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Thinking about making the switch to an auto/manual inflating PFD. I currently only wear a life vest when running the boat, then take it off to fish, but would like something I can wear all the time. Would be interested in your opinions on style/brand... some of them are super expensive and some are pretty reasonable, but is there a big difference in quality with this price range? Would want something I can get in youth sizes for my fishing buddy as well.
Thanks in advance
I had 3 of those. In a year and a half, all three auto inflated in my drybox. I went back to manual.
I own 2 auto/inflates never had any issues with them but I've never had to try them out either, one is the Onyx 3205 A-24 In-Sight it's about 4 years old now vary comfortable fit don't recall the name of the other one but its over ten years and I've been wondering myself about the shelf life of those cartridges... Which is the reason that I purchased the one with the In-Sight it through the small window it shows green if it detects the correct pressure or shows red if it is dis-charged.
Inflatable Life Vests: Everything You Need to Know | LifeJacketAdvisor.com
I wear a Mustang Elite 28 the whole time I am on the boat. As a young man I was a varsity swimmer and RC-trained lifeguard, and I am a strong swimmer to this day, but I do not mess around cold water, no. That stuff will kill you fast. So far so good with the Mustang.
Before I got the Mustang, I wore a kayak-style with pockets for fishing stuff, I forget the brand. I still use it, mostly in summer when we are fooling around running a local river for fun, not fishing.
They have an expiration date! You have to look at them to see it! If you buy new ones, they are usually good for 3 years. I bought one two years ago and I haven't had any problems! In Aug of 2017 my fishing buddy fell out of the boat and his inflated correctly. Kept him from drowning but didn't save him from cardiac arrest!
Wife and I wear these. Have no complaints. Actually have had them pretty damp on exterior from spray and mist and not deployed. Couple times on way home realized they were still on. Best money spent in my opinion.
Onyx Outdoor A/M 24 Automatic/Manual Inflatable Life Jacket | Academy
yes, there is a big difference between cheaper versions and the more expensive. Cheapest are the ones that you have to manually pull a cord to inflate them.......wouldn't do you any good if you were knocked unconscience. Next are the ones that will auto-inflate, but do so by having a "paper" disk get waterlogged. By the disk getting waterlogged it is soft enough for the penetrator to punch through to puncture the cartridge, thus inflating. These will also have a manual pull cord. The higher end models have a hydrostatic controlled inflator. The Mustang that I have has to have the hydrostatic sensor 4 inches under water before it auto-inflates. That precludes it from inflating from heavy rain or water splashing on it.
Now....about youth models......I don't think they exist. ALL of the auto-inflators that I have seen state that they are ONLY for individual over 80 lbs. I might also add that the auto-inflators are for swimmers only. They are NOT recommeded for non-swimmers. I believe that is because there is the possibility that the mechanical device that inflates them COULD malfunction, leaving the person overboard with the responsibility of manually deploying the vest.
Also, as has been said, they do have a shelf life. Normally it is 3 years, and at that time will need to be serviced by you. Rearming kits and individual cylinders are available for servicing. I believe the expense is worth it. I used to be one of those guys that only had my vest on while underway. Not so anymore, with the comfort of the auto-inflator I have it on from boat launch till end of day. You won't know you are wearing it.
Just read before your post they are not recommended for people under 16 - so I see that it won't be for youth.Quote:
Originally Posted by t00lmanii
I have the Mustang hydrostatic ones and can wear all day, forget it is on sometimes. I picked mine up used and as above I'm due for a recharge kit now. They are well worth the money
Yup hydrostatic (HIT) is the way to go. The dissolve pill type (MIT) can inflate premature from moisture in storage boxes or during a rainstorm.
My wife and both wear them all the time we are on the water some times we forget that we have them on. I bought them from BPS when on sale. They are both auto and manual inflate. Haven't tested them and do not want to either.
Glad this post come up I guess I had better take a look at the expiration date on the cartridges; pretty sure my 10 year old will need replaced.
I have Onyx and love it. One word of caution. I bought another brand name and had my passenger use it for three years and came to find out that it did not have a cartridge installed. ALWAYS check your vest’s cartridge even if new.
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they are a hoot on a person running along in his boat when he sees your ketchn fish and tries to hurry over to ya ….
that much I know....don't know why his went off but it about threw him out of his boat ….
just saying ….
