If you've ever asked the question "which fishing kayak is right for me" it's highly likely you were told to have a close look at the Hobie Outback. This is because it's an incredibly easy recommendation to make. Hobie have positioned the Outback as a general-purpose fishing kayak that is pretty good at just about any scenario it is tasked with. It's a comfortable and stable ride that is well suited to almost any inland fishing environment (just stay away from rapids) and providing you're not planning to take it out into the ocean in rough conditions, it can handle its own in open water as well. In other words, the Outback is a great fit for most kayak anglers and that's probably why you have or are thinking of buying one. The next step is figuring out how to go about accessorizing it to suit your specific needs.
We've spent a lot of time fishing around in Hobie Outbacks and so have many of our customers, so based on our own experiences and feedback from other users we've designed some custom accessories that can enhance the Outback fishing experience. Before we elaborate, however, it's worth pointing out that you really don't need to accessorize it to the max before hitting the water. If you're new to kayak fishing your best bet is to start out with the bare essentials - just the gear you know for sure that you need. Once you've spent a bit of time with it on the water you'll quickly figure out what you're going to need to suit your individual needs. Before we go on to explain some of the custom parts we make to turn your Outback into a personalized fishing machine, let's start out by discussing transporting and haulage.
Getting it to the water
There are numerous kayak carts available with skid supports and we're going to be frank about it - a lot of them are poorly made, so we strongly suggest avoiding the cheapest options you find on Amazon and eBay. There are several reputable offerings out there (such as Railblaza and YakAttack) but we're pretty confident in claiming that our own Kimmi Cart is the toughest collapsible kayak cart available and also the most versatile. Built from heavy duty aluminium, our Kimmi Carts can handle the weight of a fully-loaded Outback without breaking a sweat. They are highly adjustable and will work well with just about any kayak, unlike Hobie plug-in carts, which only really work with Hobie's. Kimmi Carts aren't cheap because we don't skimp on materials, but its one of those products you'll be appreciating long after you've forgotten the price.
Getting it on the roof
While we're talking about contending with the weight of a Hobie Outback we should also mention that car-topping kayaks this heavy can present challenges for some users as well. This can have as much to do with the vehicle in question as it does the kayak. Using a trailer is a great alternative to car-topping but this isn't feasible for everyone. There aren't a lot of load-assist devices out there and many contraptions have come and gone over the years, but a few of them have survived the test of time.
Rhinorack have a couple of options that do work, the least expensive of which (the Universal Side Loader) is rated to handle a 60kg load, which is enough for an Outback providing you don't have much gear stored on deck. Unfortunately the side bar on these isn't terribly wide, which makes it tricky to load an Outback without making contact with the side of the vehicle (and potentially scratching it) due to the Outback's width. Their T-Loader system gets around this problem by offering a rear-load solution, but while this does make life a little easier you'll still need to exert physical effort to get your kayak up and down.
We took that concept further when we designed the Will-I Kayak Loader. It doesn't just rely on a pivoting support bar to assist in loading, it employs a trigger operated gas strut that does the heavy lifting for you and this does make car-topping significantly easier. We've even seen people do it with one hand! So if you find yourself struggling to get your Outback loaded onto your roof racks, the Will-I Loader will get you out of strife.
Optimized steering control & performance
One of the Outback's more interesting features is dual steering control, with plastic steering handles on both sides of the gunnel. This is a really handy feature in the newer model Outback that is highly appreciated by it's owners. What isn't universally appreciated so much is the low profile of these handles. They're functional enough and they do the job, but they aren't really the most ergonomic design.
Enter the BerleyPro Raised Steering Handles for Outback & Compass models. These are made out of aluminium and built to last a lifetime and are designed with a raised profile which makes them much more ergonomic. It's a "quality of life" add-on that is easy to install that will make a real difference, especially when paired with our "Brudder" Outback Rudder.
The stock Outback Rudder does its job quite well for the most part, but it's made of relatively thin plastic that can flex under use, which degrades steering performance in stronger winds and currents, most noticeable in sharp turns. The blade itself isn't terribly large and that also contributes to the performance loss in more challenging conditions. That's precisely why we engineered the Brudder to be larger and stiffer, opting for more blade surface area and building it out of aluminium. The on-water result is sharper steering response, more predictable turning (especially at higher speeds), better course correction and improved control in wind and current. So if you find a need for improved steering authority, check out the Brudder. If you do decide to upgrade your Outback's steering with a Brudder be sure to consult our install video that will guide you through the process.
