Outcast OSG Summit float tube

[Wayne Kohan]

I am, unfortunately, once again in the market for a new float tube. I’ve had a couple SFCs and love them, in the past year, one had a meeting with barbed wire, and then I bought a used one that looks like it had some sort of damage (sun?) and it decided to split just a little while fishing this week. I use my float tube the most out of my boats and an often hiking into lakes, usually between 1 and 3 miles each way. The light weight of the Summit intrigues me, but I scoured the internet and could only find one, relatively worthless, review. Anyone here use one or see one in action? Downsides seem to be the sling seat, so sit lower in the water and limited storage. Thanks.

 

[RCF]

I believe @Dave Westburg has a Summit. Maybe he can provide his perspective...

 

[Dave Westburg]

I fish a wilderness light on high lakes once a week from May to September. it straps nicely over a frame pack for trail hikes and only weighs 3 pounds.



Here's my son fishing from a wilderness lite in the shallows of a small mountain lake...

Great product, great customer service. Made in Iowa. If you email the company Phil the owner will reply in person.

 

[Sir Homey]

I have an Outcast Summit. I also have a Wilderness Lite. Both are good choices if you’re looking to shave some weight off your kit, the Wilderness Lite being the lighter of the 2. I think the Outcast is 7 lbs.
I found the Wilderness tube to be lacking in rigidity. I’m sub 200 lbs and still I find the Wilderness tube folds up somewhat when sitting in it. Both tubes have a simple sling seat but you can expect to sit lower in the water in the Wilderness.
Materials-wise, to achieve the lower weight the Wilderness uses thinner materials, thinner stripping apron etc.
For me, in the end, I’d prefer to carry a few extra pounds for a beefier tube. Don’t get me wrong, the Summit will never be mistaken for a Fat Cat, but it’s more sturdy than the Wilderness.
If you’re unable to lay your eyes and hands on a Summit before buying they’re nearly identical to the OG Caddis Nevada tubes. U shaped, arm rest pockets, back rest pockets, yata. The Outcast just costs like $150 more.
Having just retired my beloved and well traveled Outcast Trinity for hiking trips I was really eager to get Outcast’s next iteration of hiking tube. I admit to being disappointed in finding they have basically knocked off the Caddis Nevada. At 7 lbs, V shaped, ample cargo net behind the seat for storage, the Trinity was the perfect high country tube. I bought a Summit none the less and it has proven more than capable for the job. I’ve got about half a dozen long haul hikes in, including overnights, and more or less am happy.
I’m a weight conscious hiker and tuber and just find the Outcast to be the better option.
My $.02 USD. Good luck out there.

 

[Greg Armstrong]

I have an Outcast Summit. I also have a Wilderness Lite. Both are good choices if you’re looking to shave some weight off your kit, the Wilderness Lite being the lighter of the 2. I think the Outcast is 7 lbs.
I found the Wilderness tube to be lacking in rigidity. I’m sub 200 lbs and still I find the Wilderness tube folds up somewhat when sitting in it. Both tubes have a simple sling seat but you can expect to sit lower in the water in the Wilderness.
Materials-wise, to achieve the lower weight the Wilderness uses thinner materials, thinner stripping apron etc.
For me, in the end, I’d prefer to carry a few extra pounds for a beefier tube. Don’t get me wrong, the Summit will never be mistaken for a Fat Cat, but it’s more sturdy than the Wilderness.
If you’re unable to lay your eyes and hands on a Summit before buying they’re nearly identical to the OG Caddis Nevada tubes. U shaped, arm rest pockets, back rest pockets, yata. The Outcast just costs like $150 more.
Having just retired my beloved and well traveled Outcast Trinity for hiking trips I was really eager to get Outcast’s next iteration of hiking tube. I admit to being disappointed in finding they have basically knocked off the Caddis Nevada. At 7 lbs, V shaped, ample cargo net behind the seat for storage, the Trinity was the perfect high country tube. I bought a Summit none the less and it has proven more than capable for the job. I’ve got about half a dozen long haul hikes in, including overnights, and more or less am happy.
I’m a weight conscious hiker and tuber and just find the Outcast to be the better option.
My $.02 USD. Good luck out there.

I have an Outcast Trinity and have used it for years.
I’m curious what prompted you to move on from it. Is the newer Outcast Summit a noticeable improvement over the old Trinity?

 

[Sir Homey]

I have an Outcast Trinity and have used it for years.
I’m curious what prompted you to move on from it. Is the newer Outcast Summit a noticeable improvement over the old Trinity?

