Astral Seawolf Lifejacket

The Astral Seawolf is a lightweight, low profile sea kayaking lifejacket which is extremely comfortable both in or out of the water, has heaps of storage space and a great variety of useful features for sea kayaking.

The front of the lifejacket consists of two separate panels of foam. The inner section of foam wraps securely around your torso and is fastened with two adjustable straps.  The outer panel is able to float over the inner panel and is adjusted to your torso height via two vertical straps below the panel.  This makes for an extremely comfortable fit, allowing for a completely unrestricted paddling motion and preventing the lifejacket rising up your torso
 
 One of the biggest issues with low profile lifejackets is that they’re inherently bulky in the front, in order to maintain the required buoyancy. This is not the case with the Astral Seawolf.  Most of the foam is located in the inner front panel which sits low enough as to not be obtrusive while paddling or during re-entry.

Due to the unique design, the side entry buckles are positioned a little further back then on most other life jackets.  At first, I found this a little awkward when fastening the buckles.  However with time I have gotten use to their location, and no longer find it difficult to fasten. 



There are reflective accents around the front pocket, the back and on the shoulder straps to increase the low light visibility of this lifejacket.  A pocket with securing tabs for a water bladder is located between the back harness and the rear foam panel .  Fabric tabs on the shoulder strap are used to route the drink tube.

Storage and Attached Accessories
A lifejacket for Sea kayaking is not just a buoyancy aid, it is also a functional storage device.  In this regard the Astral Seawolf lifejacket takes the gold and really shines, due to well thought out storage spaces, without feeling bulky.

 The clam shell pocket design keeps your items from being squished all day, while the divided inner pocket and mesh area keep your things organised.  The pocket has the convenience of double zippers and is splash proof.  There are several points inside the pocket for securing lanyards, to prevent accidental loss of your gear.

 

There are two large cargo style storage pockets on this lifejacket, one located on either side.  They can store rather bulky items, but their location being so far back makes them difficult to access and are best utilized for storing items which you don't require constant access to.

I use the right hand pocket to store a Personal Locating Beacon which is permanently tethered to the lifejacket, while the left side pocket contains a short length of rope with snap buckles on each end which can be used as a tow rope or a quick attachment line.

 I  have a  rope cutter permanently tethered to the life jacket via a length of shock chord.  The rope cutter slides into a pouch attached to the lower left side adjustment strap and a velcro tab folds over to keep it in place. The shock chord tether tucks away behind the front panel when not in use.

A small lanyard with a Fastex buckle attached to one end has been attached to the lifejacket.  This is used as a quick attachment point to any externally carried gear I may be using, such as a torch or VHF marine radio.

Conclusion

The Astral Seawolf lifejacket has the most comfortable feel of any lifejacket I have used, both in or out of the water.  Although the front pocket is not designed to be waterproof, it offers very good splash resistance.

I found  that by opening the zippers on the front pocket just far enough to slide a camera in and out, you have the perfect spot for storing a waterproof camera between shots, ensuring quick access to the camera and most importantly greatly reducing water spots on the lens.

This lifejacket has all the relevant US Coast Guard Approvals but does not have Australian Standards approval.  This is only a problem should you enter a race or an event which requires the express use of an Australian Standard approved jacket.

 
P.S  The Astral Seawolf lifejacket has been discontinued and replaced by the Astral Blue Jacket, which has all the same features but  a slightly different layout and colour scheme.