Mirage® Outback

I have been kayak fishing for years and resisted trying out pedal drive kayaks until about a month ago. My husband and I hired a kayak fishing guide who used the Hobie Outbacks for his excursions. Less than 5 minutes into the trip I told my husband I would be selling my standard paddle kayak and getting the new 2022 Hobie Mirage Outback. We have taken several fishing trips since the purchase and I am in LOVE with the Outback.

First, the selling point was the drive and rudder system. The drive pedals can be adjusted to fit different leg lengths and its an easy press of a button to chane and its so easy to switch between forward and reverse. This is clearly a very well thought out design. The the pedaling is so smooth and effortless, even in wavy conditions. A big plus is being able to fish while moving! No paddle to get in the way! I'm also a fan of the sleek design and the bonus storage areas. A great dry storage area in the front, another dry storage area just in front of the seat which is great for your GPS and your cell phone or other gear. There are also rubberized pockets on each side great for fish grips or plyers.

Another bonus, the amazing stability and tracking. The rudder system makes me feel like I can turn on a dime. There is also a track system which allows for plenty of additional accessories to be added. I've added a cleate and an additional rod holder. I've also added an anchor trolley which has been so very handy.

Lastly, the seat is ergonomically very comfortable and adjustable. My only beef is the material is a bit scratchy is wearing a swim suit. Easy fix is to cover the seat with a towel. (After I had my Outback for a week, my husband sold his yak and bought his own Outback. He has no issue with the seat material.) And, while the weight of the Outback is heavier than my previous kayak, I find lifting the Outback on to our trailer easy enough.

All in all, this is the best Kayak I've ever owned.

It's an amazing fishing boat. The Mirage drive allows to troll or work structure with my hands free to fish. It requires no gas and the only thing that has broken is the $5 sacrificial pin on the rudder and a spare came with it. This wasn't the case with my 21 foot bass boat!

Out on the Gulf in a moderate 15 knot wind. Keeping up with the dolphins banging on the hull. Stability, control and excitement totally maintained. Outback did not upset the least and I have the story. Recommend this to the adventure lover.

I have used mine in both the ocean and on local lakes. It does very well on both even in tough conditions. I have had waves crashing over my boat and it has never flooded. It is easy to steer, my 12 year old daughter has a blast on it and has not had any issues with the boat. This thing is quick, I was able to go 6 miles out in the wind against the current and passed every kayaker on my way back before the other guys were even 3 miles out.

I added the turbo fins and sailing rudder (which is a must!!!) a chirp4 fish finder and just purchased the larger storage cut out to replace the round one. The fins are pretty tough, I have run them aground accidentally several times and they are still working. Space is a precious commodity on a kayak so I highly recommend paying for the upgraded rectangular hatch.

This craft is stable and sitting down I was not able to flip it on flat water and felt very safe in high winds and choppy water in Seward, Alaska. It is the number one craft up here on the ocean with most of the anglers using them. If I had to name any draw backs for it they would be the weight and cost, the Yak is heavy and expensive compared to other brands. The fins, rudder and storage were an extra couple hundred bucks and the yak itself was 2200 plus shipping I believe.

Totaled out I have nearly 3k into the kayak and feel it was money well spent as there is nothing else I would really need. You get what you pay for in kayaks and I can tell you this was money well spent.

The Kayak is very stable and in anything under 2-2.5 foot seas you really don't even need to pay any mind to waves, rip, current or most wakes; you can just keep on fishing and just lean into them with ease. If you get a little nervous about a big wake coming your way you can just flip the rudder Handel toward the wake/wave and in a super responsive 3-5 leg peddle kicks you will be facing the incoming wake/wave and the Outback will eat them for breakfast from the head on position with zero worry.

