Marshall, what do you use for a bladder in your Blue Jacket? I have two Osprey bladders (older 3.0 & new 2.5 L) & they are way too long.
I bought a Tributary 10 years ago and never looked back. Every other alternative seemed like a compromise to me. When the bladder failed and I went to replace it I was distraught that Kokatat no longer made a bladder so large. Can’t recall the size. I bought the same bladder you have and it hung out of the top or had to be folded or yada, yada, yada. Its size was ALWAYS more than I needed on a long day…So I bought a new Kokatat bladder. The smaller, slide top job that Marshall sells is plenty big for me on long trips and day paddles. It fits great, weighs less. Can’t believe I tried something else.
I have chosen women’s PFD’s for years for the shorter length and overall comfort. I use a Kokatat MsFit. The pockets are good too. I had a Kokatat Maximus Centurion for about a year and a half but it turned out to be too long and too bulky for me. I went back to my MsFit. Looks like you either have a MsFit or the men’s version with the offset zipper. Can’t tell.
I feel that whatever PFD you choose you should be able to sit in your boat with the spray skirt on and there should be clearance between the bottom of the PFD and spray deck so that it is free to rotate with your torso and not ride up. Depending on your aspirations consider adding enough clearance for a waist mounted tow belt.
Just some thoughts.
I have a Northwater tow belt but find it uncomfortable to wear below the jacket with the skirt. I am 6 feet tall 36" inseam. I would like a jacket with belt built in. Rear decks of my CD North American kayaks is not as low as many other kayaks… So the skirt is high on my back. I dumped some water and folded it today and slipped it in the pocket tube down.
I think I have outfit tour PFD
back of this is real high, I guess it affects how high it floats you with a higher back? Somewhat high like my Trekker.
Sorry for the delay.
Rival - I’ve tried larger bladder sizes but they poke out from under the bottom of the pfd. Perhaps a wider rather than longer bladder would work suspended from the hydration loop inside the top back of the Astral Blue or Green Jacket, but I haven’t tried it. If I’m doing a longer (>3 hour) high exertion paddle then I’ll use a 100oz. bladder in my day hatch with the tube running through a hole drilled in the hatch cover, as Rookie described earlier.
PaddleDog - The back of the Blue and Green Jacket do run high up the back. The Green Jacket is broader coverage on the scapula with semi right armored platelets. For all non-whitewater the Blue Jacket has been my go to. As to the tow rope interference, I use the North Water Micro Tow (https://www.the-river-connection.us/collections/rescue-safety-gear/products/north-water-micro-tow-product-id-30sk-04) which is a smaller format so doesn’t press upward against the pfd so much. I usually have it spun around with the belt loose enough so the bag portion sits more forward on the sprayskirt forward of the bottom edge of my pfd. Once I hook up the line it’ll spin around me on it’s own under load.
See you on the water,
Marshall
The Connection, Inc.
Hyde Park, NY
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845-242-4731 mobile
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I also wear the tow belt in front paddling - shorter torso and it’d get in my way paddling in back even with the MSFit and a low decked boat. Helpful to remember to shift it to the side for a deck crawl, but it doesn’t seem to create a problem in front rolling.
Thanks all! I folded the bladder and it’s OK. Have to shoot up to the River connection one day.
I’m with Celia on this; I always wear my tow belt in the front while paddling. In the rare event that I actually need it, it takes less than a second to pivot it to the back. That has never caused an issue in a towing situation.
PaddleDog, I have the same exact hydration pack with the same exact bladder. That’s the bladder it came with. I got it on a clearance sale and have been using it for at least a couple years now. I just underfill it and scrunch it into the pouch. The velcro closure is good enough that it has never tried to escape. No sign of the bladder suffering from the abuse - and it gets used a lot. There are various bladders now that would probably fit better (I’m eyeing a Badlands brand), but I tend to use things until they break, before I upgrade - so I haven’t bothered to try any. BTW - I have found that the hydration pack fits well on some vests other than Kokatat. Currently have mine on an MTI.
Thanks SII