Looking for shorty cag recommendations and a top BA

[scottdog007]

Looking for shorty cag plus a top BA (warming to the astral green jacket). For the summer and for Alpine ww. Any recommendations or feedback on top shorty cags and BA´s please.

Important for me -
Comfort,
Easy to put on,
pocket space
Hard wearing

Thanks in advance.

[DanH]

Shorty Cag - I'd recommend the IR Short Sleeve Comp Semi-Dry Top. I bought one in 2006 and it is still going strong and I've used it a lot!

BA - I'd recommend either the Palm Extrem or the Amp depending on whether you want a vest or an opening one. Both are incredibly comfortable in my opinion, for me way better than the Astral Green Jacket!

[Terryg]

Cag = DAM-X.

[HarryWats0n]

Palm Extrem and Amp are great BA's, check out their new cag range to, haven't tried one for my self, but have only heard good things about them.

[aria230]

I love my green jacket and I never ever want to get rid of it! It's very comfortable and allows lots of movements, easy to put on and has lots of pocket space. I've had mine for over a year and its seems as good as new! I'd strongly recomend it.

Chris

[kayak1]

Have a look at the Chill cheater Cags, Just bought a shortie off them for playboating and sea surf....but not all to your requirements but still a very nice cag!!

[TheKrikkitWars]

BA - I'd recommend either the Palm Extrem or the Amp depending on whether you want a vest or an opening one. Both are incredibly comfortable in my opinion, for me way better than the Astral Green Jacket!

I found pretty much the opposite, the two palm vests simply didn't fit me properly... I guess the moral of the story is to try on before you buy.

Can I ask what exactly it is that you don't like about the Green Jacket? (my major disagreement with the palm was fit, it sounds like you dislike something else about the astral offering, always interesting to know.)

In terms of shorties, I have an IR Comp (as a cagdeck) and that's proving to be *really* very good; and a Palm Sidewinder which is ancient, awesome and much better than a normal semi-dry shorty if you're paddling in cold water and warm air; I dunno if you'd be able to find one though.

[clarky999]

BA - I'd recommend either the Palm Extrem or the Amp depending on whether you want a vest or an opening one. Both are incredibly comfortable in my opinion, for me way better than the Astral Green Jacket!

I found pretty much the opposite, the two palm vests simply didn't fit me properly... I guess the moral of the story is to try on before you buy.

Same, which was annoying as I find the pockets on the Palm BA's much better than the Green. Still, I've been using the Green Jacket for a year now, and the freedom of movement is great, apart from the pocket (which is pretty minor really) I really like it.

[TheKrikkitWars]

BA - I'd recommend either the Palm Extrem or the Amp depending on whether you want a vest or an opening one. Both are incredibly comfortable in my opinion, for me way better than the Astral Green Jacket!

I found pretty much the opposite, the two palm vests simply didn't fit me properly... I guess the moral of the story is to try on before you buy.

Same, which was annoying as I find the pockets on the Palm BA's much better than the Green. Still, I've been using the Green Jacket for a year now, and the freedom of movement is great, apart from the pocket (which is pretty minor really) I really like it.

I know what you mean about the pocket; it's ok for me, but I only really kept a knife and sling in it, my krabs (4), prussiks (2), and pulley lived in the little side pockets, well out of the way until they were needed... Need to get another one.

[DanH]

Can I ask what exactly it is that you don't like about the Green Jacket? (my major disagreement with the palm was fit, it sounds like you dislike something else about the astral offering, always interesting to know).

I guess we are opposites! When I bought my Amp vest, I tried the Green Jacket as I quite liked the look of it. Unfortunately, it didn't fit me particularly well. I found it too long in the body (I'm short bodied) and I didn't like the shoulder straps as there was no way of tightening them and they seemed to gape. But the main reason I didn't buy one is I found it uncomfortable to wear...

On closer inspection, I found it overly complicated to don, the pocket was a bit of a let down and I felt there was potential for somebody to accidentally clip into something other than/as well as the chest harness in the heat of a rescue situation.

Just my thoughts!

