I think it all boils down to what you are going to do with the boat and just exactly what you want to use it for.

I have fished both the Pac 8 and the Pac 900 by Outcast. They are both great boats that have a niche and can cover many situations.

The Outcasts are more money then the Bucks Bags but they are a better, more sturdy boat. I have never fished a Cataraft but I dont need the ability to fish out of the boat standing up that comes with the Catarafts. I, in turn, enjoy the packability of the Outcasts.

The Pac 8 and the Pac 9 series are the more inexpensive boats that Outcast makes. The 8 is 8' and the 9 is 9'. The 800 is 8' and the 900 is 9'.

The 8 and 9 run from $600 to $900 while the 800 and 900 run from $1100 to $1300.

The biggest differance between the two series and durability. The 8 and 9's are a thinner pontoon with a shorter warranty while the 800 and 900 are a thicker, seam-welded pontoon with a longer warranty. I also noticed the 800 and 900 tend to sit up a little higher in the water column which can make a differane. The higher you sit the earlier you will see obstacles such as rocks, trees and other stuff that you must negotiate. But at the same time, the 800 and 900 are a little heavier of a boat.

I have floated the Stilly, the Sky and a tributary of the Sky and had no problems with the Pac 8. I in fact liked it because its lighter weight made it very easy to hike a 100 yards into a spot where I launched the boat.

I recently got back from the Coast and floating various stretches of the Hoh, from Spruce Creek all the way down and through the Oxbow. I did this with the 900 and was very very thankful that I not only had the 900 because it sat higher but it is a heavier, bigger boat. It takes alot more to flip a 800 or 900 then a 8 or 9. Plus the engineering qualities of the 800 and 900 just make them a more sturdy feeling boat and more responsive.

It all boild down to just what you are going to do with the boat and how much you want to spend. If you can, spend the more money and get either the 800 or 900.

And pay the extra $120 and get the composite oars by Cataract. They make the biggest differance differance in the world. They are ten times more durable then the crappy aluminum oars the boats come with and they have no give or bend in them, so all of your engery is going into pushing the water and thus manuvering the boat and not into the small degree of bend that the aluminum oars have.


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Ryan S. Petzold
aka
Sparkey and/or Special