Kokatat "Bahia Tour" PFD Hot

I will start off by saying that, before this PFD, I did not have much experience with the higher end models. I was of the mindset that it didn't matter how much money you spent; a PFD was always going to be uncomfortable. However, I was proven wrong after obtaining the Kokatat "Bahia Tour".

When I first bought it, I was unsure because the front of the PFD seemed bulky. After much use, I have learned this is not the case. I do not feel restricted in anyway and I actually forgot I was even wearing it the first few times I used it. The only thing I am unable to comment on at this time, is how it will fair in the extremely hot weather we have here in Louisiana. I will be interested to see how well ventilated this PFD is, although it appears it will do fine.

In short, I can describe the Kokatat "Bahia Tour" PFD in one word, comfortable. It is well worth the money and my mindset was proven wrong, namely that all PFD's were going to be uncomfortable no matter how much you spent. I would recommend anyone to give it a try. Now, I would feel uncomfortable without it!

I was trying to find a vest that would accommodate my female anatomy, shorter torso with bigger hips, and doesn’t ride up. Recently, I had written a company to ask to try some vests prior to purchase. I am happy that I did. I have had the opportunity demo two PFDs from the company Kokatat. They sent me a model specifically designed for women the MsFit. They also sent one of their more unisex models the Bahia Tour that seems to be accommodating for women as well as men.

The Bahia Tour was great with my high back seat, which is my seat of preference. The Bahia has a thicker padding at the top of the back. Then about a third of the way down there is change to a mesh strip about two inches in length and he width of your back. This allows for great circulation of air on your back. Then it transitions to a thin pad that allows you to sit against your seat. The Bahia has two adjustable side straps, an adjustable waist strap, and adjustable shoulder straps. The shoulders are neoprene with the straps above them. This makes for the most comfortable fit. I was really surprised with how much of a difference the neoprene shoulders made. It has secured pockets on the front for accessibility. Overall I like both models. It didn’t bother me to wear either model during a day’s worth of fishing. I would definitely say that the Bahai is the one I favor the most. It has the most comfortable fit that I have experienced of a PFD for fishing.

I spent 7 days working (cough...cough) in the Florida Keys. It was truthfully one of the most physically demanding trips I have ever been on. We were faced with small craft advisories on five of the seven days, and were severely beaten by 20-30 mph winds; not the best conditions for fishing, but to me a true gear review is born in such an adverse situation.

Our gear was waiting on us when we got there, and my son Ethan and I were outfitted with Kokatat “Bahia Tour” PFD’s.
I understood going into it that we would likely be the only people in Florida to have donned PFD’s in quite some time. Apparently there is some article in the Florida constitution that says only tourists can wear any type of safety device in a kayak. (I am just kidding... keep the hate mail at home please...)

Since we fish for a local outdoor shop fishing team (Outside World Columbus) and also represent Jackson Kayak as team members, we are expected to keep our PFDs on for most situations. Also, as a photographer, if you even hope to have your work published in a magazine, PFDs have to be worn in every shot. So we suited up in the Kokatats and headed out to the flats.

The first thing I noticed was how well the PFD conformed to my chest. You can note in my pictures that I have a certain shape that doesn’t include terms like “iron” or “abs”. Usually guys like me end up with a PFD that is closer looking to a man-bra than a lifesaving device. The Bahia Tour stayed where it was supposed to - no riding up or choking.

The flat back was very comfortable in the Jackson’s high back “Elite” seat. Ethan’s worked and fit well, too, and it didn’t matter what he did; standing, sitting, paddling, or poling, it was comfortable. The pockets are nice, and are placed well enough to not get in the way of fly lines as I made my attempt to catch a shark on the fly. I really put the lash tab to good use to secure my blade, and can see the benefit of the over-the-shoulder one when I am just fly fishing. Every once in a while I would wrap the knife on the front with fly line.

The full range of motion was awesome as well. We paddled harder than I ever have in my life and any restriction would have been a hindrance. With conditions that ranged from curling whitecaps to mangrove tunnels, and even one glorious hour of flat calm, I can honestly say I got the full range of testing done on this jacket. I even managed to fight a fish or two, and the jacket performed wonderfully during the battles.

The truest test of any product: after a lot of use, would you recommend it to your friends? That is why I am writing this review. I would, without reservation of any kind, recommend this product to my friends. Whether you are skinny and athletic like my son, Ethan, or a bit more robust and built for tug-o-war like me, this will be a PFD you can count on.

If you are looking for a comfortable PFD this is it, at least I think so. The Bahia Tour PFD feature I like the most is the mesh back panel. It gives maximum air flow against high back seats such as the one I use with my Cuda 14.It is great for Kayak fishing. It has multiple adjustment for side and shoulder straps which will give you the custom fit you want no matter your body size.It has several pockets with lots of space to stash gear.The buoyancy is LB/OZ XXL ( 17/00 ).

It comes in three colors, Cobalt, Mango, and Sand. Sizes S/M, L/XL, XXL . The certification is UL-USC APPROVED. Also it has two bellows pockets with zippered side entry. An electronics pocket with pliers pocket and license window. And last but not least front and back Solas reflective tape.I own it I use and I like it.