From the creative mind of Philip Curry, the guy who started Lotus Designs and practically reinvented the modern paddlesports PFD, comes the new 2010 models from Astral. These new PFDs which feature Astral’s patented Airescape Technology build upon the highly successful V-Eight. Airescape Technology allows airflow through the PFD itself -making the PFD breathable and much cooler on your body.
The key new models include the Camino and the Nova.
While the V-Eight has a high back to accommodate the tall seat backs found on most Sit-on-Tops , the front of the PFD is fairly thick (in order to make up for the lack of foam in the short back panel). On the other hand, the new 2010 Camino has a more conventional rear panel that allows for a very low profile and ultra flexible front panel. This combination of flexibility (from the low profile construction) and ventilation (from the Airescape Technology) makes the new Camino the most comfortable PFD for general purpose paddlesports use we’ve seen on the market.
The new ventilated Nova is perfect for folks who find themselves in boats whose seatbacks are too tall even for a V-Eight.
While we currently have the new 2010 Astral PFDs in stock, supplies are fairly limited due to unexpected demand. See our PFD lineup here.