Hobie Pro Angler vs. Native Watercraft Titan X

When it comes to top-tier fishing kayaks, two names stand out: the Hobie Pro Angler and the Native Watercraft Titan X. Both are premium pedal-driven kayaks designed for serious anglers who demand stability, performance, and innovative features. But which one is right for you?

Below, we'll compare the latest Hobie Pro Angler 12, Pro Angler 14, Pro Angler 12 360XR, and Pro Angler 14 360XR against Native Watercraft's Titan X 10.5 and Titan X 12.5. We'll closely examine their features and give you some of our thoughts that will ultimately help you decide on a winner!

Pedal Drive Systems

One key difference between the Hobie Pro Angler, Pro Angler 360XR, and the Native Titan X is the pedal drive. Each pedal drive system works differently to achieve top-tier performance.

MirageDrive180: This drive is found on the Hobie Pro Angler 12 and Pro Angler 14 kayaks and provides easy forward and reverse maneuverability with a cable pull for 180 degrees of movement. Effortlessly gliding through the water, the 180-drive utilizes Hobie's Kick-Up Fin technology. These fins automatically kick up when they come into contact with objects such as rocks or logs, allowing the drive to excel in shallow water. The drive makes it easy to adjust the crank arms with the push of a button to accommodate the smallest and tallest adults.

MirageDrive 360XR: This drive is found on the Hobie Pro Angler 12 360XR and the Hobie Pro Angler 14 360XR and provides a revolutionary experience not found on any other fishing kayak. It is the most advanced pedal drive on the market, providing 360 degrees of maneuverability. The user fully controls the kayak's direction, providing pinpoint accuracy when fishing and maneuvering around obstacles. It is also equipped with Kick-Up Fin technology, which ensures complete control and reliability in shallow water.

The latest advancements in 2025 for the MirageDrive 360XR include a reinforced steel mounting plate along the Pro Anglers to ensure stable mounting. A Directional Drive Lock allows you to lock forward or reverse in place for long-distance pedaling. Lastly, an easily accessible control module ensures you no longer need tools to adjust the tension of your MirageDrive 360XR.

Learn more about the latest updates to the MirageDrive 360XR!

701 Series Propel Drive: This drive is found on all Native Watercraft and Bonafide pedal-driven kayaks. It is as durable and rugged as possible, utilizing marine-grade anodized aluminum. Unlike the drives above, the 701 Series Propel Drive is a propellor-based drive that offers instant forward and reverse by simply pedaling. There are no additional levers to adjust; just like pedaling a bike, you fully control the 701 Series. This drive is very low maintenance and easy to use, responding instantly, allowing you to lift the unit while in shallow water to avoid any significant obstacles.

Winner? It's hard to bet against the ease of use of the MirageDrive, especially the MirageDrive 360XR. If the pedal drive system is your deal breaker, the MirageDrive 360XR will be as good as it gets. If you intend to motorize your kayak, the 701 Series Propel Drive may be your choice, as you may not be relying on it as much.

Stability

Each fishing kayak is designed with stability in mind to ensure ease of use for angling adventures and safety in the kayak. As you can see, each kayak offers a very similar width and capacity based on its size. The Pro Anglers are designed with a wide hull and a low center of gravity, making them highly stable. However, the Titan X takes it further with its pontoon-style hull, providing an even more rock-solid platform and a slightly wider hull on the Titan X 10.5 and Titan X 12.5 compared to the Pro Angler 12 & 14 models.

Winner? The Pro Anglers and the Titan X kayaks are incredibly stable and designed for heavy use in various bodies of water. There is no clear winner here because it will depend on your preference of size and use. The Titan X 12.5 is wider than the Pro Angler 14; however, the Pro Angler 14 is longer than the Titan X 12.5. They each have different hull designs that help you achieve the ultimate stability on the water.

Storage

Pro Angler: The Pro Angler 12 and 14 kayaks are designed with built-in, organized storage to keep gear easily accessible. Each model features a large front hatch with a removable liner, providing a dry, enclosed space for tackle boxes and larger items. A standout feature is its horizontal rod storage, which can hold up to six rods in protective tubes, preventing tangling and damage. The rectangular center hatch in front of the seat includes a tackle management system, allowing anglers to store lures and small gear neatly.

The raised Vantage ST seat also creates under-seat storage for extra tackle boxes, while side mesh pockets offer quick access to tools and small accessories. The rear cargo area is spacious and has bungee cords to secure a cooler, crate, or livewell. At the same time, the Hobie H-Rail system offers even more customization options, with a full line of H-Raill accessories and mounting options for everything from rod holders to fish finder mounts.

Titan X: The Titan X 10.5 and 12.5 are more modular and customizable, giving anglers flexibility in organizing their gear. The spacious bow hatch makes separating and accessing items easier without reaching deep into the hull. The large storage compartment can hold gear, tackle, or batteries. Like the Pro Angler, the Titan X also provides horizontal rod storage with an improved securing system to keep rods firmly in place.

The under-seat storage is more open than the Pro Angler's and offers space for tackle trays. The rear tankwell is also spacious and designed for customization, featuring bungee tie-downs to secure a crate, cooler, or livewell. Additionally, the Titan X has extensive gear tracks all along the deck, making it easy to mount additional mounting options from YakAttack, Native Watercraft, and more!

Winner? This is tough as both provide ample storage for tournament and recreational anglers while offering a customizable layout to meet your preferences. You may not need to add much with the Pro Angler as it sits, but you can indeed deck this kayak out! The Titan X is an open canvas ready to accept all accessories anywhere!

