This Might Be The Best Budget Hybrid! First voyage update.

My new tube arrived yesterday and I have to admit, out of the box, it exceeds all my expectations.   It arrived 4 days after ordering it from Amazon, and the total cost including shipping was $535.

This thing is really quality built.  All the seams are even and appear double heat welded.  The tube is .7 mil PVC impregnated polyester, and appears really tough.  The bladderless tube has 3 chambers which hold 3.5 PSI.  The floor and seat are dropstitched and can hold 13 PSI.  The valves are good quality Halkey-Roberts and work well.  There are rubber runners under the tube to keep from scraping it up on the ground.

The accessories and rib ports are Railblaza,  and it came with a rod holder and fish finder mount (which I converted to a dual camera mount because I am happy with my fishfindermounts.com rig.)

The oarlocks and oars are nothing fancy but seem quite functional.   The spreader bar and stripping apron are well designed and much better than those on my other tubes.  The bow motor mount is sturdy and fits tight to the boat, but I suspect I won't be using it for the foreseeable future.

The side bags are pretty heavy duty and attach with clips at all four corners, but they appear to be narrower than I would like for my tackle trays.  Also there are no handles on either side of the seat which I know I will miss when loading and unloading from my truck, but really those are nitpicky things.

All in all,  for what is essentially half the expense of other hybrid tubes I have researched and seen first hand, this seems a really good option.  I will update my review after my first trip on the water this weekend and let you know how she performs.

Hope this is helpful,
Dan
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Hey that looks great and happy to hear you feel it was worth the purchase. Looking forward to hearing more from you about it.

Hi Dan,

Wow your new hybrid float tube looks very cool. Looking forward to hearing about your maiden voyage.
Have fun!

That thing is awesome. Welcome to the hybrid side. Enjoy.

Well, I took it on its maiden voyage this afternoon, and learned a few things.

1)  In the future I will fill the sub floor hard, but not the seat on top of it.  While it is capable of holding 13 PSI, it is hard as a proverbial rock when it is that inflated.  After four hours I was pretty uncomfortable.  I think I bruised my butt.

2) Because the tube itself, as well as the floor and seat hold air at much higher pressure, I sit a lot higher in the water.  Being a large guy this is good.  I was able to move it along at a pretty good clip, actually faster than in the FishCat or Cumberland.  However, sitting higher means it also catches more wind.  When the wind came up it became slightly harder to kick against than my Cumberland.

3) There are oars on either side of the tube.  They worked fine and were actually useful when covering water between fishing spots.  However because of their placement I could not mount my rod holders on the side of the tube.  I miss them being there.  They were handy when switching rods.  For now I am relying on 2 single rod holders mounted to a cooler I have placed behind the seat, but it isn't very convenient.  If I find myself not using the oars much, I may go without them so I can put back my side mounted rod holders.

4) The tube is bigger, and longer from bow to stern than any of my other tubes.  It's also heavier.  None of this is necessarily bad, but with the motor mount attached it wouldn't fit in the bed of my truck with the tailgate closed.  Still I wasn't planning on using the mount anyway.   I eventually do want to motorize it, but the plan is to mount either a Bixpy or Float Plus system under the tube.  Without the motor mount it fits in my truck like a hand in a glove.

5)  I was initially worried about the side pockets being too small,  but actually they held all my gear and tackle quite well.  I also love that they clip off and on which saves me from having to unload and reload them every trip. Now I just pop them off and store them with my tackle.  Then I'll just clip them on the tube when I am ready to go.  Easy Peezy!

All in all I found it quite maneuverable and speedy on the water.  I should have no problems on the lakes or bays with it.  As previously stated, it is very well made and robust.  I think the added benefit of being able to glue on mounts and accessories will pay big dividends when I start customizing it.

I hope you found this review helpful.  I actually highly recommend this tube for anyone looking for an entry level hybrid for sure.

Dan

What a great review. Glad you had a good first outing.

When I moved over the hybrids I think I noticed some of the same issues. The seat took time to understand and yes it's best to deflate it.

My first hybrids were much heavier then the normal float tube. This lead to eventually getting a custom built cart. My current Float Plus 1 is much lighter but the cart just works so well I still use it.

