Float Tube Overview

Float tubing is the new way of fishing and with each year new people join the floating movement. But what if you want to try float tubing but don’t want to shell out several hundred dollars? You go for the Classic Accessories Teton Float Tube, of course, a tube that is very affordable! It might have a cheap price tag, but the tube itself is far from cheap. There’s hard to find an entry model that’s better than the Teton.

It’s uniquely sculpted design makes for a clutter-free and streamlined deck, to make your fishing as convenient as possible. There are three storage areas in total, two at each armrest and one large pocket in the back seat. The two storage areas in the armrests have multiple pockets to store all of your fishing gadgets and gear. The backrest can also store fishing gear, there are no pockets, however.

The Teton is about 4.5 feet long and 4 feet wide, almost identical to its slightly expensive brother, the Cumberland. It weighs 16 pounds and will carry up to 250 pounds without trouble. To make transportation as as easy possible, there are two backpack straps so you can carry it while it’s inflated on your back. It has a hydrodynamic hull shape, which makes it easier for you to steer and maneuver the tube. It also helps it to track straight.

The seat is not padded but made out of mesh fabric, along with the backrest, the Teton float tube is surprisingly comfortable. The seat is lower than other models, which will have you submerged in the water from about the waist down (it all depends on how much you weigh, heavier people will be submerged more than lighter people).

Like all float tubes, there’s a stripping apron included with a fish ruler. To make for easy removal it’s attached via Velcro patches. The ruler makes it easy for you to measure your fish and decide whether it’s a keeper or not.

The Teton float tube is a great way to enter the world of inflatable float tube fishing, it’s affordable and plenty of features that higher-end models have.

Features

• Three storage areas for all your valuable fishing gear
• Stripping apron with fish ruler
•  Backpack straps to make transportation easier
• De-cluttered and streamlined deck

Specifications

• Dimensions: 42.5 inches (3.5 ft) in length,  40 inches (3.3 ft) in width and 18.5 (1.5 ft) in height
• Weight: 16 pounds
• Carrying Capacity: 250 pounds
• Material: Heavy-duty fabric

Our Review

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Considering the astonishingly low price point of the Classic Accessories Teton, you’d think you would get a poorly made boat, but the reality is far different. We were pleasantly surprised by the Teton, maybe because we were constantly thinking of how cheap it was, certainly nothing that cheap can be good, right? Let’s dive right in and see what we have to say.

Seats puts you in the eater, makes it easier to propel yourself

If you’ve read our review of the Cumberland float, you know that my wife had a problem propelling herself due to the high seat. The seat on the Teton is not padded or anything like that, it’s a simple fabric seat. This means it gets you closer to the water, which makes it a lot easier for short people like my wife to propel herself using her teeny tiny legs. If you’re worried that you might be too small for the seat and accidentally slide out when wading, there’s a groin strap that will prevent just that. The main “drawback” (we’re really pushing it calling it a drawback) of having a seat like this is that you get a lot wetter, you can count on getting water up to your waistline sitting in the Teton seat.

First-timers might have troubles installing the bladders, here’s a video to help you out

If you’re reading our review of this float tube, we take it you’re a beginner float tuber. So here’s the thing all beginners should know, you have to install the bladders into the actual tube before you can go anywhere. If you know how to do this it’s quite easy, however, if you’ve never seen a tube in real life it can be quite tricky. The instructions that come with the Teton are not fully clear, especially if you’ve never assembled a tube-like this before. To help you first timers out, here’s an instructional video teaching you how to replace a bladder for a float tube.

It feels solid and rugged, we just wish they would have reinforced the bottom

The build quality is solid, nothing feels like it’s cheaply made or like it would come apart easily. We just wish that Classic Accessories would’ve improved the bottom of the hull, it’s made from the same nylon material as the top and will most likely puncture if something sharp were to hit it. We’d love to see a rugged PVC bottom in the next version of the Teton, please!

Backpack straps are awesome, makes for easy transportation

We just love the backpack straps, they’re highly convenient and make transportation so much easier. The straps cannot be used when the tube is deflated sadly, but once inflated you just throw it up on your back and walk to your destination. It’s like a humongous backpack, but it only weighs 16 pounds which makes it even easier to carry, even if you have a bad back.

