Inflatable Life Vests

[candiru]

I know it is really not that time of year but just looking for people's experiences with inflatable life vests. Mainly looking at comfort being that it is something I would actually wear. I will also say that I am a bigger guy.

[harvey lee]

I would guess one could say I am a bigger dude also and I own inflatable vests and the main reason I purchased them is they are more comfortable than a life jacket.

IN the spring and fall, I did not mind the life jackets but when it gets very warm, I will be wearing my life inflatable to stay cooler.

Never going back to a life vest.

[Scott M]

Get a hydrostatic model. They are more spendy than the pullcord models but last longer.

I used to use the manual pull models - what good would they do if you didn't have the presence of mind to pull the cord or worse, were knocked unconscious into the water? I would put them on and take them off and toss them into my pickup. Well, one day I looked closely and the color indicator was red, as in time to replace the unit. Well, I pulled out the CO2 cartridge and I had broken the seal. The cartridge was intact but the plastic connective housing was broken from general use. After replacing cartridges for the same reason a couple times, I could see it was a weak link and a poorly planned/defective design. I upgraded to the hydrostatic and never looked back.

As for comfort, I think they are all fine. It's so much less material that you don't even notice that you are wearing it. I wear mine from ice out till ice up, opting for the float coat when things are really cold out. I've only used the vest style; you might opt for the belt style if you are really concerned about comfort.

Good luck with your purchase. I think you'll like them.

[JohnMickish]

I use mine in the summer as well. You will stay cooler with them and they are definitely lightweight and comfortable.