Whats your thoughts on the new Snowbee float tubes?
I am considering getting one this season, i have never used one before but i like the idea of it.
i have had quality issues before with Snowbee waders but i think the general opinion is that the quality of their stuff is pretty good.

Cheers

Munro

Look , I am the last Western Maker of Float Tubes - for bad or good you know exactly who designed and made every stitch of mine .

This year's Snowbee Tube is a rebadged varient of one of those ludicrous Fat Cat's which are quite amazingly unstable in any kind of blow at all .


So make me a sensible offer for my design Mr Snowbee - why don't you ?

Best wishes

Steve Parton

Yep - it looks like a Fat Cat clone!

Since the seat is out of the water, and it is a v-tube-pontoon hybrid rather than a v-tube, this will be faster than another similar tube where the seat is at water level.
So in calm conditions it will take less effort to go from A to B and be quicker.

In breezy conditions it will catch more wind and drift faster than the mid-height rides like Steve's, the Expedition and the Bullet (where the seat is at water level - awash) and less sticks up to catch the wind, and the upper legs act as a partial boat keel.

It would be nicer than a round tube. The location you plan to use it, exposure to wind, and size of that water will determine how much advantage or disadvantage the high ride provides. All is compromise - there is no perfect small water craft, just the one that suits our personal mode of use best.

Check the weight if you will portage or backpack it. Those can be a chunk of weight 12lbs+.

Can't comment on the build quality cos I haven't handled it yet. My comments above are based on the design and knowledge of the one it's cloned from.

__________________
Norm

Float Tube Fishing 30+ years
Float Tubing Info Resource

I had the guideline drifter, nice tube, well made, felt very safe!, my first tube was the shakey, think i was a bit too heavy for that one

Snowbee, looked and didnt like!

If i bought another it would be one of steves, as long as he threw in one of his santa sacks to carry it

__________________
[B][COLOR="Black"]"Bang Tidy"
.[/COLOR][/B]

I love reading Steves posts, no messing!
Steve has made me a good offer that is close to the Snowbee price so i will be buying British when i get around to it.

Thanks for the advice

Munro

i agree, i could read steves posts all day long and the mag articles
my opinion is he is one of the few people whos not affraid to say whats on his mind

and really we should ALL be buying british, i know i will from now on

keep up the goodwork mr parton, i think you should run for prime minister

chris

Prime minister?
That would be interesting

Munro

Well if he can match the Snowbee price I'll have one too

im sure he could match snowbee

will be having one off him myself soon along with a new trooot rod and pike rod
once i get enough posts (30) so i can sell some of my stuff on here

you can tell quality gear by the amount of times you see it for sale secondhand on the forums

the classifieds are awash with rage/hovis/snowgood ect ect

i dont recall seeing any parton rods/tubes on the secondhand market
maybe people just dont want to part with them just my opinion of course

chris

Good point!