Side by Side: 2019 Hobie Outback & 2019 Hobie Pro Angler 12 Comparison

[@robadams6689]

I have one of each boat. I bought my Outback in 2016 and loved it. A year ago I bought a 2018 PA12. I live on a lake and the plan was to keep the Outback on the lake and use the PA in the salt water when I went. I still have the Outback but I haven’t used it since. The PA sits so much higher, has more room, and is so much more comfortable it’s not even a thought to go back to my old boat. Now the Outback is a awesome kayak. I would recommend it to anyone but I first would tell them about the perfect fishing machine I have in the PA. I always thought it would be a pain to lug around, no problem. I throw it in the back of my pickup and I’m in the water in minutes. For me, a very serious (some would say obsessed) fisherman the PA can’t be beat. I love that freaking thing!

[@lloydboone7185]

My first kayak was a old town predator. It’s heavy and didn’t have a pedal drive. I wanted a pedal drive so i bought a used Hobie PA12 . It’s huge and heavy but I’m a big guy so i manage. The thing i found out about the PA is that it’s a barge. When i had the seat up i though Immediately i was going to tip. I put it down right away. I keep the Old Town in the high position and i do fine. The other thing is the steering. You have to really be moving at a good pace to turn smoothly. It’s also much slower that the Hobie Outback . The extra room is great but you lose a lot of that quick mobility. If I knew ahead of time, i would have bought the outback.

[@bigsky2693]

Good, simple straight to the point video. Thank you.

[@HeadwatersKayak]

Informative video. Great job Seth. Need to get you a Dorado to review.

[@brucepugsley9748]

Great comparison very helpful as I try to decide between the two. Thanks so much!

[@joelmarcy8027]

I'm wanting to buy a kayak in a couple weeks. I've been looking at the pro angler 12 but haven't gotten to demo one. My question is: As a short guy at 5'4" would I have a problem reaching the pedals comfortably?

[@AmericanKayakSupply]

With the seat in the low position and the pedals somewhere in the 2/3/4 range, you shouldn't have any problem at all. I've seen people in the 5'0 range pedaling these things around with no issue, so you're plenty in the clear. Do you have a local dealer where you're planning to go check the Pro Angler out first, or are you looking at ordering online? Generally dealers will at the very least let you sit in the boat first to make sure you can get comfortable in it.

[@DougieBFishing]

Awesome video i was pretty much sold on the outback until I seen you get into it now I think the pro angler would be better

[@AmericanKayakSupply]

They're both great kayaks, no doubt. But if you want to feel comfortable and less cramped, the Pro Angler is definitely the way to go!

[@DougieBFishing]

WCS Paddlesports yea I’m 5”11 225 so I’m figuring if I’m already spending that much night as well be comfortable

[@patrickcieslak7858]

Hobie needs to make an upgrade on the h- bar where it pulls up and locks in and releases with a lever sort of like a handicap walker .

[@donsisco7118]

These are the last 2 kayaks im renting, i finished today with a Jackson Big Rig Hd Peddle drive, its a beast, im 5'6" and 185, its tought to handle by yourself and the wind ate my luch a few times, so no Jackson in my future. Really looking forward to peddling the Outback.

[@AmericanKayakSupply]

Don Sisco yeah, the big rig is a tank, no doubt about that. If you’re planning on being out in the wind a lot, the new Outback with the seat in the lowest position is about the best compromise of stability and performance in more intense conditions that’s available with a pedal drive. That’s why most guys you see offshore with a pedal kayak choose it as their go to. The Pro Angler is an incredible kayak for certain applications, but if you’re going to be out in the wind a lot all that extra freeboard plus having a seat that’s so high up can definitely take it’s toll!

[@tigersaint124]

How's the drive on the Jackson?

[@jameskellar3026]

@@AmericanKayakSupply good advice, both good boats so it's more about your application/needs

[@adsmel5881]

Good video well done, pa17 for us would be the dream Yak.

[@AmericanKayakSupply]

Mel and Adam's adventures thanks! The PA17 is a fantastic boat! I hope you find a way to get your hands on one.

[@liamgarvey33]

I'm wondering about the hull design difference between the Hobie 19/20/21 and the PA 12/14. To me, from what I have seen on many YT videos, the bow design of the Outback takes on too much water in any kind of chop. I see lots of outback owners saying they need to mess around with the gaskets on the top hatch because so much water washes over the outback bow. It appears that the PA doesn't have this problem. I guess it sits in the water differently, but also the Bow design is sufficiently different that only severe chop gets you where moderate chop is on the Outback. Any comments?

[@rickf9804]

Great compassion, I have a PA 14 and love it....so I am a Hobbie phob, I have a 60+ year old friend who will be new to Kayak fishing, of course I recommend the PA 12 or 14, but it may not be for everyone....what other kayaks would you recommend for a 6’2” 275 pounder...

[@AmericanKayakSupply]

Thanks! There are a lot of great fishing kayaks for big guys out there these days. A lot of what would work best for your friend depends on what kind of waters they'll be fishing. I personally am a huge fan of the Diablo Amigo; it's a super stable platform for under $1,000 that has a super high weight capacity. I used them all the time in the gulf coast flats and Texas rivers when I lived down there. NuCanoe is also doing really well with the big boat crowd these days!

