Me and my dad run local tournaments out of a 1438 mirrocraft. Not going anywhere fast, comfortably, or winning the Classic anytime soon, but we're within our budget and going fishing and that's all that matters.

You said the answer on this video about boat builders. The smaller builders still have QUALITY CONTROL and PRIDE in what they put out to the consumer.

1996 to 2001 Xpress boats sure seem to be solid. Not always the best layout.....but the hull, transom, and welds are rock solid. 👍

First off, I'm a huge fan! Love the unbiased pov. This is what people want to hear. As a 2nd generation welder fabricator in the marine industry, I love the tin rigs! Looking forward to seeing one of these in person. 99.9% of potential buyers are going to replace all electronics immediately. Why tf dont these big companies offer a premium package with 10-12" graphs, ffs, lithiums, and 36 volt tm option?

James Niggemeyer just did a walkthrough video of his Alpha208 and it looks very impressive! Looks well built. Hopefully this is what the aluminum boat market needed!

The fact they put accessories on most boats that no one wants is one of the reasons I like alumacraft bought boat motor and trailer went home bought the trolling motor batteries graphs and on board charger I wanted. All the manufacturers should do it that way in my opinion

Thanks for the info,and great video-- speed money brakes !!!!!

You’ll have to do a video on the new Xpress H20. 20’ boat with a 175hp and tandem axle trailer for $40k

I live a few miles from Ranger's factory and they have laid off the entire work force for a few weeks because nobody's buying glass boats right now. All the glass boats are pricing themselves out of 95% of angler's pockets. How many of the "Joe" average guys can throw down even 10% of a $100,000 boat and have a 30 yr. payment plan? 65K for an alum. ? We're going to see a lot more repowers being done. I'm one of these guys. I'm retired and don't need another payment book at my age.

I bought my GT by your review 2years and couldn’t say one thing bad. Tm , lithium battery, and power pole charge , I appreciate every review!

Never heard of you but the World needs more of you & your unbiased reviews. Today so many people are Pro-Staff lying that you can't trust what they say.👍

I'm with you on the looks Andy! In the BPS catalog it about 60K with the 200 Merc. I also agree on the T-motor, and the Ranger touch panel. Put a decent t-motor on it and use switches instead of the touch screen. Hope to see one soon. Really can't wait to see you behind the wheel of this one!

All good points, I went through one at BPS a couple days ago and I loved what I saw.

I was in the Bahamas last week wearing my Team Marine swim trunks. Looked awesome!

Saw one of these at the local BPS and it caught my attention. Honestly, I had to take a close up look because it really looked like a glass Z20 Ranger boat. Really like the layout. Some concern with several things on the boat but really attractive and see a lot of potential and looking forward to seeing more on water feedback, top speed on the 250, stability and ride.

Don't know anything about the 20 ft ranger but I absolutely love that 188p. It goes everywhere really smooth and very stable.

Yea can't wait to see a video on this boat on the water but that is a big motor to put on the back of aluminum boat.

I just repowered my 2010 Crestliner 1700 fishhawk from a 115 Optimax to a 115 Yamaha four stroke. Tired of the issues with the Optimax. Low oil level alarm screaming each spring and power trim issues. Suzuki dealer here sucks so I went with a good dealer that at least has good service.

My havoc river rat side console with 115/80 jet is a tank that doesn’t break the bank.

If I remember correctly Tracker use to build an aluminum boat called the avalanche that looks just like it

To Jordan’s point about welders, i don’t think it has anything to do with welders vs glass builders. IMO it’s got to be price point. More of the market is in the “cheaper” boat range…thank y’all for putting in the time to deliver great info.

Great video

It would be a great video series on how to evaluate used boats and motors before purchase

My father in law is a top walleye guide out of Grand Rapids MN. He's run Lunds for 30 years. His current boat has a merc 300. Granted he changes boats every year so he wouldn't know if there were issues. Interested in getting a tin boat so paying close attention...

At the end of the day it’s still a White River kit boat. That’s why they put those cheaper garbage options on them. Vexus or Avid has WAY more options.

I went and took a look at one myself. There is enough room for say five batteries I believe in the back. I noticed some strings of carpet and some bubbles in places that just didn’t look good to me. I also noticed that opening the rod lockers would flex the aluminum at the base where the door attaches to. Not sure if all aluminum boats are the same way when it comes to that. But to me it was a turn off. I would still keep an eye on them in the future because I feel like they will probably need to improve. Nothing is ever perfect on the first go around. But who knows, only time will tell.

The trolling motor and depth finder on the Ranger is what you would expect to find on a Tracker

Have you encountered those problems with xpress with 250?

