Thumbs Up from this River Rat

By Chris Tatsuno Ranked #42 - Kayak Clothing August 23, 2011

I've been guiding boats in Colorado for a few years now, and I finally replaced the hunk 'o junk PFD I originally bought as a rookie guide. The smell was the worst part...

Anyway, had a bunch of friends buy their rescue vests from Astral, and I wanted a piece of that action. With sturdy buckles, tough-as-nails material, and enough pockets for all my random guide gear, I've been super happy with this upgrade. I almost forgot about the pocket on the chest for the first two weeks I had this jacket, but that pocket has now become the main selling point for me. It's a low-profile pocket with a nice velcro closing and a snap; it'll hold a waterproof camera very nicely, etc.

I live in my lifejacket during the summer, so I really wanted something that I could comfortably wear for hours on end and would dry quickly. The Astral GreenJacket is the answer.

Gripes: my only gripe is that the jacket is a pull-over, which can be a little nerve-wracking at first if you have bad shoulders like I do. But with a little practice, even this isn't a huge problem.

View Details: Astral Buoyancy GreenJacket Personal Flotation Device

Helpful Votes: 0 Yes