Quote:
Would you wait or go for thermal?
My 2 cents...
1. The two Passport models are the only Hobie Mirage Kayaks that are Thermoformed. All the others (except the ACE-TEC Lynx) are Rotomolded.
2. Hobie has over 2 decades experience with Rotomolded kayak manufacturing.
3. The two Passport models are now being offered Rotomolded. Why? Why is Hobie now offering a different manufacturing process with the same price, weight, and capacity? Does it make sense to manufacture the same kayak two different ways? (My guess is the Passports were initially Thermoformed because that is what the factory selected to make them in France was familiar with, and the pandemic severely limited new manufacturing partners able to meet Hobie's needs. I expect all Passports in the future will be Rotomolded.)
4. Rotomolding process ensures more consistent hull thickness.
5. Rotomoldied plastic is probably the most common kayak manufacturing process in use today.
If I were buying a Passport I would only want one that was Rotomolded.
Peter