My Hobie Revolution and Outback test

Hey everyone, I drove down to Coos Bay to test out both the Revolution 13 and the Outback thanks to Chris at Waxers! In my short demo I personally like the Revo 13 a lot more. My concerns with the Revo before testing them were that some people said it was more "tippy" than the outback and it didn't have as much room either. I thought I would like the Outback more too because it was a more stable platform and had much more deck room. After demoing both of them, to me , the Revo was perfectly stable. I did not feel at all like I would tip over when rocking it back and forth. The tracking between the two was a night and day difference. The Revo glided right through the water with ease and turned sharp. Then I tried out the outback. Definitely more of a boat feel vs kayak feel. The acceleration felt almost as good as the Revo but it seemed quite a bit harder to maintain a fast speed. It created a good size wake were as the Revo  barely had a wake. The outback to me almost felt like you were towing something behind you. As far as the ease to get the kayak moving and keep it up to speed the Revo wins hands down in my book. The stability factor goes to the Outback but the Revo is not unstable at all. I could not see my self tipping the Revo unless i was doing something stupid so its pretty equal to me. The deck space was the only other thing I was looking at. Yea the outback has more room but the Revo didn't seem crammed at all. I was trying to think what I would use the side trays for that I couldn't do other wise and couldn't think of anything. You can easily mount some geartracs and put what ever you want anywhere. If you have a fishing pfd that helps a lot too for holding gear and tackle. As far as my stats Im 25 5'7 and about 210lbs. I ended up putting a $100 down on a 2015 Dune Revolution 13. Hopefully this helps some new guys like my self. I would definitely suggest that anyone that is deciding between these two to test them out. You can read as much as you want but nothing compares to on the water experience. Any more questions let me know!

Also, when I was in the Coos Bay area I ended up stopping by Basin Tackle in Charleston. Anyone who wants any information about fishing or tackle the owner is really helpful and friendly. Stop by the shop if you're in the area and you'll know what i mean. Great service! I'll definitely be coming to him for bait and tackle when i'm in the area.

The Revo is a fine boat. I love mine.

Like Uplandsandpiper, I have a 13' Revolution, like it very much, and prefer the Revolution to the Outback.  But many very experienced kayakers own and prefer Outbacks.  I'm waiting with interest to hear why they like the Outback better.  Let the battle of the kayaks begin!

I like the Outback more.... because that is what I own.

I think if I did more ocean fishing, I'd want the Revo though.  The Outback is great for what I do.

Congrats on the Revo! I'm convinced you wont be disappointed. I love my Revo, but with the new seat and mirage drive im jealous! Gearing up is part of the fun. er... well... ummm... dare I say obsession? Some of us... spend more time and energy rigging, re-rigging, re-gearing, moving and deleting stuff than they kayak fish!

Glad you found Basin Tackle. Bite's On Bait and Tackle is another good one. Englund Marine is also worthwhile to stop in. All of them donate and sponsor our local events (of course Waxers too!) so I personally like to give them my patronage.

Let me know when you are ready to get salty! Monday is still looking good. Opportunities don't come by very often this time of year so I have taken the day off. Freezer is empty anyway.
Again, Congrats! Hope to meet you soon!

I plan on ocean, river, and lake fishing.  I could definitely see where someone would like the outback more for inland fishing. it definitely comes down to what type of fishing you do and the feel you want. I might eventually own a outback too just to have both lol

I love love love my outback. But I do admit I admire the revo both 13 & 16.   I've come close to maxing out the weight limit. To the point where rudder holes are submerged. But that's only been three times.  Sleeker is intriguing.  Choices choices choices. Might upgrade  this year so I'm very interested in comments.

I currently own two outbacks and a mini x so I'm open to a different model.

The most important thing is that Chris was there so if you end up not liking it you can always blame it on him.

Why I like my Outback more?  I think that it is a matter of what you get used to. I started with the Outback and still prefer it to my Revo.  A friends statement on the water put it simply.  In the Outback you don't have to think so much. When a boat goes by, I register it and then go back to what I am doing. In the Revo, I have to adjust to the new wake. In the Outback, if I hook a fish and my hands are full, the trays come in handy. In the Revo, you have to be more deliberate. The older ones tend to redirect any thing dropped to your seat.

As far as speed goes, The Revo kicks the Outback out of the park. Trying to push the bow wave for a long period of time can get very old. As long as you remember that, you can keep up a fairly brisk pace and can travel long distances without tiring out.

It is nice having the two to choose from. I can select which one to take depending on the conditions. But, if I had to choose one it would be the Outback.

W

There is just something wrong with that 'naked' kayak!! 
I love my Outback, and I love my sofa too! 
Nuff said...get to fishing...

My take on the Outback vs Revo debate is that the most overlooked factor is personal style.

The Outback guys seem to be (or turn into) gearheads who like to have a lot of stuff arrayed around themselves. They have plenty of deck space to mount outsize fishfinders, radars, and TV's,  and to set down knives, pliers, cameras, lip grippers, phones, GPS, decks of playing cards, etc. Yaksurf's Outback looks like an AWACS destroyer out there.

The Revo guys tend to be more minimalist, because of the lack of deck space. Everything needs to be put in a specific space or it ends up overboard quickly. Interestingly, the guys on this forum who admit to losing the most gear - looking at you, Craig and Langston - are Outback owners.

Disclaimer: I run an Oasis, which is a tandem Revo.

I've owned both and love them both for different reasons.

The revo forces you to be a minimalist; the outback forces you to develop big thighs... Pick your poison. They'll both put a big smile on your face.

I prefer the 13' Revolution to the Outback because it's narrower, a little bit faster, and a little bit less effort.  I think you can festoon either of them with all the fishing gear you might want to use.  The trays on the Outback are convenient, but the pockets on the Revolution hold all the small items of gear I want to have readily available. If you don't have much kayaking experience, or you dream of standing up in your kayak to fish (something I have no interest in doing), you might prefer the Outback because it's wider. 

Ok for the guys that pay more attention then I do.  How does the area behind the seat compare on the outback and revo13? 

The ability to kill and retain 75 to 100 pounds of fish is a requirement for me.  Sorry C&R guys. 

I've come close to maxing out my outback three or four times (or think I have). twice on a limit of 6 big cohos and twice on halibut.  I cringe at the thought of storing fish below deck given the way I don't really clean my kayaks every trip.  I guess I can bag them.  Are they comparable?

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Get one of these to tow behind you if you think you're gonna overload your rig. Use it for fish storage.  Or you could not carry so much stuff when you go out.