Life Jacket

[Eddie101]

Pretty soon I need to order a few of those jackets, and am wondering what's out there that gives you the best bang for your buck? Do I really need those fancy looking $200 life jackets or will a generic looking jacket - see below - that cost $15 be good enough to do the job? What do you have or recommend? Please be safe!

 

[MN Fisher]

You can - but those over-the-neck, chest styles are very uncomfortable in the long run. The one I have is a mesh-shoulder, full-round the body one with pockets (handy at times). $47-54 depending on color and comfortable for the time I'm in the canoe

https://www.amazon.com/Flowt-40626-S-Fishing-Adult-Medium/dp/B005Q3Y3UO/ref=sr_1_200?dchild=1&keywords=pfd&qid=1592588637&sr=8-200&th=1

[RoLo]

 

To be sure, the cartridge inflatable vests offer the most freedom, but I prefer fail-safe kapok.

I'm currently using an 'O'NEILL type-III PFD', I believe they go around 40 bucks.

 

Roger

[Eddie101]

10 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

You can - but those over-the-neck, chest styles are very uncomfortable in the long run. The one I have is a mesh-shoulder, full-round the body one with pockets (handy at times). $47-54 depending on color and comfortable for the time I'm in the canoe

https://www.amazon.com/Flowt-40626-S-Fishing-Adult-Medium/dp/B005Q3Y3UO/ref=sr_1_200?dchild=1&keywords=pfd&qid=1592588637&sr=8-200&th=1

I like that! Thank you, sir!

5 minutes ago, RoLo said:

 

To be sure, the cartridge inflatable vests offer the most freedom, but I like the fail-safeness of kapok

I'm currently using an 'O'NEILL type-III PFD', I believe they go around 40 bucks.

 

Roger

Just Googled it and it looks great also. Thank you!

[Bird]

Went to the inflatable this year and really like the freedom, range of motion. 

 

Onyx M24 under $100.

 

BUT you do have to remember to pull the cord before inhaling water. 

[MN Fisher]

2 minutes ago, Bird said:

Went to the inflatable this year and really like the freedom, range of motion. 

 

Onyx M24 under $100.

 

BUT you do have to remember to pull the cord before inhaling water. 

Ya, if I went to an inflatable, it'd have to be an automatic. Never know what will happen during your ejection into the water - conk your head and it'll be lights out forever.

[A-Jay]

1 hour ago, Eddie101 said:

Pretty soon I need to order a few of those jackets, and am wondering what's out there that gives you the best bang for your buck? Do I really need those fancy looking $200 life jackets or will a generic looking jacket - see below - that cost $15 be good enough to do the job? What do you have or recommend? Please be safe!

 

 

What's your life worth Eddie ?

$15 Bucks ?

A-Jay

[Bankc]

8 hours ago, MN Fisher said:

Ya, if I went to an inflatable, it'd have to be an automatic. Never know what will happen during your ejection into the water - conk your head and it'll be lights out forever.

True.  And a Type III life vest is a bit safer, and a whole lot more comfortable.  But you can still drown with one on, because they're not designed to prevent your head from leaning forward in the water.  The only PFD designed to keep you alive while unconscious in the water is a type I PFD.  And they're expensive and very uncomfortable to wear.  So no one uses them except the Coast Guard and Cruise Ships.  

 

The best you can hope for if you go unconscious is to either get lucky and have your head tilted backwards, or hope someone can rescue you quickly that knows CPR.  The purpose of type III PFD's is more to keep your body visible and accessible so someone else can save your life, rather than the rely only on the PFD to save your life.

[A-Jay]

3 hours ago, Bankc said:

True.  And a Type III life vest is a bit safer, and a whole lot more comfortable.  But you can still drown with one on, because they're not designed to prevent your head from leaning forward in the water.  The only PFD designed to keep you alive while unconscious in the water is a type I PFD.  And they're expensive and very uncomfortable to wear.  So no one uses them except the Coast Guard and Cruise Ships.  

