Norway thaws
Paul "Ma Hammeren" Lindseth, our Dragorossi team paddler in Scandanavia just sent me these pictures with the news - Norway is thawing out at last! This is his first day out this year - 10 tonnes of water for breakfast! His comment on the Mafia - "nothing boofs this easy". Cool. I know ;-)...loll... He's also wearing the full body armor drytop/lifejacket combo I designed with Shockwave. This isn't foam padding - its the real deal!
I've had several Questions about the Shockwave dry-top and jacket Paul is wearing, so here is the short and hairy about these super cool pieces of equipment.

Basically, there are several things that make this work, and be the most effective of its kind on the market.

1) The Life Jacket and Dry Top work together. For example, the Dry top has armor that goes from about C2 to T3. Then the Life Jacket has the second armor piece that goes from T1 to about T7.

2) The shoulder and part of the Clavicle is protected.

3) The elbows and forearms are protected.

4) The padding is NOT foam like the other manufacturers use in thier dry tops. It is the same stuff Dinese uses in their motorcycle protection armor - real armor!!!! its made to flex and conform to your body movements, but also has real impact protection, not just padding from scuffs and scrapes.

5) Its all removeable. You can take it out of all of the parts when you don't need it.

6) The life jacket's shoulder straps are not just sewn into the vest - they extend and roll all the way down under and loop over the waist belt that snaps closed, making the jacket itself work as a chest harnes. The webbing is not for show... it works.

7) The entire front panel is a pocket.

8) The matrials we used are second to none for weight/resistance to abuse.

Anyway, thats the general run down.