Astral  Indus PFD

With a lot of stoke and love I have been wearing a version of this PFD in the testing process for over 3 years. Over 1 year now with the final and I am super happy with fit, function, and style. 33% more float. Comforting. Highly recommend trying one out!

100 days on the river later. Having over 10 years in a Green Jacket, during activity it doesn't seem different, but it's better. Currently my go to jacket for river running I also wear it playboating. When you first put this on it feels bulky, trust me the design does not get in your way on the river. Pouch for throw rope, side pouch for tether, ample storage in the front pocket. I do miss the clamshell, but it still fits everything. I'm 170# 6' in M/L

Best PFD on the market. As a curvy female I was worried about the comfort but it feels so natural paddling in this vest. On a nasty swim this thing got me to the surface fast and made swimming to shore easier. It doesn’t affect my ability to roll at all and I love the storage. Astral set a new standard with this jacket!

I waffled between the Greenjacket and Indus, desiring the massive 22-lbs of flotation the Indus offers, but concerned that it would be impact mobility or be less sleek/low-profile. After field-testing the Indus in a variety of conditions on lakes, rivers, and streams, I can report it provides exceptional comfort and mobility - no problem. When you try it on for the first time on dry land, the side pockets feel like they could bump your elbows, but once you get in a kayak you quickly forget about them and realize they are completely out of the way. Overall, at 6'4" and 225 lbs the L/XL fits me very comfortably, and allows for total mobility. I appreciate how this "large" PFD with an unusual 22 lbs of flotation manages to sit comfortably and gives me 100% unrestricted range of motion. The front storage pocket works great, and provides plenty of volume for storage. Although I have plenty of room, I do find myself missing the "clamshell" style pocket opening that some other PFDs offer - not because I'm lacking for storage space in the Indus, but because I miss the large opening of the clamshell that allows me to see what I'm grabbing instead of riffling around inside the pocket blind. Food for thought for the 2027 Indus: offer the same amazing PFD with a clamshell pocket please? Speaking of pockets, the two side pockets work great and provide a ton of extra storage. I'd love to see small tether points within those pockets so you can clip small items securely into them, similar to the small cord tether point loop provided inside the main chest pocket. I love the low-profile knife-pouch with velcro closure - helps me keep a river knife securely stowed in a place it's easily accessible but doesn't snag on obstacles. Lastly, the overall construction quality is amazing. This PFD feels bomber, and all the hardware is clearly built to last. The whole package gives me confidence that I'll be relying on this jacket for years to come. Bottom line: an AMAZING high float PFD that packs comfort, durability, and functionality into a surprisingly sleek package that allows complete mobility and range-of-motion. If you want higher flotation but you're worried it will be too bulky: don't. Just go for it. A couple tiny tweaks in the future like working in a clamshell pocket could make this an absolutely legendary PFD.

I felt the need to upgrade this year to a high float jacket for some of the bigger water runs I do a few times a year. Moving on from the tried and true Green Jacket was a difficult decision for me but after a few runs wearing the Indus a won't be turning back. The initial fit seems a bit bulky at first but once you get used to the extra material around your waist it feels quite natural and I didn't feel my movement was impaired in the least. I ran a few creeks and then a high water Upper Animas during peak flows. Also took it down the San Juan and had fun floating a couple of rapids to test the floating. It's so great having your head clear out of the water!

I love this PFD! It is just as comfortable as the green jacket and I feel like I have just as much dexterity paddling as well. What sets it apart from the green jacket is the storage. Believe it or not I am able to store just as much as I was able to in the green jacket and because there are more pockets my organization is much better. There was clearly a lot of thought and intention put into this design and it really shows. I hardly notice the extra flotation when paddling but during swim tests it is clearly more buoyant than most PFD’s I’ve used in the past. I recommend this vest to anyone who wants a little extra flotation and loves the green jacket design.

I'm 6'4" and about 235 pounds. I bought this jacket mainly for the flotation and fit. I've had three Green jackets and this one feels similar but is longer and feels way better on my long torso. I primarily paddle SUP in open water and light white water and this jacket is a bit overkill for me but the comfort and the fit, and high flotation are the features that make this one my new favorite. I agree that the clamshell pocket on the green is hard to beat but this one is okay for a little repair kit and phone.

A great new standard of high flotation from Astral! I definitely notice the Indus when I'm wearing it a little more than the GreenJacket but this is the inevitable trade off of having more flotation! As the vest has "worn/broken in" over time it has become more and more comfortable and form fitting. The pocket actually fits much more then I would have guessed and I have yet to have it come open on me even in the rowdiest of big water Stikine beatdowns.

I would have given the indus a 5 star rating but my only complaint for this new PFD is the access zip to the pocket and the pocket itself. One of the things I loved about the green jacket was that big front pocket with different spots to separate your items in the pocket. I've always carried a simple pin kit in my front pocket i.e prussics, sling and caribinars also ear plugs and a knife. Never been a big fan of the external mounted knives as I've found that they tend to be a snag point and also can easily fall out. I love the extra buoyancy and the overall fit feels very similar to the green jacket. If it was up to me I'd suggest the green jacket 2.0 (same jacket more buoyancy)

Love this jacket. I’m 5’4, 150 lbs and ordered a S/M. It fit perfectly but mostly wearing it with a dry suit and it being a pullover, I exchanged for a M/L. I do have to cinch it down. Plenty of pockets- can fit webbing, 2 prussics, 2 pulleys, small med kit, carabiners and my phone. Haven’t tested the astral throw bag in it. I was super comfortable wearing it all day, took a minute to get used to how much front floatation, was also comfortable on a river board- which has always been a struggle for me with jackets creeping up in the back- the Indus stayed exactly in place. Super happy I got the Indus!