The "material" the kayak is made of is super strong, dense and of an incredible high quality. I strongly suggest getting the UV protectant and restorer Hobie sells for $14.99 and give it a quick top and bottom small towel buff job before heading out. It not only makes the kayak shine but it will stop and UV damage before it happens and if you have a little sun damage it will reverse and dulling - amazing product. I tried it out on my green pvc sun faded mailbox and wow just about like new. (Apply it every month)

The Outback has 4 for rod holders and storage, bins and pockets everywhere so you really don't need to even buy rod holders and mount them, I use the 4 molded into the kayak and they work perfectly - the aftermarket for holders do look cool so I almost installed one due to that but it is not needed at all. I fish 2 rods all the time, one with bait and one with a fluke bucktail double hook gulp setup and there is zero risk of loosing a rod. I was working my bucktail in one of the NJ inlets last week and a school of 10lb bluefish must have passed by my bait and boom... all I heard was the drag screaming out the rod was seated perfectly with plenary of time for me to plant my other rod in the holder and grab that bluefish. Point being if a 10lb bluefish did not send my rod to Davie jones locker there aren't many/any species kayak fishable that can.

Lastly the transport. I use my Nissan Rogue with pool noodles protecting cross bars to transport the outback. Zero damage, works like a charm so I.unless you feel compelled please don't make a donation to Thule inc on a $400 roof rack system. Just protect where the metal will touch the kayak and transport it upside-down with a few straps. I am able to easily lift the kayak over my head and gently place it on the roof but I am in great shape if 85 bulk lbs is too heavy for you; just prop it on its tail (wrap the tail in a shirt or a towel to prevent scratches) with the nose leaning on your rear of the car roof and slide it on. Cake.

Lastly turbo fins....don't get them. I had to switch back to the normal 2015 st fins because the turbo fins were way to hard to peddle and didn't really give much of an improvement over the stock ones - now if you kayak for a workout then by all means do so but if you just want to get to your fishing spot In a normal timeframe without being drenched in your own sweat and exhausted use the stock fins. On navtronics I clock at 3.5 mph on my normal "get my line in the water peddle" without winding or killing myself doing it. I am going to try and get a bigger rudder next the outback is a Kin to a floating brick and does not track that great so I think a taller rudder will give a little more drag to keep the kayak righted a little straighter without constant rudder handle adjustments.

The features make it simple to use. Rod holders are in the right place, plenty of space behind the seat for sizable ice chest, convenient hatch between your legs for tackle. The Mirage Drive makes this a fishing dream. Pole in one hand, drink in the other, no problem. You can create a bit of a wake without much effort at all. The speed is amazing if using the peddles. If you plan to paddle it very far, be prepared for a serious workout. It's like paddling a cinder block. Its size is built for stability, not paddling speed. Never leave shore without your fins. I have the anchor trolley which is very easy-to-use.

The only cons I see with the Outback are one the weight 75 pounds a lot for a single kayak and two it draws a little more water than a normal kayak making beach landings a little more difficult. I think the Outback is a good choice for anyone looking for a different kayaking experience and especially for someone with shoulder problems that wants to enjoy a paddle. Or should I say pedal.

Now for the good points. I find the boat extremely comfortable; however, I haven't spent more than 4 hours in it. The high back seat is really nice. It's very stable and seems like hit handles waves well. I haven't had it out in the real chop yet (it has been rather calm lately in my part of the Chesapeake), but I don't have any worries. I think it's also very maneuverable. Lastly, it is pretty fast. Without working too hard, I was able to keep up with a 13ft Dagger and a 17ft touring kayak. Admittedly, they weren't going full tilt, but I wasn't blown away by them either when they were paddling at a comfortable rate. Unfortunately, I didn't have a GPS to see how fast we were going. There is plenty of room for fishing equipment, and plenty of bungees. The detachable bag included with the seat is a nice touch and a good place to keep small tackle boxes. There's also a spot under where your legs would go for a larger flat tackle box. Fishing from it is definitely the best point. I can make all but the very finest adjustments to my position in the water with the pedals and the rudder without putting down my rod. That's a big plus. Meanwhile, my buddies in traditional yaks are constantly alternating between paddle and rod while I'm catching fish. In all, I think it's an excellent day-tripper and could be an overnighter with some dry bags. Given that you get a seat, a paddle, and a rudder in addition to the pedaling mechanism, the Outback is definitely money well spent, and I highly recommend it.

