Who Has a SOAR Pro Pioneer?

[Alaskan_mtnman]

Hello All!
I am getting ready to purchase a Pro Pioneer, and would really like some pro's and con's from you all that have one. Would like to here from those that own one and have used it for float hunting, and fishing! Please comment on the accessories that are available also for the Pioneer that you have, have used, or would have liked to have! thanks in advance for the info!!!!!!!!!!

Mountain Man

 

[Longbow]

Shouldn't ask

Shouldn't ask

I heard it was impolite to ask “who has a Pro Pioneer” … If someone has one they will tell you right out, and if they don’t, it embarrasses them.

 

[echolmbe]

Get Oar Saddles

Get Oar Saddles

One thing, get oar saddles. Makes life a lot easier.
Get another pump adapter too. They can get lost real easy.
Raft is really nice though.

 

[Bill S.]

Pro Pioneer

Pro Pioneer

If no one answers here, go over to http://www.pristineventures.com/cgi/messageboard/board.pl?,c=gen

There are several threads talking about Pro Pioneers.

 

[colodan]

S16

S16

Don't have the pro pio yet, but the S16 that I bought last year has worked great on some class III stuff in Colorado. We had it loaded with around 300lbs of gear for a test run. It flowed through class III rapids with not a problem. I have been very impressed with the amount of room and control it offers. Can't wait to try a trip in the pro pioneer with the extra width and cargo load.

 

[Michael Strahan]

Uh huh

Uh huh

I heard it was impolite to ask “who has a Pro Pioneer” … If someone has one they will tell you right out, and if they don’t, it embarrasses them.

Logbow,

Whatever issues SOAR owners may have, embarassment doesn't seem to be one of them!

-Mike

 

[Duster]

I have one

I have one

If you are in the Anchorage area let's get together and you can put it on the water and see for yourself.

 

[Alaskan_mtnman]

I Went Ahead And Bought Two Of Them!!!

I Went Ahead And Bought Two Of Them!!!

Thanks All For The Advice And Info!
I Was So Impressed With Larry Bartlett And His Ability To Conduct Professional Customer Service Over The Internet With Me While I Am Deployed To Iraq, I Just Had To Go Ahead And Purchase Two Of Them! I Feel If They Perform Half As Good As I Have Been Treated By Pristine Ventures, It Will Far Surpass My Expectations! So Once Again, I Thank You For The Opportunity To Post, The Advice, And Thanks To Duster For The Friendly Gesture!!! It Means Alot.................. Take Care, And Have A Safe And Successful Hunting Season.................

Mountain Man................... Out!

 

[Alaskan_mtnman]

Oops I Forgot!

Oops I Forgot!

Hey Duster!
If You Have Time, Could You Please Tell Me What Accessories You Have And Like? What Ones You Would Recommend That You Dont Have? And Any Other Good To Know Info Would Be Appreciated As Well (tricks Of The Trade).... Thanks Again! Pics Of Your Outings With The Pro Pioneer Are Always Welcome Too! Take Care.................

Mountain Man

 

[AkHunter45]

Accessories

Accessories

Alaskan_mtnman, congrats on your 2 new PP's!!! I don't have one myself but will in the near future but I do have several friends that own them and they absolutely rave about them. The one accessory i have seen on all of them is the Oar Saddle by Rocking R designs, it is superlight and replaces the heavier bulky raft frames that were once so popular before the Saddle came along. Contact Mark Taylor @ Wiggys'! Alaska, Larry @ PV, or Kent Rotchy @ www.Oarsaddle.com , either of these guys can hook you up.

 

[Michael Strahan]

Kent Rotchy, the Oar Saddle Man

Kent Rotchy, the Oar Saddle Man

...the Oar Saddle by Rocking R designs...

