Hobie ICAST Online 2020 New Product Showcase

Hobie is a regular exhibitor at the annual ICAST sport fishing trade show for as long as I can remember.  In the past Hobie would have separate booths for all their different product lines. A few years ago they stopped doing that and now have one very big booth filled with all their different product categories, surfing, SUP, Pedalboarding, recreational and fishing kayaking, sunglasses, and gear.  Having ICAST Online this year because of COVID-19 has changed what Hobie is exhibiting.  On their ICAST Online page they are showcasing the sunglasses they have entered into the New Product Show case and four of their fishing kayaks.  

I have been wearing Hobie sunglasses for may years up until I needed to have RX sunglasses. Hobie offers RX sunglasses but a typical pair will cost  in the $400.00 range. That price point is a little too steep for me. 

I give Hobie non prescription sunglasses a high rating because their typical price point of $79.99 coupled with the high quality frames and lenses. You cannot get same frames and lenses from Costa Del Mar, Maui Jim and Smith Optics for this price point. You just cannot. Hobie frame styles and lens color choices are just as attractive as their competitors. Hobie entered six different pairs of sunglasses in the new product showcase competition and did not win the sunglasses category.  The Costa Del Mar FERG won the eyeware category. In my opinion there is nothing about the FERG that warrants the win except that the brand is Costa Del Mar. For some unknown reason to me anglers are will to fork out big bucks for a pair Costa sunglasses. 

The FERG cost $279.00.  That is $200.00 more than a comparable pair of Hobie sunglasses. So if you are in the market for a new pair of recreational or fishing sunglasses give Hobie a chance.  You will not be disappointed. 

As Costa Del Mar dominates the eyewear category year after year, Hobie does that with their fishing kayaks. Hobie many not win the kayak fishing and best of show categories every year but they have many wins under their belt.  This year they did not enter a new kayak into the Boat and Watercraft category. 

Hobie has large selection of recreational and fishing kayaks at many different price points.

Depending on your Hobie kayak and how you use your kayak you can select the right pedal drive system that matches your kayaking style. The Mirage Drive is the heart of the Hobie kayak.  It is what it makes the Hobie unique.  Hobie was the first kayak brand to develop and deploy a mechanical drive system in 1997. Today almost all major kayak brands offer mechanical drive systems that use either pedal drive system or battery trolling motors to propel the kayak. The new MirageDrive 180 is a work of art.  The new drive has a new set of pedals and the fins kick up when a fin hits a submerged object.

Before the kick-up fin, kayak anglers had to be really careful around submerged objects and kayaking in shallow water.  This is a game changer when fishing real skinny water. 

So if you are in the market for a new recreational or fishing kayak, check out you local Hobie kayak dealer. You will not be disappointed. Until next time, be safe in the sun and have a great day in the great outdoors.