Seating

Pro Angler: Pro Angler 12 & 14 and Pro Angler 12 & 14 360XR kayaks feature the Vantage ST seat, known for its exceptional adjustability and lumbar support. The seat is fully adjustable in height and recline, allowing anglers to find the perfect comfortable position. Its breathable mesh fabric helps with airflow, reducing sweat and discomfort on hot days. The seat has a four-way adjustment system, letting users fine-tune lumbar support and seating angle for all-day comfort. The seat is mounted on a raised platform, providing an elevated view for better fishing visibility while allowing easy pedaling.

Titan X: The Titan X 10.5 & 12.5 takes seating comfort to another level with its PivotPro 360-degree swivel seat. The frame-style seat is highly versatile, allowing a full range of motion for the entire kayak. It's highly adjustable, moving forward and back to accommodate your height. This frame-style seat is built for extended hours on the water and features thicker padding and a broader base, making it feel more like a high-end boat seat than a traditional kayak seat. The extra height gives better casting visibility and comfort and features an added under-seat tackle management drawer, providing quick access to tools or baits right under the seat!

Winner? The Titan X is the clear winner in our minds. The PivotPro seat provides 360-degree access throughout the kayak, and its wider design makes it more comfortable and accommodating. There is nothing wrong with the Hobie Vantage ST seating; it simply does not offer the versatility of the PivotPro.

Customization

Pro Angler: The latest Hobie Pro Angler kayaks feature everything you need to integrate the latest technology into your kayak. They have bow and stern inserts ready to accept a bow or stern-mounted trolling motor and up to two Power-Pole Micro Anchors. Your batteries store easily with under-seat battery storage, a flattened area with a reinforced grip that provides secure and easily accessible battery storage under your seat.

The addition of the Hobie H-Plates facilitates the installation of all of your electronics, ensuring wires are efficiently allocated throughout the kayak by drilling directly into the plate for clean installation. There are five H-Plates located in the Pro Angler 14 and Pro Angler 14 360XR kayaks: (1) stern, (2) behind the seat, and (2) bow. The Pro Angler 12 and Pro Angler 12 360XR include (3) H-Plates and (2) additional 3-way thru-hole plugs.

Each Pro Angler easily accepts your fish finder transducer using the Guardian Transducer Shield, which allows you to retract and deploy the transducer. Lastly, the Hobie Powerwall is the latest mounting plate included to mount your Forward-Facing Sonar module, which is located on the kayak's mast base in the front hatch.

Check out our recent blog, What's New With The 2025 Hobie Pro Angler Kayaks? to learn more!

Titan X: The Titan X was designed to accept any of the latest technological advancements for your fishing kayak. It features bow and stern mounting options for trolling motors and a transom designed explicitly for mounting up to dual Power-Pole Micro Anchors. Plus, it has integrated routing for foot-controlled steering for a stern-mounted motor. The Titan X 10.5 and 12.5 feature multiple options for mounting and storing your batteries. The integrated bow battery storage and stern battery compartment can accommodate a single 100AH battery or two 60AH batteries.

To accommodate the addition of your electronics, each Titan X features four total Powerlink Plates located at the bow stern and along each side of the PivotPro seating. These plates and the electronic mounting switches ensure your electronics are installed cleanly and efficiently for easy use without drilling additional holes into the kayak. Your transducer for your fish finder will sit neatly and cleanly in the through-hull transducer wiring hatch on the bottom of the kayak.

Winner? We think it's fair to say it's a draw. As of 2025, the Native Watercraft Titan X kayaks and the Hobie Pro Angler kayaks have very similar options for adding the latest technology to fishing kayaks. There is little reason to believe you could not install the same motor, mounts, and fish finders on either kayak utilizing the appropriate mounts and adapters. However, as it sits for anglers planning to add a trolling motor or advanced electronics, the Titan X has a complete out-of-the-box solution. In contrast, the Pro Angler is better suited for those who prefer a primarily pedal-driven kayak with the option to motorize later.

Price & Value

As you can see above, the price of the Hobie Pro Anglers and the Native Watercraft Titan X kayaks varies significantly, with almost a $2,200 difference between the top-of-the-line Hobie Pro Angler 360XR and the Native Watercraft Titan X 12.5. As we've explored, both kayaks perform exceptionally well to ensure anglers are equipped with platforms that will transform your angling experience.

Winner? Native Watercraft Titan X. This seems like a no-brainer for most, as the Titan X offers a spectacular platform for much less than the Pro Angler. The more extensive size options, such as the MirageDrive 180 or MirageDrive 360XR, may outweigh the cost difference for you. But overall, it's the Titan X if you're looking for the best value based on cost and functionality.

Conclusion

The Pro Angler and Titan X kayaks offer top-tier stability, durability, and innovative pedal-driven propulsion. There are many similarities and key differences. Hobie kayaks excel in providing the most advanced and intuitive maneuverability with either the MirageDrive 180 or MirageDrive 360XR. The latest Hobie Pro Anglers have come a long way, providing a smooth and easy transition for integrating your electronics. Where they fall short is the overall cost of the kayak based on what is available on the market today, and their premium features may not justify the price for all anglers.

The Native Watercraft Titan X series provides a compelling alternative with its 701 Series Propel system, comfortable seating, and angler-focused design, all at a more competitive price point. The Titan X's design ensures that electronics and accessories can be easily integrated without significant modifications. It also offers excellent stability and superior deck space, making it a strong contender for serious anglers prioritizing control and customization.

We hope some of this helps with your next kayak purchase. Ultimately, it is up to you to decide which platform is right for you based on any of the features above. Let's be honest; there is no wrong answer, as the Hobie Pro Anglers and the Native Watercraft Titan X lineup of kayaks are some of the most advanced and well-rounded fishing kayaks available today!

Be sure to check out Fishing Online to shop our entire lineup of fishing kayaks and much more!