I have yet to take it out....tomorrow will be my first outing so hopefully all goes well. I have aired it up though and it seems awesome! My main reason behind posting this is before i purchased this tube I searched and searched and couldn't find a thing about size of the mesh storage area behind the seat. I was trying to figure out what size soft cooler would fit. Well I just bought a Ozark Trail 12 can soft cooler the other day and it fits perfectly....so for those who wonder what they can get back in the mesh area....there ya go! No I didn't get measurements of that area yet,but hopefully this helps someone make a decision if they are looking for a cooler to fit.

OK, maybe four stars is unfair. Maybe I got this for the wrong reasons. i'm almost 79. I'm a lousy bank fisherman. I can't afford a "real" boat anymore. And I definitely need to get more exercise. Oh, and I gave my first and only other belly boat to my son fifteen years ago.
Truth is, I don't have enough horsepower to run this anymore. Maiden voyage yesterday, in light wind, I got blown about a half mile down lake, trout fishing all the way, before I realised I had to paddle ashore, and walk back to get the SUV (This lightweight float tube fits in back of the SUV, fully inflated, just fine). You sit higher, and somewhat drier, in this tube, so the wind has more impact. A small anchor will help future trips. At about 14 pounds, plus flippers, waders and fishing gear, this is versatile, portable "Yat" (my name for it) can truly go anywhere.

My husband was thrilled to receive this at Christmas. He's been out half a dozen times already this year with his waders and flippers. He really likes how tall he sits in it. The water doesn't even reach his knees. It allows for better casting. The side pockets are great for lure storage. Just pick up a few small divided cases to keep them contained. He's done so much researching to see what add on's he can do to it. He suggests getting carabiners to help keep items attached. He also ready that ping pong paddles make great oars and are small enough to store in the float tube. I just hope it holds up well in the long run because he truly loves this tube.

This float tube is an incredible value. I have numerous classic accessory float tubes and you will be hard pressed to find a guy who fishes one any harder than I do. I fish from ice out til the water freezes again. I fish in every type of condition from blazing heat to freezing cold, wind, rain. I fish all kinds of bodies of water. Many I fish require hiking in and out of rugged terrain with the float tube either inflated or not on my back. I have fished this in the heaviest of cover from thick vegetation, thick deep mud that requires me to hop across it in my float tube. You cannot kick through the mud it is so thick. Any type of structure and cover you can think of I have float tubes through. I am not afraid to put myself or my float tube in the thickest nastiest stuff on a body of water. That is often times where my best fishing happens.

I am primarily a bass angler, but because I live in an area that gets cold winters, I will do some trout, salmon, pickerel, pike ect..fishing as well as it gets very cold and the fishing can get slow. I tend to carry anywhere from 2 to 4 rods with me. 4 rods is a bit much for this thing just using the rod straps. But I deal with them getting tangled up ect..at times because it is what it is. I carry bait binders and other bait cases when I fish. I usually dedicate one storage side to baits and the other to drinks, snacks, hook outs, pliers, fish grips, action cam, deeper sonar, towel if need be. Basically whatever I need I make it fit. I put my pump and hose in a plastic bag and put it on the rear netting of my float tube. It holds it fine and some times I have had to add a little air after getting out on the water.

These float tubes are easy to carry, and easy to set up and then break back down. I can't imagine anything that allows you to fish so effectively to be any easier.

For me, these float tubes tend to last me one full fishing season before I need a new one. And over that time it usually needs repairs. The pvc cross bar that has the bib attached to it, it is pointed and you always want to set it into the sleeves it goes in the correct way. Do it incorrectly and you could get a tear in the bladder. take your time with that and do it right and you'll be good. I have had leaks in my bladders before and they are usually slow leaks and I have never had an issue getting off the water. I would suggest to have a spare set though. You'll be glad you did. It sucks to get out on the water and have your planned day of fishing ruined by a leak. Keep a spare with you, go back to the car, replace it and get back on the water. The bladders are very well protected though. The float tube is very rugged and I have hit everything from tree tops to rocks and the float tube just bounces right off them without issue. The quality control for the valves on the bladders is not good from classic accessories. I have had numerous float tubes with valve issues out of the box. I have also had issues with the zippers on the storage pockets. The handles have broke on me and the zippers themselves have broke on me. This has never happened right off though. It tends to happen when I have used the float tube long and hard and it is simply starting to break down under the use.