[Wilf]

I think the Palm Amp vest is awesome, though for several years the Axis has done me proud also. Shorty cag, I absolutely love my Artistic Aveto

http://www.artistic-sportswear.de/en/a/ ... dle_jacket

I now have the Arzino dry top (Long sleeved) which is very, very good http://www.artistic-sportswear.de/en/a/ ... dle_jacket, so I imagine the shorty version is also very good.

Wilf

[Performance Kayaks]

I have the New Palm Zenith and the Palm Sidewinder SS. The Zenith is nearly as dry when Playboating and, for me, that means spending a lot of time being Worked by the Hole! Very impressed with it.

Palm Amp in Saffron to go with it. Who cares how it feels, when it looks so good with the Lime Cags! (Although it feels great to me)

[mpooleman]

Cag = DAM-X.

Do they do shorties now? I'd be interested but they didnt when I got mine

I got my shorty cag deck from the clearance section on the Peak UK website, £55 for a cagdeck, not overly dry but I wouldn't expect of a shorty.

Very durable too, I've had it 3/4 years and still goins strong. They even changed the deck size on it for FREE when I ordered it!!

Top Service

Mark

[TheKrikkitWars]

Can I ask what exactly it is that you don't like about the Green Jacket? (my major disagreement with the palm was fit, it sounds like you dislike something else about the astral offering, always interesting to know).

I guess we are opposites! When I bought my Amp vest, I tried the Green Jacket as I quite liked the look of it. Unfortunately, it didn't fit me particularly well. I found it too long in the body (I'm short bodied) and I didn't like the shoulder straps as there was no way of tightening them and they seemed to gape. But the main reason I didn't buy one is I found it uncomfortable to wear...

On closer inspection, I found it overly complicated to don, the pocket was a bit of a let down and I felt there was potential for somebody to accidentally clip into something other than/as well as the chest harness in the heat of a rescue situation.

I hear you on the pocket, (I'm currently toying with the idea of using an astral sea-wolf [off label] as it's basically the Green Jacket minus the plastic armour and with a much larger pocket). With donning it, I found side entry to be much better than front entry; but if you want to leave it adjusted to throw on and go it seems to be more awkward.

One thing... You're meant to adjust the shoulder straps using the two straps that come up vertically near the bottom of the BA; Presumably if you found it to be too long in the body, then that's the major failing of that system if didn't allow you to pull it tight enough.

[Alec Ferris]

I'm going for one of the new Palm Zeniths, myself. Just waiting for them to arrive in the shop.

[Performance Kayaks]

I'm going for one of the new Palm Zeniths, myself. Just waiting for them to arrive in the shop.

The first batch have been and gone. Highly Recomend Ordering one to secure one.

[scottdog007]

One thing... You're meant to adjust the shoulder straps using the two straps that come up vertically near the bottom of the BA; Presumably if you found it to be too long in the body, then that's the major failing of that system if didn't allow you to pull it tight enough.

If you found it too long in the body surely this means you got the wrong size.

Incidentally I bought the Astral Green Jacket BA yesterday and for me feels really nice. As for shorty cags in green or lime, I can´t find any, they are not being supplied from Palm at least (problem with their Asian supplier) or no one has anything like this in stock, they are due in a months time which kind of misses the summer kayaking period. So I´m now looking for a summer cag in green or lime.

I´m a lucky boy, I was clearing out the garage and sold a sun bed to someone, and they saw my old motorcycle and gave me 500 quid for it, hence I am now splashing out on some decent gear.

[eeonz]

I enquired about shortie cags at DAM X back in November and they said that they weren't making them any more, as there were far too many variations of what people thought a shorty cag should be.

[Adrian Cooper]

As for shorty cags in green or lime, I can´t find any,

[scottdog007]

IR Short Sleeve Comp Semi-Dry Top

Yep nice, but to be honest I wanted to be able to go to a shop and try one on. I went to Brookbank and tried on sizes and styles though they didn´t have the green or lime colour in stock (Fuse or Palm Zenith) and they going to phone me today to tell me when they can get them, but I have not heard a thing from them. I´ve given up getting a shorty, so I am now looking at a long sleeve but a summer cag (2.5 layer).

