Over the past few months I’ve had the opportunity to use the Hobie seat cushion on both my Hobie PA 12 and Lynx.  I’m absolutely wrapped with the cushion whilst out on the Lynx but found I didn’t really need it when on the PA 12, so let’s get into the article and have a look at the Hobie seat cushion a little more closely.

The Hobie seat cushions have hit the streets for the kayaker that is looking for some extra comfort whilst on the water, for example those anglers stringing together long hours or for the leisure kayaker looking for a little extra comfort whilst cruising about the place.  Before we get into my experience using the Hobie seat cushion let’s get into the specifications on the cushion, jumping onto the various websites you’ll find the following description on the cushion:

• Made in the USA using military grade components
• Light weight, patented foam technology breathes easy and won’t absorb water
• Advanced foam technology that won’t break down for long lasting comfort
• Nylon webbing straps w/ anti-slip cam buckles for quick installation and removal
• Heavy duty zipper allows cover removal for easy washing

Now you could be forgiven for thinking that this is a lot of fancy wording but the reality is the cushion lives up to all the above mentioned points, in particular the breathing easy and not absorbing water which makes it perfect for setting up on your seat and leaving it there, without needing to remove it before washing your kayak. Following my sessions I simply hoses the cushion down with the rest of the yak and let it dry.  With regards to the zippers and buckles I haven’t had any issues with them nor have I touched them once done up, I did however add some heat shrink over the metal buckle just to add a little extra chafing protection for the seat webbing.  The cushion is said to be compatible with any of the framed seats that fit a Hobie, that being said if you’re in and older style soft seat kayak and wanted a little extra comfort you could place the cushion onto the seat and just place the buckles out of the way.

From an ascetics point of view there is two colours available which are black and green, it’ll be a personal preference which way you want to go but let’s face it once you’re sitting on the seat it won’t really matter.   The last point I would like to make is the cushion can be place on the either the back rest of your seat or the base and in some instances kayakers install a cushion on both to maximise the comfort level whilst on the water.

Right O, so how did I find it?  When using it on my PA 12 I found it was a little small when compared to the seat base itself, this isn’t necessarily a bad thing because the cushion is designed to fit a lot of different seats.  I used the cushion for an entire weekend of fishing and found it to be comfortable and there wasn’t a point over the weekend were I found it to be too hot or irritating which was great because those particular days were very hot and humid. The most noticeable thing for me is the cushion actually raised my seating position slightly when compared to using the PA Vantage seat on its own.  I personally find the PA 12 Vantage seat to be super comfortable and I don’t feel I really need the Hobie cushion that being said the Hobie cushion does provide extra comfort for plenty of other PA owners out there.

On the Lynx is where the seat cushion really shined for me making a noticeable difference to the comfort level whilst on the water.  The Lynx seat is fully framed with a webbing back and base and is quite comfortable on its own but by adding a cushion I gained a little bit of height which helps when casting lures around from a seating position and I defiantly noticed an increase in comfort when on the water after a few hours and let’s face it, the more comfortable you are whilst on the water the longer you can stay out to enjoy it.

In all honesty, across the board Hobie seats are very comfortable straight out of the box and the decision to add a cushion will come down to personal preference but if you’re looking for a little more comfort or slight raised seating position whilst on the water, the Hobie cushion could be exactly what you need.

Cheers for reading OCA

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