I agree. Not only is it a good product, I have gotten to know Kent personally and can vouch for him as a fine human being. He deserves his moment of fame (he's earned it), and he produces a great product that will work on most any inflatable canoe. It's not a replacement for a whitewater frame in my opinion, but I think it's a great setup for the Class I-II streams most float-hunters and float-fishers find themselves on. The name of the company is Oar Saddle.

Now if we could just get him to put his tools down long enough to post here now and then...

And what's this I hear about Taylor carrying Oar Saddles in his shop? Is he getting into the rafting business too? Sheesh, Marc! You keep expanding the product line and you'll need the old CARRS building across the street there! Here ya go, "Marc's Wiggy's / SOAR / Kifaru / Sporthill / Hummer Store", with Romo's Cajun Grill in the back!

-Mike

 

[Alaskan_mtnman]

Thanks Again Guys!

Thanks Again Guys!

Hey!
Thanks Again Guys! I'm All Over It! I Got The Oar Saddles In The Awsome Package Deal Larry Sold Me. I Knew I Wanted Them As Soon As I Seen Them. They Deffinatly Look As If They Will Serve Me Well. Also Included Were 2 Cargo Platforms, 1 Saddle Bag(bow Or Aft), The Take Down Shafts-blades And Brass Oar Locks, Duffle Bag For Storage And Transport, Seats And Seat Backs, Pump, Wilderness Repair Kit, Etc...............awsome Package In My Opinion! Like I Said I Am Thrilled With The Service I Received From Larry, And Would Recommend His Company To Anybody(already Have)! I Have Been In Contact With Him, And Vice Versa By E-mail Over A Very Long Distance (alaska-iraq) Since I Originally Started Requesting Info On The Pro Pioneer And Other Brands Of Inflatables Over A Month Ago. Time Was Of Importance To Me As I Am About To Rotate Out, And Wanted All My Equipment At The House And Ready To Go When I Got Home! Out Of All The Performance Inflatables That Are Out There, I Immediately Felt This Was The One For Me. After Disecting All The Reviews And Reports, It Is With Out A Doubt What I Am Looking For. Something Told Me There Was No Reason To Look Any Farther........ Which Turned Out To Be Good, Because Out Of All The Dealership And Company Inquiries I Sent Out In Reference To Their Line Of Inflatable Canoes, He Was The Only One To Answer Me In A Timely Manner!!!(the Next Day!) What I Find Most Suprising Is I Have Yet To Get A Responce From Any Of The Others Providing Me With The Simple Information I Requested!!! What A Shame...... All I Have To Say Is Business Must Be Good If You Can Continue To Operate Like That! Ha Ha Ha.......but Of Course In The Name Of Good Sportmanship, I Will Keep These Names To My Self ............ I Do However Recommend They All Take Note Should They Read My Bold Statement! Or Atleast Check They're Websites To Ensure They Have The Correct Contact And Request For Info Data Posted(i Didn't Get Any E-mails Kicked Back For Wrong Address's By The Way).......... To Make A Long Story Short, Did They Not Just Lose A Potential Sale Of Two Rafts And Accessories To Me, But To Two Other Hunting Buddies Of Mine Which Were So Impressed With The Pro Pioneer And Larry's Work Ethic, They Too Will Be Contacting Larry Immediately Upon His Return From The Brooks Range In About A Week Or So, So They To Can Place Their Orders. Sorry Guys! You Snooze You Loose! Us Army Guys Dont Ask Much, But We Do However Ask That You Provide Us With What You Claim You Are Able, And Committed To Provide As Larry Has! Enough Said!!!
Once More, I Cant Thank Everyone Enough For The Valuable Info You Have Provided Me Which Made This Decision A Confident, Positive And Pleasurable Experience! Thanks To All The Forum Members Who Took The Time To Post Their Valuable Info For Me, And To Larry "b" At "pv", Larry "l" At The Soar Company, To Kent "r" At Rocking "r" Designs, To Marc "t" At Wiggy's Alaska, And To "duster" For The Friendly Gesture To Come And Try His Pro Pioneer Out! Keep Up The Good Work Guys! I Look Forward To Talking To You And/or Doing Business With You Again In The Future! Everyone Take Care, And Have A Safe And Successful Hunting Season............
Sincerly,
Mountain Man
(aka Proud Pro Pioneer Owner!)

