I got my opportunity to demo the Hobie Revolution while fishing for peacock bass near Naples, Fl.

The first thing that I noticed that I felt like I was in a confined spaces. Having a landing net in one of the flush rod holder and the other held an extra rod. So that left the other rod in my lap while I pedaled the mirage drive system. There just did not seem like there was any spare space.

The Revolution was very fast using the mirage drive. My only issue was that the rudder system was not very responsive when turning the kayak to the port direction.

The kayak tracked very well when drifting.

I did try paddling the Revolution. This kayak paddled very nice. In fact I just wondered why Hobie decided to incorporate since the Revolution paddled so great,

Back to the confined space feeling. When I managed to land a peacock bass I was a little concerned about the measuring and photographing the catch. It did worked out for the CPR process.

Would I recommend the Revolution as a fishing kayak I would struggle to say "yes". As normal I would recommend that an individual first demo. Their impressions of the Revolution might be different. For me the Revolution is not a fishing kayak for me.

In a word the Hobie Mirage Revolution 13 is: Fast.

From the moment I engaged the Mirage Drive in the Revo 13 I knew I was sitting on a rocket. I had the Turbo Fins locked in and could blaze through the water with ease. The Revo has so many upsides it’s a wonder more people don’t fish out of them. As with any testing period, I located some areas for improvement as well.

The morning that taught me everything I needed to know about this kayak started at 5 AM. The moon was covered by clouds and the sun wouldn’t make its appearance for another hour and a half. I could feel the wind and know that the reported 15mph didn’t quite cover it. 25mph was more accurate though in the dark it was hard to tell. The forecast said the wind would be dying out over the next few hours and the hybrid bite was on so, PFD strapped on, lights ablaze I set off into the darkness on my half mile journey. As soon as the kayak gained buoyancy the wind caught it. I deployed the rudder, pointed the bow into the wind and used the paddle for about 10 strokes. I quickly dropped the Mirage Drive into place and went to work pedaling. Waves crashing over my bow and around the sides told me quite a bit. The rudder held me on course, the Turbos sliced me through the water and a short time later I had made my destination. I had to turn broadside to the waves for about 100 yards and I learned a little more. This weather, though not ideal, was simulating lots of situations that would normally take several weeks to experience. Sheltered and safe, I commenced fishing and for once the forecasts were correct. The wind died to a mere 10mph and the trip back was uneventfully quick. I was able to make multiple other trips in the boat but none proved as useful as this one.


The Good


The Revo 13 is F-A-S-T! I covered the same water I used for one of the Slayer 12 trips and did it in ½ the time. Over 13 feet of kayak helps keep you on course but add in the rudder which comes standard and this kayak will move. Add Turbo Fins and it flies! It will also turn more easily than boats of equal length. The hull weight of just over 69 pounds seems about right or even on the lighter than expected scale. Three hatches allow under hull access and provide a good place to store extra tackle, gear or clothes. Come to think of it I am pretty sure I left a box of Storm swimbaits in the Revo I tested. The boat drains quick. I really needed it on the nasty weather trips and it didn’t disappoint.


Room for Improvement

The Revo is a skinnier version of its shorter big brother the Outback. At only 28.5” wide it doesn’t handle broadside waves as dryly. I missed not having the side trays or wider side rails for mounting Gear Trac. I could only feasibly find a couple of locations to fit a 4” Trac and it would be a bit of a stretch at that. The hatches offer access but a major improvement would be to add the Pro Angler rectangular hatch, maybe slightly smaller where the center round hatch is. As it is now, you can only get longer gear like poles or paddles in through the front. That’s ok for lakes, not great for BTB trips. Because the kayak is narrower, if you are pedaling quickly and do a sharp turn with the rudder control, it gets pretty tipsy. I’m not sure how many times you would do that but it leaves a little to be desired with width stability. I wouldn’t stand in this Hobie. Only the PAs are made for standing but the Outback and Sport are standable models. The keel is less pronounced in the Revo than the Outback and Sport which I feel makes the difference.

Final Thoughts

So the end all question is would I buy one? Yes. I would.
Would I buy it over an Outback? Not for my uses.
The Revo is an excellent boat and should be very popular for car toppers everywhere. The weight of the hull feels lighter than 69 pounds and it flies when in water. It is a possible BTB kayak though the shorter model might be preferred by some to avoid telephone poling on re-entry. I wish it were two inches wider and had a rectangular center hatch. Past that, it’s dang near perfect for folks who don’t mind sitting in a more traditional style kayak seat and getting a little wet.

I will be the first one to admit that I am not too keen on change. I have been paddling fishing kayaks for about ten years, and have never had any issues. The folks at Estero River Outfitters had been after me for the last couple of years to be on their Hobie Fishing Team. I kept declining because I liked the kayaks that I was using. Finally, Jeff Stuller talked me into trying out a Hobie. WOW!

