08-03-2016, 01:55 PM
[quote TubeDude][#0000ff]When you eliminate the bladder...as is the case with Dave's craft...that leaves the door open to leaks from other areas...like the coating. That is all that stands between floating and walking...a good watertight coating. And that is where the leak was in the first Escape he sent...a worn spot near the end of the right air chamber. It had never been in the water. It was worn from rubbing on the box.
The one small leak I was able to find in the seat was along one of the seams...another spot vulnerable to leaks due to failure to seal completely. And there is still a leak I can't find...probably up inside between the seat air chamber and the protective layer covering the bottom part. Again, that tube had never been in the water either.
Those are things you might endure in a low end product made "offshore". But not in a high end craft supposedly the quality standard of the industry. Especially when the followup service and responses are so poor to non-existent.
I still do buy a lot of things online...and a ton from Amazon. Overall great service and a simple return policy on defective items.
I know people who are more concerned about a company's after sale service and return policy than they are about price...with good cause.
[/#0000ff][/quote]
I have been using bladderless since 2000 and again, never had any issue, but it can happen.
The advantages to bladderless is first off, the cover. It is made of several layers of material including Kevlar.
We packed our 14' boat on a motorcycle trailer for a week. When we got home we had noticed the taillights on the trailer had rubbed 3 layers of coating off. (keep in mind this is a long boat that with frame is around 160 lbs.)
The boat still holds air with no issue.
The other advantage to bladderless is it is easier to find leaks and fix them, A toothpick and Aquaseal usually does the trick.
Another advantage, it will be lighter then bladder version.
One more advantage, sand or dirt can not get in the zippers as there are non. Plus it can not get inside and rub the bladder.
Lastly, Dave told me at one of the shows. He does order the side bags, seat and oars. Sometimes they cannot keep up with his orders, so he immediately ships what he can so that customer can still use his product.
Again I am sure for problems are real, but just in my dealings and reading, MANY of those bad reviews are from people that have never owned an NFO.
There is a forum that is full of these haters that love to bash Scadden for Outcast. I know this for a fact that 8 out 9 have never had one and are talking about a friend of a friend of a friend.
My personal experience, been using Scadden since 1986, bladderless since 2000. NEVER an issue. so a 50/50 report.
[signature]
The one small leak I was able to find in the seat was along one of the seams...another spot vulnerable to leaks due to failure to seal completely. And there is still a leak I can't find...probably up inside between the seat air chamber and the protective layer covering the bottom part. Again, that tube had never been in the water either.
Those are things you might endure in a low end product made "offshore". But not in a high end craft supposedly the quality standard of the industry. Especially when the followup service and responses are so poor to non-existent.
I still do buy a lot of things online...and a ton from Amazon. Overall great service and a simple return policy on defective items.
I know people who are more concerned about a company's after sale service and return policy than they are about price...with good cause.
[/#0000ff][/quote]
I have been using bladderless since 2000 and again, never had any issue, but it can happen.
The advantages to bladderless is first off, the cover. It is made of several layers of material including Kevlar.
We packed our 14' boat on a motorcycle trailer for a week. When we got home we had noticed the taillights on the trailer had rubbed 3 layers of coating off. (keep in mind this is a long boat that with frame is around 160 lbs.)
The boat still holds air with no issue.
The other advantage to bladderless is it is easier to find leaks and fix them, A toothpick and Aquaseal usually does the trick.
Another advantage, it will be lighter then bladder version.
One more advantage, sand or dirt can not get in the zippers as there are non. Plus it can not get inside and rub the bladder.
Lastly, Dave told me at one of the shows. He does order the side bags, seat and oars. Sometimes they cannot keep up with his orders, so he immediately ships what he can so that customer can still use his product.
Again I am sure for problems are real, but just in my dealings and reading, MANY of those bad reviews are from people that have never owned an NFO.
There is a forum that is full of these haters that love to bash Scadden for Outcast. I know this for a fact that 8 out 9 have never had one and are talking about a friend of a friend of a friend.
My personal experience, been using Scadden since 1986, bladderless since 2000. NEVER an issue. so a 50/50 report.
[signature]