New NRS Revolution Raft At Sportsman's

[Birdstrike]

I stoppped by Sportsman's Warehouse today in Anchorage. They have a 13' SB from NRS's new Revolution line on display. It's built from a polyurethane coated fabric, looks to be the same design as the Otter, but at a lower price. It also has a complete bottom wrap like their Expedition series which I wish my Otter had. Nice looking boat. I haven't been in AR&K lately so I don't know if they have one on display yet, but I'm sure you'd get better service from them. Just one more boat to choose from now.

http://www.nrsweb.com/shop/product.a...3&pdeptid=2300

[Alaska Raft & Kayak]

reply to the revolution at sportsman

I stoppped by Sportsman's Warehouse today in Anchorage. They have a 13' SB from NRS's new Revolution line on display. It's built from a polyurethane coated fabric, looks to be the same design as the Otter, but at a lower price. It also has a complete bottom wrap like their Expedition series which I wish my Otter had. Nice looking boat. I haven't been in AR&K lately so I don't know if they have one on display yet, but I'm sure you'd get better service from them. Just one more boat to choose from now.

http://www.nrsweb.com/shop/product.a...3&pdeptid=2300

we have the revolution available, however it is not as good a boat for our market as the otter is in our opinion, extreamly stiff to roll and large package when rolled. not as puncture resistant as hypalon the otter is still by far a better stronger boat for alaska

[Brian Richardson]

Otter vs. 'Other'

Besides the Otter is made in Mexico and the 'other' probably China....:topjob: Just playing lol!

I'd agree, the Otter is a proven good boat, not overly expensive, quite versatile for river floats here in Alaska, and very easy to repair.

I'd wager that once you got the 'other' on water it likely handles better than the Otter, yet not nearly as forgiving for a float trip and as compact overall as a package deal. Long live the Otter or boats of similar, traditional shape and construction - no joke - this is the boat's high-card!

There are proven makes/models of Urethane and PVC boats of much better fabrication than this relative newcomer that have been available for a dozen plus years. My opinion - This revolutionary fabric is about on par with elected change

[bananaslug]

There are proven makes/models of Urethane and PVC boats of much better fabrication than this relative newcomer that have been available for a dozen plus years. My opinion - This revolutionary fabric is about on par with elected change

I know Sotar makes a urethane boat, but those cost a lot more. Who else makes urethane?
Thanks,
bananaslug

[goeaux]

No one in the USA, There is a reason that urethane boats cost more, the price of quality fabric and the same reason that it is the only fabric our military will use is American fabric. SOTAR uses American urethane and are hand made in the good old USA.
More coating and thicker base cloth than Chinese knockoffs. Contrary to popular belief we still do make quality products here in America. For what its worth--- You get what you pay for--

[bananaslug]

One report I read said that the Revolution fabric is manufactured by the same company that makes all the Hypalon NRS uses. I don't know anything about the Revolution and I'm not claiming it's a good boat. I'm just trying to figure out if the anti-revolution comments on this thread are based on first hand knowledge, or just speculation.

[Michael Strahan]

One report I read said that the Revolution fabric is manufactured by the same company that makes all the Hypalon NRS uses. I don't know anything about the Revolution and I'm not claiming it's a good boat. I'm just trying to figure out if the anti-revolution comments on this thread are based on first hand knowledge, or just speculation.

As to first-hand knowledge, if you're looking for on-the-water experience you won't find much. It's a relatively new boat. Raft and Kayak should know, as they are the AIRE dealer for Alaska. I'd take their word as a dealer for sure.

It doesn't matter if the same factory is making Hypalon boats too... they're two completely different materials. It's not been that long ago that several high-profile companies were having lots of trouble with getting plastics to hold air, but those issues are mostly history now. The technology has matured and you don't see much of that anymore.

Seems to me that AIRE is trying to reach the entry-level boat market with this, perhaps in response to the economic downturn. Time will tell whether it was a good idea to bypass their dealers with this cheaper boat. I believe they are now the largest manufacturer in the country, and they didn't get there by doing a lot of stupid things, so they have that going for them for sure.

-Mike

[goeaux]

Mike- I thought the raft in question was the NRS I saw at sportsman Warehouse? 30oz. over 1600 din. China fabric- Yes AIRE will build you a urethane boat out of the same proven urethane fabric that SOTAR uses at an extra cost that makes it more expensive than the basic SOTAR. Either the AIRE and SOTAR urethane boats should last a long - long time. Having tested dozens of urethane fabrics over a 25 yr. span, I can say with much experience that they are all way- not the same!!
Time will tell.

[bananaslug]

Yup, the Revolution is made by NRS, their site says 31oz / 1600 denier. It's built in China, dunno where the fabric itself comes from.

I wasn't thinking the Revolution would be as good as a SOTAR which costs almost twice as much. I was more wondering if the Revolution is solid competition to boats like the Tributary and Otter, which are roughly in the same price range. Thanks.

[kdspillman]

I've been a guide for years in Utah Colorado and Arizona and let me tell you that you do not want to buy a cheap boat. It seems a little costly upfront, but in the end you should only have to buy one or two boats in your life. The companies that have been making boats for a long time are usually pretty good at it. Material is huge and in my opinion the companies that are good at it are just getting better. I owned a welded PVC boat for years and it was a good boat, but as a guide I saw rubber boats that were older than me still holding air (Outfitter boats used daily). I did alot of research prior to my new boat and in the end I decided to just buy one boat for the next 20+ years. I just purchased a SOTAR, but don't let me sway you, look at the denier of the fabric that is huge in the life of the boat.