I was looking for something comfortable to wear whilst
seated in the kayak, lots of storage space, plenty of buoyancy and
it had to provide a good amount of visibility. For a change I
wasn't particularly limited by my budget.
This PFD utilises Palm's Flex Formed Foam system which
is supposed to offer excellent comfort. There are seven pockets in
total with the provision for a hydration bladder and a handheld VHF
radio. It was available in red or blue, red being the obvious
choice for visibility at sea.
Adjustment comes in the form of
a waist and midriff straps as well as shoulder adjustment. Further
adjustment whilst actually wearing the PFD is simple enough. A
front zip design allows the Kaikoura to me removed on the water, to
remove a layer of clothing for example. The remaining loose from
the front straps even tucks away into small recesses so there's
less clutter of the front of the PFD.
On the rear of the Kaikoura is a large pocket, designed
for a hydration bladder, with the shoulder straps containing loops
to keep the drinking tube organised
The rear pocket is also sub-divided to allow for
alternative storage, perhaps for flares, etc. This pocket has an
over the shoulder opening strap which proved simple enough to
operate. I have doubts as to how accessible this pocket actually is
on the water, no problems if your flares are laying upright, though
if they were lying flat retrieval would prove rather
difficult!
Storage on the Kaikoura is superb and is one of
features that has led to the praise within the sea kayaking
community. The front of the Kaikoura has four pockets along with
fleece lined hand warmers and a whistle pocket. The two main
pockets contain pouches and key clips. The smaller front bellows
pockets also contain key clips, whilst allowing the storage of
smaller items
What is difficult to see is the hand warmer pockets,
the two main pockets can be clearly seen unzipped in the above
photograph. the hand warmer pockets actually lies behind the rear
most pocket, the complete upper side of the pocket assembly is
un-stitched allowing access to a fleece-lined pocket. I've used
them over the winter period and they are indeed effective, getting
your hands out of the wind, allowing them a chance to warm
up
For these hand warmer pockets to remain effective it's
well worthwhile drying your hands prior to using them. I've even
kept a solid fuel hand warmer in each pocket for the ultimate
warming experience!!
Left, right and rear
pockets had a reflective SOLAS patch on them - an increasingly
common addition to paddling kit and useful for dawn/dusk and night
paddlers.
The right hand pocket has
an antenna hole in the large rear pocket allowing storage of a
handheld VHF radio within. The hole on mine was partially obscured
due to an excess of material when purchased, though careful
trimming and a few re-enforcing stitches made it fully effective.
It can prove fiddly to fit the VHF in the pocket, though with a
little practice it becomes quick and easy.
If you are unfortunate to capsize the radio is
certainly not going to fall out, once on the water access and
retrieval would be easy. Obviously a waterproof/floating VHF is
advised.
The Kaikoura has an flat,
inside back pocket, which on the face of it has very limited use
due to its position and size. However it could be used to located a
£20 note, a little loose change and some handy phone numbers in a
heat-sealed packet, should such an emergency arise
The last pocket is located on the right shoulder. It's
a small pocket with D-ring and whistle already attached. I've also
fitted a safety knife and lanyard into this pocket, though it could
also be used to house a smaller torch/strobe for night time or
emergency situations.
Above the left pocket is a plastic accessory mount to
which I have attached a strobe light.
There have been issues regarding the Kaikoura’s zip and
corrosion, though the design has been updated with a plastic zip
and this problem addressed. If purchasing this PFD ensure it is of
the more recent design with plastic zips and not part of an old
batch.
I've been using
the Palm for a few weeks now and early impressions are very
pleasing. It's comfortable to wear and the storage solutions are
proving to be excellent. Despite my initial concerns over its
apparent bulk, that proved not to be an issue on the water. The
corrosion issues appear to have been put to bed. Overall, an
excellent piece of kit.
