my kayak that I have enjoyed on my Hobie(s) - because with a paddle, the effort and discomfort associated with covering enough distance to allow me to continually explore new routes/fishing spots and thus maintain my interest would have been too great and my interest would have waned.)

When you try a Hobie, bear in mind that Hobie pedal-powered kayaks are far and away easier to propel into a headwind (an important consideration if you want to go long distances safely in areas where breezes can pick up during the course of a day). And that if you want to you can get the sail kit which turns the boat into a very capable (but miniature) sailing vessel too, for when the wind conditions are right.

Hope this helps :D


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 Post subject: Re: Revo 11 vs. Talon
PostPosted: Tue Sep 25, 2012 6:37 am 
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Joined: Tue Jul 19, 2005 6:29 pm
Posts: 2763
Location: High Point, NC
I've fished and used a great many kayaks. Here is my assessment of your situation - Do you really like to fish? Do you intend to spend a lot of time kayak fishing?

If you answered yes to both these questions, then buy the Hobie.

I would buy the Hobie before I would take the Talon for free. As far as I'm concerned, yes, there really is that much difference in the capabilities of the two boats.


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 Post subject: Re: Revo 11 vs. Talon
PostPosted: Tue Sep 25, 2012 7:25 am 
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Joined: Thu Feb 11, 2010 12:07 pm
Posts: 1041
Location: Ontario, Canada
The first Hobie that we bought was a Revolution for my wife who had some issues with her hands and wrists, and it made traditional paddling uncomfortable. We paid the premium for her because it was well worth it. Meanwhile I bought a traditional, sleek, kayak.

It wasn't long before I realized that my wife was having a lot more fun than I was. She wasn't getting wet from the paddle splashes, she was moving as fast as I was despite me having a much sleeker kayak, and a much more fit body, and she was getting on and off the water faster than I was too.

I sold my sleek kayak and bought an Adventure Island. Used in pure kayak mode, I had much more fun in that boat than my sleek, and "fast" traditional kayak. The mirage drive was faster, and easier, and better.

We now have an Oasis tandem kayak. It cost CONSIDERABLY more than a traditional tandem kayak (Two mirage drives!)

There is not another kayak out there that makes kayaking as easy, and as fun.

Forgetting the fact that the mirage drive is easier, faster, hands free, and better in the wind and waves. The mirage drive is silent, and lets you get close to wildlife, and nature. I have videos on this site of me getting up close with Moose, birds, and even Beavers. All things that a paddle kayak wouldn't allow you to do.

So is it worth it? Well, let's just say that every Hobie Mirage kayak owner has asked that exact same question, and you don't find a lot of unhappy owners out there.

If your question had started with, "I really love the gliding capabilities, and the feel of a great sea kayak, should I get a mirage drive boat" then you might have an argument for the paddle kayak. The mirage offers a different experience, it removes the skill and lets you enjoy the water. There are people who like the skill of using proper paddling technique to glide through the water on a sleek traditional kayak... I'm one of those. That's the only thing I miss, and it's not worth buying another boat for, because by the time I get a boat that glides the way I like, I'll have spent as much money on it as I would have on a Mirage Kayak. The problem with that would be that I'd hardly ever use it.

Good luck with your decision making!

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 Post subject: Re: Revo 11 vs. Talon
PostPosted: Tue Sep 25, 2012 8:56 am 
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Joined: Wed Sep 07, 2011 9:48 am
Posts: 312
Location: Portland, OR
You said that your main fishing is on small lakes and that certainly negates a lot of the advantages of the mirage drive.

Do you think you would want to spend time trolling? The mirage drive is excellent for that. While you can certainly troll from a paddle kayak, there is the problem of the rod getting in the way and the fact that you can't hold the rod while you paddle. These are not deal breakers, but it is a pretty nice advantage with for the mirage drive.

I am not sure what type of small lake fishing you are doing, but if you are bass fishing the mirage drive really does the job of an electric motor on a bass boat. Is it necessary to have an electric motor on a bass boat? No. Is it incredibly helpful? Yes.

Thus, in the end you should assess what it would mean for you to have your hands free while maneuvering your kayak. If you see this as being exceptionally helpful (like I do) then it justifies the cost.

Last question, if you had the more capable kayak would it open up more opportunities that would want to take advantage of. If all I was doing was going out, anchoring and still fishing then I think that I would definitely save the money and go with the paddle kayak. If you see yourself doing more active fishing, then I would highly recommend the mirage drive.

