2014 or 2015 Outback

Ok..the 2015 Outback with its changes is out on the market...my question for you is this...at what (low) price would it take to make you buy a new 2014 over the new 2015 and save money, but not have the new seat and such? Or would you just have to have the new 2015...

My first Hobie was a 2010 Outback and now I own a 2013 PA-14 with the vantage seat that is so much more comfortable than the Outback seat.

So, my initial suggestion is to go for the 2015 Outback with the redesigned seat.......If on the other hand, you only occasionally would use your Outback, with limited time on the water, I would opt for the 2014 if it were $500 cheaper.

I typically troll my PA-14 covering 8 to 10 miles in 4 3/4 hours to 5 1/2 hours......and can still walk after trolling/fishing......in my 2010 Outback, my rear end was killing me after only covering 6 miles and I had to pack it in.......IMHO the Vantage seat made a big difference for me as I have a "thinly padded butt" that comes with old age.
Being comfortable plays a big part in fishing and the better seat + improved Mirage drive comes at a cost, but if you are going to spend hours on the water and can afford 2015 Outback.....go for it.

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Dr.SteelheadCatcher
Warrenton, OR

I'm getting a 2015 TI primarily because of the new seat, but if I were buying another Outback I'd probably get the 2014 and save some money. I can't stand the older Hobie seat, kills my back. I replaced it on my 2013 Outback with a Skwoosh high-back seat and a PVC frame that sits in the dry well that gives me a solid backrest and an incredibly comfortable seat for long trips - I've been accused of having a "floating recliner".

Doing something like this does eat into the rear well some but I still have room to put my small cooler, dry bag of miscellaneous gear, and other smaller items.

Some pictures of my Outback seat: http://n5usr.net/kayaking/outbackSeat.html

One caveat: if there are any waves at all, especially if I'm pushing the speed, I get a lot of spray and water collects in the seat. If you don't like sitting in a puddle, the new seat should keep your backside out of the water better!

I kept thinking that I really wanted the 2015 Hobie Outback and after seeing it in person I couldn't see myself paying $2,300 dollars for it. My suggestion - Shop around and get a 2014. Don't buy the 2015 before testing the older Outbacks. Find a shop that still has some old inventory and try one one, or look on craigslist and let the seller know your intentions and ask to test drive it. I managed to snag up a lightly used outback for $1,350 on Craigslist just because the seller really wanted to upgrade to the new seat.

Personally, after testing both of them out, I couldn't justify spending $1,000 dollars for the 2015 model. I don't do enough paddling to justify the extra $1,000 cost when comparing this to the 2014 purchased on Craigslist for $1,350.

Update after the purchase --- I love the 2014 Outback and don't regret buying it over the 2015 model. In fact, my wife loved the kayak so much that she wanted to get one of her own. That weekend we drove to our local Kayak shop and they happened to have both the 2014 and 2015 models on the floor. We sat on both, played around with the new seat, the old seat, messed around with the new mirage drive and compared it to the old one, etc. So again, I was leaning towards the new 2015 model just because newer always sounds better, and then the sales rep said "It's our last 2014 outback and were trying to make room for the new 2015 inventory so the kayak has a 20% discount"...

We now have two 2014 Outbacks and are very happy that we bought them at a very low price. We bought a used 2014 Outback from Craigslist for $1,350 and purchased a new 2014 floor model for $1,600. My wife and I don't do heavy paddling and we don't go out on long fishing trips (we use the boat for that). In fact, for the most part we only take them out on sunny warm days on the weekends. The cool thing is that we have two, so we get to bring a friend along when one of us just wants to hang out on the sand, and we can load them up on the boat and take them with us. Plus, we get to treat them like what they are- Kayaks. We don't have to worry about anyone trying to steal our seats (A problem that I had when I owned a pro anger 12). So, do I regret not buying the 2015 model... The answer is NO!

I would get the 2014 model to save money. To solve the butt problems with the older seat, I took a plastic molded boat seat for $10 and placed it in the canvas seat that came with the outback. The plastic is molded with a natural curve in the seat. The little post that hold the canvas seat in place for then neuteralized and do not put you butt muscles to sleep. $10 solution and save money if you buy the older model or even used for someone who wants to buy the new improved model!!! Outback is a very good fishing yak.

I actually had a deposit down on a slightly used '14 demo Outback and then put another deposit on a '15 a couple weeks before delivery. I tried both Outbacks side by side, tryin the 2015 first and then the 2014 and it's a no brainer. The Vantage CT seat is much more comfortable, almost as much as my PA 14 seat with the exception of the arm rests and it does not recline as much in the Outback and it is a totally dry ride even in heavy chop. The demo was $1,399 at my dealer. He credited me on both deposits for the '15.

If you can afford it, get the '15 Outback. If you can't, then get the '14 and jury rig the seat to make it more comfortable and wear waders to keep your A$$ dry!

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2013 PA 14
2015 Outback

Guys.....I have two 2014 Outbacks and am quite happy with them....my question was, how cheap of a deal would it take you guys to buy a 2014 and pass on a 2015....

In direct answer to your question I would say the price point is at least $500. I would guess that there will be a fairly good quantity of 2014 and older Outbacks on Ebay and Craigslist come this spring and that increased availability will drive the asking price for these used Outbacks down. In the short run it will both hurt sales of new Outbacks and cause others like myself who own older models (mine a 2011) to reconsider buying new.

I own a 2011, 2014 and just traded in my 2011 Outback mainly because of the seat, and the Lowrance configuration. I would love to get the PA-12 or 14, but at 66 the Outback is just about manageable for these arthritis bones and muscles.

I would say the difference in price after a 10-20% discount of the 2014 Outback and a 2015 would be a big factor: Almost $700 for if they gave you 20% off on the 2014, and $500 on 10%.

If you got the 20%=$700 discount, you could put that in to the rigging of the yac.

So, to save money get the 2014, but if you are stuck on the seat and the new Mirage Drive, go for the 2015.

My thoughts!