Foam or inflated seat?

I'm shopping for my first tube and very grateful for this forum and it's members. One of my biggest questions right now is the pros and cons of the foam seat vs inflated. The root of my concern is a bad back which gives me the Goldilocks syndrome. I want a seat that's not too hard, but not so soft the backrest doesn't offer support. Can the inflatable seats really be inflated enough to offer support, and just how firm do the foam seats get after several hours of floating?

I'm leaning toward the inflatable seat because I'm looking for a lighter tube I can comfortably(?) carry on a short hike. I probably won't be doing much in the way of serious back country camping, just short day trips. I was initially looking at the ODC 420 but I'm now thinking the about the 420 Ultralight, currently on sale at Cabelas. I'm 6'2" 230lb without gear if that factors into any suggestions.

Thanks,
Dan

Inflatable seat all the way.... You can adjust the pressure to your confort...

Hey Dan, I have a cumberland which has foam seat and back. The weight of the foam is negligable and I found that after about 4 hours of fishing the seat is still ok to sit in. The back of the seat is a slightly different matter.

I weigh just under 350lb and have found that the back of the seat tends to give a bit as it warms up, to remedy this I have placed a piece of HDPE 6.5mm plastic in the back of the seat to stiffen it up. I have a bulging disc in my back and found the Cumberland seat ok apart from the movement in the seat back after prolonged use.
There has been a comment made by another user of a Cumberland FT, relating to the back of the seat wearing/softening with time and extended use, but then most things wear with time.
I have yet to test the seat with the HDPE backing, but I believe it should perform better with the added piece, giving better support.

Although added expense, the foam in the seats is replaceable should it be damaged and probably with a bit of experimentation the right type of foam could be substituted to get the required firmness. After looking at the foam back It would be possible to glue a minimal foam lumbar support into the seat back if required, as there is enough room/movement in the fabric back to do so.

My size, is the main reason that I have found problems with the seat back but from reports by others, they are more than pleased with the performance of their Cumberlands and do not appear to have any problems with extended use.

Matter of choice I suppose and style of tube you go with. I offer these comments as constructive critisism of the Cumberland seat and my experience with it.
I am more than happy with the tube overall and its performance.

i'd go with inflatable seats but i didn't like how the odc 420 ultralight seats were. it was hard to inflate and deflate the seats.

Hey bro go inflatable...well worth it. I upgraded to a super fat cat from a odc 420L. very comfortable.

Thanks for the feedback everyone. Sounds like inflatable is the way to go.

motorazr, Been reading lots of good things about the Cumberland. Unfortunately it doesn't really seem like the ideal tube for hiking.

kg562, Thanks for the feedback on the 420UL seats. Sigh, it's always something...

phishinghookz, The Super Fat Cat was high on my list until I saw it has a single bladder. I'm in PA and tubes must have at least dual bladders to be used in the State Parks. The inflated seat "may" qualify. But I'd still prefer dual bladders.

Togiak has a foam seat...but adjustable back support...according to cabelas and bass pro has a 350 weight cap. And is ideal for hiking....and is priced between 160 and 180...

good luck with finding your tube that fits you best!

n2deepfsw wrote:Inflatable seat all the way.... You can adjust the pressure to your confort...

second that

Mikem909 wrote:Togiak has a foam seat...but adjustable back support...according to cabelas and bass pro has a 350 weight cap. And is ideal for hiking....and is priced between 160 and 180...

what do u mean by adjustable back support? as in moving it back and forth? cause if thats the case then odc 420, cumberland and many others have it also. i know that cumberland is 350 weight capacity also but the odc is 300 i think.

kg562 wrote:

Mikem909 wrote:Togiak has a foam seat...but adjustable back support...according to cabelas and bass pro has a 350 weight cap. And is ideal for hiking....and is priced between 160 and 180...

what do u mean by adjustable back support? as in moving it back and forth? cause if thats the case then odc 420, cumberland and many others have it also. i know that cumberland is 350 weight capacity also but the odc is 300 i think.

ya...although its not very study...

Thanks for the feedback everyone. I think I've decided to go with the Super Fat Cat. I would prefer dual bladders but even though it's extremely unlikely, in case of catastrophic failure I would still have the inflated seat and backrest, and I do wear a PFD. Though it's self inflating and with my luck...

I also went back to check the PA regulations and their wording is-

"Quality float tubes are permitted in State Park waters in lakes and still water away from designated swimming or boat launching areas. A quality float tube has two air bladders made of heavy gauge rubber or PVC material covered by a durable fabric shell"

It doesn't actually say "must" have two air bladders, but if I get called out on it I'll point out that it actually has three counting the two for the seat. But I doubt anyone would actually question that the SFC is a "quality" float tube. Sounds like they just don't want people out there in an old inner tube or something made for a swimming pool.

It's also on sale at Cabelas right now for $319 and I've read nothing but glowing reviews for warranty service from Outcast, although the same is true for Creek Company. One other motivation is it's Made in USA. Something I haven't been able to find mentioned on any other tube.