 

The best you can hope for if you go unconscious is to either get lucky and have your head tilted backwards, or hope someone can rescue you quickly that knows CPR.  The purpose of type III PFD's is more to keep your body visible and accessible so someone else can save your life, rather than the rely only on the PFD to save your life.

Here is at least one model that is designed to roll over an unconscious victim to the face up position.

Mustang Survival has been building inspired technical solutions for water rescue professionals, military elites, and commercial/industrial mariners for over 50 years.  I trust my life to their gear.

I wear the model shown.

 

A-Jay

 

[Bluebasser86]

11 hours ago, A-Jay said:

What's your life worth Eddie ?

$15 Bucks ?

A-Jay

Facts, and they don't work if you don't wear them. You going to wear a big, bulky, $15 life jacket all day on the water? I wouldn't even want to wear one just driving the boat to the next spot.

[DanielG]

Life vests... I thought about it a long time. I have an open side platform boat. The two factors: Comfort and safety. I grew up at the lake where I live and spent more time in the water than on land when I was younger. I could tread water all day. We were actually taught how to. If I fell overboard I could easily get to shore, no more than a half mile in any location on the lake.

 

That being said... I'm now a healthy 65, but still I'm 65. Still not worried about being able to swim but as we get older we often wonder if something might occur that would make it difficult to swim. Stroke? heart attack? etc. And spring fishing in Maine is some very cold water, hypothermia or cold shock causing some health event could be an issue.

 

When deciding on a vest, comfort was still a big consideration, but safety was more complicated. A vest that turned you over and kept your head above water even if incapacitated or unconscious was a consideration and not easy to find for comfort.

 

I opted for a decent quality auto inflate life vest. It sometimes feels like you're not wearing one, and they have a large back of the neck inflation so they will turn you on your back. Well maintained they're Coastguard certified so I'm expecting it to work properly (you can inflate it by hand too). It seems that only the bulkiest life vests otherwise will roll you over on your back. This is a good solution for me.

[A-Jay]

52 minutes ago, DanielG said:

Life vests... I thought about it a long time. I have an open side platform boat. The two factors: Comfort and safety. I grew up at the lake where I live and spent more time in the water than on land when I was younger. I could tread water all day. We were actually taught how to. If I fell overboard I could easily get to shore, no more than a half mile in any location on the lake.

 

That being said... I'm now a healthy 65, but still I'm 65. Still not worried about being able to swim but as we get older we often wonder if something might occur that would make it difficult to swim. Stroke? heart attack? etc. And spring fishing in Maine is some very cold water, hypothermia or cold shock causing some health event could be an issue.

 

When deciding on a vest, comfort was still a big consideration, but safety was more complicated. A vest that turned you over and kept your head above water even if incapacitated or unconscious was a consideration and not easy to find for comfort.

 

I opted for a decent quality auto inflate life vest. It sometimes feels like you're not wearing one, and they have a large back of the neck inflation so they will turn you on your back. Well maintained they're Coastguard certified so I'm expecting it to work properly (you can inflate it by hand too). It seems that only the bulkiest life vests otherwise will roll you over on your back. This is a good solution for me.

Can't tell you how many times I've started my truck to head home after a day on the water

and realized I was still wearing the life jacket. 

A-Jay

[DanielG]

1 hour ago, A-Jay said:

Can't tell you how many times I've started my truck to head home after a day on the water

and realized I was still wearing the life jacket. 

A-Jay

Ya, I always want to stow mine in the boat... I end up walking in the house with it. The wife says, without looking up, "you forgot again".

[A-Jay]

4 minutes ago, DanielG said:

Ya, I always want to stow mine in the boat... I end up walking in the house with it. The wife says, without looking up, "you forgot again".

Yup ~ 

Better to forget to take it off 

than to put it on in the first place. 

A-Jay

[Jig Man]

When I needed a new one I asked a friend who works for the Corps of Engineers what they use.  He said they were furnished with the best Mustang out there.  He said he can work all day long with it on.  I figured that would be the way to go so I have one and wear it all the time.