I also agree being higher out of the water makes you faster and more nimble. The wind becomes and issue this is why I like the flat boats as well. Overall it looks like you new ride is doing well. Thanks for sharing and have fun customizing.

Thanks for sharing your experiences and observations on this tube.

Good luck with it

Dear Board,

I'm a big dude at 6'5" and 350 pounds. I mostly flyfish lakes and ponds when I am float tubing, but I am looking for something a little larger than my old Waterskeeter Daytripper. I also have an 8' Creek Company Voyager that I use but it really needs a long box pickup truck to move, and my current vehicle is too small to handle it inflated without throwing it on the roof.

I saw the FRM boat on Amazon and I have seen the Roughneck on the Bucks Bags website, but I can't find out much about it anywhere else?

I have a Crescent Ultra-Lite kayak and I like it, but I use that mostly when my wife and I go fishing together. It's easier to trailer them and I really don't want to car-top my kayak for a solo trip.

I'm really looking for something that will fit partially inflated into a Ford Expedition. Something a big older fat dude would be happy with.

Hopefully I get some suggestions beside lose weight!

Regards,

Tim Murphy

Harrisburg PA

Tim Murphy wrote:Dear Board,

I'm a big dude at 6'5" and 350 pounds.  I mostly flyfish lakes and ponds when I am float tubing, but I am looking for something a little larger than my old Waterskeeter Daytripper.  I also have an 8' Creek Company Voyager that I use but it really needs a long box pickup truck to move, and my current vehicle is too small to handle it inflated without throwing it on the roof.

I saw the FRM boat on Amazon and I have seen the Roughneck on the Bucks Bags website, but I can't find out much about it anywhere else?

I have a Crescent Ultra-Lite kayak and I like it, but I use that mostly when my wife and I go fishing together.  It's easier to trailer them and I really don't want to car-top my kayak for a solo trip.

I'm really looking for something that will fit partially inflated into a Ford Expedition.  Something a big older fat dude would be happy with.

Hopefully I get some suggestions beside lose weight!

Regards,

Tim Murphy

Harrisburg PA

For the record I am a fat guy. One of the reasons I got back into float tube fishing is specifically for some exercise (and because it has always been my favorite way to fish)

The FRM Boards tube is rated for 400 lbs but I suspect it would handle quite a bit more that that in reality.

My truck bed is a 5'6" short bed and the tube fits fully inflated without the motor mount.

I love the tube and highly recommend it for heavy guys.

My .02
Dan

Dannicus wrote:

Tim Murphy wrote:Dear Board,

I'm a big dude at 6'5" and 350 pounds.  I mostly flyfish lakes and ponds when I am float tubing, but I am looking for something a little larger than my old Waterskeeter Daytripper.  I also have an 8' Creek Company Voyager that I use but it really needs a long box pickup truck to move, and my current vehicle is too small to handle it inflated without throwing it on the roof.

I saw the FRM boat on Amazon and I have seen the Roughneck on the Bucks Bags website, but I can't find out much about it anywhere else?

I have a Crescent Ultra-Lite kayak and I like it, but I use that mostly when my wife and I go fishing together.  It's easier to trailer them and I really don't want to car-top my kayak for a solo trip.

I'm really looking for something that will fit partially inflated into a Ford Expedition.  Something a big older fat dude would be happy with.

Hopefully I get some suggestions beside lose weight!

Regards,

Tim Murphy

Harrisburg PA

For the record I am a fat guy.  One of the reasons I got back into float tube fishing is specifically for some exercise (and because it has always been my favorite way to fish)

The FRM Boards tube is rated for 400 lbs but I suspect it would handle quite a bit more that that in reality.  

My truck bed is a 5'6" short bed and the tube fits fully inflated without the motor mount.

I love the tube and highly recommend it for heavy guys.

My .02
Dan

Dear Dan,

Thanks for the honest recommendation.  I don't know if I will get the FRM or anything this year.  It's good to know you are comfortable with it and it will certainly be something I will consider in the Spring.

Thanks again,

Tim Murphy

Harrisburg PA

Congratulations on your new ride!
There’s nothing like a maiden voyage!

SP Dan

Thanks for the review! I've fished next to a gentleman with this exact tube from Amazon. ANd he loves his too.

