New Snowbee Tube

« **Reply #25 on:** 06/02/2013 at 09:14 »

Quote from: Soundmixer on 06/02/2013 at 06:37

. Good wading boots for the river have nice expensive felt soles or cleated rubber and these get trashed on the walk from the car to the loch in the Highlands.

Hi Euan,

Don't totally agree with that. Tungsten studded rubber wading boots (Orvis Ultralights or something with same sole) are superb for walking in. Felts are crap for covering any distance over land particularly if it is wet of muddy.

Cheers

Ben

« **Reply #26 on:** 06/02/2013 at 11:31 »

http://www.patagonia.com/us/product/rock-grip-wading-boots-sticky-studded?p=79326-0-984

A+++ for walking, fishing, comfort and there's a lip on the back to hold the fins better.

cheers,
marc

« **Reply #27 on:** 06/02/2013 at 14:16 »

Hi Guys,

Thanks for all those recs. I was actually meaning a pair of wading boots for my river fishing.....Ben knows just how bad my three year old Airflos are ! Was thinking the Orvis ones with the zips on the side as I hate trying to stuff a wet wading socklet into a semi-dried out boot (or vice versa).....kinda like trying to stick your foot up a cows ar*e.....I imagine !

Dave in the shop said the other guid ain's were Orvis' best (Ultralites?) and that the zippy ones were good but "lazy man's wading boots" !

Well that would be me !

Ultralites look more robust I must admit.

Lindsay

« **Reply #28 on:** 06/02/2013 at 14:41 »

Lindsay

What you need are a pair of Simms Rivertek Boa Wading Boot

Easy on Easy off

Alex

« **Reply #29 on:** 06/02/2013 at 14:43 »

Hi Lindsay,

The ultralights are easier on & off than the zip boots IMO. You still need to undo the laces to get the zip boots off.

Cheers

Ben

« **Reply #30 on:** 06/02/2013 at 14:47 »

Quote from: Ben_D on 06/02/2013 at 14:43

You still need to undo the laces to get the zip boots off.

give that designer an award !!!

« **Reply #31 on:** 06/02/2013 at 15:04 »

Thanks Ben, will be in soon to get a pair of either....the reviews of the Zippy one suggest it is much more convenient

) The Ultralites look a bit more "dude" so that is probably what I'll go for

Marc those bits look like my Le Chameau Mouflon Plus's (that are still going strong after 5 years).

L

« **Reply #32 on:** 16/02/2013 at 11:12 »

The snowbee tube (and vision) looks exactly the same as the RT one. Had the RT one (well two of them as fell appart so quick). Got my fish cat 4 deluxe now.
I liked the design of the TR but materials were not upto scratch. Zips bursting, plastic clips snapping, etc.
If built using better materials I'd recommend, if not then avoid. Another thing for anyone who gets one, I found if had seat base pumped up too much would constantly be slipping forward, always having to shuffle back. Had to have it pretty squidgy to prevent this.

« **Reply #33 on:** 16/02/2013 at 11:13 »

« **Reply #34 on:** 16/02/2013 at 12:08 »

Hi "Terrier"
Welcome to the forum

« **Reply #35 on:** 16/02/2013 at 18:02 »

Hi Moray

Welcome to the forum

Jim

« **Reply #36 on:** 16/02/2013 at 18:52 »

Quote from: terrier on 16/02/2013 at 11:12

The snowbee tube (and vision) looks exactly the same as the RT one. Had the RT one (well two of them as fell appart so quick). Got my fish cat 4 deluxe now.
I liked the design of the TR but materials were not upto scratch. Zips bursting, plastic clips snapping, etc.
If built using better materials I'd recommend, if not then avoid. Another thing for anyone who gets one, I found if had seat base pumped up too much would constantly be slipping forward, always having to shuffle back. Had to have it pretty squidgy to prevent this.

Welcome to the forum

I've got the Guideline tube, fishes very nice but again, build could be better. There is definitely a market for a well made high riding tube.

Cheers

Ben

« **Reply #37 on:** 16/02/2013 at 20:21 »

Quote from: Ben_D on 16/02/2013 at 18:52

There is definitely a market for a well made high riding tube.

...... that is sensibly priced

« **Reply #38 on:** 18/02/2013 at 08:30 »

Quote from: Ben_D on 16/02/2013 at 18:52

Welcome to the forum

I've got the Guideline tube, fishes very nice but again, build could be better. There is definitely a market for a well made high riding tube.

Cheers

Ben

..and where is Steve Parton when you need him!

« **Reply #39 on:** 18/02/2013 at 22:30 »

Heard Steve was making another (and final) batch of his tubes.

Like I say I felt the design is good of the new snowbee tube, just the quality that might let it own. Contacted snowbee to ask them if made with better materials than the RT but got an answer that said thy can't compare it against other manufacturers products!? I'm sorry but I take that to mean its the same

Certainly not got anything against snowbee though - got two of their prestige rods, boots, gloves, bags, etc

« **Reply #40 on:** 18/02/2013 at 22:42 »

Quote from: Rob on 18/02/2013 at 08:30

..and where is Steve Parton when you need him!