I would have knocked off a star or more because of these issues, but the fact that classic accessory has been so good to me as far as customer service goes, I figure I would put a star or two back because of that. They have always been quick to send me replacement parts if need be, or a new float tube if need be and it has been without hassle. They stand by their products.

I have been fishing these float tubes hard for years. I am a big guy at 6ft and can weigh as much as 285. one con is they do not sell replacement foam for the seats for this model. You would have to cut your own to replace them. The seats are not the most comfortable seats on earth, but they could be a lot worse. I have fished morning til night hundreds of times on these and usually I need to pull up and stretch out a bit at some point during the day. But overall I like the seats. The adjust to my liking and they keep you high enough above the water that you can effectively sight fish and fish beds ect..

Every boat has its pros and cons. A kayak can cover water many times faster then this thing can. It is not even close. These things are slow going. And on bigger bodies of water, especially on very windy days, you're going to be kicking a ton. But using your legs allows you to hold your position even in very windy conditions. It is very difficult to hold any type of position in wind with a kayak. I guess it just depends on what you are looking for and what suits your needs best. There are numerous pros and cons for each type of boat.

Overall I love my float tube. It is not perfect for all situations of course, but for where I live, the types of bodies of waters I fish, I can get out there and catch the heck out of fish. And its a unique experience fishing from a float tube. You are very connected to your surroundings.

Thus really is a great tube. Its built like a tank. Very durable, floats and seats you high. The two pockets are huge and come with cupholders!
Ive floated probably 40-60 hours in this, so its gotten a fair amount of useage. Ive read a lot of the other reviews and will try to make notes and clarify things for all of you a bit.
It does come with two rod holders. For those of you confused, the rod holders are the velcro straps alongside the storage pouches, on the side closest to you. Im not a huge fan of them. They are velcro, and extended useage can result in the harder, stiffer side of the velcro scratching the finish of the rod, so I dont use them. Now, I dont know if you can count this as a minus, because ALL tubes use the velcro as rod holders, but I build custom rods, so Im picky about how they are stored.
The rear mesh area can be used as storage, but be advised most of it will be under water, so don't put anything back there if it needs to stay dry. It works excellent for atoring an anchor or as a livewell. I usually like to put decent fish back there till I can photograph and release them, as Im not a fan of whipping out my expensive phone out on the water.
The seat back has a mesh storage pouch, but again, the bottom of that pouch will be underwater while you sit in it. This is a minus for me, i wish it was higher and dry. I tried putting my hiking boots back there and found out the hard way.
This is a big tube. 17 pounds doesnt sound like much, but by the time you get those storage pouches full and all the gear with it, it adds up, plus it will weigh a bit more wet after use. Its not unbearable by any means, but I would choose a smaller, lighter tube if you're going to be hiking in a distance. The shoulder straps are almost useless. They are extremely narrow and uncomfortable. But, easily fixed by ordering a pair of clip on padded backpacking straps, which you can find online for under teen bucks.
Someone else said they were disappointed after it got a leak when they put a crankbait into the side of it. Really? Kinda duh on that one. Any inflatable will leak if you jam a treble hook in to it.
Allmof the parts, including bladders, are available on CA's website, so Im not sure why people are having trouble in that department.
It may have sounded like I picked the tube apart, but I really do love it. Compared to my old tube, its like moving from a Yugo to a Mercedes. It has a few shortcomings, but all tubes do, and they are easily remedied. Its not a bass boat, its a minimilist way of getting off the shore.