Do you have any knowledge of Avid aluminum boats? My take on the popularity of tin boats has to do with weight. Smaller trucks, less fuel etc. As performance and features approach glass price and weight/economy will turn my to aluminum.

Aren’t all new TM 80 or 112 lb just depending on your battery Configuration ?

I still want to see you do a vidieo on prodigy boats. Very nice aluminum boats

Xpress x21 has got a sho 250 .

Xpress X21 can take 250. Just got an X19 and love it.

Scully's Boats is a excellent aluminum work boat company.

What about the Avid 23 Mag with a big motor. Thinking to go for that next

You guy need to do a team talk on Recon Boats

I have the Xpress x21. Been a beast of a boat. Went to that from a bass cat to be able to fish shallower water. I looked at gator trax, no contest w the quality. Gator TRAX builds thebest Tin boat made. PERIOD ! But my rigged out like my express had me over 100k with a year wait to get it. So I went w express x21. I have @ 73 in my express. Loaded out , 4 graphs, raptor anchors Garmin tm w scope etc

lol $64k for a 20' aluminum boat and it doesn't even come with a 36v trolling motor. Basically they're charging you for their name. You can get in a Falcon F205 for a little more with better electronics, 36v Ultrex, 4 bank charger. Ranger is smokin that good crack.

Northern Minnesota aluminum rules. Rock central. Glass got the ride but aluminum is catching up

Gatortrax uses extruded aluminum in all critical areas of the hull which makes them the strongest. I was at the xpress plant in 2006 getting a new trailer and saw a 21 foot with 200+hp and the transom where it meets the splash well was stretched and torn !!! Not cracked theres a difference

I seen it at the Classic. Sharp looking boat, but front deck is was to chopped up with doors. Small compartments. Battery box area isn't very big. It had shallow water anchors on it and only had room for 3 batteries and the pumps. Kind of sad. Not sure on wire size on trolling motor cable. Would like to run a 36 volt trolling motor.

James Niggemeyer just did his 1st video on the 208 Alpha, not a lot of detail but a start!

I hope it's great , but I know aluminum , welding, and WRM ............ The Lock Morris Monster strikes again !!!

I agree the Ride system is not needed for this boat, drop it and drop the price. On the site, they only have a standard option for the trolling motor and graph or a $450 credit for each to delete. I think that might not be bad since everyone does their own thing for those anyway. I have seen other builders offer one brand graph but not the others so they get the boat rigged anyway. Time will tell how they hold up!!!

2024 Lowe Stinger 178 Andy. Do an Over/ Under and a general Team Talk about it.

I would buy the new ICON 20ft boat you told us about .

The boat weighs more than the 20-foot fiberglass boat, but no option for a 36-volt trolling motor. I add powerpoles, jack plate, and no option for 12 inch depth finders. The price is $81,000. You can still get a 2023 Ranger fiberglass 20 foot with all the options at $86,000.

Great. What about the crappie guys? We want a front livewell and NO CARPET. Give us a textured product like the Xpress boats use.

If the northwest (USA) aluminum boat builders would decide to build a bass boat, it would be tuff. Boats designed to run skinny rivers with jet drive have to be to take a beating.

The Mercury 250 ProXS motor costs $24,000 alone. Is the boat worth the remaining $39,000? Thanks for the overview.

Andy heard anything else on the new tracker?

I can see the ranger not coming with many options factory. There doing it because most people are gonna customize it the way they want to. I personally like the boat myself and if you gut the merc and put a yami on it i think youd have the perfect 20 ft bass boat

Going to aluminum instead of glass used to be less expensive because you'd have a smaller outboard and thus less cost. An aluminum bass boat used to mean a lighter boat and maybe 90hp or 115hp. I guess it's still less expensive than glass with that 250 hp and $63,000 but that is just such a large number and hard to get used to prices like that.

Which aluminum boat do you know of for sure that can handle a 250

I can spend 33k ish max (loving the 175 txw with the 75hp for 26k)without getting in a fight with the wife. I wanna fish off it first but if they aren’t biting I wanna go fast around my lake, what should I buy? I’m wanting a new boat so I have warrant and be in control of the brake in for the engine.

I wish like hell you Andy would talk about Avenger boats. I would pay for you plane ticket to come on down and see this rig. Some good some really bad. I dont wish to be in the video. We can take it out and let you run it etc. I should have bought a tin rig over this. This rig has made me ready to get out of having a boat and I am considering seeking legal options if the boat is not done right by the dealer.

As always GATOR TRAX for the WIN!

Curious on the weight. Is that the weight without anything to include motor etc? My GT Strike 20 ft with 250 weighs in right around 3100 lbs with 1/4 tank of gas. It will be interesting to see how this boat handles the abuse. Price loaded is very similar to the price I paid on my GT.