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 Post subject: Re: Revo 11 vs. Talon
PostPosted: Tue Sep 25, 2012 10:27 am 
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Joined: Mon Jul 16, 2012 9:27 pm
Posts: 731
There have been some excellent comments thus far, I'm sure you have your answer by now. Finances aside, have you tried either kayak at a dealer? Try the Revo, you might like it so much you buy it on the spot :lol:

Throwing in my two cents, I would also say that if you are only occasionally fishing and not traveling long distances on the water, maybe you can make-do with a paddle kayak. However, throw in the need to cover distance, and versatility of fishing situations, and the Hobie will win every time. For example, I fish the south east coast of Florida in my Revo11 and cover about 8-10 miles each trip, no way I could do that in a traditional kayak AND fish!


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 Post subject: Re: Revo 11 vs. Talon
PostPosted: Tue Sep 25, 2012 11:15 am 
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Joined: Thu Feb 11, 2010 12:07 pm
Posts: 1041
Location: Ontario, Canada
The only thing that I want to add is that it never costs less to buy a traditional kayak, and then go out and buy a Mirage Kayak. The Hobie kayaks tend to go up in price every year. If you like the Hobie now, and buy the other boat, will you wish you had the capability of the mirage kayak? If you like the design, buy it. The boat holds it's value better than a traditional kayak, and you can sell it and not lose too much. If the Hobie is too much money for your budget, don't buy it. You don't want it to tie you down, you want it for freedom.

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 Post subject: Re: Revo 11 vs. Talon
PostPosted: Wed Sep 26, 2012 2:40 pm 
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Joined: Sun Apr 20, 2008 6:18 am
Posts: 3057
Location: Sarasota,Key West FL
hacktorious:
Many good reply's to your inquiry, I don't think anyone is going to tell you what to buy, we are only relating from our own experiences and our own feelings.

When we first moved to south Florida in 2007 (from Chicago) I noticed that there is a kayak or two in almost every other yard down here (we live in Sarasota, FL near the water). I also noticed a great many of those kayaks are never used. Locally you can pick up a used wilderness kayak a couple years old around here for $50 bucks if you ask around, most in this price range are a couple years old, sun faded, and likely scratched up a bit, but they still work.
we don't fish at all but my wife is into Geocaching, which is a worldwide treasure hunt (http://www.geocaching.com). After moving down here we discovered that many of the geocache treasures are only accessable by kayak, so my wife wanted to buy a couple cheap kayaks that we could use around here (kayaking is a very popular sport in Florida ). I did quite a bit of research on the subject and came to the conclusion that Hobie Kayaks was the only clear choice (we are on our 5th Hobie now). We had rented a couple Wilderness paddle kayaks but were not in the greatest physical shape at the time and only ventured out a short distance from launch and went maybe 1/2 mile before we were tired and wanted to go back. Based on that experience, even if we had purchased a couple cheap kayaks, I know for a fact we would have lost interest very quickly, and my kayaks would be in the yard for a year with a faded for sale sign on them.
However we ended up buying a Hobie Revolution (for her), and a Hobie Oasis (for me). We also bought the sail kits for both boats. I have to tell you this changed our lives, we started to go out kayaking every single weekend, and whenever we traveled we always have the kayaks on the roof (way over 60,000 road miles with kayaks on board since 2007). We take them to colorado, and michigan and run down rapids (not extreme rapids), we go up to the Santa Fe river and kayak up through the springs (really fun), and are now both avid snorkel and scuba divers. We also have a place down in the Keys, and wouldn't think of going without kayaks.
Healthwise I have lost over 50 lbs and am in pretty good shape now, both of us can peddle for 10 hours straight with little effort and have no problems covering 10-20 miles, where with paddle kayak we were tired after 1/2 mile and wanted to go home.
With the mirage pedal drive system and the sail kits we were able to quadruple our range. A couple years ago we upgraded to the Hobie tandem Island ( I am on my 3rd TI now), we even have more interest, and still go out every single weekend, we even use the TI as a scuba diving platform, though we don't fish, we do love to spear fish while diving, catching lobsters is also a blast (when in season of course). When in Kayak only mode the TI is as fast as any other kayak, and just as able, we even run rapids and rivers with the TI's. To this day (5 years later), whenever we plan a trip, we both want to put the boat on the roof (just in case we get a chance to find some water).
Like I said earlier, I'm not trying to convince you to buy anything, I'm just relating what we do, and why.

As far as service and support goes, there is no other company like Hobie.

Our problem is not the cost of the boat, it's the cost of the Yukon Denali cars we put the kayaks on ($60k plus ea), we wore out one Denali already and are way over the miles on the second one looking for fun places to kayak and adventure, but boy do we have a lot of fun doing it. (true story)

To be perfectly honest I would never have imagined in a million years how much fun and enjoying this sport would be. I often have huge fish swim right up to me (the boat is totally silent), as well as dolphins, and manatees.

Hope this helps you
Bob


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