HOLY STORAGE, BATMAN! PHOTO: ANTHONY RUPOLI
www.astraldesigns.com | $239.95
too quick-release—but a full season of river running and mine hasn’t slipped yet. I’ve started referring to the Greenjacket’s
giant zippered pocket as my gear garage. It closes more securely than the Velcro and snap pocket on the original design and has inner pouches to organize its contents. I don’t have to dig through candy bar wrap- pers to get to my pulleys and prussics. The pocket’s stiff outer shell means I can load it up without it getting bulky or sticking out in the way of my paddle stroke—a pet peeve with other jackets I’ve tried. Between the front pouch and zippered
side pockets, there’s loads of storage space for all the equipment I carry—three pul- leys, two prussics, a couple carabiners and a folding CPR mask—with room left over for few favorite extras. My waterproof camera and Snickers stash fit in without making the jacket feel bloated. The knife attachment tab is on the front
of the main pocket and near the bottom, so I definitely notice if I have overloaded (like when I shove a pair of neoprene mitts in there—possible, but not recommended) because the knife handle juts out from the bulging compartment. For ease of access, I still prefer the tab’s low location to other, higher on the chest knife tabs I’ve tried. The Greenjacket has some rescue fea-
GOING GREEN Field test A DO-IT-ALL RESCUE VEST FOR ANY KIND OF PADDLER
The Batmobile of rescue gear, Astral De- sign’s Greenjacket is a feature-laden res- cue vest that packs all the essentials into a sleek and unassuming design. Despite the PFD’s popularity among
the pros and those I guided with, I didn’t go Green until the 2013 redesign caught my eye. Now, it’s easily a top choice for whitewater, but has also earned a place
34 PADDLING MAGAZINE || December 2013
on many of my other trips, both flatwater and river running. The front-and-center snap tab holds my
rescue tether securely but releases easily for quick rescues or in case of a snag. It’s a ma- jor improvement from the original Green- jacket’s less-durable plastic retainer that had a tendency to break after too much use. I worried the snap would be similar—a bit
tures I’m yet to use, like an emergency be- lay loop and storage space between panels for an Astral-specific throw rope (I prefer a throwbag around the waist). Getting into the Greenjacket started
with a few less-than-graceful attempts, since I’d never used a pull over PFD be- fore switching to this vest. With a bit of practice it pulls on and off with ease—I only got lodged half-in, half-out once or twice before I learned to loosen the straps more than I was used to in my old side- entry jackets. The PFD’s panel structure and torso-
length adjustability makes for a comfort- able, custom-feeling fit so I can move free- ly, even when the straps are snug. —Emma Drudge
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