By the way I run a Bixpy and it is FANTASTIC! I believe that the Bixpy is an ideal tube motor. Other than the $$$$, which does matter, it is an ideal motor. The motor unit itself is about 2.5 lbs and the battery floats, is waterproof, and easily troll for 8 hours at least at trolling speed. (I've not exhausted the battery so I am extrapolating.)

PM me if you ever want to test out the Bixpy on your new tube.

Dannicus wrote:Well, I took it on its maiden voyage this afternoon, and learned a few things.

1)  In the future I will fill the sub floor hard, but not the seat on top of it.  While it is capable of holding 13 PSI, it is hard as a proverbial rock when it is that inflated.  After four hours I was pretty uncomfortable.  I think I bruised my butt.

2) Because the tube itself, as well as the floor and seat hold air at much higher pressure, I sit a lot higher in the water.  Being a large guy this is good.  I was able to move it along at a pretty good clip, actually faster than in the FishCat or Cumberland.  However, sitting higher means it also catches more wind.  When the wind came up it became slightly harder to kick against than my Cumberland.

3) There are oars on either side of the tube.  They worked fine and were actually useful when covering water between fishing spots.  However because of their placement I could not mount my rod holders on the side of the tube.  I miss them being there.  They were handy when switching rods.  For now I am relying on 2 single rod holders mounted to a cooler I have placed behind the seat, but it isn't very convenient.  If I find myself not using the oars much, I may go without them so I can put back my side mounted rod holders.

4) The tube is bigger, and longer from bow to stern than any of my other tubes.  It's also heavier.  None of this is necessarily bad, but with the motor mount attached it wouldn't fit in the bed of my truck with the tailgate closed.  Still I wasn't planning on using the mount anyway.   I eventually do want to motorize it, but the plan is to mount either a Bixpy or Float Plus system under the tube.  Without the motor mount it fits in my truck like a hand in a glove.

5)  I was initially worried about the side pockets being too small,  but actually they held all my gear and tackle quite well.  I also love that they clip off and on which saves me from having to unload and reload them every trip. Now I just pop them off and store them with my tackle.  Then I'll just clip them on the tube when I am ready to go.  Easy Peezy!

All in all I found it quite maneuverable and speedy on the water.  I should have no problems on the lakes or bays with it.  As previously stated, it is very well made and robust.  I think the added benefit of being able to glue on mounts and accessories will pay big dividends when I start customizing it.

I hope you found this review helpful.  I actually highly recommend this tube for anyone looking for an entry level hybrid for sure.

Dan

Thank you for your review and all for your detailed thoughts.
I know that this will be useful for the next guy who will be looking for a tube as well!

Thanx again

SP Dan

Now that the new boat smell has faded, what are your thoughts on this boat now?

FloatTubeIQ wrote:Thanks for the review!  I've fished next to a gentleman with this exact tube from Amazon.  ANd he loves his too.

By the way I run a Bixpy and it is FANTASTIC!  I believe that the Bixpy is an ideal tube motor. Other than the $$$$, which does matter, it is an ideal motor.  The motor unit itself is about 2.5 lbs and the battery floats, is waterproof, and easily troll for 8 hours at least at trolling speed. (I've not exhausted the battery so I am extrapolating.)

PM me if you ever want to test out the Bixpy on your new tube.  

I would love to see how the Bixby is attached to your boat

Whacked wrote:Now that the new boat smell has faded, what are your thoughts on this boat now?

I still love it. I have modified it to the hilt. It has front and rear facing cameras with a controller that allows me to monitor the view from each camera and stop and start them simultaneously.

I glued on quick release fish finder, battery and transducer mounts for my Garmin Striker 4 available through fishfindermounts dot com. I glued on D rings to better allow me to easily attach and detach my rod holders from the boat. I made a reversible wheel setup that uses the mounts for the motor. I plan on adding the Bixpy later this summer. I will upload pictures of all the mods when I get them done.

The tube preforms excellently on the water and being a large guy it keeps me up quite high. I find it faster and more maneuverable on the water than my Cumberland.

I stand firmly behind my statement that this is in my opinion the best hybrid tube for the money I have seen and I would recommend it highly.

Nice!
Eventually I want to replace my Togiak. I too am a big guy and I push thst tube to the limit. I have to say, for what it is, how cheap it is, its awesome starter tube.

