ProView – Astral Ceiba Review

Are you tired of using personal flotation devices that are uncomfortable and scratchy against your skin? This may be the PFD you have been looking for. Astral has developed an ultra comfortable and environmentally friendly life jacket that will make you smile every time you put it on. It will also make you feel good that you are using a product produced by an independent company that is devoted to essentialism and environmental awareness.

The Astral Ceiba PFD (pronounced Say-bah) was designed to be very comfortable, lightweight, and easy to use in a variety of on-water situations. Guaranteed under warranty against manufacturer defects, it is reliable and easy on the environment.

Design

I live in Fort Collins, Colorado near one of the best reservoirs in the state, Horsetooth Reservoir, so I made a pact with myself to get out on the water at least four times per week during this testing period. Not only did I get a good bit of exercise paddleboarding, I lost some weight and got to know the Astral Ceiba quite well.

On previous trips, I would typically attach my PFD to my paddleboard and paddle off into the distance without wearing it. Although it was U.S. Coast Guard approved, it was not very flattering and was uncomfortable to wear. However, with the Astral Ceiba, I found myself reaching for it the minute I was ready to get into the water. It is so comfortable and lightweight that there was no reason to compromise my safety by not wearing it. Each time I went paddleboarding, I wore the Astral Ceiba consistently and with confidence. In addition, it looks pretty cool too!

Comfort

Not only is the Ceiba comfortable, it is also environmentally friendly. The front of the life jacket is filled with Kapok, a naturally buoyant fiber that feels like down and conforms to the body’s torso like no other material on the market today. It’s organic and more durable than traditional foam found in other life jackets. Most buoyant foams contain many toxic by-products, so I was excited to hear that Astral is using Kapok. I was pleasantly surprised at how well the Kapok made me float in the water (I did fall in a few times) and was pleased to hear that it is sustainably harvested by hand from the upper canopy rainforest and that it does not pollute the environment. The shell is made from a bluesign® certified, 100% recycled polyester and comes in Water Blue, Fire Orange, and Space Black. The Astral Ceiba has the world’s first bluesign® approved life jacket shell material.

Durability

From a durability perspective, I beat up the Ceiba pretty well. Often throwing it down on shoreline rocks, and in various places throughout my vehicle. There were no issues whatsoever and it still looks like new. I’m sold on the durability of both the shell and liner fabrics.

I put together an unboxing video that may be helpful for you. Let me know in the comments if you would use the Astral Ceiba for paddleboarding and other on-water activities. Check out my stoke in this video. 

Enough writing. I’m going to get back out on the water with the Astral Ceiba now. It’s just that good!

Pro Tip:

Toss your keys in the chest pocket and clip it to the included strap for easy access before and after your paddling missions. This will keep you from losing them in the water!

Tech Specs

• Intended Use: Whitewater / Touring / Canoeing / Sailing 
• Entry: Center Front Zip
• Foam Insert: Organic Kapok & PE Foam
• Shell Fabric: bluesign® approved, 100% Recycled, 300D Diamond RPET
• Liner Fabric: 200 Denier High Tenacity Nylon
• Webbing: Polypro
• Zipper: YKK® Self Locking Vision Teeth
• Hardware: Heavy Duty Acetal
• Weight: 2.14 lbs / 34.24 oz / 970.69 gr
• Sizing: S/M = 31-37” M/L = 38-44” L/XL = 45-51”
• Design Buoyancy: 17.4lbs
• Approval Type: USCG Type III

The Final Word

Life jackets are normally uncomfortable, ugly, and not very much fun to wear. I recommend the Astral Ceiba to you if you are one who likes paddleboarding, kayak touring, canoeing or sailing. You will like having less impact on our environment and will enjoy wearing this PFD each time you get out on the water.

➳ Astral and Outdoor Prolink provided equipment and associated materials for this review. All photos by John LaGuardia.

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