Outstanding Outcast

Had a great interaction with the folks at Outcast Sporting Gear over the past week. My FishCat 13 suffered from a leak I couldn't seem to find. I shipped the bladder back and they quickly found the pinhole I couldn't locate. When they called me, they told me the repair was gratis (nice) and I asked to order some parts. Locally I only have one Outcast dealer - Cabelas. I thought my odds of getting a specialized part that's beyond the one-man float tubes they sell seemed unlikely. So Outcast offered to sell these items to me separately. They were even kind enough to do some investigation to save me some $$$ on shipping my 20# pyramid anchor!

That's what really garners my respect in a company. They were fast, helpful, and flexible. I already like my raft quite a bit, but this just makes me feel that much better about the Outcast brand. By contrast, I am dealing with a purchase from an online seller that has been the polar opposite. Shipped me someone else's order the first time, hassled me about the return, then correct product didn't fit, so I needed that exchanged. And hostile and inflexible the whole time.

Considering a floaty boat? I would definitely suggest a look at Outcast!

Update on the raft: Since my December shake-down cruise on the Pere Marquette, I've made some key upgrades to the raft. They include:

• Addition of a 20# pyramid anchor to replace the crappy "mushroom" style that's totally unsuited to rivers.
• Picked up a K-Pump K-100. This sweet, small pump even comes in a bag with lashing points to attach to the raft frame. Thank you Cabelas inventory clearance sale!
• Added a second rod storage tube. Existing one (1-1/2" PVC with reel groove and retainer) only held a single stick.

Looking forward to the next float!

-Sean-