Review: Kokatat Maximus Centurion Rescue Vest
Summary: Kokatat Maximus Centurion Rescue Vest is a decent, high floatation PFD that doesn’t make it too difficult to prone paddle. Continue reading for the detailed review…
Decades of whitewater experience from kayakers, rafters and other swift water recreationalists have shown that it is a good idea to wear floatation while in the river. However in river surfing, this is a bit of a polarizing subject. Some river surfers choose to wear a PFD (Personal Floatation Device), other choose not to.
I believe there are three reasons why river surfers choose not to wear PFDs. The first reason is that some people just don’t believe they are necessary, especially at their local wave that they are comfortable surfing. The second is for style reasons. The thought being that ocean surfers don’t wear PFDs, so it’s kooky for river surfers to wear them.
The third reason is that it is difficult to surf with a PFD. The chief complaint is that it is hard to paddle in a PFD while laying on a surfboard. If you are not wearing a PFD because it’s difficult to paddle, the Kokatat Maximus Centurion might be worth trying out.
Most whitewater PFDs have the majority of their foam/floatation in the lower half of the PFD. This bulk around your midsection, makes it almost impossible to paddle while laying down.
The Maximus Centurion is lower profile in the bottom half and has more floatation near the top. This allows your body below your chest to make a solid connection with the board. Under your chest where the Maximus Centurion is bulkiest, the vest pushes your body up putting it in a fairly good position to paddle. The connection between your chest and the board isn’t the best and it is still difficult to paddle, but it is much easier than most other whitewater PFDs.
Another option is to use a wakesurf vest. These tend to be much lower profile making them easier to paddle, however you will sacrifice floatation. Many wakesurf vests don’t even have enough floatation to meet the minimum requirements from the Coast Guard.
When it comes to floatation, the Maximus Centurion offers over 17 lbs in the M/L size. It’s hard to find floatation ratings of every PFD, but from what I could find this is top notch. I feel like it has definitely helped keep my head above water on gnarly swims in big water.
For surfing small/shallow waves, impact protection can be an important feature of a PFD or vest. In this area, the Maximus Centurion definitely falls short. The PFD protects your chest and mid to upper back. The sides of my ribs and my lower back are left exposed to shallow rocks while falling or swimming.
The Maximus Centurion comes with a built in quick release belt. I’ve configured mine such that the release mechanism is on my left side, and on my right side I connect a Badfish Re’Leash with its own quick release. This way I have two quick releases, one on each side of my body. In almost any scenario, I should be able to find and release one of the two to get me out of trouble.
Kokatat didn’t design the Maximus Centurion for river surfing. It isn’t perfect for the sport, but it’s the best high floatation PFD I’ve found so far. If you’re looking for a PFD and want more floatation than a wakesurf vest, the Maximus Centurion is a decent choice.