[TheKrikkitWars]

One thing... You're meant to adjust the shoulder straps using the two straps that come up vertically near the bottom of the BA; Presumably if you found it to be too long in the body, then that's the major failing of that system if didn't allow you to pull it tight enough.

If you found it too long in the body surely this means you got the wrong size.

Essentially yes, what I was getting at was that because of the bottom-adjust system, they encompass a smaller possible range of torso-lengths for any given torso-girth (the measurement by which they're sized); so if you have a shorter torso than might be expected for your chest size (say a quite short byt very stocky person) you can't make it fit...

I really liked mine, and as a canoe paddler found the ability to have it very long made it all the better; In fact I liked it so much I'm trying to sell my current BA to get another.

[Performance Kayaks]

We will have the Zenith in Saffron later today, if that helps. Still no date for the next lot of Lime though.

[scottdog007]

It´s the lime I want thanks.

It´s a bit naughty of Palm because they have got all the stores to advertize their new gear, putting these in the catalogues and on the websites and then when stores start to ask for them for their customers, the gear is either not there at all, or they are only passing one or 2 pieces out to these stores. It isn´t just one or two of their new styles it is all their new styles. It doesn´t show Palm´s reputation well.

Sounds to me that someone has made a big mistake in the Palm group for not hitting the deadline targets. If this happened in the companies I´m involved with, all hell would be let loose. If it was the Asian suppliers that caused the issue then the least that would happen is that the Asian companies would get financial penalty at worse no more business would be done with them. I bet Palm are loosing a lot of sales because of this. Sad because their gear looks good.

[Terryg]

I enquired about shortie cags at DAM X back in November and they said that they weren't making them any more, as there were far too many variations of what people thought a shorty cag should be.

They have always had a limited standard product range, and I know shorties have always been a problem as slalomists, playboaters, river runners etc have had different requirements. However, in my experience Andi has always been willing to do one off specials of anything, if the customer knows what they want and are willing to pay the price (which has always been reasonable).

DAM are also local to the original poster, which is why I mentioned them.

[scottdog007]

I can´t find a website for Dam-x in google. Is there one, or can someone give me the phone number?

I need a zip replacing in my drysuit, as well as looking for a cag.

[Adrian Cooper]

DAM Watersports [damwatersports.drysuits@ntlworld.com]

Also: damwatersports@yahoo.co.uk

01234 267314

Andi Riley

[Alec Ferris]

Palm's cags have been delayed until mid-June. They're manufactured in Japan, so the earthquake and everything that came with it have naturally had knock-on effects.

[Performance Kayaks]

It´s a bit naughty of Palm because they have got all the stores to advertize their new gear, putting these in the catalogues and on the websites and then when stores start to ask for them for their customers, the gear is either not there at all, or they are only passing one or 2 pieces out to these stores. It isn´t just one or two of their new styles it is all their new styles.

I'm afraid that you have been misinformed.

Palm knew that there was going to be several months lead time on the new products, due to this, they put a Cut-Off Date on Pre-Orders. We as retailers had to put in Pre-Orders for what we wanted to receive for stock on release. These were Air Freighted over as they became available, with the main stock being Shipped when the Container was Full. If they had not done this, NONE of it would be here yet.

We advised Customers that enquired about the new kit to order it to reserve it. Those that did received their items, and are very happy with it. Those that didn't will have to wait (and that includes ME, as I didn't decide until too late!)

Main stocks are due late June or Early July. My advise, again, is to reserve something.

The New Palm Kit was advertized as being available in the Spring, which it still is.

[scottdog007]

Shame because I want one now, well for 2 weeks time so it is not possible to order as it is certain to arrive after I come home. I´m hanging on and phoning places to see if they have any makes any styles (long sleeves as well as shorties) in green or lime. Guess I will have to use my old gear until latest stocks come in.

[Performance Kayaks]

My last Zenith, in Lime, sold 35 minutes ago.