Also, I am re-building an old flatbed utility trailer to haul the kayaks, having tired of loading/unloading the pickup truck. I still recommend the Hobie cart, but only hand haul the boat itself, with accessories (pedals, sail, anchor, etc.) carried separately.

Lastly, I have involuntarily tested the ability of this vessel to upright itself from being completely "turned turtle" or hull up/sail down (under water). This was in our Intracoastal Waterway in a rather narrow section & I was able to flip it by myself with the grace of God & the encouragement of my wife.

We added cushioned stadium seats from Wal-Mart (& an inflatable neck pillow for occasional lumbar support), eyebolts (instead of Phillips screws) for the paddle bungees on the side (gunwale), silicone-lubed the hatch seals, glued the rubber grips on the bow/stern carrying handles, & repaired the popped cable tie on the up/down rudder lever (not fun; watch for rudder during launch, landing & take-out).

This boat definitely needs a better located drain plug & tighter seals---the ever-present slosh always sounds like gallons of water aboard, even though it might only be a gallon.

Cleats on the port side would be nice, too. For self-rescue, I grab the brass seat clip on the opposite side. A bimini-type top would be nice, too, for the sunny, no-sail river-peddling/paddling trips. I recently used a large golf umbrella as a parasol on Silver River. Great work, Hobie!

Admittedly the rod holders in front are not usable if you are casting from the cockpit. It is not so much heavy as unwieldy due to the width. I have learned to manage it by using the pedal opening and a finger in the rear rod holder to get it up to shoulder (and eventually head) to load it. Other nags are the water in the hull. I now suspect the useless under-seat screw down hatch. The rudder could be more robust but I am impressed that the material for the controls has withstood use and time.

The bottom line is that there is no more capable boat for fishing. Even at a lower initial price you can not outfit a yak comparably for much less. It is faster than the WS Tarpon, as stable as the biggest Fish'n'Dive and you can go and go and go using your leg muscles to propel the craft. You can see my rigging and pictures on the water at my site.

This boat is extremely well thought out. With all the cutouts around the hull, I was able to keep everything at my fingertips: soft drink, pliers, fish scent, etc. The 2 rear rod holders keep the rods in easy reach, but well out of the way of casting. My only complaint with them is that the holes for the rod holders are too small to accept a pistol grip rod – but you can still strap one on the other side from the paddle holder. I had a full size tackle box in the area directly behind the seat, a cooler behind that, and a small bag with my soft plastic baits in the area right in front of the seat: and everything was well within easy reach!

This boat is very stable. I really don’t believe that you can tip it. Getting in and out is a breeze, 10x easier than the canoe I fished out of last year. The rudder system works perfect. It looks too small to be that effective, but it really is. You can cut donuts with this thing.

Is it perfect? Nope. It is a heavy little beast, but not so heavy that I can’t put it on the rack myself. The biggest complaint I have is the lack of handles – this makes it very hard to get up over your head. I have learned to strap one of my rack tie downs through one of the rear scupper holes and then the hole for the pedal system. Cinching it up tight against the hull gives one a centered “handle” that you can use to pick the boat up off the ground.

This boat is so much better than the Kevlar Canoe that I used last year that it ain’t even silly. Easier to get in and out of (docks don’t worry me any more), you have your arms free all day, it is tons faster, and it is a lot more stable. No more casting once and paddling 5 times – you just cast all day! I love it and give it a 10 out of 10.

I think it tracks well. I never operate it with out the foot pedels in place but I do paddle it and allow the fins to act as a centerboard the same for sailing. I find the rudder very responsive regardless of the mode of travel.

I am still learning the capabilities of this kayak and finding out that it is a very talented machine. Even under sail I have not tipped this, but I do think we need a better rigging set up for the main sheet.

All in all I give it a 15 - I know the scale is 1 - 10.