****** - Verified Buyer
4.5
Make custom lengths. Toe strap and throw rope in one. Quick release. And good material. The carabiner is super smooth and slick too. Bought 2 one for me and one for wife. Used mine last year. Hope my wife never has to use hers.I would want a longer and thicker rope for setting safety but this option is great for those times when watching a swimmer from the river bank after realizing you left your primary rope behind the seat of the boat. The tow tether comes in very handy as well and the belt is set up to quick release if needed. The bag and belt is all one unit that gets thrown together which is also not ideal as a primary throw rope but it did not seem to make it any harder to hit my target. I did need a bit more swing room to throw. My only real complaint is that the belt is a bit short for an XL or larger person and came loose on me during a swim never to be seen again so I had to buy another one. The location of the buckle is not ideal for me either so I scoot it around when using the tow tether. A longer belt might impede the quick release for a smaller person so it would take extra designing for a 'one size fits all' application.I liked the price vs the NRS version, and was excited about trying some of the features. Ended up with a swimmer it's first trip out in Warm Springs so it got a good test. It works well, and I like the optional shorter end of the line for towing. I do miss that the NRS waist bag has a completely detachable bag for the throw line, instead of throwing the whole thing at once. Still, this is well made and I don't regret the purchase.My son got his own kayak last year and after working with Swift Water Rescue organizations, they highly recommended this. I have him keep this throw bag carabinered to his kayak and he can toss it at me if we need to get close, the quick release is good for stringers.Great bag. I chose this model over the other salamander options for a few reasons. First, I love the tow tether. While I won't be using it to tow, it makes a perfect flip line that's always on your person. Since you're throwing the belt and all, it's much quicker to deploy compared to the smaller bags.We kayak with our kids on slow or flat water, but still wanted to be sure we had safety equipment just in case. We have ended up using the tow rope almost every time we go out, because our daughter gets tired of paddling and wants a break. Well made, and well-designed.I love this thing because it's a great little tow and a good throw bag. Have also had to use the quick release when a boat got away from me and started to drag me.I've used these a lot and it's the best way to always have a throwbag ready - you never know when it might come in handy. The tow tether is super useful for towing kayaks to the side. Many of the "rescue PFDs" have tow-tethers on them, but it wouldn't be necessary if you're using the Salamander rescue bag.
