There is a dilemma brewing …..do
I replace my ageing Crewsaver
buoyancy aid with a new one when the sailing season starts.
I am, I confess, a buoyancy aid
man when in the dinghy. Personal choice
I guess. My Crewsaver is showing
signs of wear and tear. The pocket zips have almost now corroded; they jam
constantly, despite being rinsed in freshwater frequently after a trip. The Velcro
on the adjustment shoulder straps is looking worse for wear too. An odd tiny
tear in the fabric completes the look.
Don’t get me wrong, it is still
serviceable. I think! It has kept me afloat when I have gone overboard on the
odd occasion last year. But with pockets that now don’t zip up – well…..I think
the time may have come to send it to a restful place of retirement…the garage
shelf…where it can stay as a backup one. Which now
raises the dilemma – what do I replace it with?
Heading up the top of the list
is the Palm Kaikoura. Met a sailing instructor last year who had one
and he swore by his for dinghy use.
The blurb goes like this:
The Palm Kaikoura is a premium
touring and sea expedition buoyancy aid. It has a front zipped
entry. Packed with features and storage space. Ideal for ocean expedition paddling, sea
kayaking, touring, canoeing and instruction. Designed to give comfort and
freedom of movement. The Palm Kaikoura took many years to
develop and took on board views and opinions of many of the world’s top
paddlers to offer a feature rich vest.
- Flex
formed front panel wraps around torso giving unparalleled comfort and fit
- Neoprene
lined armhole to prevent chafing
- Front
zip entry; YYK tough plastic construction
- Large
front cargo pockets with internal compartments, clip in points and velcro
sealed opening for VHF radio aerial
- Fleece
lined hand warmer pockets behind cargo pockets
- Shoulder
pocket with whistle
- Large
rear cargo pocket designed to accommodate a 1.5L hydration bladder
- 3D
anti ride-up waist belt
- Easy
Glide strap adjustment throughout
- Solas¨
reflective detail on shoulders, front and rear panels
- Front
and rear lash tabs
- Vent
Mesh inner lining for next to the skin comfort
- Gaia
PVC free foam throughout
So much for the
hyperbole. A video review is here. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BrhXHi2BWF8
Anyway, I have yet to find one locally but what is
attracting me are the number of pockets. I am forever putting things down in
Arwen and then watching them slide about or, worse still, I forget where I put
them down due to my severe absentmindedness, which as anyone who knows me will
tell you, is genuine and alarmingly getting worse. So what kind of things do I
want to carry with me? Well strapped somewhere my SPOT PLB; sunglasses; my
radio; knife; some chocolate bars or sweets; whistle; car key bag; money and
cards pouch; personal mini flares pack. When you read canoeing forums, many
have been impressed with it, not only in its capacity but also in its essential
property of keeping you afloat. Much has
been made of its front zip entry which makes it easy to take off if you want to
quickly remove an item of clothing or put an extra one on. My current BA is an
over the head one which requires some interesting contortions from me, which as
I age further, I’m damn sure will end up with me dislocating a shoulder, or
falling out of the boat!
It would also suit any little canoeing adventures I want to
do this year in Angharad, the wee canoe tender built for Arwen. There are other slightly less ‘pocketed’ palm BA’s. The Palm Taupo is highly recommended.
Anyway, it is something to think about and try and track
down so I can take a closer look. As I say, I may have to bite the bullet and
then the ‘I like my old BA and I don’t have the money anyway’ feeling kicks in.
If you know of anyone who has one and you can get them to
give an honest opinion of it – do please let me know
Steve
PS the BIG question of course is if I do bite the bullet, as my birthday approaches, what colour do I go for - red, blue or (shudder deeply) yellow?
PS the BIG question of course is if I do bite the bullet, as my birthday approaches, what colour do I go for - red, blue or (shudder deeply) yellow?
2 comments:
Looks enticing Steve. I've also been wondering about a new buoyancy aid. But as I do a lot of rowing I find too much bulk on the belly of the buoyancy aid catches ones thumbs!
I've been considering these: http://www.baltic.se/en/products/ very different style, but look comfortable and less bulky pockets.
I like Baltic stuff. Their flotation Gillets are nice. The pockets is an issue, I agree. I don't do much rowing.
Do some paddling though.
Which of the baltics are you particularly looking at?
Steve
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