Hobie Mirage Lynx

Size, weight, capacity

The Hobie Mirage Lynx is 11 ft. (3.35 m) long and 36 in. (91.4 cm) wide. This is one of the smaller kayaks in the Hobie range, but it is stable enough for you to move around easily, even when you stand to fish. The Lynx also offers plenty of onboard space for your gear.

The Lynx has a capacity of 350 lbs. (158.8 kg). This is sufficient for an average adult and some fishing gear. But with such a low-profile hull, you don’t want to exceed 70% of the capacity or you may find even the smallest waves crashing over the hull.

The hull weighs just 47 lbs. (21.3 kg) without the drive and the seat. This is light enough for an average adult to car-top this kayak easily. Even fully rigged, Hobie Lynx weighs just 63 lbs. (28.6 kg).

Features

The hull of the Hobie Mirage Lynx is reminiscent of a SUP board. The shallow draft and open-top design mean you can get this kayak floating in just a couple of inches of water and comfortably move around to get to your gear or to fish. The directional lines on the underside of the hull let the kayak track better without adding extra depth.

On the top side of the kayak, there is no shortage of features to get excited about. The most notable feature is the Mirage 180 drive. This reversible pedal drive system features Kick-up fins that flip up and out of the way if you bump into underwater obstacles or shallow patches. This reduces the chance of broken fins and bust drives.

The rudder system at the rear of the kayak is controlled by a hand lever which can be moved to either the left or the right-hand side of the seat. This rudder can be raised and lowered with a pull on the cord. 

The seat system features a full aluminum frame with a supportive and adjustable backrest. The quick-drying and breathable mesh prevents you from overheating and means that any splashes that make it onto the kayak drain away quickly. This is helped by the scuppers behind the seat.

At its heart, the Lynx is a fishing platform and therefore it has plenty of space for fishing features. A forward accessory mount point, as well as accessory tracks on the sides and option-extra side rails give you almost endless options for setting up your rig. A transducer scupper under the seat lets you install a fish finder and take the guesswork out of your hunt. The kayak is even compatible with the Power Pole shallow water anchor.

EVA deck pads ahead of the seat lets you stand with confidence while you cast. Bungee-secured storage points at the bow and stern give you space to stow your equipment.

Hobie Mirage Lynx comes with a two-piece aluminum paddle, which is OK considering that you’ll pedal it most of the time.

Performance

Hobie Mirage Lynx is an out-and-out fishing platform. This kayak has so many accessory points that you can take just about anything and everything on the water with you. Couple that with the open deck design and lightweight hull and you’ve got a platform that you can rely on.

The shallow draft of the hull suits shallow lake fishing or anglers who trawl through weed-loaded lakes looking for their catch. However, it does mean that in the wind and waves, the kayak has a tendency to skid about in the water and become hard to control. Although this kayak has a reasonable bow rocker, waves can still crash over it easily.