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Paddling tips, tricks, news and gear reviews from an Unsponsored point of view

Category: Safety & Rescue (Page 1 of 14)

Astral Green Jacket Vs Kokatat Hustle R

August 5, 2020 / / 0 Comments
From L to R:
Astral Green Jacket, Palm Nevis, Kokatat Hustle R, and Yak Taurus PFD

When I’m at paddling events or on a river when I meet other paddlers it is pretty much guaranteed that someone will be wearing an Astral Green Jacket. After all it is a stand out design that works really well. However I have recently picked up a Kokatat Hustle R and wanted to take the opportunity of comparing the two in a little more detail.

The Astral Green Jacket and Kokatat Hustle R I have here are EU versions. For the European market the Green Jacket has a side entry feature where as the US version does not. The Kokatat Hustle R has some additional reflective SOLAS tape on the shoulder straps to meet newer ISO requirements in the EU.

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Kokatat Huck Throw Bag – First Look

August 4, 2020 / / 0 Comments

We first made a post about Kokatat releasing a new throw bag way back in 2019. It has only been quite recently that the Huck began to appear in stores.

Kokatat Huck Throw Bag - First Look
Kokatat Huck Throw Bag – First Look

The Huck is a compact, mantis green coloured throw bag packed with 50 feet (15m) of ¼-inch floating polyethylene core rope with a maximum strength of 1,450 pounds. A 70 feet (21m) bag is also available.

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Palm Side Swing HMS Karabiner – First Look

July 22, 2020 / / 1 Comment

The Palm Side swing HMS Karabiner looks like a fairly conventional karabiner that has had some weight shaved off and a trick anodised colour applied. I thought exactly this when it landed here at Unsponsored HQ.

Palm Side Swing HMS Karabiner - First Look
Palm Side Swing HMS Karabiner – First Look

I didn’t even look at the name, as it was obscured by the paperwork, before removing the karabiner from its display card and checking out the gate action.

Palm Side Swing HMS Karabiner – First Look
Palm Side Swing HMS Karabiner – First Look

When you pick up a karabiner it is compulsory to test out the gate action. That is the point that I realised the Palm side swing karabiner was a little bit different.

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Hiko Guardian 3.D PFD – First Look

July 17, 2020 / / 0 Comments

The Hiko Guardian 3.D PFD is the latest fully featured PFD from Hiko. It is an anatomically shaped rescue PFD with a tonne of features. This one was supplied by the guys at Good 2 Go Paddlesport.

Hiko Guardian 3.D PFD - First Look
Hiko Guardian 3.D PFD – First Look
Hiko Guardian 3.D PFD - First Look
Hiko Guardian 3.D PFD – First Look
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Kokatat Rescue Life Vests – Carson Lindsay

July 11, 2020 / / 1 Comment

Carson Lindsay runs through is 3:2:1:1 rescue equipment carry and how he loads it in two different PFDs.

Kokatat Rescue Life Vests – Carson Lindsay
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Palm Equipment Nevis PFD – First Look

June 22, 2020 / / 1 Comment

Hot on the heals of the Kokatat Hustle R is the Palm Equipment Nevis PFD. We now have one of the very first at Unsponsored HQ for review.

Palm Equipment Nevis PFD - First Look
Palm Equipment Nevis PFD – First Look

The Nevis is an over the head slab PFD with a number of features I have not seen before in a PFD.

The Nevis PFD is the culmination of research from UCLan, design by Barney Caulfield and testing worldwide by Bren Orton. At its core is the Delta Fit adjustment system. Two wings that wrap your ribs, reducing pressure on your abdomen, helping you to breathe and increasing mobility. Set-up to go in five fluid steps, with fewer buckles (including new load tested aircraft grade aluminium hardware). The Nevis has the world’s first Piggyback adjustable quick release chest harness, improving upon the latest research, so that releasing your harness doesn’t affect the fit of your PFD. The Nevis sets a new standard in fit and safety.

Palm Equipment
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Level Six Quickthrow Pro

May 11, 2020 / / 1 Comment

Level Six have released a brand new throw line that uses 20m of static Dyneema rope that glows in the dark.

Level Six Quickthrow Pro
Level Six Quickthrow Pro

The 3/8” 20 M rope features an 11% stretch threshold and boasts a 1700KG breaking strength. The mesh panels allow quick draining and drying, and the gusseted zipped opening system is designed to make re-packing your throw bag quick and easy.

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Breaking Down A Rescue

May 5, 2020 / / 0 Comments
Breaking Down A Rescue
Breaking Down A Rescue

Last Spring we were running the South Yuba in California, when things went a little sideways. Luckily it didn’t go worse because I was able to rope Evan out before he had to swim some gnarly rapids. In this video I decided to breakdown a few steps I took to allow me to be able to successfully get Evan out, and hopefully they will help you whenever you need to help someone out!

Dane Jackson
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Palm Equipment APC Ring – First Look

May 3, 2020 / / 0 Comments

At the end of last week I purchased a Palm Equipment APC Ring. The APC Ring is a fat anodised aluminium O-ring for your PFD chest harness providing an easy to recognise attachment point.

At the time of ordering there wasn’t any detail on the how strong this ring actually was. But it seems that either the Palm website has been updated with more detail or I missed it in the first place.

Palm Equipment APC Ring - First Look
Palm Equipment APC Ring – First Look
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Whetman Equipment Bait Ring

April 25, 2020 / / 0 Comments

We have a Whetman Equipment Bait Ring winging its way to Unsponsored HQ.

Whetman Equipment Bait Ring

This 12mm aluminium ring has an internal diameter of 45mm and a minimum breaking strength of 25kN.

It is also UK made.

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Pin Kit/Rescue Gear

April 9, 2020 / / 13 Comments

A pin kit is the collection of equipment that you carry to aid in a whitewater rescue that may or may not involve a pinned kayak or canoe. Within my paddling group there will be several variations of this kit, it is important that the group is not reliant on one persons kit as it may be that person or that persons boat that is in need of assistance.

The areas in which you paddle may also dictate the type and amount of kit you carry.

Pin Kit/Rescue Gear
Pin Kit/Rescue Gear
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Kayak Safety Features – Run Down

March 17, 2020 / / 0 Comments

Kayak design has moved on so much since I started to paddle some 30+ years ago. The level or difficulty at which people paddle is owed in some part to the change in kayak design over the years.

Kayak Safety Features

I currently paddle a Dagger Phantom and despite it being used for pretty much the same stuff as my first plastic kayak – an Ace Swing, yet the technology and features are simply worlds apart.

So if you are looking for a kayak packed full of safety features what are you actually looking for?

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