Avid fly fisherman and fly fishing blogger Jeff Carmichael has recorded a video where he shows the difference between the two versions and offers his opinion as to which of the float tubes you should use based on the area you do your float tube fishing in. Jeff demonstrates the weight difference and shows you why the regular 420 should be used in rougher waterways where you might be bumping into sticks and rocks. He also talks about the ODC 420L package that includes a pump and fins.

You can see more videos and learn some good fly fishing tips on Jeff’s blog about fly fishing and float tubes, FlyFishingWithJeff.com.

I have been a busy girl since I last blogged about inflatable boats. In case you can’t tell, I’m simply enamored with them. This week, however, I am pleased to give you a bit of a diversion into a slightly different product line: Float Tubes. For my first summary review of this interesting inflatable boating product, I chose the Classic Accessories Cumberland Float Tube.

A friend of mine purchased a couple of these this season and I had the privilege of testing this float tube out for myself. The bonus was that we took the Classic Accessories Cumberland Float Tubes on a few fishing trips, which proved to be an absolute blast. I love how I was able to float on top of the water with pole in hand. And those lovely little coves I could never quite get in to with my bass boat were no problem for the Cumberland Float Tube.

Not to disappoint any of my loyal readers and appear biased, I did (of course) read up on what others had to say about the Classic Accessories Cumberland Backpackable Float Tube. So without further delay, I give you my usual review compilation of the Cumberland Float Tube.

Classic Accessories Cumberland Float Tube “Plus List”:
Rides high so you have better visibility
Seat is made of foam and has an adjustable back rest
Weight capacity of 350lbs
Light weight (18 lbs)
Storage bag doubles as a backpack so you can take the boat hiking
Great warranty service
Large storage compartments

Classic Accessories Cumberland Float Tube “Minus List”:
Backpack straps design could be improved
Not recommended for fast waters, best suited for slow moving lakes or deep rivers.
Hard to put together
Bulky and awkward to carry around
Needs better zippers in the storage compartments

Float Tube Review Summary:
I found several useful reviews for this inflatable tube at Cabela’s, as well as one on Amazon.com. I must say I was very impressed to find that this float tube consistently rates between 4 and 5 stars. Consumers seem to love the fact that it is appropriate for people of any height. Persons of the “healthy” persuasion will be very pleased to know that the Classic Accessories Cumberland Float Tube boasts a weight capacity of 350lbs. No more sitting on the bank for you!

There were very few complaints from consumers, including myself. The main disadvantage reported was that some individuals did not like the backpack straps. A couple of reviewers noted that the Cumberland Float Tube was a bit difficult to put together, citing their main challenge being placing the foam pads for the seat in the compartments.

As I can attest, the Classic Accessories Cumberland Float Tube is great for fishing trips, providing fantastic visibility, with its “above the water” vantage point. The Classic Accessories Cumberland Float Tube works best in deep rivers or lakes, so if you are looking for a float tube to tackle fast waters then you may not want to go with this model. In fact, all float tubes, in general are predominately calm water crafts. The Cumberland Float Tube will, however, handle waves from passing boats just fine, but not much more than that.

Well, that about does it for my summary review of the Classic Accessories Cumberland Float Tube. Until next time my water-loving friends… keep your paddle in the water and your butt in the boat!

Float tube fishing is a fast growing sport and the Summer Sale float tube specials are terrific. The Creek Company Round Boat Float Tube is normally priced at $99.99. During this sale it’s only $59.99. And the Creek Company U-Boat Super Combo that includes fins and a pump is only $99.99, regularly $149.99. Those are the lowest prices ever on both of these quality float tubes.

The Innova Solar is a light but rugged solo inflatable kayak. Innova is offering clearance savings on the Solar, regular $749, it’s only $599. The Innova Traveller is an advanced white water kayak with an inflatable deck that paddles much like a rigid boat. It’s also clearance priced. Regularly $999, the Traveller is only $699 during the Summer Sale. These clearance boats are on sale while supplies last, so check them out soon.

Advanced Elements inflatable kayaks have recently been added to the Portable Kayaks selection and throughout the Summer Sale, if you buy any of the Advanced Frame kayaks or the Lagoon 2 model, you’ll receive a free Advanced Elements Backbone (bow to stern frame) to make your kayak more rigid and greatly improve tracking. The back bone’s range in price from $69.99 to $99.99, so it’s a great time to purchase an Advanced Elements inflatable kayak and get yours free.

There’s more sale items, too. The Portable Kayaks Summer Sale will last through August 31, 2011. However, the sale items may change throughout the Summer, so I’d advise you to check back periodically for additional bargains at PortableKayaks.com.

The blog is written by Jeff Carmichael, an avid and very successful fly fisherman. Jeff’ has been fishing since he was a kid and over the years has accumulated a vault of information and techniques that he’s decided to share with his fellow fishermen and women.

Jeff purchased a float tube a few years ago and enjoyed fishing from it so much that he wrote an article about float tube fishing for us. We published it in our monthly newsletter. Recently Jeff and I were talking about his desire for sharing his knowledge about fly fishing and decided to launch the new blog.

So far there’s only been a few posts, however, with the season upon us, Jeff will be posting regular reports on his fishing trips, as well as fly fishing tips, product reviews and sometime in the near future some “how to” videos.

Check out FlyFishingWithJeff.com. I think you’ll enjoy the reading and, most importantly, benefit from his extensive knowledge of fly fishing.

Recently, our inflatable boat review page has been completely re-designed. We’ve updated the charts with additional information and changed the layout of the comparison charts to make them much easier to read and navigate.

If you’re in the process of reviewing inflatable kayaks, folding kayaks, portable fishing boats, pontoons or float tubes, check out the Product Comparison Charts at PortableKayaks.com.