[Teal]

I CRINGED a few years back paying 259.00 for a new Mustang Survival.  They are expensive.  I think onyx sells them cheaper.  But, I cant skimp on safety.  

[flyfisher]

self inflatable is the way to go.  I fish out of kayak and other than winter and when i am running the river where i may actually need it, i am going with the self inflating.  

[Eddie101]

Very educational video here that really educated me. I guess this is probably not the time to be frugal - or cheap - as they say.

[crypt]

I know I'm worth more than $15.00......Mustang for me also......the best out there.

[J Francho]

Those cheap ones are what you put in storage so you’re legal, should you be fussing with your inflatable. You’re paying for comfort and reliability when it comes to a good auto inflate. 

[Log Catcher]

If you get checked by the game wardens and you have an inflatable life jacket you have to be wearing it to be legal. It can't be in a storage compartment. A guy I fished with almost learned what could have been a very expensive lesson on this.

[RoLo]

21 minutes ago, Log Catcher said:

If you get checked by the game wardens and you have an inflatable life jacket you have to be wearing it to be legal. It can't be in a storage compartment. A guy I fished with almost learned what could have been a very expensive lesson on this.

 

Reminds me of a day on Lake Toho several years ago.

Two wardens in a tiller rowboat came to rest beside our craft (Never a fun sandwich).

Neither my wife nor I were donning our float vest, however, our craft was not under power.

I showed them my kapok vest, but my wife held up a cartridge inflatable. 

One of the wardens wanted to cite my wife for not wearing her vest, while the other warden did not.

After brief infighting on the FWC boat, we were in fact pardoned. In any case, your point is well taken.

 

Roger

 

 

 

[NHBull]

I have a mustang vest and wear it when the big motor is running.

I will be wearing 

https://www.nrs.com/product/40037.01/nrs-zephyr-inflatable-pfd

when by myself while standing on the deck

[J Francho]

If you use inflatables, get one of those cheap three packs of PFDs. They’re bright orange and fit in storage just fine. Then you don’t have to worry about the inflatable and being legal. Every boat I owned had them for how many occupants the boat held. 

[Bluebasser86]

Sort of on the topic of lifejackets and how important it is to have them and wear them.

 

Last week I took my wife and her mom fishing and wind picked up pretty quickly. Watched a group on a SUP and canoe struggling and then the canoe took a dump 75 yards from shore in white caps over deep water. The people in it had life jackets on and there was a tournament boat fishing within easy shouting distance, I saw them look and go back to fishing, assumed they were doing okay as they were trying to swim the canoe to the shore. My wife and MIL had jumped in to swim for a minute and got back in and I couldn't just take off without checking on them. Motored by and asked if they needed help but it was pretty obvious without asking that they did. The canoe was half full of water and both guys were clearly exhausted from struggling with the canoe. I tied it off to the boat and they held on while I used the TM to slowly pull it to shore. The tourny guys were nice enough to stop and tell me where it was shallow enough to beach it (huge eye roll), then got right back to fishing. I ended up falling while helping them right the canoe because neither of them had the strength to do much to help while they were still trying to catch their breath.

 

First thing, I'm glad they were wearing their life jackets. We witnessed a pair in a tandem kayak paddling across the white caps 30 minutes later going from one bank to the other on the widest point of this 7,000 acre lake, no lifejackets. The Game Warden was driving by and saw them also from on top of the dam, he watched them for a long time probably fearing he'd see what I was also afraid was going to happen. This was warm water and they could have abandoned the canoe and probably been okay, but they weren't dragging that water filled canoe against the waves and one guy was pretty heavyset, a heart attack could have been a real concern for him if he'd continued to struggle.

 

Secondly, if you're in tournament, I don't care how much money is on the line, someone's life is worth more. They were right there to help, but couldn't be bothered to stop for 5 minutes and risk losing out on that one bite to win the couple hundred bucks at stake.