[@mglenn7092]

One thing I noticed-- while the Outback does have those carry-handles under the seat, the PA really doesn't need them, because it's got those H-Rails going just about the entire length of the boat on both sides that you can grab hold of to lift, load, and maneuver the boat on shore-- or are the side H-rails on the PA not strong enough to be used as handles for moving it?

[@DIYtime]

Did I miss the weight comparison?

[@jborselli15]

Which is faster on the water and is the PA significantly more stable? While standing and sight casting which platform feels more stable

[@keithvadas8549]

I looked at one of these at a boat show. I really like the updated features and considered it as a mate to my PA14, for my son. What i didn't like is the exposed rudder, the supplied clip on protector for launching/retrieving seems like an afterthought. I believe this will be at risk when putting in? Am I mistaken do you believe?

[@AmericanKayakSupply]

Hey Keith, sorry for the late reply. I somehow didn’t see this comment until just now. The rudder blade on the new Outback is extremely flexible, I’ve accidentally rested our demo Outback on it a few times and it’s held up really well! I have been using the Outback pretty extensively and haven’t felt like the rudder has been an issue with launching, whether it be in the surf or in a river. The only thing to know is that because they are made to flex, they seem to warp a bit over time. That being said, I haven’t noticed the warp in mine actually effecting my steering at all, and according to Hobie that warping was anticipated as it’s a byproduct of making the rudder flexible.

[@018132]

Why would I pick one over the other?? What does one do better than the other???? Thanks.

[@Gunga_Galunga]

This video is extremely helpful. Thank you!

[@markbettencourt2901]

Nice kayak mr Norton

[@dcandrews]

Curious of what deck pad system is on the Outback?

[@AmericanKayakSupply]

Cain Andrews it’s Marine Mat; complete elite brushed series. Toffee over espresso is the color scheme.

[@raymeras1133]

I heard the outback is much faster and a $1000 cheaper

[@hudsonbridges5710]

Random question, but what is the name of that acoustic backing track you used in the intro?

[@James-uj6xq]

Lets be reasonable. If you are 6' tall, why would you get into a smaller kayak? Buying a kayak is like buying a bike......you get the frame size that matches your body height and weight. So why not do the same for a kayak? I have no problem with the space of a outback because i am not 6' tall. The PA 12/14 would be too cumbersome for me. So i stick with what works for my body frame.

[@gman4674]

Are they both the same length?

[@markjungdahl3054]

Is the outback faster than the PA 12?

[@gerryward7654]

Need some videos on pa 12 360

[@sethezekielwest]

Hey Gerry, Seth here (guy who made this video). I left this shop and they’ve since abandoned this KZbin channels. I still shoot lots of content at my new shop: Next Adventure PDX is the channel if you’re looking for newer content! Will definitely have some stuff coming out on the newer Hobies in the coming months.

[@jayrough1413]

Did you do a price comparison lol

[@danm1319]

damn good question 1000 bucks more 40 lbs more

[@peternohlmans4588]

do the Hobie Outback Loaders fit on the hobie pro anglers as well

[@Dunkingonreindeer]

I can't decide to spend the money on the pa 12 or just go with the outback.

[@AmericanKayakSupply]

Shoot me an email at [e-mail] and I'll see if I can help you figure it out!

[@boosgadgetscg1933]

I'm also torn between the 2019mOutback and the Pro 12. Can the pro 12 be transported on a roof of an suv or is it too heavy? I like the extra space on the 12 but porting seems to be a big issue. Your thoughts? Thanks for the informative video.

[@Hilary-ys1gk]

boosgadgets cg The outback is heavy enough, if u have the pa12 and want to throw it on a suv.. good luck not breaking your back. I sometimes need help on a long days trip with my outback and when your sore and tire you will not get the pro angler on to your roof. You will need to modify or make special adjustment ...just a heads up. Better to have a truck so u can load and unload the pa12 ... much easier on those muscles...

[@AmericanKayakSupply]

@@boosgadgetscg1933 interestingly enough I drive a converted sprinter camper van on a lot of my kayak fishing trips. For me, the ultimate test for transportation is if I can "cartop" a kayak on the roof rack of my Sprinter. With the new Outback, I've done it a few times already without having to deviate from my typical loading process. With the Pro Angler 12... absolutely no way. I've seen a few guys with shorter SUVs (think Scions, etc.) pull it off, but for the most part the Pro Anglers captain is either hauling a trailer or loading in a truck bed. Thanks for watching!

[@DAVIZZY69]

Me too!!! Help!!! Lol. The pa is like $1000 more tho so that might be the reason i go with outback. But not sure!

[@donsisco7118]

Thanks Again for the comparison. How much deck space does the Outback have?

[@AmericanKayakSupply]

Don Sisco are you looking for a number of sq ft, or just kind of a reference/comparison to another kayak?

[@donsisco7118]

@@AmericanKayakSupply Reference

[@AmericanKayakSupply]

@@donsisco7118 that's a tough one. It's pretty similar to the Compass honestly, maybe just a little bit smaller than the Native Slayer Propel 13. There's enough room to stand comfortably, but not really walk around like you have on a lot of the bigger kayaks out there.

[@markbettencourt2901]

Come on isnt he just like Eduard Norton ?

[@pescandoconheber]

😃😃😃😃😃

[@danm1319]

lol obviously biased agianst the outback forgot the outback is $1000 bucks cheaper and 40 lbs lighter goes far faster with less drag def pros and cons to both but cmon man

[@itzthatvietguy]

Can you do a review side by side in colors, I'm not sure which color to pick.