Firstly the Lightning has a fresh look with some new bright colors that will stand out on the river and in low light/poor visibility conditions, you're not going to miss this flying at your face! Considering there is 18m of 8.5mm floating line it is seriously light and compact, perfect for sticking in your boat and not adding too much weight and bulk on long hike ins or on the river. This is without a doubt the most compact line on the market.
The most exciting addition to the Lightning is the Fidlock closure, which is essentially a plastic clip which locks in place easily with a magnet. Opening the bag and getting line out quickly is essential and with this system you can pop it open with a thumb, closure is just as quick and easy. The closure is also not reliant on the magnet so once closed it is secure. This is a massive step up to competitors popper closure which I find fiddly and hard to close.
The biggest complaint I hear about throwlines is that the neck and opening are too narrow and that packing the bag is a pain. Palm have responded with a super wide opening that has been modeled on climbing chalk bags, the neck has been stiffened so it stays open by itself which makes repacking a breeze. Again there isn't a bag like this on the market!
The line inside has also got a fresh new look to match the bag which again is highly visible. Although the bag is crazy small the line inside is a nice hefty 8.5mm which has a real nice feel and will feel really nice for the thrower and receiver to hold onto during rescues compared to other compact lines which can be a little cheese wirey on the hands. The line is attached with a figure 8 not to a heavily stitched tape, the line can be removed and used by itself or put back in with a knot of your choosing. Finally the line has a breaking strength of 8kn which is more than enough for your paddling needs.
The bag has two loops on the back so it can be carried on a waist belt which is ideal as a lot of compact bags only have one loop so the bag hangs awkwardly, not with the lightning!
And finally the tape pops out of the bottom and makes a small loop so the bag can be attached to karabiners and rescue rigs. The loop is only big enough for a karabiner so there is no chance of someones fingers or hands getting trapped, this is a snag free bag!
In my opinion this bag is going to lead the way in the watersports rescue market, everything has been thought out and there are plenty of minor details that put it apart from the competition. This is my bag of choice and I look forward to carrying it with me through the year, you never know when you'll need it!
The Palm Lightning Throwbag is currently due to be out in May so keep an eye out in your local store next month!
P.S you should probably buy it from Escape Watersports as they are ridiculously friendly and have great stock. https://www.escape-watersports.co.uk/equipment/safety-rescue/palm-lightning-18m-throwline-detail
Paddle safe kids and remember always bring your bag!
