Hobie envy is real. Anyone who owns a MirageDrive® kayak has experienced it. You pull up to a gas station, boat landing or bait shop and heads turn. Universally, on-lookers are impressed, but sometimes, the curious are intimidated by the size of your craft.
That’s about to change with the January launch of Hobie’s new Mirage® iTrek series inflatable kayaks. Lightweight, rugged, rigid and stable, five new pedal-powered platforms, the iTrek 9 Ultralight, iTrek 11, iTrek 14 Duo, Mirage Fiesta, and Mirage iEclipse pedalboard, are designed to go anywhere and transport in anything – including your trunk, back seat or flatbed.
The new iTrek kayaks feature Hobie’s signature MirageDrive® with Glide Technology and Kick-Up Fins to maximize agility, speed and responsiveness on the water, a removeable rudder system, lightweight aluminum frame elevated seating with breathable mono-mesh fabric, EVA standing pads, and seat-mounted cup holders. A high-pressure hand pump, high-volume electric pump, and durable storage bag are also provided with each purchase.
Let’s face it, whether heading out to fish, tour, exercise or simply enjoy some fun on the water, half the battle is getting there. The addition of Mirage® iTrek pedal-driven inflatable kayaks to the Hobie fleet puts that problem to rest. Deflated, they each fit into their own supplied storage bag which can be easily stowed in a closet. Ready to head out? Just grab one and go because they fit in any vehicle and pack well for airline or railroad travel. Imagine, taking your Hobie to Alaska, the Caribbean, Florida Keys, Adirondacks, Canadian Wilderness, Great Lakes, or anywhere else adventure calls. It’s all within your grasp with the new Mirage® iTrek series – no roof racks required.
“Everything about our new Mirage® iTrek series is designed to make it simple for anglers to get out on the water,” says Morgan Promnitz, Director of Fishing Business Development at Hobie. “They are lightweight, rigid, easily transported, and fold into a compact carry bag. They are perfect for anglers who love to travel, don’t have a lot of storage room, or lack suitable transportation for larger vessels. Arriving at your destination, it takes less than five minutes to fully inflate your Mirage® iTrek kayak. Just pump it up and you’re ready to go.”
Leading the new line-up, the streamlined Mirage iTrek 9 Ultralight is Hobie’s lightest, most transportable and most maneuverable pedal kayak. With a generous capacity of 350 pounds, it features intuitive rudder control to turn on its axis and navigate tight waterways with ease. Its diagonal drop stitch construction inflates to 10PSI, delivering the same rugged rigidity and deft performance as Hobie’s other platforms, but with an amazingly lightweight inflatable hull that tips the scales at just 20 pounds. It’s also remarkably versatile. Simply remove the MirageDrive® and it’s ready to use as a stand-up platform. The iTrek 9 Ultralight comes with a three-piece stand-up paddle and, as with all iTrek models, its adjustable elevated seat, lined with breathable mono-mesh fabric, keeps you cool and comfortable no matter how long you’re on the water.
Built for everything from daytrips to overnight escapes, the 28-pound Mirage iTrek 11 is well appointed and exceedingly light for its size. Incredibly stable, rigid, nimble and lightning-fast, the steering system on this model allows the handle to be positioned to starboard or port so both righties and southpaws can fish with their favored hand. With a 400-pound carrying capacity, the iTrek 11 is also a true workhorse. It features a rugged inflatable drop-stitch hull with triple-chamber construction and EVA standing pads for improved traction. Attached to each side of the center chamber is a single-chamber pontoon providing an extra-wide platform for a stable ride. This improved hull design delivers enhanced steadiness and increases total capacity so there’s plenty of room to stow your gear.
For double the power – and double the fun with family and friends – the Mirage® iTrek 14 Duo comes equipped with two seats, two MirageDrives, and limitless opportunity for tandem adventures. Able to carry up to 600 pounds of people and gear, it’s light enough at 45 pounds for one person to carry yet still fits in an easily transportable storage bag. Simply inflate, load up and shove off with all the fishing and camping gear you’ll need for a full-fledged trip down the river, across the lake or deep into the wilderness.
Included in the iTrek series is an entirely unique inflatable that epitomizes the world-renowned “Hobie Way of Life,” the Mirage® Fiesta. With four seats that can be positioned to face one another for social hour, two MirageDrives – with the ability to add two more – plus ample room for coolers, pups and kids to tag along, the Fiesta was built with fun in mind. Measuring 15 feet long with a 1,000-pound capacity and 78-pound hull weight, it comes with a stand-up paddle and packs away easily into a supplied storage bag with multiple carry handles. This is one watercraft that can really bring out the smiles.
Finally, the unprecedented Mirage® iEclipse, an inflatable iteration of Hobie’s famed stand up pedalboard, is also being released this January. Bringing all the advantages of the MirageDrive® pedal system to a versatile stand-up platform, it is as user-friendly as it is innovative. This breakthrough inflatable pedalboard comes complete with a two-piece handlebar that makes skimming across the surface a breeze, plus an intuitive steering system that turns on a dime with a simple push or pull of the lever. Simple to operate, it weighs only 28 pounds, supports 300 pounds, and is sure to open a whole new realm of water-based touring, play and exercise opportunities.
Ideal for fishing, exploring, exercising and fun on lakes, rivers, nearshore and back bay waters, Hobie’s new iTrek inflatable kayak series and Mirage® iEclipse are truly groundbreaking. Backed by the Hobie reputation for innovation, performance, quality and ruggedness, they’ll exceed your expectations of world-class inflatable kayaks and pedalboards while simplifying your day. Hobie wouldn’t have it any other way.
The Mirage® iTrek series kayaks and Mirage® iEclipse are all expected to be available at authorized Hobie dealers beginning in March 2021. To purchase, consumers can use the dealer locator feature at www.hobie.com to find the authorized Hobie dealer closest to their location.
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About Hobie
Since 1950, Hobie has been in the business of shaping a unique lifestyle based around fun, water and quality products. From their headquarters in Oceanside, California, Hobie Cat Company manufactures, distributes and markets an impressive collection of watercraft worldwide. These include an ever-expanding line of recreation and racing sailboats, pedal-driven recreation and fishing kayaks, inflatable kayaks and fishing boats, standup pedal and paddleboards, plus a complementary array of parts and accessories. To learn more, visit www.hobie.com.