I'd like a Float Plus, don't think I could wing it, at least not until they get a distributor in the US. So narrowed down to Bucks Bags Roughneck Cumberland and this FRM Board.

Right now, the FRM is ahead of the pack even though its the most $$$.

Looking forward to seeing your mods!

Great info, Im thinking about getting this tube and have a few questions if you dont mind.

Is the bar for stabilizing the tube or is it just to hang the mesh ruler tray? Im wondering if that bar would be a pain in the butt to fly fish over. I use a sinking line so I like to keep my rod tip in the water. I fish out of a Cumberland and the bar is lower and not an issue. Think the bar would interfere with that? Would the tube be wonky without it?

How much higher are you in this than your Cumberland? The only tube I have to reference is the Cumberland, and although the seat gets uncomfortable after 3+ hours, it sits me pretty high. Is this seat significantly higher or just a bit?

Can the valves be replaced?

BenPhartin wrote:Great info, Im thinking about getting this tube and have a few questions if you dont mind.

Is the bar for stabilizing the tube or is it just to hang the mesh ruler tray? Im wondering if that bar would be a pain in the butt to fly fish over. I use a sinking line so I like to keep my rod tip in the water. I fish out of a Cumberland and the bar is lower and not an issue. Think the bar would interfere with that? Would the tube be wonky without it?

How much higher are you in this than your Cumberland? The only tube I have to reference is the Cumberland, and although the seat gets uncomfortable after 3+ hours, it sits me pretty high. Is this seat significantly higher or just a bit?

Can the valves be replaced?

1) Yes the valves are replaced with standard halkey-roberts valves.

2) I would say I sit 3"-4" higher than in my Cumberland.

3) The bar is also a stabilizer, but I find it about the same height as the he Cumberland probably because I sit higher. I've never fly fished from it.

I hope this helps.

Yea that helps a lot, thanks.

How well does it row? I see youve shed the oars in favor of rod holders and electronics, but are the oars significantly faster than kicking? I love plopping my tube in small ponds and coves and marinas in large lakes but never venture too far from the drop in point. Will the oars allow me to travel out much further and faster or is the difference between oars and fins not that much?

BenPhartin wrote:Yea that helps a lot, thanks.

How well does it row? I see youve shed the oars in favor of rod holders and electronics, but are the oars significantly faster than kicking? I love plopping my tube in small ponds and coves and marinas in large lakes but never venture too far from the drop in point. Will the oars allow me to travel out much further and faster or is the difference between oars and fins not that much?

I used them one time when I first bought it a couple of years ago and discarded them. Not because they didn't work, but because the electronics were in the way. I really didn't know she them enough to give you an honest assessment....sorry.

No sweat! Thanks for answering my questions!

Took the plunge and got one juuuust before they removed them from Amazon, which is a bummer because there was good info in the reviews. As an odd sidenote, I downloaded the PDF instructions they provided a link for and it downloaded instructions on how to fly an F-18 fighter jet. Why a Chinese seller on Amazon is willfully offering up previously classified USAF documents to float tube buyers is really beyond me. At least I know how to steal one if the opportunity ever presents...

Anyway, the tube is great, just not the best for fly fishing (my line loves the mount holders and oar fixtures). I was wondering if you knew how much trolling motor thrust is necessary to push this thing. Someone on craigslist has an 18lb for like 20 bucks but Im not sure 18lbs is enough. I also have zero knowledge of trolling motors, so theres that.

BenPhartin wrote:Took the plunge and got one juuuust before they removed them from Amazon, which is a bummer because there was good info in the reviews. As an odd sidenote, I downloaded the PDF instructions they provided a link for and it downloaded instructions on how to fly an F-18 fighter jet. Why a Chinese seller on Amazon is willfully offering up previously classified USAF documents to float tube buyers is really beyond me. At least I know how to steal one if the opportunity ever presents...

Anyway, the tube is great, just not the best for fly fishing (my line loves the mount holders and oar fixtures). I was wondering if you knew how much trolling motor thrust is necessary to push this thing. Someone on craigslist has an 18lb for like 20 bucks but Im not sure 18lbs is enough. I also have zero knowledge of trolling motors, so theres that.

I think 18 lbs is plenty. I have a Bixpy mounted underneath and frankly can't recommend it highly enough.