 

[Michael Strahan]

Some comments-

Some comments-

MM,

You might check your settings; for some reason on all your posts, every word is coming in capitalized! Makes it harder to read.

So... could you be a bit more clear on your boat preference here? You seem to be sorta leaning toward the SOAR product, but...



CARGO PLATFORMS ON CANOES? NOT FOR ME!

One tip though, I would be cautious with using cargo platforms on a canoe. Though the inflatable canoes I tested in my Inflatable Canoe Test all had good primary and secondary stability, canoes are simply more tippy than a wider raft would be. The higher you load your boat, the more likely you are to capsize in certain conditions. Just a word of caution.

CANOE CAUTIONS

I might also mention one more time that canoes (inflatable or not) are NOT an entry-level boat! They are for experienced rafters who know what they're doing on the water. Larger boats are more forgiving, but with a canoe in the right circumstances, small errors can become fatal mistakes. I'm seeing a huge surge in interest in inflatable canoes, much of which is coming from beginners who want to get on the water right now, but cannot afford a full-sized rafts. If this trend continues, we will be reading about some of these nimrods in the obituary section soon. Hope I'm wrong...

RESPONSES

Sorry about the apparent lack of response you received from the shops and even from this website. I remember one of your earlier posts where you asked, "Who has a SOAR...?". You're narrowing your field quite a bit there, and may be turning away some good input from folks who don't own one. Later it appeared that you were looking for input on all inflatable canoes, so I chimed in. Just a heads-up to make sure you're asking the question you really want to ask- sometimes people get in a hurry and forget. As to the shops, I wouldn't count on a lot of email response from most raft outfits at this time of year. It might look like poor customer service, but the truth is that those guys are actually out helping customers rather than sitting on their hands in the office answering email. Not trying to be too blunt here, but this is the busiest time of the year for those guys and they're swamped. Dunno about the other guys, but I know this is true of Alaska Raft and Kayak, and of Alaska Downstream. Alaska Raft and Kayak is the largest rental and retail raft shop in the state of Alaska, as well as the largest AIRE dealer in the country, and perhaps the largest NRS dealer as well. They didn't get that way by ignoring customers, so if they didn't reply to your email I've gotta believe it was because they had customers physically in the store from opening to closing. When you get back, take a stroll through there; you'll see what I mean.

At any rate, congratulations on your purchase (do you have a solid delivery date yet? These boats come from overseas and are made in batches). Especially thank you for your service to our country; I know you are not back in Alaska yet, so keep your head down and please come back to us in one piece, okay?

Best Regards, and enjoy your boat!

-Mike

 

[Alaskan_mtnman]

Thanks Mike!

Thanks Mike!

