The information I assume you have, but you probably don’t have, is that I spend crazy amounts of time checking out and researching the three zillion other products that don’t make it into my hands. For some reason, the hunt for the elusive perfect PFD was especially time consuming. I actually saw the Kokatat MsFit early on in my search but it was listed as a woman’s item. I searched outfitters and googled up a storm and kept coming back to this one. I finally found an article somewhere that specifically stated there’s nothing particularly womanly in its design. I had imagined some sort of extra contour molded into the foam to fit a chest with more curves than mine. Now that I’ve seen it and used it, I can’t figure out anything indicating it was designed for women. So right here at the beginning, if you’ve looked at this thing and thought it looked perfect, just buy it. It’s an excellent piece of gear. While I can’t speak for the fit on women, I don’t want to leave the ladies out here. It’s probably great for you too.

httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAgXOLX6H7E

I have always been confused by the lack of pockets on life jackets designed for paddling. Even if you’re in an open canoe or sit on top kayak, the long and skinny nature of boats just about guarantees things are going to be out of reach. If you’re tucked snugly (smugly?) into the cockpit of a touring kayak beneath a spray skirt and other various layers, you know how much of a pain it is to both stash things and get to them when you need them. The PFD is the obvious choice for a few well designed storage compartments. The sleeves of drysuits, et cetera are another underutilized spot, but that’s for another day.

So here we have the Kokatat MsFit. Wouldn’t you know it… Three pockets right smack dab on the front where I want them. I was actually pleasantly surprised with how much you can stuff into them. There’s an example of the treasure troves you can bury in the side pockets in the above video. That said, the pocket wasn’t really full even with that much hidden in there. Both of the side pockets seem to have about the same amount of storage potential. The pocket that’s just off-center on the right (stage right) is essentially a 3-D rectangle. Think brick-like for its interior shape. My brick-esque Standard Horizon HX850S VHF radio fits in there just about perfectly. You could probably cram about five iPhones in there and still have room for a Rubik’s cube on the top. Okay… A Rubik’s cube would probably be too thick. Anyway, it’s a great pocket for electronic type things. Well.. electronics that don’t mind getting wet.

httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wdmEtlM-s3c

The build quality and durability of this vest is excellent. The seams are done flawlessly and the fabric seems plenty capable of getting tossed around on sand and gravel. As I mentioned earlier, the fit is great. I love the center buckle right at the bottom of the zipper. It’s very comfortable to wear unzipped and stays secure without being restrictive. I use this almost exclusively for paddling my kayak, but I’d have no qualms wearing it on the sailboat in a pinch. Since the coverage is much more comprehensive than my auto-inflating PFD, it’s not my first choice for long days at sea, but it would do. In the kayak, I haven’t had any problems with restricted movement. This includes arm restriction from paddling at a range of angles. In my boat, there’s no problem with the back coming down so far that it hits the deck or the seat. I’m 6’1″, so maybe shorter paddlers would have a different experience, but there seems to be plenty of clearance.

[flickr-gallery mode="tag" tags="msfit" tag_mode="all"]

There is one feature I’d add if I was in the Kokatat design labs… I would absolutely love love love if the pockets, or even just one, were waterproof. Come on guys, you make drysuits, I know you can keep the water out of one pocket. All I want for Christmas is…

I have no hesitation recommending this to anyone. The true test is whether or not I’d buy it again if something happened to mine. I would, without a second thought. There’s nothing I’ve seen that’s of any decent quality with as much storage as the MsFit. Nothing even close. Did I mention it comes in red? That makes me happy.