Fish finder and electronics
Most kayak anglers will install a fish finder at some point and the Outback provides plenty of options for this. Equipped with Hobie's Guardian transducer scupper it will let you install side scan transducers much easier than models without it. It's a clever system that allows you to deploy the transducer when you've hit the water and retract it under the base of the hull for launching, landing, transporting & storage, which is a nice touch. It's also spring loaded in the deployed position, so if you collide into obstructions on the water the transducer should retract on impact. We say "should" instead of "will", because there are certain circumstances where this might not necessarily protect the transducer from damage. And thats why we made a transducer cover to suit the Guardian scupper system. This provides fail-safe protection in the event of a collision and it won't degrade the accuracy of your sounder readings.
If you are installing a fish finder or other electronic devices you may also want to look closely at our Electronic Mounting Boards (EMB), one of which is designed specifically for the Outback. These are designed to mount large electronic modules on the inside of a 2019+ Outback to secure them reliably and keep them clear of the bottom of the hull and any bilge water that would otherwise cause serious damage.
Our customers have been using BerleyPro EMBs for mounting all sorts of equipment, from batteries, power distribution hubs, NMEA hubs, Livescope, ActiveTarget and various other surface mount electronic modules. If you're planning on doing anything similar our EMB will serve you well.
Tracks and Mounting
Another popular accessory we custom make for Hobie Outbacks are Titan Gear Tracks, which are a replacement set of gear mounting tracks. The stock tracks supplied with the kayak are made from plastic and although they work just fine for most users, plastic can and will flex under load and can also soften in extreme heat. Our Outback Titan tracks are made out of solid billet aluminium and eliminate flexing and any risk of accessories from being dislodged from the track. They are a drop-in replacement that are easily installed and can be used to upgrade the forward or aft stock tracks. Titan tracks are favoured by anglers fitting relatively heavy accessories such as Livescopes or side-mounted motors, or are just looking for a more secure mount for their rod holders.
Storage and seat support
The 2019+ Outback has more storage utility built into it than the previous models, particularly in the rear stowage well. This isn't the most convenient place to store your go-to tackle though and the front hatch isn't any better. Hobie have upgraded the center hatch, however, moving away from the round hatches that were previously used and replaced it with a rectangular hatch. But if you're looking for even more convenient tackle storage options you'll probably want to take a close look at the Outback Bottom Drawer. This is installed underneath the seat and provides an ever-so handy sliding drawer that can be used to stow tools, tackle and more. Easily accessible within arm's reach, the Bottom Drawer is best used for gear you know you're going to be accessing while out on the water - lures, leaders, pliers, etc. Once you've installed one of these you'll probably wonder how you ever got by without it.
Adding extra storage options isn't the only thing we were looking to address when we designed the Bottom Drawer though, we decided to kill two birds with a single stone. Not only did we want to provide more convenient tackle & tool storage, we also took this opportunity to address a hull cracking issue that had been reported from several 2019+ Outback owners and Hobie dealerships.
Although not really a widespread issue, we'd seen enough reports posted in forums, reddit and Youtube to know that cracks forming behind the seat was a significant and recurring problem. This is caused by variations in wall thickness inherent to the rotomolding process, combined with how the seat is supported, how it is used, and who is using it. What we mean by that is that rotomolding does cause inconsistencies in thickness of plastic and there are some parts of the hull that can become compromised under load because of it and the seat supports molded behind the Outback seat are a prime example. If the user is on the heavier side (and especially if they drop themselves into the seat) these supports can be put under a lot of pressure and in worst case scenarios this can result in a crack forming.
The potential for this to happen goes away with an Outback Bottom Drawer installed because the rear of the seat can be supported nicely by the aluminium frame of the drawer instead of the plastic walls of the hull. So the Outback Bottom Drawer helps to protect the hull integrity and lifespan of your kayak as well as adding more convenient quick-access storage.
Keel protection
While we're discussing the virtues of protecting the hull of your kayak, it would be remiss of us to conclude without first drawing your attention to our Bumper Bro Kayak keel guards. We make these for most of the popular fishing kayaks available so it's a given we have one available for 2019+ Hobie Outbacks. These are among our most popular product lines because the one part of any kayak that cops the most wear and tear through general use is the keel, and especially the underside of the bow. The abrasion caused by making contact with the ground results in scratching and scuffing that is almost unavoidable and over time this sand-paper effect can wear down the wall thickness and eventually cause hull breach concerns. Our Bumper Bros put a stop to that immediately. So if you want to keep your Outback seaworthy for a lifetime then you're well advised to install a Bumper Bro to protect its most vulnerable point. And if you've purchased a second hand one and are concerned about the condition of the bow, you could easily add a Bumper Bro to repair it as well.