Plenty of storage for all your gear freaks out there

The storage areas are pretty neat as well. The two armrest storage areas have plenty of pockets for lures and other important equipment, just be cautious when putting them in, since they might go through the nylon right into the bladder. If you’ve seen the product pictures of the Teton, you probably noticed that the storage areas look sturdy and “inflated”, this is however not the case. In the product pictures, they’ve stuffed these areas, in reality, they’re completely flat. It’s nothing too bad but it does surprise you when you first unpack it. The backrest also doubles as a large pocket, so you have plenty of storage for gear.

No cup/rod holders but it’s easily fixed

It doesn’t have any cup/rod holders like the more expensive versions have, this can be easily fixed with a Scotty float tube mount, just wrap around the tube and fastened, you’re done.

Pros

• A great deal for the amount of money you pay
• Lots of storage for fishing gear
• The backpack straps make it to transport longer distances

Cons

• The bottom is not reinforced, making it vulnerable to punctures

Conclusion:

We’re not going to lie, the Teton float tube from Classic Accessories surprised us. We thought it would be a cheaply made toy like a tube, but it was in fact well made. It’s a very basic and minimal model, it doesn’t have a lot of the added features higher-end models have, but who cares? Since you’re probably paying less than $100, you can’t expect to get a whole lot for that amount of money. It’s a solid product, does what it says on the box, and helps you get closer to your fish. If you want to give float tubing a try, or if you’re just a cheapskate, the Teton will most definitely not disappoint you, unless you have exceptional standards for low-cost products.

 

Float Tube Overview

What some might consider being the best inflatable float tube you can buy, the Cumberland float tube is a low cost but feature-packed craft. Its only purpose is to make your fishing as good as possible. For anyone looking to experience float tubing, you can’t really go wrong with the Cumberland. It’s highly affordable and has the same features as the tubes that cost twice as much. All these features enable you to bring plenty of fishing gear, rods, beverages, and whatnot. And if you find yourself wanting more, there’s plenty of options to install additional accessory holders. If you don’t want something as large as an inflatable boat, but still want all the features a boat has, the Cumberland float tube will give just that.

The Cumberland is compact and portable. It measures about 4.5 feet long when inflated but is roughly half the size when deflated and packed. The two backpack straps make it possible to carry the tube like a backpack when it’s inflated, making transporting it from point A to point B easier and quicker. It weighs only 17 pounds, so even people with bad backs will be able to carry it with the straps without too much effort.

The hull is shaped with hydrodynamics in mind to ensure that it tracks straight and that steering is easy. The raised back reduces the amount of drag and thus making the Cumberland both faster and more maneuverable.

The seat is thickly padded which makes it tons more comfortable compared to other cheaper float tubes. The dimensions of the seat are 17.25 inches wide and 20 inches long, with plenty of room, even for the larger guys. The backrest is adjustable with straps, letting you decide if you rather want to sit straight or lie down in a more armchair-like position. It’s easy to adjust, just pull one of the two straps until they’re the desired length and lock them. The extra padding makes this seat sit higher above the water than other models, which also helps with visibility towards other fishermen. If there’s a need for more visibility there’s a slot behind the seat where it’s possible to install a flag. For added security, there’s a bright orange panel in the back for more visibility.

The Cumberland float tube has two oversized cargo pockets with double heavy-duty zippers for storing your tackle and other small gear. There’s a pull handle for pulling open both zippers at the same time. Behind the seat, there’s a mesh platform for storing additional gear or your newly caught fish.

It has two-rod holders on each side of the tubes, these are not meant to be used fishing but rather to hold your rods when transporting the craft. Easily mistaken for the rod holders are the two cup holders, they’re located on top of each tackle pocket, these will not hold any rods but will hold your favorite beverage of choice.

