Classic Accessories Arrow Backpacker Pontoon

[caseyweed]

Anyone have this pontoon and have any feedback on it? It's in Cabela's latest ad for $175 and I've been eying it for a while and I like that I can pack it up to the alpine lakes and at my condo there is a serious lack of storage.

[edit] Also if you own one. On average how long does it take to setup/breakdown?

[theworm]

Products like this should not be allowed to be sold on the market. We took a friend out that was new to fly fishing and he had recently purchased the very same pontoon. He really got burned! I would definitely NOT recommend this pontoon. It is "gimmicky" and looks neat all packed up in it's backpack but it will take a very long time to put together. The valves are horrible and the portable pump does not fit in the valves. It would be very dangerous to use this pontoon on the skinny water.

[tomc]

Looking at this 'toon, I don't think I would recomend it for what you say you want to use it for. The weight is 42 lbs.! I would not be the guy who hauls that into a lake (it would cut into the amount of Bushmills I could carry). I take my float tube and waders for the high lakes. I use my Togiak with better D rings and good shoulder straps as my pack frame, and use 1.1 oz. sil rip-stop bags for ALL my packing gear when I hike into the O. P. lakes. It works GREAT. That's me...
Tom C.

[Kiwi Phil]

my 2c... all the feedback I've read on this (a light weight packable craft) would steer towards something like the Watermaster Grizzly (weighs 23 pounds and is frameless) or Waterstrider (shipping weight 33 pounds - see photo of backpack option). Both premium products though - different league in price and quality. I have two friends who use the Waterstrider extensively here in NZ and swear by them. No-one ever regretted buying quality.

[floattubr]

Casey, I have a 17lb Trout Traps model that I would sell to you for 150.00. Paid 279 for it 3 years ago. It's been in the water twice. No problems, it has boston type valves for easy fill. It goes together in about 15-20 mins. Has 3 seat heights and is 8' long. Let me know what you think, Marshall