Hobie has made some excellent improvements with it's latest "Plug In" carts. Both the Trax and Standard get a new frame and a couple of other features. Wheels appear to be unchanged.
I got the new version with Standard wheels, which has been a very reliable and rugged cart for me in the past. Six inches wider, the new cart improves stability on uneven surfaces. With 2 1/2 inches extra height, it has plenty of reach to extend completely through any hull, including the new Pro Angler. Here's what the old and new look like together:
Here's the new cart sitting under a Revolution:
It has a new feature that is really clever. One of the top caps pulls out and pins in the side to lock the cart on the boat. This allows you to lift the boat down to the ground with the cart pre-installed! It is attached with a bungee so it stows neatly in the hole on top of the cart when not in use. Here's what it looks like:
boat sitting on cart
boat suspended, cart locked on
Finally, you can see that the top caps are now domed (left, below) rather than flat. This should improve the insertion of the cart when reaching under the boat in the water.
My old cart has always done an excellent job, but was a little unstable sideways on the old local ramp, especially near some of the uneven seams. I had to be careful with a loaded Oasis and the full AI rig. This new cart will be a big improvement!
Price? Hobie has not changed the retail price for these new carts, so they're a much better value, IMO. I think they list for about $90 (Standard) and $140 (Trax). Same part #. If you're in the market for a new version, be sure and specify the wide one in the event your dealer still has both versions. If you prefer the old version, you'll have to find a dealer that still has them in stock.