Features

• A thick and padded seat, with high back support to make long days less painful
• Two oversized pockets for small gear like tackles
• Mesh storage platform for additional gear
• Straps to carry it like a backpack when inflated
• Stripping apron with fish ruler

Specifications

• Dimensions: 56 inches (4.5 ft) in length,  47 inches (4 ft) in width and 17.5 inches (1.5 ft) in height
• Weight: 17 pounds
• Carrying Capacity: 350 pounds
• Material: Heavy-duty fabric with a rugged PVC bottom

Our Review

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The Cumberland float tube was the first float tube we ever tried and we can definitely see why it’s a rising trend among fishermen these days. It’s not for the person that’s afraid of getting wet, as you sit with half your legs in the water. It was definitely something different than we’re used to but in a very positive way. To propel the tube you paddle with your feet, thanks to the high seat you’re sitting in a very ergonomic position, making it easy to kick powerfully.

Shorter people will have a hard time propelling themselves

My wife who is a lot shorter than me,  she’s around 5 foot tall, had a hard time efficiently propel herself due to her short legs. The culprit for this (except for my wife’s short legs) is the thickly padded seat.

Get a couple of fins to make propulsion as efficient as possible

To make it as easy to propel yourself forward we recommend getting a set of Paddle Pushers, these allow you to paddle forward instead of backward. It makes it much easier to see where you’re going and allows you to face your fishing spot even in strong winds. A set of diving fins will be more efficient of course, taking you further and making you less tired.

Seat is super comfortable and puts you high above the water

The seat is very comfortable, together I and my wife must have kicked around for almost 5 hours straight. Even though we have healthy backs it’s easy to tell when a seat is poor, and the seat that comes with the Cumberland is great, we had no back strain what so ever. The backrest is also easy to adjust and it will not move when moving around or transporting it.

Plenty of storage for its size

One would think that the storage on a small craft like this would be pretty limited when it comes to storage but it’s quite the opposite. The mesh platform behind the seat can easily store a smaller cooler or your fish. The two pockets on top of each tube are oversized which makes it easy to store all kinds of tackles and bait. We managed to store all our tackles inside the two pockets. Just be careful with your tackles as the insides of the pockets do not have any heavy-duty PVC and can puncture easily.

There are no real rod holders, luckily you can buy them separately

Classic Accessories have written that two “rod holders” are included and in a sense that’s true. Thing is, these rod holders are just Velcro straps meant to hold your rods when transporting them. If you want a set of real holders, you can either make them yourself from PVC pipes, or buy a mount like the Scotty rod float tube mount.

Cup holders will only work if the pockets are full

As for the cup holders, they’re a nice addition but unless you fill the pockets full with tackles and other gear, they won’t be giving much support for your beverage. Not really something that bothered us since we were both occupied with trying to find the best spot.

Stripping apron design could use a better design

Not really a con or a drawback, but the stripping apron is detachable, which makes it easy to lose. Everything else on the tube folds up nicely except the apron. We almost lost ours due to heavy winds, so keep that in mind when removing it and placing it somewhere else. We also find the stripping apron design to be a little weak, it’s held together with Velcro patches, we would much rather see something like bungee straps instead of the Velcro.

Bladders are very thin and prone to punctures, be careful!

Now let us talk about the biggest drawback the Cumberland float tube has, it’s the bladders. They’re very thin, they’re actually comparable to the thickness of pool toys. When I was fishing one of my catches managed to poke a small hole in the hull with its dorsal fin (managed to paddle back to shore and fix it up). We’ve read that plenty of other people have had the same problems with small holes appearing here and there, they’re annoying but luckily they can be fixed with patches or air sealers. We’d love to see them come out with a version that has extended the durable PVC, but it’s just wishful thinking from our side.

Pros

• Portable and lightweight, can be carried on your back
• The high back seat and adjustable straps make it comfortable, even for longer periods of time
• Plenty of onboard storage for tackles and fishing gear

Cons

• The top part of the tube gets punctured easily
• It’s common to receive the Cumberland with leaky valves

Conclusion:

If you want to experience fishing in a whole different way than you’re used to, you should definitely try a float tube. The Cumberland float tube offers everything a float tube could potentially offer, at a low price point too. While it might not be as versatile, fast, and maneuverable as other inflatable boats, it still has plenty of offers when it comes to fishing. There’s a reason why float tubes grow more popular each year.