Here is what I was told by the rangers and green jeans at Enid. The regular one is ok as long as you have it on with no other jacket in the boat. The belt and removal of the standard inflatable requires that you have a equal number of regular life jackets in the boat to meet the Corp requirements on big 4.
Have read where they have made improvements in the wafer for the self inflator. Says now they have to be fully submerged for so many seconds to cause inflation. Read a test where they checked them with mosture like in storage compartments and rain and they did not inflate. That was a major problem with the older jackets.
I have a Manual for that reason and trying to talk myself into automatic because I have figured out the manual is useless if I have a coat on over it. Falling out in winter with it on could be a disaster waiting to happen. When it gets real cold now I go back to regular jacket if by myself.