Kokatat Poseidon PFD Review

Poseidon- God of the Sea

Short term review of Kokatat's latest touring PFD

The Poseidon is the latest addition to the Kokatat range of touring PFD's (Personal Flotation Device). A completely new design offering lots of versatility to the user. Sea kayaker's require a lot more storage in their PFD's than river runners and the Poseidon has you covered. The Poseidon comes equipped with a chest pocket that has three compartments and a knife tab. It is also possible to put a water bladder in the back of the vest. In addition to these features you can buy extra accessories to add to the vest including, a belly pocket, shoulder pocket, tactic back pack, water bladder and electronics pocket. Depending on what you want to carry and how you want to carry it, you can set up the PFD to suit your paddling preferences.

My initial impression of the Poseidon were mixed. It looks like there is a lot going on and this is usually not a good thing when it comes to PFD's. But after trying it on and spending a few minutes working out how the pockets attach and move around it is actually a lot neater than it looks.  The fact that you can see the webbing stitched on the PFD does make it look a little untidy but don't let this put you off, it is in fact very tidy when you have it on.  

The fit is very comfortable and it offers good protection and insulation to the ribs and back.  I did think that my medium/large was too big for me after the first couple of outings but with a few weeks wear, the foam has molded and relaxed making the fit a lot better. I have heard other users have had similar experiences. I did try the extra shoulder pocket briefly but it got in the way for my paddling style. At the moment I have opted to just use the standard chest pocket that comes with the Poseidon. I may add the belly pocket if I find I need more storage for longer days on the water. If you are in the market for a high quality touring PFD that you can customise to suit your needs the Poseidon is the way to go.

For more info on accessories and setup formations check out this product video from Kokatat HERE 

The Poseidon is available in Ireland from I-Canoe HERE

The clips that attach pockets to the Kokatat Poseidon

Easy entry zip front.

POV of the chest pocket. Knife tab and first compartment

POV two of chest pocket with two more zipped compartments.

The Kokatat Poseidon being put to the test.