Re: PFD design/construction

My ideal PFD would have four small pockets. One on each side below the arm holes and one on each of the chest/shoulder straps (like ammo pouches). The pockets would be made of that netting material (like the Mocke jacket) with velcro closings. There would also be a big pocket at the back for the hydro-pack.

There is plenty pocket space beneath the arm holes and your arms won't rub unless you are paddling with a poor technique.

Two of us have been paddling out towards Robben Island - we've gotten about half-way - so we need to take reasonable care.

I had a look at the Kaskazi life jackets and one pretty cool feature is the whistle permanently clipped in over the left breast. It's a bit uncomfortable, but you can blow the whistle without using your hands to hold it.

I'm imagining the following features:

1. Cellphone: in a pouch and on a leash, but attached with velcro behind my right shoulder. Reach and rip, then phone home.

2. Big hand-held flare: similar to cellphone, but in a tube slot on left shoulder.

3. Water Bladder, mounted on the back like all CamelBak designs.

4. Small pocket on right breast for car keys and spare bung.

5. Big pocket on front middle for 6-pack of flares.

6. Speaking of flares... it'd be so much easier to have it more gun shaped. But I guess our market is too small to have these designs modified.

One important thing is that all these items should be attached to the PFD with little leashes.

A new thought: if you need flares, you'll need a cellphone, whistle, et. al. How about a large nylon back flap pouch with separate pockets, zipped from shoulder to waist on the back of the PFD, and velcroed with a buckle on the other shoulder back. When in need, release buckle, swing all your supplies for safety to your front side, velcro it there, and then select your flare, cell phone, whistle, lip balm, etc at convenient position.
I am not a fan of paddling with water high on my back for stability and butt comfort. 3 more pounds on my derriere could finish me off.
Flare guns and shells are much easier to use when in trouble than popping off flares with cold hands. Their reliability is far better also.

That is a great idea, front pouches get in the way when remounting while rear pouches are inaccessible. A rear pouch that becomes a front pouch in the water is the answer. Darn, why didn't I think of that, it is so obvious now.

I hope Quiver and Tripper read this thread....

Interesting and good comments on design. Also interesting is the personal requirements for the perfect ski pfd. There seems to be a need for more than one model for ski paddling - one for offshore or potential open water conditions, and one minimalistic racing / near shore / lake / flat river design.

I really don't want to carry much with me as I'm always near shore in warm non-sharky water. If my pfd only had a small pocket on the back for a couple flares and cell that would be great and all I'd want. Pockets on my chest or under the arm holes would seem to bother me if they're filled with something.

Lots of mesh, no water absorbing fabric, positive floatation that is extremely flexible. It's got to be really, really lightweight, even when wet. I want to wear it, but not really feel it.

In the US, Lotus makes a pretty nice minimalistic pfd, the Sherman. It's just hotter and stiffer than it needs to be, because it's made for whitewater paddlers who like to have their stuff made from fabrics that can't be cut, abraded or worn out - ever. I'm interested in seeing what Mocke and the other companies are making now and will make for us in the future.