My Trinity is still in good shape. But I've had it for so long I can't remember when I even bought it. It's just one of those cases where ya feel like just get the upgrade before any problems start.
If I were to gripe about the Trinity it would be the valves and the seat assembly. Deflating that tube is a chore and lining up the seat/tubes when assembling is critical or you're sitting lop-sided all day. I just got tired of dealing with it. Especially when in a cramped environment like squirming between some trees on the steep sloping shore of a mountain lake.
My biggest concern about the Summit was the seat. Nothing beats having yer ass up high and dry on a nice inflated seat. At first I tried using a small inflatable cushion to keep me a bit higher in the water. That didn't work, it moved around too much. Then I just said fuck it and rolled without. I've come to find the difference isn't as great as I had feared. The Summit is stout enough to hold me higher where I feel the Wilderness didn't. I've come not to mind the simple sling seat.
The valves on the Summit make for a fast inflating and deflating. One main chamber to inflate vs two. The whole process is faster than the Trinity.
They're almost 2 different tubes. I miss the Trinity a bit, but feel good in the Summit.

 

[Greg Armstrong]

My Trinity is still in good shape. But I've had it for so long I can't remember when I even bought it. It's just one of those cases where ya feel like just get the upgrade before any problems start.
If I were to gripe about the Trinity it would be the valves and the seat assembly. Deflating that tube is a chore and lining up the seat/tubes when assembling is critical or you're sitting lop-sided all day. I just got tired of dealing with it. Especially when in a cramped environment like squirming between some trees on the steep sloping shore of a mountain lake.
My biggest concern about the Summit was the seat. Nothing beats having yer ass up high and dry on a nice inflated seat. At first I tried using a small inflatable cushion to keep me a bit higher in the water. That didn't work, it moved around too much. Then I just said fuck it and rolled without. I've come to find the difference isn't as great as I had feared. The Summit is stout enough to hold me higher where I feel the Wilderness didn't. I've come not to mind the simple sling seat.
The valves on the Summit make for a fast inflating and deflating. One main chamber to inflate vs two. The whole process is faster than the Trinity.
They're almost 2 different tubes. I miss the Trinity a bit, but feel good in the Summit.

Thanks for the reply.
I agree, that the valves are a pain, especially the fact it takes forever to deflate.

I solved the challenge of centering the seat fore and aft, and setting its height where I like it (up pretty high on the tubes) by just marking where I want it with permanent markers. That helps a lot in getting it just right.
I’ve made the process even easier by just leaving it inflated and strapping it to a packboard (ala @Dave Westburg ) and hiking in with it that way.

As it ages out, I’ll go through the fun process of seeing what else is newly available and upgrade as you have done (as long as I don’t age out beforehand).

 

[Wayne Kohan]

I called Outcast last week and had a good discussion with them. he told me they changed from the Trinity to the Summit due to the difficulty and expense of sourcing the material for the Trinity. I would like to say I hike and fish high mountain lakes but most of my fishing is in the Columbia Basin. I predominantly hike 1-3 miles each way on open trails so carrying a few extra pounds is worth the comfort for me. So after talking and reading Sir Homey’s excellent review I have decided that the SFC best suits my needs for now. Though if I decide to go to longer hikes in the woods I will look strongly at the Summit.

 

[Sir Homey]

Now let’s talk fins

 

[wlllc]

Looks like some of the information on the Wilderness Lite float tubes may be a bit dated, and applicable to an earlier model of the Backpacker Pro. Since 2022, new Backpacker Pro ultralight float tubes are available with the Ice-Out inflatable seat which really adds warmth and comfort when riding higher than in the sling seat of an imported Outcast Summit. The Ice-Out seat is VERY popular, and Backpacker Pro's made before 2022 also can be customized for attachment of the inflatable seat by returning the cover to Wilderness Lite. For more details, contact me (Phil Hayes, founder Wilderness Lite) at wildernesslite@gmail.com

And the Backpacker Pro is still made in the USA, and still less than 4 pounds INCLUDING the Ice-Out inflatable seat, and its double action inflation pump and its custom mesh stuff sack. For anyone looking for a float tube that will be carried more than a mile or two to fish alpine lakes, or certainly for an overnight hike when you'll want room in your pack for other gear, I'd suggest you seek some input specifically from users of the latest model of the Wilderness Lite Backpacker Pro, all of which include attachment points for the Ice-Out inflatable seat.