Anyone know of a life jacket you can portage with, without taking it off?

Both for:

a)If you are only portaging the canoe

or

b)if you can also wear your portage pack?

Can you wear an NRS Clearwater or Chinook when portaging? (Currently what I'm leaning towards).

Thanks!

I wear my NRS Chinook when I carry the canoe with no problem. Then I leave it at the end of the portage with the canoe. I don't wear the PFD with my Granite Gear pack since it messes up the fit of the pack. If needed, I suppose a person could let out the straps on the pack to customize the fit for the PFD.

I have an inflatable PFD that I forget that I even have on. I usually wear it because it's easier than carrying it.

I always portage with my PFD on. I don’t like loose things dangling on the canoe. I carry a canoe or Duluth pack also with my PFD on. Just loosen the straps to fit it over the PFD.

I don't wear it because I carry a pack with my canoe.. I take mine off and wedge it into the pedestal seat frame of my Advantage. Never moves.

Savage Voyageur: "I always portage with my PFD on. I don’t like loose things dangling on the canoe. I carry a canoe or Duluth pack also with my PFD on. Just loosen the straps to fit it over the PFD. "

What kind of PDF do you have?

Northwoodsman: "I have an inflatable PFD that I forget that I even have on. I usually wear it because it's easier than carrying it."

For the inflatable PFD, do you have to worry about damaging the bladder in the should pad area?

Is there a bladder in the shoulder pad area? i would assume there is, but never looked at one.

My other concern about portaging with one on, would be to have something pull the cord, and it accidently inflates.

Speaking of the chinooks, is the new style ant better than the old style? I'm debating getting the new one or not.

Sammy N - I unzip it so it's loose and it actually fits between the portage slings and my neck. If I'm wearing a pack it's loose enough so it rides over the pack straps. It's a bit scrunched up either way. I never thought about the damage to the bladder. I worry more about rain than anything. I keep it in my tent when in camp, and I know I probably shouldn't, but I wear it under my rain jacket if it's raining. The manual trigger is tucked in a small pocket to prevent snags. You get what you pay for and I was willing to pay for the comfort. I paid close to $300 for it. I highly recommend it. I'm a bigger guy and a normal PFD was always in my way when paddling, I found it pushing up to far and hitting my face. This took care of all that. It also takes up way less space in my pack on the plane. I have this one:
Onyx Impulse A-33

SammyN: "

Northwoodsman: "I have an inflatable PFD that I forget that I even have on. I usually wear it because it's easier than carrying it."

For the inflatable PFD, do you have to worry about damaging the bladder in the should pad area?

Is there a bladder in the shoulder pad area? i would assume there is, but never looked at one.

My other concern about portaging with one on, would be to have something pull the cord, and it accidently inflates."

If it gets used, how hard is it to deflate and "recharge" to use again on your trip?

SammyN: "

Savage Voyageur: "I always portage with my PFD on. I don’t like loose things dangling on the canoe. I carry a canoe or Duluth pack also with my PFD on. Just loosen the straps to fit it over the PFD. "

What kind of PDF do you have?"

Nothing special, Cabellas I think. My point is you could wear just about any PFD and hoist a canoe on your back, even with a pack on your back. Just loosen the straps to fit over the PFD and then relighted then, hoist the canoe on your shoulders. Done.

SammyN - Re-arming is straight forward. Return the zipper to the starting point, deflate the bladder, tuck in the bladder, zip it closed. Unscrew the spent CO2 cartridge, remove the used bobbin. Slip in a new bobbin, screw in a new cartridge. It took me about 2 - 3 minutes when I first got it. It hasn't been activated yet so I've only done it once. I'm going to activate it before my next trip and re-arm it however. You can get this same model on Amazon for $170.43 right now. They have 24 and 33 models, based on how much buoyancy they provide. The cheaper models will work fine but you lose some of the nicer features that make the Impulse a more comfortable and handier. It has more protection for the manual activation handle, it has small zippered pockets for keys, permit, fishing license, etc. It has side panels, a more open back, and a wider waist strap. It also has pockets to tuck in the extra strap (it fits a 65" waist), and a whistle. Mustang also makes a nice one but I felt the Onyx is a bit more thinner and better designed. Cabela's has their Bass Pro version of the cheaper Onyx on sale for $100 at the moment. If you go with an Oynx A-33 get the newer model, some retailers may be closing out the older model still. The new model is 133900-700-004-19, the old one is 134000-400-004-18. You can view them both on Amazon and see all the improvements that were made.

