Swapping Vantage Seat to normal kayak seat?

I wanted to open up a new thread and see if there is someone that can give my some information. Looking to buy a 2016 Revo at a show coming up and wanted to know if the vantage seat can be swapped out in the Revo. It doesn't have to be a hobie brand 2014 and prior seat. It can be any aftermarket seat. Is this possible to swap out?

Photo below is the outback, the only photo I can find for comparison with a side by side. Anyone have a standard kayak seat with straps they can slide into their Revo to see if it will fit? I don't mind mounting pad eyes if I have too. Thanks in advance.

One of the nicer aspects of the pre-Vantage Hobies was that nearly any aftermarket kayak seat would fit. The advent of the framed type seats has resulted in most kayak interiors being molded in a more flat/rectangular shape which doesn't really allow for the use of the older traditional style kayak seats. They'll fit in the opening, but will lack the former rounded support around the hips and back.

That's disappointing to read Tom. Hoping someone chimes in that has done a swap of some sort. I can't think of any kayaks were a seat can't simply be swapped. I love hobies concept..been fishing out of the revo for a while now. It's my number one, just not a fan of the new seat.

How about figuring out a way to get the seat back adjustment straps attach to the hull (wider for you?)? They attach to the seat bottom to make the angle adjustment process work easiest (you lean back and that pulls the front of the seat up), but seems to me they could be moved.

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Matt Miller
Former - Director of Parts and Accessory Sales
Warranty and Technical Support
Hobie Cat USA
(Retired 11/7/2022)

I am curious as to why you would want to use the old style seat. I have both and other than making lots of noise the new seat is far superior. Maybe I missed a thread about your problem.

Rather than buying a new Revo and working hard to retrofit the old seat you should think about buying a 2014 and upgrading the drive. In my area the 2014's are selling for less than $1500, sometimes as low as $1200. And there are many out there in excellent shape. Hobie's hold up well and you shouldn't have a problem finding one in good shape. Upgrading the drive is under $200, under $150 if you do it yourself. So you could have what you want, a nice Revo for under $1600 rather than over $2100 and you still have to add your seat.

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Duncan

Thanks for the suggestions Duncan, but already had a 2014 with 2015 drive to try out. Sold everything 2 months ago to make room for a 2016. Then rented a Hobie Outback with Vantage seat and found out that seat is not for me.

Give me some ideas MMiller. I want to sit side saddle as well and cast my fly rod. Impossible to do the way this seat is designed. Can you figure a way at the factory how to remedy this? I'm sure I am not the only angler who wants to sit side saddle but can't in the vantage seat. Can these adjustment straps be cut and fixed all the way to the top?

Over the long haul and the feedback of squeaking and parts freezing up in another thread. My weight and bull in the china shop type of fishing, I will kill this seat. There has to be a way here.

This is the seat I would like to install. No hardware to loosen up, plenty of room on the sides, you can sit side saddle, it can take the abuse of daily fishing and it's dependable with no maintenance. Just like your 2014 and prior seat, it was also dependable.

As I understand it, the main difference is that the new hulls have a deeper recession for the seat. Could you possibly use something like a kneepad http://www.bonanza.com/listings/Premium ... oCwLLw_wcB

Or a swim kick board http://www.walmart.com/ip/Kickboards-25ct/29131802 . Trim it to fit the area and install the seat on top of that. You would have to put some eyelets to attach the seat to as well. Just throwing it out there for thought.

I use a knee pad but I don't think it cost that much. I have used it for extra padding on my Revo by throwing it on top of the seat for a long time.

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Duncan

I used a gardener kneeling pad from true value along with the hobie factory seat since my first hobie revo years ago. Worked great.

The older kayaks had a contoured seat bottom. The newer ones are just a rectangle with a flat bottom. Not really made for conventional kayak seats.

Good point Tom. There is a kayak manufacturer out there for 160 bucks they can make a custom seat that can fill that void. I don't see much for back support in it but I can see getting the concaveness needed. I'm just hoping a seat like this does not bump you up too high and start sacrificing the center of gravity and the initial stability of the Revo. I know the new vantage seat is said to be slightly higher.




http://www.redfishkayak.com/seats.htm

Can anyone from hobie confirm the plastic height in the seat area? Has this been changed starting in 2015 or is the seating area starting height still the same as 2014 and prior?

There is also this piece which could be a starter to fit the buttocks and fill up the rectangle area and then put in a standard seat. Redfish says the change of height with the pad is a 1/2".

It is my understanding that the seat well is lower now than on the 2014 and prior models. So the forms and cushions shown would likely get you to about the same seating height as what have with the Vantage seat. I've looked one over at a dealer and seem to recall the Vantage seat bottom is maybe 3 or 4 inches above the seat well in the low position. But I'm going from memory.

All I need now is the full dimensions of the hobie revolution rectangular area. Send those specs to redfish kayak and see what they say about seat options. I prefer my seat to be at 90 degrees. Be nice to have a formed seat with no side straps impeding sitting side saddle and less stuff like straps to break. I think it would need some type of reinforcement in the back because of the pressure put on by the pedal motion.