Wanted to get a veterans prospective

[mgi0757]

Hey.....Its my first post...Yippie.
My 11yr old son and I went to a kayak show (we never owned a kayak in our life) in early spring this year to browse and possibly get cheap (in $$$ only) fishing kayaks.
Of course after looking at everything at the show, then running into the Hobie dealer.....WOW...nuff said, we were sold on the hobies, so much for cheap kayaks...lol
I bought 2, outback for me, revo-11 for my 11yr old son, and I have a Mercury Mountaineer SUV to transport them, I also bougt 2 sets of Thule J racks for each yak.
I live in bucks county and fish lake Nockamixon/Galena, and have a seasonal campgrond place in Avalon NJ so I can fish the salt also (never had the yak in the salt yet).

Anyway....about your your orignal question (even though I am in no way a verteran)...GET THE OUTBACK!!!!!!
I prefer taking my sons Revo-11 to the lakes when he does not go with me becasue it is so easy to load/unload and a blast to fish with (even though I still need to add a rod holder in the front).
It only takes me 5 mins to load up the Revo-11 and be on my way.
The outback to me is a totally different aniamal, it's a freakin beast to get out of my garage and load on the SUV, but its so stable that I would only take the outback in the salt.
I feel like I am in a boat when I am on the outback vs the Revo, and would never even consider my Revo in a inlet (maybe the bay on a perfect day)


And yes....I use a small 1 step stool (I am 5'7" and in fine shape) to pickup the Revo-11 and get it on the Thule J-bars...its not bad at all for me. Just make sure the stool is on a good surface, you could end up breaking a ankle if it gives while you are up there with a yak.
I removed the other set of Thule J-Bars for the outback(I will probably sell them on the barn soon) since it is so freakin hard to get the outback on those bars by myself.
I now put my sons bike helmet on and pickup the outback by the handles turn it upside down and rest it on my head and walk it to the SUV and slide it up on the roof, I find this is the easiest method for me, and no stool needed for this.

[waterbug]

This is the next easiest way to haul your yaks without a pickup truck. The only drawbacks are parking in some locations and Toll Booths (They usually more than double the tolls). But IMO worth the little aggrivations. It is a converted Harbor Freight trailer.