Could someone please tell me whether the Sitbacker canoe seat stays open when you open it in preparation to sitting down? Our crazy creek chairs aren’t giving us enough support and they have the perverse tendency of shutting closed just as I’ve got one foot in the canoe, the other foot raised in the air, and my butt on the way to the seat.
So will the sitbacker stay open, do you think? And while I’m at it… will it fit in the stern seat of a Mad River Explorer?
Thanks for the wisdom.
They Will Fit a Stern Seat…
– Last Updated: Jul-01-07 12:24 PM EST –
...in an Explorer, Revelation, and the 14TT (or the St. Croix). Also used them in the stern of a Dagger Suwanee.
Now, for the good, the bad, and the ugly about the Sitbacker. First, it IS very comfortable. It's THE most comfortable canoe seat I've used; and, due to a chronic case of "Nurses back," I've tried many. It also secures very easily, STAYS UP until you get seated, and I could lean my 6'2" 260lbs back into it without it breaking, bending, or becoming detached.
In some boats, a boat without good primary stability, wou feel a bit unsteady due to the added height in the canoe seat. If you're short, or light, this will be less of a problem.
MY problem with the sitbacker is that the metal frame sometimes gets in the way of your elbow with paddle strokes. Not as big a problem with river paddling, but a real PIA in flatwater. The very thing that makes it so supportive and comfortable is what made me eventually get rid of them.
We had two of them for 4-5 years and they held up to frequent use. After getting cane seatbacks, we started using the Sitbackers only arround camp, so we sold them. Here's a picure of what we use. Hope that helps! WW
http://www.pbase.com/ozarkpaddler/image/65278621
Thanks
Thanks, WildernessWebb. Just what I needed to know. Since I’m already at least as wide as the canoe, I think I’ll give these a try. I doubt the width of the back frame will be wider than me! I appreciate the response.
You’re Welcome
For another opinion, I sold one of mine to Coyoteequip here on P.net, can’t remember who bought the other. I recall that they definitely made an OT Penobscot feel a bit squirrelly when we used them on one in the BWCAW. Take care. WW
I use a Sitbacker, mainly because
that was what was available. The metal frame intefering with paddling must be a problem for those with narrow shoulders, it does not interfere with my paddle strokes. As for staying open when you are trying to sit down, I guess it depends on how you adjust the back. Mine is adjusted so the seat slightly angles to the bow when I’m not in it…I like a very vertical position when sitting. My seat will not stay open.
As for the extra height, yes, it does increase the height of the seat. My choice was to lower the web bench in my solo. I did it to adjust for the Sitbacker, but also to increase stability as I use the canoe for fishing.
Comfort must be a relative thing. I don’t find the Sitbacker to be exceptionally comfortable when spending long hours in the canoe. Typically, I fish for 7-10 hours, rarely land, and the seat gets old after about 3 hours. Kayak seats are much more comfortable to me, but I like the light canoe, it weighs 40 lbs, and is easy to load/unload, also has great glide.
Works great in my Poke Boat.
I haven’t tried it in a canoe.