Maximum Flotation, Minimal Compromise for Paddling Big Water: Astral Indus PFD Review

After scouting the whole gorge a few hundred feet below us, we committed. As we looked downstream on the Stehekin River toward the final crux rapid, made up of three high-volume, dynamic recirculating holes, we knew there was no turning back.

Both of us were ready: wearing all 22 pounds of flotation packed into the new Astral Indus PFD — but even still, there was hesitation as I watched my partner push off and charge through the crashing whitewater to safety.

In a sport where you must trust your equipment as much as your abilities in highly consequential whitewater, it was a relief to know that I had the highest performance lifejacket on the market along with me for the ride. The Indus is made for high-volume freestyle paddling like this, and while other high-float vests exist, few can match the paddling chops this PFD brought to the river.

In short: The new Astral Indus PFD is designed for Class V whitewater kayakers who are pushing the sport. It doesn’t come to replace the classic GreenJacket, but rather adds to Astral’s incredible lineup of PFDs for all types and levels of paddlers. Here’s what I learned about this PFD after paddling in it this summer.

To see how the whitewater-ready Indus stacks up against the rest of the options out there, check out GearJunkie’s Best PFDs Buyer’s Guide.

Astral Indus PFD: Review

I have used the Astral GreenJacket as my only PFD for the last 5 years, anywhere from casual floats to first descent expeditions. This has always been my favorite piece of whitewater kayaking gear, so the question was obvious: Would the Indus dethrone my beloved GreenJacket?

With the last of the summer snowpack leaving the high glaciers of the North Cascades, the ultra-classic multiday kayak trip — Bridge Creek to the Stehekin River — was on the docket and would make a perfect test trip. A 3-day sojourn from the heart of the North Cascades National Park down to the mighty glacial-fed Lake Chelan. 

This expedition has the best of all worlds: a 3-mile hike along the famous Pacific Crest Trail before entering the small and technical Bridge Creek, before it begins to pick up more and more tributaries, culminating in a massive high-volume Class V Tumwater Canyon and spilling into the largest natural lake in Washington State.

A New Type of PFD

Astral has a storied history of safety product development in whitewater disciplines over the last few decades. The brand’s most famous PFD design is the GreenJacket, the most popular and burly Type V rescue PFD on the market until this point. 

For nearly a decade, the top paddlers in the sport have progressed whitewater kayaking from the tallest waterfalls to the largest-volume rapids in the GreenJacket. Now, a new era of PFDs is here, designed for the highest-volume rivers and the new generation of paddlers who are pushing the sport to higher dimensions.

The Indus has been designed specifically for high-volume whitewater river kayaking and is aptly named after one of the most feared and revered rivers in the world. The Rondu Gorge of the Indus in Pakistan has pushed the Class V discipline of kayaking for decades. 

The all-new Indus PFD has 22 pounds of flotation, nearly 6 pounds more flotation than the GreenJacket. But with all that added flotation, how did Astral manage to keep this PFD comfortable, form-fitting, and lightweight? How would this PFD hold up while portaging, scouting, and being in your gear all day?

In the Field: The Pocket 

Astral has transitioned away from its classic clamshell front pocket in the Indus, opting for a simple, low-profile design on the front right side of the jacket. This limits the amount of storage, but prioritizes what safety equipment you are using to limit added weight and increase flotation. 

When I began packing my PFD with expedition gear for Bridge Creek, it became clear just how different the Indus front pocket is from the GreenJacket. Typically, I use that pocket to store a CPR mask, earplugs, Garmin inReach, a snack, Allen keys, extra wingnuts, and, of course, my lucky rock from the Numpatakmaie River in Ecuador, alongside my foldable river knife and 10 feet of webbing with a carabiner. 

This likely accumulated to 3 pounds of extra weight in my front pocket alone. With this change in the front pocket, I have been forced to update my habits.

I have continued to keep my webbing in the front zip pocket, but have trimmed down my other rescue items, while shifting to storing my beloved earplugs in my drysuit. After initially being turned off by the design change, I now think Astral made a well-thought-out shift to push users to think more efficiently about internal storage.

Knife Storage

The Indus offers two knife placement options. The first is the dedicated internal knife storage slot in the center of the jacket. This pocket is generous and has a loop to secure a knife and a Velcro closure to prevent it from slipping out. 

The knife pocket helps to ease the transition away from the clamshell pocket for users who don’t wish to have river knives mounted on the outside of the jacket. However, the Indus does have an external knife tab on the outside of the vest for those who wish to use a river knife with quick access.

On Bridge Creek, I found myself in a situation no boater wants to have happen on a multiday trip in the wilderness. I had cracked my kayak’s stern on a large rock in the river, and I was forced to plastic weld my kayak back together using my cooking stove and river knife. Luckily, I was able to quickly assemble my kayak and grab my river knife to do the job. 

Back Pockets

The Indus includes large side pockets that are more usable compared to the GreenJacket. Here, I am able to store necessary rescue equipment, mainly my pin kit, which consists of pulleys, prusiks, and extra webbing. 

Even with the majority of my rescue equipment, the back of the jacket doesn’t feel overloaded or limit movement. The back pockets are designed to minimize bulk and distribute weight evenly, contributing to the overall comfort and balance of the PFD.

Flotation and Mobility

The Indus PFD boasts an impressive 22 pounds of flotation, which is a significant increase over the 16.5 pounds in the GreenJacket. This “High Float” technology ensures that you stay buoyant even in the most turbulent waters. 

The added flotation is particularly noticeable in testing, providing an extra layer of security when flows get high, and the river’s consequences become astronomically higher. Swimming around at the takeout of my local home run, I immediately felt a difference in the added flotation, as I swam with my head high above the water while crossing powerful eddy lines. 

Despite the increased flotation, the Indus maintains excellent mobility. The design ensures that the added bulk does not limit movement, making it suitable for both high-volume rivers and tight technical low-volume creeks. I noticed that even in the headwaters of the tight and technical Bridge Creek, I could still move and paddle just as before with the GreenJacket.

Astral Indus PFD: Conclusion

The Astral Indus PFD is a high-performance lifejacket that excels in high-volume whitewater conditions. Its unmatched buoyancy, combined with thoughtful design, makes it one of the most game-changing PFD designs to date. 

If you frequently paddle high-volume rivers and need a PFD that provides maximum flotation and safety without compromising on comfort and mobility, the Indus is worth the switch. For those who prefer smaller, more technical creeks, the GreenJacket may still be the better choice due to its more streamlined fit.

While the limited front pocket storage and added bulk may require some adjustment, the benefits of increased flotation and mobility substantially outweigh these drawbacks. The added flotation, while maintaining Astral’s classic design, fit, and comfort, will cement the Indus as an essential piece of safety equipment for the world’s top paddlers for years to come.