Hiking in?

LBL

LBL

Steelhead
Forum Supporter
How do you manage your float tube and gear when hiking/biking into an area. I’m worried about pulling the strap attachments out. Me thinks I’m just hauling in too much stuff, maybe?
 
All rods go in one case. Hip pack becomes my storage with fly boxes, food and usually a Katadyn BeFree. The rod tube gets attached to the hip back if the trail isn’t too narrow or else attached to my tube in a more vertical position.

If your tube is foam bottomed you can deflate the pontoons and fold them against the foam. Then I use a bungee to hold it all together with my net. It sits on my back just above my hip back.

I carry my flippers because I still haven’t found a lightweight option that thrusts sufficiently.

FABB778C-2660-47A1-8651-18FF048B20F6.jpeg

On this trip I even hiked my cheap pump since I wasn’t sure if I had leaks and the lake was fairly big. For me the foam is more than adequate for a ‘frame’ and the majority of weight is down low in my hip pack making my shoulders light.
 
Forgot to mention seeing Squatchin’s post, I did replace the stock straps with a universal padded set off Amazon that has a chest support buckle.
 
I know I can figure this out myself, but I know there people here that will have a fast answer better than I can come up with:

If I get an external frame pack for my Super Fat Cat (and the heavy gear i carry) like the following what would the best way to clamp / strap the Cat to the frame? best in terms of: simplest/quickest on/off, sturdy/stable etc
1682476972143.png
 
Fast Action Freddie said:
I know I can figure this out myself, but I know there people here that will have a fast answer better than I can come up with:

If I get an external frame pack for my Super Fat Cat (and the heavy gear i carry) like the following what would the best way to clamp / strap the Cat to the frame? best in terms of: simplest/quickest on/off, sturdy/stable etc
View attachment 63021
Click to expand...
I would recommend bungee chords.
 
I use these. I have them in different lengths and keep them wrapped/attached to the packframe, then simple lash my float tube to the frame with them.

My Outcast Trinity at seven lbs is pretty light though, so your success using these might differ.

3E85C82E-3EE6-441B-9DF4-A99C409EB75C.png
 
I just use an old Jansport pack I found at a used store. FatCat clips on top side to pack via a strap and the stripping apron snakes through the bottom of the frame. waders in bottom compartment bag of gear, reels in the top with lunch and water. Fins and net slip in the fat Cat seat. Might be a little heavy, but the lakes I'm carrying into aren't long hikes, usually less than 2 miles. I've worn this rig while riding a mountain bike too. Have hiked in much further to some Oregon lakes that have Macks, but use Wilderness Lite tube for them.
 
I’ve been experimenting and I think I had it backwards. Since my main concerns was the strap attachments on the tube when all my gear and pack were loaded on and the floppy nature when carrying the load, I switched it up. I’ve now tried strapping the tube onto my fully loaded frameless backpack. Any decent pack, framed or frameless, is going to be better at carrying a load than the tube. By snugging the tube onto the pack I’m not putting additional weight stress on the tube. My ultralight backpack has external lashing straps that fit through the float tubes d rings. My test ride on my bike felt much more stable due to the improved fit of the backpack over the float tube straps. Whatever weight I feel I can carry I’m sure this system will support.
 
What kind of trail are you hiking in on? Does it have overhanging branches, fallen trees to scoot under, stream crossings, thick underbrush? If so, it will be a nightmare humping in a fully inflated tube. Spare yourself the trouble and possible damage to your gear and inflate your tube at your destination. Your hike in will be smoother and your gear will suffer less. Find a suitable backpack with sufficient space, pack it in, and go nuts.
 
I've watched several friends go to the framed backpack route for their float tubes (Fat Cats, uh, the tubes are Fat Cats, not my friends) while I continue to use the Fat Cat straps from Outcast. Watching one friend get up to speed with his used backpack frame and his lashing process was interesting. He was methodical as all get out so it took him several times longer to lash his boat to his frame than it did for me to pack/lash my dry bag (fins, sweater, stripping apron), net and pfd to my Fat Cat and hoist it up. Then his back pack frame wasn't "tuned" (adjusted?) to his torso which caused him shoulder pain. I'm not a backpacker, I had no clue there's such a thing as tuning your backpack to your torso (I had to google torso measurement and then look at videos showing how to tune torso to frame. Of course I bought a used Kelty backpack before I knew of torso tuning (TT), I don't think my torso and my frame are a match.... to be continued (for me).
 
Another option if you're packing your boat in un-inflated... these USB charging inflators are amazing:

Amazon product ASIN B07C2QR1TX
I saw a guy in MT inflate a full size whitewater raft at the boat launch in just a few minutes using one of these. I promptly bought one when I got home and it's fantastic for filling float tubes. And it's small enough and light enough to just keep in one of the pockets of the tube.
 
I have an ultralight raft for high lakes, but I always prefer fishing from a tube. While I have a modern Fish Cat tube, I also keep my ancient Caddis U-Boat (ca. 1995) for short trips to mountain lakes. The thing weighs around 6.5 lbs and secures to an old external backpack frame very well.
 
Depends on what I'm doing, my method of getting in(hiking vs biking) and the distance I'm going.

I have an Alpacka Caribou for true "hike in" endeavors... I'm talking more than a mile or so. Usually space is at a premium and I'm packing other stuff as well(sometimes sleeping gear depending) so I need something lightweight and compact.

Biking in will depend on regulations... I have an ebike as well as a regular mountain bike and a trailer. If e-bikes aren't allowed then the Alpacka gets the nod again because compact and lightweight reign supreme when I'm getting myself in under my own power.

In either case, when under my own power the lot of my gear goes on a Stone Glacier Crux frame that has a 7900cu in bag attached.

If I'm driving up, its less than a mile walk, or I can ebike in I'm bringing my Outcast Stealth Pro.
 
Paul Voelker said:
Probably not exactly what you're looking for but I've got one of these: https://www.alpackaraft.com/products/mule
It packs up to about the size of a roll of paper towels and fits in a backpack just fine. It's not the easiest to fish from but I've done it on multiple occasions with success.
Click to expand...
Thanks Paul
I had a packraft and loved it. Especially on low water where nobody else is on the river. I don’t think it’s the best option like you state for fishing from. In the ideal world I’m not sure how many different water craft I would really like to call my own. More than I have and I have 9 now. (3 rafts 14.5-10.5-Clearwater, tube, 3 WW kayaks, two canoes)
Great comments here in general that I’m sure a lot of folks will gain insights from.
 
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