As part of Kokatat’s 50th year in the business they have releasing a number of special editions and new products.
Paddling tips, tricks, news and gear reviews from an Unsponsored point of view
Category: PFDs (Page 1 of 9)
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.
Continue readingThe 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.
Carson Lindsay runs through is 3:2:1:1 rescue equipment carry and how he loads it in two different PFDs.
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.
The Nevis is an over the head slab PFD with a number of features I have not seen before in a PFD.
Continue readingThe 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
This lichen green Kokatat Hustle R PFD arrived last week at Unsponsored HQ. It was purchased here in the UK from North East Kayak and Paddles. It also arrived with a free gift. I chose the Peak UK rescue tape.
The Hustle R is Kokatat’s latest whitewater rescue vest.
Continue readingIntroducing the new Nevis PFD from Palm Equipment. Featuring the world’s first Piggyback harness and the brand new Delta Fit system, this award-winning PFD raises the bar for whitewater safety.
The Nevis is the culmination of over three years of development, based on research by University of Central Lancashire (UCLan). Designed by Barney Caulfield and tested worldwide by leading whitewater kayakers including Palm athlete Bren Orton.
Continue readingChest harnesses are a familiar part of all whitewater rescue PFDs these days, allowing you to enter the water attached to a tether, or to help with bank belays.
Research by Loel Colins and Chris Onions at the University of Central Lancashire found that 25% of chest harness releases failed to release properly under low load.
Continue readingCheck out the this latest iteration of the  Kokatat Maximus Centurion Rescue PFD Limited Edition. This design comes from paddler and designer Marcus Cline.
For 2020 Astral have made an update to the colours of the Greenjacket. In addition to the all black colour scheme from 2019 they also have this blue/red combination.
What do you think? It also matches one of the new colour ways for the Serpent 2.0.
Continue readingA long time ago HF produced the Serpent PFD that was designed and developed by Allan Ellard. It was a great piece of gear that had a huge following. For 2020 Astral has developed the Serpent 2.0.
The new design is extremely similar to the original with an update in materials, some of the ergonomics and and increase of 20N in buoyancy to a total of 70N.
Continue readingA brand new Yak Taurus PFD landed at Unsponsored HQ at the end of August 2019.  Since then it has seen a hundred hours of use.
When it first landed I thought that it was one of the best looking PFDs I had seen in some time. It reminded me a great deal of some of the Lotus PFDs from the 1990s in both its shape and size.
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