Hey there. If you want a true high float, the Indus is by far the highest float at 22 lbs. Almost all of our other PFDs are in the 16 - 17 lbs flotation range. If you want lightweight, our YTV 2.0 is one of our lightest PFDs at 1.3 lbs and offers 16.5 lbs of flotation. Next would be the Bowen at 1.7 lbs and also 16.5 lbs of flotation. Our second highest flotation is the Ceiba at 17.4 lbs of flotation and a weight of 2.1 lbs. Hope this helps!
Tell us more about what you mean by "uniboob" - are you referring to the front panel? The GreenJacket and Indus are both made with Foam Techtonics at the forefront, so the panels you see are designed specifically to keep the PFD in place as the torso rotates. Learn more here: explore.astraldesigns.com/foam-tectonics/
Astral, great job coming out w higher flotation PFD! We appreciate that! Thank you! A couple thoughts though… The clamshell pocket was great! Nice to open it up to see things, keep the earplugs from tangling w other stuff, lay things on it, fit a large phone, leave it open to dry out when home, in other words it was highly functional and your best feature. The waist pockets are challenging to open to close and get things out of due to their nature of being set back out of the way to reduce interference w paddle strokes and tucking/rolling. Understandable, form follows function. When you are ready to break from the mold and go unconventional to improve both form and function, consider removing the waist pockets but increase floatation there at the low point of the pfd where it’s needed, but add pockets on the shoulder straps just behind the peak of the shoulders. Highly accessible, out of way for paddling and rolling, adds some protection to shoulder area when tucked underwater. This design would maintain storage space we prefer in our pfds, allows for increased floatation where it’s important down lower in the pfd, and doesn’t interfere with paddling. In fact, perhaps you would consider producing Molle pouches to attach to the shoulder straps and foam inserts for the waist pockets. Then your customers could still retain the clamshell functionality and improved floatation. Time to think outside the box some more before your competition beats you to it. 😉
The main pocket fits a large phone in a case and the back pockets are now easier to access. I feel the rear pocket placement solves many of the problems you speak of without introducing new ones.
Looking forward to getting mine - as a not-so-buoyant paddler, I switched from my GJ to a Hiko Guardian to get more float for bigger rivers, but the fit and build quality were nowhere near that of the GJacket. Pre-ordered the Indus as soon as I learned of it.
Perfect description of a healthy level of fear that makes one focus! On the far ends of the spectrum are the deer-in-the-headlights level that puts us in a place where we don’t act when we should during the run with the other end being that we are bullet proof and will come out fine no matter what. That healthy level of fear is so important in so many activities…… it’s a place where we look at the risks, understand what’s required in our skills and actions, and then determine how we will manage the risk through actions so that we can do similar or bigger things again…… Anybody can do something once. The goal is to do it again. ‘cause it’s fun….. and essential to living
Yes!!!! Ash is magical and just as strong as the rocks, the water, the trees. Astral is awesome for making her a brand ambassador. Astral has my business now and Ash has my respect.
Can you explain why the webbing should go 2 times through the metal slider, before inserting in quick release buckle? I think I haven't seen kayakers doing it like that. From my experience, going once through the metal slider and then buckle, provides more than enough grip, and if you need to release the strap, you want as little resistance as possible for the webbing to slide completely out and release the O ring.
Hello! My name is Elena, I am the producer of the Traved program "Incredibly Interesting Stories" on the Federal Russian channel REN TV. We are preparing an interesting story on the topic of kayaking, we saw your video, please tell me, can we use it in the show? Copyright and thanks will be noted. I will very much wait for your reply. Good luck!
Ash, you're an amazing beautiful person and I'd love to hang with you on the river! The whitewater community has to be more inclusive because it's already so small. We need people of every shape, color and size to join the tribe. Love this.