Hi Rob,

I agree, his tubes are well put together but they are of the Shakey arse dragger captain slow, I want bigger legs design. I want something like a Guideline but with A1 top build quality. The Outcast tubes are good but too damn heavy to carry far.

Cheers

Ben

« **Reply #41 on:** 19/02/2013 at 07:02 »

Quote from: terrier on 18/02/2013 at 22:30

Heard Steve was making another (and final) batch of his tubes.

Like I say I felt the design is good of the new snowbee tube, just the quality that might let it own. Contacted snowbee to ask them if made with better materials than the RT but got an answer that said thy can't compare it against other manufacturers products!? I'm sorry but I take that to mean its the same
Certainly not got anything against snowbee though - got two of their prestige rods, boots, gloves, bags, etc

Moray

I was not impressed by the quality of the bladder material of the previous Snowbee model. So if there is no improvement in quality I would steer clear.

Jim

« **Reply #42 on:** 19/02/2013 at 08:31 »

Quote from: Ben_D on 18/02/2013 at 22:42

Hi Rob,

I agree, his tubes are well put together but they are of the Shakey arse dragger captain slow, I want bigger legs design. I want something like a Guideline but with A1 top build quality. The Outcast tubes are good but too damn heavy to carry far.

Cheers

Ben

Well you are the chap with connections. Get Orvis to bring over some of the US model or better still, a pontoon boat

« **Reply #43 on:** 19/02/2013 at 21:59 »

Arse in the water maybe slower to get around, but much easier to control, safer and allows you to fish more consistantly in big water.
Pontoon boat? Aye great for a flat calm, and much as i would love to get conditions like this every time, sadly they are in the minority in Scotland.

Still think Shakey Expo Arse Dunker the best.

« **Reply #44 on:** 19/02/2013 at 22:11 »

Yup, what he said

I love my Shakey, a lot more than the Red Oktober 1. Big waves are not a problem as are strong winds - the lower you are the less the wind bothers you. It's really easy to steer and hold by the shore or over good lies.

Build quality is the best out there, even though I have removed all the bells, whistles, straps and d-rings that are un-necessary for my tastes. Now I have a streamlined, tangled-line free tube that allows a much easier c&r.

My only complaint? Difficult to float out in shallow water without dragging yer ass, but once you're in deep water - superb!

« **Reply #45 on:** 19/02/2013 at 22:45 »

Allan / Euan,

Not buying the easier to control thing even in a wind. First tube I was out in was an Shakespeare bidet thing and I hated it, I would never have bought one, was hard work. That day we fished Assynt last year when it was so windy it wasn't possible to walk with the tube on your back, the Guideline did not feel like it was getting blown about uncontrollably and that was fairly extreme wind.

Cheers

Ben

« **Reply #46 on:** 19/02/2013 at 22:59 »

All down to personal preferences

I have even seen this at Haddo, some folk like to be down in the water, others want to be sitting above the water.

It's the same with boats, a lot of folk can't do without their aluminium boat seats, I hate sitting so high in a fibreglass boat in a wave, bloody dangerous things

Cheers
Mike

« **Reply #47 on:** 20/02/2013 at 08:18 »

Quote from: Mike Barrio on 19/02/2013 at 22:59

All down to personal preferences

And that's the truth, I remain unconvinced that there is one all-round design that is the best because it all comes down to what the individual is comfortable/happy with. I have no doubt that there's pros and cons to all designs but what pleases me most is that a 'new' tube has made it onto the UK market.
Let's face it, there's hardly a glut of quality designs out there at the moment.

H

« **Reply #48 on:** 20/02/2013 at 09:24 »

Ben,
Your a scientist, there are calculations on drag coefficient that clearly show an item in water has considerably more drag than when in air.

It is beyond arguement that if you are sitting low in the water you will be less effected by wind than if you sit high in the water.

HOWEVER, by sitting higher in the water, you have less drag beneath the surface, so, given certain conditions, it would be easier to paddle against the wind than if more of your body is in the water.

What this means is that a tube like a Shakey will drift less in the wind, but a tube like your Guideline will be easier to paddle about...up to a certain point.

There are things like Boundry Layers, Hydrodynamics, Adverse Pressure Gradients and Vortex's etc that affect things too...but they hurt my head!

As a note...the chaps I know up in Inverness that have Guidelines for their Pike fly fishing have drogues to slow them down in the big winds.

« **Reply #49 on:** 20/02/2013 at 09:41 »

Quote from: Rob on 20/02/2013 at 09:24

..... It is beyond arguement that if you are sitting low in the water you will be less effected by wind than if you sit high in the water.

That's broadly true Rob but is not beyond argument, much depends on what is physically beneath the water line and fundamentally how that is 'orientated'. Trust me on this one

Quote from: Rob on 20/02/2013 at 09:24

HOWEVER, by sitting higher in the water, you have less drag beneath the surface, so, given certain conditions, it would be easier to paddle against the wind than if more of your body is in the water.

Yup that's a reasonable statement, but, again.......much depends on what is physically beneath the water line and how that is 'orientated'.

Quote from: Rob on 20/02/2013 at 09:24

As a note...the chaps I know up in Inverness that have Guidelines for their Pike fly fishing have drogues to slow them down in the big winds.

Really

custom made small drogues I trust.....

H