Goode Power Vest Tips

[JAG]

I've been working on deep water starts with my new Power Vest. For some reason it's a lot harder than I though it would be. Does anyone have any tips/advice?

 

I find that I'm not able to bend as much (compared to a normal vest) and this is causing me to not have the ski out front where I need it.

 

Right now I have the glove straps adjusted so that only on full arm extension, does the vest start to work. (while I'm up and skiing).

 

btw, I love the vest, the way it allows you to relax a bit after a run. Seems to work as advertised in terms of reduced strain on my lower back.

 

thanks, RPG

[Zoro957]

I had no problems getting up on my very first attempt with the Powervest, unlike others on this site that had many problems. Just keep your knees well tuck in is the only thing that I could suggest.

[eleeski]

I find it easier to get up with the Goode vest. I just straighten my arms until the straps transfer the load to the back plate and press my back into it with my legs. The balance is a bit tricky but unloading my back is worth it. I your straps are too loose, you will not get any benefit from the vest. Good luck,

 

Eric

[rawly]

Do you start with a double over hand grip ? If not , try that and slightly lowering the handle towards your front foot will help transfer the load as you take off. Another tip is remove the dowels from the gloves , and remember to open your hands if you get into a handle pop situation coming out of a turn. Because the handle will not pop out of your hand , and you may get flung into the wakes. The vest saved my back , but jacked my ribs. Love my Powervest ! Now that I know how to use it.

[JAG]

thanks everyone. I use a standard slalom grip on start up. It seems to pull me forward out of the water and then I can recover. But that initial out the front while breaking the surface is what I'm trying to figure out. Without the vest, I can get up almost in my sleep.

 

I have the straps looser but they still allow the vest to work when I'm up, skiing and fully extend my arms. I did have the straps tighter a few weeks before and really liked the way it makes the vest work....sooner.

 

I'll work some more this weekend and report back.

 

RPG

[One_Ski]

I had a similar problem with my Powervest. Turns out that, in my case, the Goode 'best guess' vest sizing didn't work out that well. Vest fit was good, but the pull from the straps was too high on my shoulders, and made getting out of the water a struggle. Others said it was easy but, for me, it was making me work like dog. I finally decided it was because the straps were sitting too high on my shoulders, so the pull was coming from too high on my back, and breaking me forward. I pulled the plate out of the vest, and decided the best way to lower the pull was to move the belt up. The belt is attached with three bolts. I drilled three new holes as close to the bottom of the vest as I could, then moved the belt up. That fixed the problem - the pull now comes right through my shoulders (where it should be), and getting up is just a matter of laying back into the strap and letting the vest do all the work. I can send you some photos of what I did if you're interested. After that adjustment, the PowerVest has made skiing safe and easy - much needed for an old guy like me.

[JAG]

working much better now. I skiied last weekend with no issues. I'm trying to stay tucked a bit more, and keep my ski out in front of me during the transition of getting pulled up.

 

One thing for sure, I can ski longer, with less effort. My typical free ski run is about 2 1/2 miles around the lake. With a conventional vest, Radar gloves, Connelly Carbon V (much nicer than my F1 btw, ) I'm totally spent near the end. Forearms and fingers burning.

 

With the PV, I'm starting to go longer. Now, I can get to 2 full cycles (about 5 miles) before I'm spent, FWIW

[sailworks]

I love my PV, but I also had trouble (at first) with vest breaking heavy line loads on ups. Key to making it easy for me: make sure straps are set up long enough - to get hands in front of knees with initial load from boat; and most importantly: ACTIVELY pull tail of ski to touch butt as line loads up on initial pull. For me - it went from heavy heavy loads on ups to piece of cake.

The problem (IMHO) is that with straps set for optimal performance when skiing (typically just a bit of tension in straps when wrist are extended with arms at side while standing), the hands and handle don't make it to the forward low-on-ski position that is normal position for ups without a PV. This constraint (hands not allowed to go fully forward down on the ski) makes the ski fight the boat (rather than plane off quickly) and that makes for vest breaking loads which can be pretty tough and dangerous.

[Zoro957]

I know that when I had to replace my gloves this past summer, I accidentally installed them with the straps about 2" shorter than normal. Getting up was a little more difficult, but over the next 2 weeks I tied my PB about 6 times.

[JAG]

"I love my PV, but I also had trouble (at first) with vest breaking heavy line loads on ups."

 

Couldn't agree more sailworks.

 

Exactly the problem I had when the straps were tighter. Now, a bit looser on the straps and deep water starts are a breeze. A full year of skiing with zero lower back issues.

 

rpg