Palm Equipment are bringing out an exciting new product, the Palm Fuse Suit, that while it may not be aimed specifically at sea kayakers, is certainly exciting for the future of the sport. Boasting a new soft feel, two-way stretch fabric, made from a PFC-free XP4 layer material, it's the PFC free part that has us the most excited.
In our article on 'Forever Chemicals' in Sea Kayaking we looked at the damaging effects of PFC's produced by the sea kayaking industry. While PFC's are fantastic chemicals for making durable, waterproof and breathable materials they have long lasting negative health effects on the environment and everything in it, including us. Going PFC free isn't easy and we are excited to see Palm making this first step.
The Fuse suits come with a diagonal shoulder to hip YKK AquaSeal front entry zip makes putting on the suit a breeze. The female version also comes with a curved ‘bomb-door’ pee zip. A removable, volume adjustable, helmet compatible hood helps keep you dry in a storm with the option of taking it off when you want to.
Latex wrist gaskets with neoprene over-cuffs and Palm's UltraStretch neoprene neck take care of keeping you both dry and comfortable and durable fabric dry socks, designed to be worm with boots take care of your feet.
The suit is designed to be versatility and Palm are aiming it at adventure SUP, ocean ski and general watersports users. However with its belt waist adjustment and without a double waist seal it isn't ideally suited for use with a spraydeck and so we wouldn't reccomend it specifically for sea kayaking.
However we are very excited about the material and the prospects it has for us going PFC free, hopefully in the near future, with a sea kayaking specific suit or our personal preference a white water style one. The new Palm Fuse Suit is due out at the end of June 2024.
Specifications
Cost - £650
Sizes - Womans: WS, WSR, WSM, WL, WXL. Mens: S, M, MB, L, LT, XL, XXL.
Colour - Navy + mid blue
Materials - 179 g/m², PFC free, XP 4-layer stretch fabric, breathability 6,000 g/m²/24hr (A-1 method), waterproofness 25,000 mm
Fabric Composition - 94% nylon (polyurethane coated), 6% elastane
Features - • UltraStretch neoprene cuffs • UltraStretch neoprene neck gasket • YKK AquaSeal front entry zip • belt waist adjustment • latex wrist gaskets • volume adjustable hood (helmet compatible) • zip-off hood
By Philip Clegg
With over two decades of working in the sea kayaking industry, Phil can be found on a daily basis coaching for Sea Kayaking Anglesey. That's when he's not expeditioning, playing or putting kit to the test.