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White Water Products
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£156.29 (inc Vat)
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Palm
Extrem
The Palm Extrem is a top end PFD that is ideal for white water kayaking. The design of the Extrem is based around a 3D cut and it is easily accessed through the front opening system. Palm have packed the extram...
£156.29 (inc Vat)
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Palm
Extrem Womens
The Palm Extrem Womens is a high specification womens white water PFD from the Palm Equipment 'Gear for Women' Range. It features a velcro front opening that's held together by four 25mm buckles, making it easy...
£138.92 (inc Vat)
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Palm
Amp
The Palm Amp is a top specification PFD that is ideal for white water kayaking. It is based around an over the head design. The main design feature of the amp is the 3 dimensional cut for an enhanced fit. The o...
£121.56 (inc Vat)
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Palm
FXr
The Palm FXr is a PFD for white water kayaking. This kayaking PFD is particularly well suited towards white water and also water rescue. The Palm FXr features an over the head design. When on the paddlers torso...
£120.10 (inc Vat)
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Peak UK
River Guide
The Peak UK River Guide is a great PFD for white water kayaking. With a design heritage that goes back to the London 2012 Olympic games, this has a great performance cut. This PFD is easily put on over the head...
£86.82 (inc Vat)
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Palm
FX
The Palm FX is a low profile PFD for whitewater kayaking. This PFD features an over the head design that also includes plenty of adjustment for a near perfect fit. The FX is a great playboating PFD as it has th...
£82.08 (inc Vat)
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Peak UK
River Vest
The Peak UK River Vest is a great whitewater kayaking PFD that features an over the head design. This PFD for kayaking has tough and durable outer and a nice soft foam inner so its comfy to wear, it also offers...
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Yak
Galena
The Yak Galena is an overhead style buoyancy aid that is ideal for all forms of kayaking. It features the Yak 4D Cast Light foam that is contoured to suit the torso; it also incorporates the fusion fit air mesh...
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What's the difference between a life jacket and a buoyancy aid? Both are PFD's (Personal Flotation Devices), but a life jacket will turn an unconscious swimmer on their back to keep their mouth and nose out of the water. The downside is that a life jacket
makes it much harder for a conscious swimmer to swim on their front. A
buoyancy aid will not turn the wearer face up, but its primary purpose
is to support a conscious swimmer and make it easy for the wearer to
swim in a normal and powerful fashion when required (like when you've
really got to make that eddy!). They also provide some welcome body armour on certain trips!
We do stock a range of life jackets,
which we recommend for use by people who may have trouble swimming.
They are also suitable for sailing, and we have models for children and
babies.
For those of you who would like to take your four legged friends out on the water, check out our range of Pet Buoyancy Aids.
Which Buoyancy Aid?
All the buoyancy aids in this section are aimed towards white water river paddling, whether in Kayaks or Canoes.
Whitewater PFDs tend to be vest style, over the head entry, meaning less can go wrong in an
emergency. Having said that, you can find front opening river BA's,
generally designed with no zips, which can be easier to put on with
rear entry drysuits.
Those designed mainly for river running will have a lot more buoyancy than the minimum required - aerated white water is less dense and you sink further. The foam will can also wrap around the torso more to give protection against hitting rocks. The BA generally have the ability to use a chest harness, either fitted or as an optional extra (you should attend a WWSR course before using one), as well as pockets to hold slings and karabiners.
The BA's designed for playing at the local playspot, or for slalom, will have some of these features removed, meaning these vests are less bulky and restricted - thats not to say the river running BA's are cramped - they are all designed and cut with high degrees of freedom of movement and flexibility.
There are several other styles of buoyancy aid on offer and they are suitable for
either sea and touring, entry level recreational use, as well as the competitive disciplines. If you are looking for buoyancy aids for outdoor centre or group work we have a range of Centre Buoyancy Aids.