New Float Tube Brand Coming to U.S.

[Bryon Anderson 0]

I am currently saving up money to buy a float tube. I had been looking only at brands that are manufactured here in the U.S. (Classic Accessories, Creek Co., Outcast); not necessarily because they were U.S.-made, but because they are the ones that come up when you Google "float tube" or search the topic on forums.

 

I have recently learned, however, that a French company called Seven Bass Design is going to start selling their float tubes in the U.S. in the next couple of months. You can download their catalog at www.clee-fishing.com/marques/3-seven-bass The catalog is in French, so you have to copy/paste the product descriptions into Google Translate to read them in English. They also have a Facebook page which can be found by going to Facebook and searching "Seven Bass Design USA".

 

I have no affiliation with this company, and I most assuredly am not looking to start a debate about buying American-made vs. foreign-made gear. I am simply interested in these float tubes, and I wondered if anyone here had heard of them and/or knew anything about them, good or bad.

[utyer 0]

Both Maxxon Outfitters, and NRS.com have very similar watercraft to the only one I saw on your link. They are both available in the US now. Not sure where either one is made. These are newer types of personal water craft, more like a pontoon craft than a float tube. For some reason the link to NRS isn't loading, but its easy enough to find.

 

[Bryon Anderson 0]

Thanks for those links Utyer -- Seven Bass Design does have both the newer type of PWC that you mentioned and regular "V"-shaped float tubes, but you have to download their catalog to see them. The link to download the catalog is on the page that I shared the link to in my original post.

[flytire 0]

no downlod required to view the catalog

 

its a flipbook. just use the arrows to flip the pages

 

[whatfly 0]

Didn't NWO/Scadden sell something like that a few years ago? Was not too popular as I remember it. Standing on a float tube strikes me as a really bad idea even if it is neat marketing, and the unit weighs almost as much as my 9' pontoon. For the price, there are a number of alternatives I'd rather consider. Oh, and considering how some European producers have made deals to distribute but warranty issues are still managed by the home office, I personally think the foreign manufacturing angle is pretty important if you ever have to return the product for warranty work.

[Bryon Anderson 0]

no downlod required to view the catalog

 

its a flipbook. just use the arrows to flip the pages

 

Thanks Flytire -- didn't even notice that.

[Bryon Anderson 0]

Didn't NWO/Scadden sell something like that a few years ago? Was not too popular as I remember it. Standing on a float tube strikes me as a really bad idea even if it is neat marketing, and the unit weighs almost as much as my 9' pontoon. For the price, there are a number of alternatives I'd rather consider. Oh, and considering how some European producers have made deals to distribute but warranty issues are still managed by the home office, I personally think the foreign manufacturing angle is pretty important if you ever have to return the product for warranty work.

The one Seven Bass model called the Flatform is similar to a Dave Scadden design of a few years ago, and I do believe the Scadden boat was not too well received. However, if you flip through the catalog, you see that they do have other designs that are very similar to American float tubes.

 

You do make a good point about the warranties, though...