Savage Voyageur: "

SammyN: "

Savage Voyageur: "I always portage with my PFD on. I don’t like loose things dangling on the canoe. I carry a canoe or Duluth pack also with my PFD on. Just loosen the straps to fit it over the PFD. "

What kind of PDF do you have?"

Nothing special, Cabellas I think. My point is you could wear just about any PFD and hoist a canoe on your back, even with a pack on your back. Just loosen the straps to fit over the PFD and then relighted then, hoist the canoe on your shoulders. Done. "

+1

I remember wearing my PFD with backpack when carrying an aluminum canoe for the extra padding it provided.

I almost always portage with PFD on, and single trip the trail. The only exception is the 9 mile Grand Port., where I roll it up and strap it to the pack. It makes it so fast at the end of a portage, drop the canoe, drop the pack in, pull out the stashed paddle and go. I have a Seda PFD. Sadly they are no longer made. Piragis used to rent them, the Forest Service used them. They give you pretty good coverage in the case of cold water immersion. I was lucky enough to have a friend give me a new one after they quit making them. I have 2 so I spread the use between the 2.

Way back, I used to think that my old Stearns life jacket provided padding for my shoulders while portaging. Truth of the matter, it was a bit of a bother, but it was a simple way to carry it across. Some times, I would zip it to a thwart, but then it's swinging in your face half the time. My current MTI Java PFD just has strap shoulders and is far less cumbersome to just keep wearing it on that first trip across under a load of any kind.

SammyN: "Anyone know of a life jacket you can portage with, without taking it off?

Both for:

a)If you are only portaging the canoe

or

b)if you can also wear your portage pack?

Can you wear an NRS Clearwater or Chinook when portaging? (Currently what I'm leaning towards).

Thanks! "

Sammy. I use a chinook and I really like it. It’s incredibly comfortable in both a canoe and kayak and has Tons of storage for fishing. I keep bags of plastics in one pocket and a snack/phone in the other. I have the old style that has a dry fly patch in lieu of the knife lash tab. I’ve never used that patch and am really tempted to get that close out one on the NRS website and sell my old one. It’s really low on the wants list and there are several needs before that. :)

FWIW looks like the new one on REI has one less pocket on in as they switched the rod holder to the other shoulder. That’s a feature I’d never use either.

I’ve portaged canoes (and my kayak a few times) with it on often. What I do is unzip it and loosen the shoulder straps so the buckles can slide behind the pads. I don’t believe you’d be able to wear it while carrying a pack.

I use a women's Astral V-8 as my PFD.

I portage my first load with my bigger pack on over my PFD. Then I generally take the PFD off and leave it with my load at the end and head back to get my boat and day pack.

we remove our PFD's and clip them to our packs with cheap little beeners. Takes a couple seconds....part of our portage routine....makes for a more comfy hike.

cowdoc: "we remove our PFD's and clip them to our packs with cheap little beeners. Takes a couple seconds....part of our portage routine....makes for a more comfy hike."

+1 unless it's one of those puddle hopper portages.

For my tandem I ditched my portage pads and just use an Ash yoke with my fishing vest and life jacket for padding and like it a lot. I have the Stolquist Fisherman PFD. For my solo canoe I use portage pads and wear my PDF while carrying canoe and CCS barrel harness.

minnmike: " For my tandem I ditched my portage pads and just use an Ash yoke with my fishing vest and life jacket for padding and like it a lot. I have the Stolquist Fisherman PFD. For my solo canoe I use portage pads and wear my PDF while carrying canoe and CCS barrel harness."

I’ve eyes that Stohlquist fisherman...not to hijack but thoughts? ;)

I know this isn't an answer to your question, but......

We just keep a cheap 'biner on each of our pfds. Part of our portage protocol is to clip them to the wife's portage pack. She goes down the trail first, and I follow with a smaller portage pack and the boat. By the time I'm at the end, she has the pfds unclipped and waiting for me.

easy peasy.

I love this life jacket. I don't think you can go wrong with this make and model.