Give your riders the thrill of their life with Obrien's Super Screamer tube.
Written: Aug 01 '09
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Very tough exterior shell, easy to inflate/deflate, really rewards aggressive riders.
Cons: Hard to hang on for kids and smaller adults, rides rough in waves.
The Bottom Line: For most tube riders this will be a thrill-a-minute ride which really wrings you out and makes you scream. Fairly priced and built tough, a good overall tube.
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| openroad's Full Review: Obrien Super Screamer 2 Rider Tube |
My very first experience with tubing behind a boat was on a donut style tube which looks much like an old-school inner tube. These tubes usually have a large hole in the middle where you either sit or kneel in while riding. This makes for a rather rough and tippy ride that often ends in a big splash. Later on I got the chance to use a flat-top performance tube from Airhead that was much more fun and really gave a fun ride for as long as your arms could hang on.
My first purchase once I had my own boat was the 2-person Obrian Super Screamer flat-top tube. The newer style performance tubes such as the Screamer series ride very low in the water and allow you to slightly “steer” the tube by using your body weight and position on the tube. Like most tubes of this class the Obrian Screamer series includes 1, 2, and 3 person tubes depending on the power of your boat and how many riders will want to ride.
----- Using the Super Screamer -----
Airing up the Super Screamer is best done using a 12V or 120V air pump as it’s a pretty high volume tube. Thanks to the quick inflation Boston Valve it’s easy to inflate and the included one-way flow-check keeps the air inside and eliminates those scrambles to jam the fill plug in while air is blowing out. Deflation is even easier as the whole inflation valve pops out leaving a gaping whole which empties the tube very quickly.
NOTE: Make sure you inflate your tubes all the way for best performance. You should be able to stand on the deck and it shouldn’t sink more than a few inches when it’s fully inflated.
Hooking this towable to your boat is very easy since Obrien included a heavy-duty quick-connect with the Super Screamer. This is one of those little touches that really make it easier to use every time you’re on the water. Once connected you simply toss a couple riders on the tube and hit the throttle!
Each rider will be able to choose from the 6 available padded grab handles which are oversized for easier gripping. There are also 4 built-in boarding straps at the rear for climbing on the tube from the water… something I’ve had to do quite a few times! From a rider’s point of view this tube is a blast IF you have a strong upper body. Most teens and adults will have 1/3 of their body hanging off the tube while speeding around, this leaves your arms and shoulders to keep you on the tube. The upside of this position is you feel a sense of speed and adrenaline you can’t get with larger, sit-down towables. If you have two adult sized people working together on a Screamer tube you can really rock the water and stay on the tube through some pretty insane turns. The Super Screamer is also really fun to snap across wakes as it flies pretty horizontal and flat when it gets air. This tube is the favorite with teenage and adult guys with lots of energy and a wild streak.
----- Downsides to the Screamer series ------
I’m gonna go ahead and make an assumption all the Screamer tubes have the same shortfalls as my Super Screamer; rough riding in choppy/wavy water, not for the weak of arm or people easily scared, and not the best for lighter kids. With a 100lb girl on board this tube can literally take off and get 4’ off the water on a fast corner, believe me you’ll hear the screaming from the boat!
To be honest this isn’t a huge favorite with my female friends as it’s basically a guys tube. Sure, you can tow it up a river at no-wake speed with 3-4 kids on board and if that’s what you want a Screamer is fine. But use it like it’s supposed to and you’ll see riders hanging on for all their worth and a grin plastered from ear to ear!
----- Notes on towability -----
I have a 17’ bowrider with a 115hp outboard and the Super Screamer tows just fine with 2 riders and 2-3 passengers in the boat. It’s not a tube that rides heavy in the water and it pretty much jumps up on the water as soon as you hit the throttle. I did add the SportsStuff Booster Ball tow rope this summer and it made a positive difference in how the tube tows and performs, I recommend it for all larger tubes.
Thanks for reading and feel free to comment!
Related links:
SportsStuff Speedzone 2 Tube
SportsStuff’s 4K Booster Ball Towrope
SE Sport 300 Outboard Hydrofoil
Recommended:
Yes
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