I have a Hobie Outback and have used it EXTENSIVELY for the past six years for fly fishing. In all that time, I have never had my fly line get tangled in the pedals. It is without question the best personal fishing craft I have ever used. My only gripe is that there is some tie-down hardware on the bottom sides of the seating compartment that tend to tangle my fly line when I strip it in and the lines lays down there. As for the Hobie Outback going backwards, it actually can. If you put the pedals in backwards so the leading edge of the fins is facing the rear of the kayak it will go backwards. Please don’t ask me how I know that.

Jim Smith