OK...So I am all wrapped up on wanting to try the difference and I know this weekend is going to be a zoo for rentals so snuck out a bit early to go and try out the Revo.
First off, trying to remember the pros/cons with the Adventure so I could compare were:
Adventure-
Pros:
1. I fit in the cockpit fine and it did not sink lol
2. Very fast, feeling of slicing through the water.
Cons:
1. My butt was wet just from sitting in the kayak paddling around in nice calm conditions.
2. Kind of a far reach to actually get out and use the front hatch.
3. Initial stability was kind of "twitchy" feeling.
So off I go in the Revo...right from the beginning I notice a nice dry ride and speed feels good. A bit more wind and tide coming in the bay than yesterday today but still tracking nicely. Stability is better than the Adventure. There is not that twitchy feeling I experienced yesterday with the Adventure and there is a better initial feeling of stability although it is probably minimal once one got used to the boat. Turns on a dime. Noticed the turning radius feels almost twice as sharp even though it is just a bit shorter. Climbed around the boat, sat side saddle, feet to both sides...all good.
Then I notice something that did not happen in the Adventure. The Mirage drive was set to 7 (farthest setting) on both boats due to my tall frame. When pedaling in the Revo, I was constantly bottoming out the pedals. Had to consciously think about not pushing them down all the way. Crap! And I had almost made up my mind......
Revolution-
Pros:
1. Feels just as fast to me as the Adventure. (Probably woud rock with the Turbo Fins)
2. Stability factor not an issue. Confidence is fine right from the start.
3. Better manuverablity, ease of handling.
Cons:
1. Mirage drive bottoms out at the same setting (7) where the Adventure does not. I don't think I would be comfortable at setting (6) but did not try.
I couldn't believe that the ride in the Revo was that much drier and wanted to compare speed in identical conditions so took the Revo back in early and grabbed the Adventure again. When switching the seat out, I noticed that one of the scupper hold plugs was missing. "Elementary my dear Watson", we have found the culprit! Stole the plug from the Revo and the water-logged seat disappeared.
Final thoughts...I would probably be ready to pull the trigger on a Revo if it weren't for the issue of the pedals bottoming out. With the difference in speed from my current ride (X-Factor) and the Revo with added turbo fins, I could be content with knowing that I made a good choice. Benefit of having a slightly shorter boat for manuvering when needed and ease of transportation would outweigh the slight difference in speed (if there is one).
Hope this helps others if they are trying to make a similar decison and more comments are welcome. Maybe I will end up with a Tarpon 160i after all this.....
