Reviews by User: acey (1)

After Philip Curry sold Lotus Designs PFD's to Patagonia, he made a big splash with Astral Boyancy including some innovative new designs in his top-of-the-line whitewater vests. The Grunion, however, is a combo of hits and sometimes puzzling near misses. I like the four gear pockets, though only two of them feature internal fastening aids (webbing) so the other two seem designed to lose stuff. There is just one lash tab for adding a rescue knife. Hand warmers are somewhat generously described as fleece-lined (more of a thin mesh) but they will keep the wind off your fingers when you're not paddling. You're probably just as well off sticking your hands between the upper part of the vest and whatever top you're wearing underneath. All four pockets feature a boxy construction that promises to hang up on the deck in a deepwater re-entry. (The way to get around this is to hold the sprayskirt grab loop in one's teeth or hanging it on the rescue knife, so that the sprayskirt covers the pockets). Astral's web site, which lists the vest as discontinued, indicates that it can be fitted with an optional quick release device. Indeed 4 tabs along the girth of the vest seem designed to support a 2" quick release harness for towing. To actually do so however, would require significantly modifying the vest: there is no way to get the webbing past the pockets in the front - one would have to cut 2" slits in the hand warmers and reinforce them so that the fabric wouldn't unravel. Even then, there's not quite enough room for a standard quick release buckle between the pockets. Reflective material is limited to piping and two small lengths of taping across the rear shoulder harness. Flotation extends all the way down the back so is not ideal for kayaks with high-backed seats. Fit is comfortable and adjustable at multiple points.