OCEAN SAFETY KRU SPORT 170 ADV
Price £99.95 Weight na Website www.oceansafety.com
This well-respected jacket from Ocean Safety’s long-running Kru range features a scooped neck to relieve pressure or rubbing on the neck and a plastic buckle closure for quick, easy fastening. The harness version has the option of a two- and three-bar stainless steel buckle.
It features Ocean Safety’s ‘Wave Barrier’ technology, which promises a sub-five second turning speed, to ensure the wearer’s airway is raised above the water as quickly as possible. It also features an interlocking bladder which aims to prevent the flow of water into airways, “dramatically reducing the threat of secondary drowning.”
However some wearers had concerns about other elements. Anna commented: “The mounting of the CO2 bottle feels wrong. The bladder forced the canister against my chest. A sprayhood and light are included and the light
came on straight away. The sprayhood doesn’t feel as rigid as some, though, and dropped too close to my face. Despite tightening the crotch strap in the water, it still didn’t quite feel right.”
Toby commented that the zip is on the opposite side to the top-up tube, which makes it tricky to remove the air completely
when repacking it.
PROS: Smart-looking. Ocean Safety brand is well established and trusted with service centres readily available everywhere. Crossover bladder design.
CONS: As per a previous test conducted on this lifejacket, it has suboptimal positioning of the CO2 canister on the curve of the bladder which causes it to rotate on inflation and jab into the chest or ribs of the wearer.