The Highrider 170 Float Tube a review by Terry Babich

I was recently shopping for new float tubes and I’ve taken it upon myself to review an item that I purchased and have been impressed with. I needed to find a float tube each for my wife and I. My wife’s criteria was simple - that the colours shouldn’t clash. Well, that immediately ruled out all the big players in the market. Obviously, the bright colours used in float tube manufacture are for safety and clearly this aspect was not a high priority for her. Being unable to find a bright pink float tube I looked around and stumbled onto a brand I hadn’t seen before.

I had a glimpse at HighRider 170 by Savage Gear at an outdoor show. It looked robust and durable and as an added bonus it had paddles; this is something that I know that Gerty really likes. The price was comparable with similar items, but those didn’t have the paddles. I ordered two. Being ‘that guy’ who buys stuff without paying attention to the small print and who is too impatient to look at it properly before purchase I was ever-sceptical of what I might have bought until I finally had the chance to unpack them.

On opening the heavy 17kgs box I was surprised. A foot pump and floating repair kit were included in the package and didn’t need to be bought separately - that’s a good start. I then pulled a myriad of loose parts out of the box and slapped the whole assembly all together in under five minutes (of course, without looking at the instructions - who does anyway!). The pumped worked surprising well with very little effort…wow!

It was very apparent that all the requirements of the tube had been properly

thought through. It features a very durable material similar to my inflatable boat. It consists of two bladderless pontoons with an inflatable bottom and an adjustable inflatable seat. I thought the inflatable seat would be a bust but was surprised that, although not perfect, it was very functional and performed above expectation, surprisingly better than any other I had previously used.

The paddles looked solid and their connections to the boat look strong. They are easily fitted onto a screw that fastens them securely in position. The fastening nut cleverly has a tag string attached to it so that is doesn’t get lost. Even the fastening nut looked robust and strong. The boat is fairly heavy at 14kg but the makers have included onto it straps that can be used to carry it - or it can be dragged. It’s more than strong enough for that, in my opinion.

In the water the HighRider 170 is quick, very manoeuvrable and there is no uneasy feeling that it may tip over. As the name suggests, you sit very high in the water and I didn’t even get my ass wet. I had a little friend who stands at 6’10” sit in it. He was impressed when none of the usual problems arose and the two pontoons didn’t even squeeze closer together when he sat in it.

The bar holding the pontoons apart is easy to use and to insert. The paddles are easy to use and pack away nicely when not in use. I fished in strong winds with big waves on a huge catfish pond and at no time did I feel like I needed to evacuate due to unsafe conditions.

My wife is a newbie and a rare user of float tubes. She gave all of her tests in this tube a big thumbs up.

In my final analysis I’d say that, all in all, the Savage Gear High Rider 170 is a good buy. A requirement that is not part of the package

would be a bag to keep all the bits together when in storage.

If you need more info or would like to chat about the High Rider 170 flagship send me a message ofishallybabich@gmail.com.

Savage Gear HighRider 170 Specs:

4-chamber construction for extra security. Unique Rigid U-frame with Drop stich air chamber floor for extra high seating, comfort and stability. Air chamber custom seat for extra comfort. Rod holders. Easy detachable crossbar with stripping

apron with measuring print. 0.9mm armored PVC sheet, heat sealed and reinforced seams. Protech airvalves. Adjustable footrest.

• Net weight 14kg

• 170cm total length

• Max Load 180kg

Want to have your product reviewed?

I have been asking suppliers to the flyfishing market for tackle or fishing related items for review. No-one seems to have anything they want me to check out! Maybe they’re afraid I will break it - fair enough, point taken. Hahahaha. If you have something that you think needs to be shown to the public and you are brave enough for an honest review about it then contact me at

ofishallybabich@gmail.com and let’s make this a regular insert in the magazine!

Let's see what you have to offer and how it stands up to the BABICH destruction test . The SA market is a tough one and needs good quality products tested under local conditions. This is a good platform to use to present your goods to the market or make them aware of an already existing product.