03-07-2007, 12:43 PM
Sorry to be such a nuisance. It is funny; I seem to agonize over the purchase of fishing gear. With the same money, or even 10X the money involved, I would never agonize over a non-fishing purchase. I guess that is just another indication that I’m totally addicted to fishing!
My “lead” on the yellow Fat Cat came in at $220 (shipping was not included in my original quote), and my best price on the ODC is right at $150. So, the price is not as close as I had thought. But, my real concern at this point is the warranty. The Fat Cat has a 5-year warranty, and the ODC has a lifetime warranty. Granted, I fully expect that a hook and my stupidity will damage any tube long before there is any type of manufacture defect.
The Fat Cat has a single air cell….right? This is actually a BIG plus for me. It is my understanding that in Ohio, an inflatable craft has to be registered if it has more than one air cell. So, a tube with a single air cell would save me some money ($20), and more importantly it would save me from a HUGE hassle (priceless).
Final question (yea, right!), when deflated how large are these tubes? I need to fit any tube and associated gear that I purchase into an “old school” external frame backpack. This is an absolute deal breaker. The packed dimensions of the ODC seem doable at 22x19x12. Is the Fat Cat similar? I usually fish from a kayak. Twice a year, I take a fishing trip to an area that has hundreds of old strip pits filled with MONSTER bass. It is extremely rough terrain, and it is impossible to get a kayak to some of the ponds. Of course, the ponds that are more difficult to access have the better fishing, and that is why I’m looking for a float tube.
Thanks again!
[signature]
My “lead” on the yellow Fat Cat came in at $220 (shipping was not included in my original quote), and my best price on the ODC is right at $150. So, the price is not as close as I had thought. But, my real concern at this point is the warranty. The Fat Cat has a 5-year warranty, and the ODC has a lifetime warranty. Granted, I fully expect that a hook and my stupidity will damage any tube long before there is any type of manufacture defect.
The Fat Cat has a single air cell….right? This is actually a BIG plus for me. It is my understanding that in Ohio, an inflatable craft has to be registered if it has more than one air cell. So, a tube with a single air cell would save me some money ($20), and more importantly it would save me from a HUGE hassle (priceless).
Final question (yea, right!), when deflated how large are these tubes? I need to fit any tube and associated gear that I purchase into an “old school” external frame backpack. This is an absolute deal breaker. The packed dimensions of the ODC seem doable at 22x19x12. Is the Fat Cat similar? I usually fish from a kayak. Twice a year, I take a fishing trip to an area that has hundreds of old strip pits filled with MONSTER bass. It is extremely rough terrain, and it is impossible to get a kayak to some of the ponds. Of course, the ponds that are more difficult to access have the better fishing, and that is why I’m looking for a float tube.
Thanks again!
[signature]