A over/under with all the things u put on it would be close to $75-80 ish.

I bought Xpress 21 pro with a 250 sho on your review so far so good my buddy tried to trade me his skeeter lol

I’ve got someone you need to check out that does complete custom work for aluminum rigs and glass boat. Nate Eckhold at Nate’s Custom Boats in Pekin, IL.

Agree 100%, who makes a boat that can't handle a 3 6v trolling motor. Only a 70 for trolling motor? Wrong decision. Make a boat with what we want as standard option!

Seen the 208 at the classic and was ok. They should’ve just brought the 208 glass. The aluminum has the cheap latches like the tracker it basically an old v18 just bigger

Not a bass layout but xpress has the x23b that will take a 300

by the time you put poles on it, a trolling motor, graphs and batt on it it'll be $90k

Tournament Champ back there?

Tshirt idea put Andy in a nitro…

Blows my mind when manufacturers throw a crazy underpowered trolling motor on a 20 plus footer as standard equipment. Extremely basic electronics, and then they put a fancy touch screen panel on the rig! Give me the tried and true rockers switches. This thing equipped with the right troller for the size and at least decent graphs and then you get ridiculously priced for an aluminum rig.

65k😂 Any thoughts on an 2005 Ranger Reata 180vs?

Never thought I'd live to see a $63k Bass Tracker

Just picked up a 98 518 dvs

I wouldn’t trust a 0.125” welded boat. You hear of welds cracking all the time. I’d go with the Lund Pro V Bass, it has a 0.205” double plated rivitted deep V bow, by far the beefiest on the market and proven over decades on big northern waters iwalleye boats.

Ranger 208 alpha looks like a vexus avx2080 funny they are across the street from one another. Ranger has the 250 option only thing on paper different.

I love aluminum, but when you get outboards bigger than 90hp on aluminum, shit starts to break

Allweld boats!

We need a Walleye Tin Boat one with Windshield one with out like SC Walleye boats Brand Battle.

i would rather have switches then, the small touch screen

Xpress H22B with a 200

Pass, $63k the sonar better reflect

Are they filling all dead space with foam?? If for no other reason than to muff that aluminum water bashing sound. Ranger quality left with the sell to Johnny Morris and friends IMO. Off subject I threw an old 32 inch flat screen tv on front of my boat to get the crazy ass stares at the ramp as well as super glued coffee cup on top of truck lol .

Kristin fischer says it's a great performing boat she is running it in the opens this year

Patiently awaiting an over/under on a Keith Poche off grid Gator Trax.

Council is an attorney. Console is part of a boat

I wonder why the same package from the 198p is cheaper then the 208.

Also a 25 gal livewell is to small for that boat

Speed rating?

I think the all welded thing is over rated. A combination of welds and rivets might be better. All the other Ranger aluminums had broken welds and bracing breakage.

Sounds like a ton of money for a base package aluminum boat. I get that it's 20 ft. with a 250 hp.

Lets put a 7" touchscreen instead of switches on an aluminum rig? Why - I thought the rig was to be a cost saving alternative? Letss' use rocker switches please! The touchscreen is the same size as the 7" Lowrance unit, LOL.

“Coconuts know what I’m sayin….” 😂 😂 😂 😂 😂 😂 😂 😂

There will always be fiberglass boats boys

Gator Traxx

Ranger RB200 is JUCK!

A 250 with only .125 tin no way. Even the xp21 had some come apart. I can't help but think if you want a 250 get gator trax or go glass.

And not all engineers are created equal thrust me

Johnny boy buys out legend.. comes out with a boat named alpha 😂

Thought you were going to Ranger to check it out??

I grew up watchin bassmaster. I always wanted a ranger. I bought the rb200. More “affordable” and allows me to be a multispecies guy. The boat does everything i need it to. I dont hate it. But it’s heartbreaking how terrible the craftsmanship is. They use cheap materials and have zero pride in their product. Ranger is tracker now. Its sad. The aluminum flexes when i change direction w trolling motor. The rivets on the floor are already popping, the panels are loose and flexing, the paint is already peeling off inside, you can see waves in the aluminum down the right side and many small things like that. But i cant afford a fiberglass, let alone multiple boats. Love the configuration and o feel it rides smooth for aluminum as well. But i dno… ill never buy ranger again. They broke my heart lol oh, and i only bought it in august. Its a 2924. And i have a baby… im not out much right now. Its just a cheaply made boat

End of the day it's metal and you are trusting the welds are done correctly. And I don't trust Ranger to do that correctly. So it's a hell no at any price from me..

If I was spending 65K on an aluminum boat it most certainly wouldn't be on a Ranger with a Mercury. I would go with an Xpress, Vexus or Avid with a Yamaha SHO.