Mike,
Is this type better? (LOL!) ............. I had it on caps lock! I usually type in that manner to put out info for all my Soldiers! When in all caps they seem to sense my urgency towards the tasks at hand, and get right to them! (LOL!) anyway.............
To recap:
Over a month ago I began shopping for an inflatable canoe that would support my needs of a nice "fly in - float out" craft (General scenario). I have alot of experience in hard shell canoes, and rafts, but felt that due to my natural ability to pack light and love of easier maneuverability, I felt maybe an inflatable canoe would fit the bill for me. So, I put the feelers out all over the net to many stores/dealerships requesting information on their products. as stated before, Larry was the first and only to respond. After his initial responce, I then posted 2 posts requesting info, and pro's and con's of the Pro Pioneer from owners and folks familiar with the boat and had what I would concider a great responce by folks such as your self.(These are the posts I believe you referred to in your post) All the info, and video's I received and watched from Larry and folks such as yourself, made my decision quite easy. I then gave Larry the thumbs up, and got the ball rolling! My wife has met with him already, and has all the accessories in hand for both boats, and she will be picking up the Pro Pioneers in about 10 days when he returns from a trip to the Brooks Range. He prefers to self inspect all products to ensure customer satisfaction(expected), so my wife will obviously pick the boats up upon completion of that process. As stated before he has really treated my wife and I very well, and I would recommend him to my closest friends! As you can see I have already done so in my previous post. and they too feel that it may be the craft for them.(However, keeping in mind the cautions and reminders you had mentioned earlier, I will be sure to work with one of the guys to make sure he is up to the task of manning it properly, because as you say this craft is not for a novice to just jump in to and make Ill fated attempts to avoid dangerous river obstacles and dive blindly into class II and III rapids in!) The other guy will help out to as he is/was a white water instructor in the state of Maine prior to his Army career. I feel that if the boat performs as well as you and others have stated, I will be a happy camper! As a matter of fact I hope these next 2 months go by quickly so I can get home and get busy! I can't wait!......but obviously, I still have some important tasks at hand here to concentrate on and accomplish prior to the others and I having that opportunity...........So all is well that ends well!!!!!
Now, to clarify my disappointment expressed in my earlier post. I was utterly suprised as stated before, that I hadn't heard back from any of the other dealers and suppliers of other brands of inflatables after e-mailing them, explaining my situation, and requesting info at the website address's which they had advertised on their websites. To me that comes accross as bad business no matter how busy they may be! Without speculating to much, maybe it's time to hire a computer informations manager!( AKA - high school kid good with computers that can read and send out accurate information LOL!) atleast during the busy months of the year! In all seriousness though... Mike, you obviously know these folks better than I and sound as if you may have dealt with them on many an occasion, and walked away a satisfied customer. Thats great, and I thank you for passing that information on to me as well. I will take that into consideration in the future. Fair enough?.... I however, as a potential customer having never talked to them or visited their places of business, naturally will draw my conclusions off of my first impressions as a paying costumer. I have always been what you would call a perfectionist, and suffer from one of the worst cases of anal retentiveness known to man! (LOL!)..... combine that with my very high standards of personal and professional conduct, and you have what I would consider to be the Websters Dictionary definition of "very hard man to please"! ............. and I honestly have to take that into consideration alot, ask my Wife, and all the Soldiers in my command! (LOL!) Regaurdless...... Mike, I expected to hear back from every one of them in one way shape or form. Enough said............
In efforts to put this to rest, I would like to close with, and clarify my appreciation toward everyone who reponded with the valuable info I needed to make this confident final decision as mentioned before to include your self Mike! (Sorry I didnt include you in the last post, as I only looked back at the last couple posts) I really found of value the info you posted on the test results of all the different inflatables in which I had interest. You provided me with a world of knowledge I would have never had. I am very happy with the attention given to me and this matter by all the members, and was not disappointed by the quality nor the quantity of posts the least bit! I truley had a much better response than anticipated having just joined not to long ago, and being fairly unfamiliar with the climate of the forum. I feel that speeks highly towards this forum, and the character of folks who frequent it. Thanks for the support of the Troops! We really do apprciate every bit of it, and as always, I wish all a safe and successful hunting season, and hope this post finds everyone in good health and great spirits! take care...............
Mountain Man

 

[Michael Strahan]

Take care!

Take care!

MM,

I haven't had time to post much lately, but thanks for the reply.

Take care over there and I wish you the best when you get back here to God's country. We'll hold a spot for you at the fishin' hole!

Glad I was able to be of some assistance. I think you'll really like your boat!

-Mike

 

[Larry Bartlett]

MntMan, did you get the answers you needed? I just came across this thread doing a google search and wanted to see how your hunts have been going with these rigs. Hope all has been well and your success has been achieved.

larry
http://www.pristineventures.com

 

[Chris_Stout]

I kayak with a guy that does all three canyons of sixmile solo in his on a regular basis.. EXCELLENT craft!!!