There’s something about the feeling of slipping on a cagdeck (five things actually):

  • Weight saving (not a lot, but enough to notice)
  • Kit management … one less piece of kit to pack
  • Extra waterproof for long trashy sessions
  • Zero ride-up, everything just stays put (also for long trashy sessions)
  • A relaxed fit waist tube … easy to put on and feels so free!

A separate cag and deck combo has a lot of advantages (including being able to wriggle out of your spraydeck in an emergency) and that will be the best for river runners and sea kayakers … but if you spend a serious amount of time in your playboat, surf boat, slalom boat or polo boat, you will love your cagdeck.

Choosing your cagdeck

You would normally choose a deck tube for a tight fit around your waist, but with a cagdeck, there is no need for a tight tube (for waterproofness); the tube needs to match the jacket waist to be sewn together; and also you’ll need to be able to slip the cagdeck on and off over your head (and shoulders) – all of which means – a lovely free feeling.

We’ll make your cagdeck from a Palm jacket and spraydeck of your choice. For example, the Zenith jacket and Impact deck is a great combination (with a dry lip, shock cord deck as the first choice for a lot of people with composite cockpit rims). We’ve also made Rocket jacket / Sport deck combinations for kids and even NeoFlex / Sport deck combinations for surf and slalom kayakers.

Custom made at Palm

The waist tube is cut away from the jacket and the spraydeck tube shortened, so that the torso length is correct and then they’re are stitched and taped together with our original seam tape by our customer service staff in our Clevedon, UK factory.

Each cagdeck is a custom made. For your order you will need to let us know what new jacket and deck you would like and also your waist size and the deck size you will need to match the cockpit of your boat (R2-R6, model depending).

You can place an order for your new Palm cagdeck through your local Palm dealer today. The joining service costs £30 (at time of publication) in addition to your choice of deck and cag and takes a few weeks between order and delivery.

Here’s what our team thinks of their cagdecks …

I always use a Palm cagdeck and I love it. When the jacket is combined with the spraydeck, it is more comfortable. In freestyle kayaking, it is very important. Only one layer around torso means it won’t hinder my moves and helps me move faster. My cagdeck has a spraydeck with a waist tube that is one size up from what I usually use when I wear them separately. Thanks to that, it’s super easy and fast to get changed. Also, the Palm cagdecks are very dry because of the solid connection between jacket and spraydeck.

Zofia Tula, 2017 Freestyle Euro Cup Champion

I really like the cagdeck because it’s very comfortable. I love to move fast, jump high and combine as many moves as possible in my runs. I think it’s my gun during a freestyle competition. In a cagdeck, I can move easier than with a separate jacket and spraydeck. I can breathe easier as well so I’m not losing as much energy.

Tomasz Czaplicki, 2016 Freestyle World Cup Champion & 2017 Freestyle Euro Cup Champion