The first one I tried was the Hobie “Mirage Adventure”. This closely resembled the kayak that I was in. It is fast - I mean very fast! It’s long and sleek, and the “MirageDrive” propels the boat quickly. It has ample storage spread out over the length, and would be a good fishing kayak in not so tight places. It is a sixteen –footer: that’s what I already was using, so I kept trying. The next was the “Pro Angler”. This kayak is so large that on Hobie’s website it’s listed as a “pedal boat”. The MirageDrive is fast enough to get respectable speed from the kayak, and there is more than ample room to store everything you own related to fishing. It has integrated tackle storage, rod holders and a seat-chair that would make anyone envious. However, at a rigged weight of 138 lbs. it was a little too heavy for an older guy like me.

Next, I tried the “Revolution 13”, which is, in my opinion, the world’s most perfect fishing kayak! Let’s start with the “MirageDrive”. These things are not flimsy. The drive system is constructed of injection-molded plastics and stainless steel, and is very light and sturdy. The pedals are fully adjustable and easy to operate. It is self-cleaning while in operation, so it keeps sand and other stuff from getting into the drive. The most important thing to me is that the MirageDrive frees up my hands so I can fish while moving. This is a big point for me. While fishing and paddling, we all adopt some sort of convoluted way of casting, moving the paddle with one hand, setting it down, moving it again to stop the drift, etc. With the mirage drive I pedal into the wind or tide, and use my feet to control my drift while keeping both hands free to fish. Trolling is easy with the MirageDrive, because your response time to a strike is instant - you are holding the rod. It seems like wherever I fish, the wind is coming at me on the paddle back. The wind or tide is no longer a factor for me while pedaling. I can use the MirageDrive without stopping to drink or rest my arms on a long paddle back to the launch.

The” twist and stow” rudder was another surprise for me. It’s shorter than other rudders I have used, but much wider. This gives it more surface profile in the water. The result is a very responsive rudder. This is most evident during drifting. No matter if my movement is due to tide or wind, when I turn the rudder with the hand control, the kayak turns quickly to the direction I want. While under power and moving quickly, I turn the rudder just a little for steering. If I move it from side to side, the kayak turns very abruptly into the turn, much like a larger boat. The controls to raise and lower the rudder are a breeze to use, as well, with the up and down cables in front instead of behind me.

The general rigging that comes with the Hobie is very good. At the bow, there is one of the largest hatches I have seen on a kayak. It’s hinged, allowing full access to the very large front storage area. Hobie makes inserts for this area, and I have seen DIY’ers make this space into a built-in cooler. The rail areas on the side cockpit are wide enough to install add-ons. I installed a Scotty rod holder, which is the only thing I had to add so far. The seat is a very comfortable recumbent style that has a unique easy attachment system. There is a hatch at the seat that has another unique twist-and-lock system that is very easy to use. It has a waterproof tackle box that I use to store my cell phone, camera, etc. There is a large, shallow tank well at the stern, with another small hatch. At first, I thought I may have trouble with the tank well being shallow, but the bungee rigging holds everything tight. Hobie also has two convenient molded-in flush rod holders at the aft end.. There are two bungees on either side for holding your paddle and an anchor pin. A mesh pocket on either side of the cockpit means my smaller gear isn’t laying around under my legs. Finally, at 58 lbs. the “Revo” is light enough for me to maneuver it onto my vehicle without assistance.

I admit that I have not used the Revo nearly as much as the other kayaks I have had for years. Also, there was some getting used to the seating position and the MirageDrive. I do know that I wish I had made the change earlier. Hobie kayaks are very well made, rugged, and easy to use. I look forward to using the Revo for a very long time.

I have had my Hobie Revolution since 2007 but never really used it as much as my Adventure until last year.

Speed
This kayak is almost as fast as the Adventure but is easier to maintain at higher speed in chop or current.

Stability
Your not going to stand in this kayak but the stability is superb. Again I will compare to the Adventure where a 2 to 3 foot chop is difficult if you aren't controlling how your taking the wave. In the Revolution I am more comfortable taking the waves at any angle. The biggest testimony to the Revolution stability is a storm that myself and a friend found ourselves caught on Lake Erie with 30 to 50 mph gusts and over 6' waves about 2 miles from shore. The Adventure was blown over once and the Revolution made it in without capsizing.

Durability
In my rush to get out of the rain I once took off without strapping my kayak to the roof. On a busy highway I was doing an S bend in the road when I discovered my negligence and saw my Revolution flying across 4 lanes bouncing off the road while doing 40 mph. Other than a few minor scratches and a ram ball getting knocked off the Hobie Rev. survived unscathed.

Value
If I could only have 1 kayak it would be the Revolution with the addition of the sailing rudder and turbo fins. At a list price of about $1,900.00 and when you consider that you are getting a Mirage Drive worth over $600.00, a rudder which is a $300 to $400 option on a competitive brand, and paddle as standard equipment, the Hobie Revolution is a very good value purchase.