Check your state laws. Some states only recognize them as flotation devices if they are worn. USCG now recognizes them as a normal life vest.
That said, because of the above, some of the older vests are labeled as "Type IV". Any type IV vest MUST be worn to count. If you have an older vest, look at it to make sure.
Newer vests with auto inflate will have a viewing window that showd of the Co2 cartridge is good or not. Green equals good. We own 10 vests. All of them are Cabelas 3500 series. Vests are required in my boats if the main motor is above trolling speed, the deck is wet or ice while trolling, the water is below 55 degrees, or the weather forces you to put on an additional jacket or bibs. Winter boots also equals a free ticket to wear a vest.
I have onyx that i wear anytime i am on the water. Getting a little older and fish a lot in cold weather, been looking at some of the newer pfd non inflatable. There are some good looking jackets out there, the only reason i don't have one now is i want to try one on and no one has the better ones in stock. NRS ion is a jacket i am looking at they run around $100 not bad if you wear it.
I bought 2 of BPS manual/auto deploy vest, I use mine on the boat and also when im in my kayak, this past summer while smallie fishing a river in my yak, I tryed turning the boat just past a riffle and rolled it, down i went along with a $250 pole/reel, the pdf deployed so fast it straightened my neck out which added to the excitement (not) needless to say the pdf worked but shocked the tar out of me.
One other thing to remember is that in my state unless you are wearing the pdf, it doesnt count as having one on your boat and you can be fined.
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I've have 3 onyx am24s every year I re-arm the oldest one, (so every life vest gets re-armed every 3rd year).When it's time to re-arm,I manually inflate the vest with the pull cord or one of my teen kids will jump in lake with it on to auto inflate it...both ways they've always worked as they should.
Also every spring I manually inflate each one through the manual fill tube with a inflatable toy blower and leave them set for 24-36 hours to see if there's any leak down.
I'm always a little leary about CO2 cartridges,having owned quite a few CO2 powered BB/Pellet guns in my youth,it wasn't to uncommon to put a new cartridge in and it would be empty, but that was 40 years ago.I'm sure/hope the life vest cartridges are held to a much more stringent standard.
I store mine in my garage hanging on top of my go to fishing rod that I always take. I often fish in a partner's boat instead of mine so I keep mine safe and dry and ready to go with me in mine or another's boat.
While I agree that the Hydrostatic vests are the safest ones, the price kept me to an auto-inflate and a manual inflate. The key to long life is to unscrew the cartridge when not in use and store them inside. The end of the cartridge is made of a very thin piece of metal that the inflator can puncture with a needle when the "pill" dissolves or when you pull the cord. If that thin metal membrane gets rusty it will breech and the vest will inflate. For this reason I never stored either of mine in the boat.
Two words of caution: One - always screw the cartridge in tightly before using and Two - test your vest when you get it. Someone stated above that it goes off and can be shocking. True! The price of a cartridge kit is worth it to experience the inflation. I just emptied my pockets and then walked down the launch ramp until - BANG - off it went. It floated me face up with my entire head out of the water.
Mustang hydrostatic ones are the way to go. i have 6 and my customers luv them and so do i.
I wear mine all the time if I'm fishing by myself. It works too!! Accidentally left it in the back of the truck, and after it rained I came out to find it inflated. Probably the greatest investment I have ever made.
Personally, I will not rely on an inflatable to save my life. I too, would only wear PFD while running big motor. I'm 62 yoa and in recent years I have caught myself loosing my balance by just bending over...etc. Not to mention the occurrence of an unexpected medical event. Presently looking at Astral V-8 to wear all the time.
Something to think about..if you should fall out of a boat (in cold water) even with a pfd could you get back into the boat? I’m 68 and I know I’m not strong enough to pull myself back up and into the boat. The only thing I can think of is try to get a foot hold on the foot of the motor and see if I could work my way up. Any ideas?
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I know a guy who fell out trying to tie to a bridge column fishing solo. He climbed onto the motor and used the power trim switch to raise himself enough to get into the boat. Like the guy in Apocalypse Now said, "never get out of the boat. Dang right".
Do you have room to install a ladder on the stern of your boat?Quote:
Originally Posted by RustyJig
Im 60YO and I installed a 3 step folding ladder on my boat. I fish a lot in cold weather and having on wet heavy clothes would make it really hard on anyone.
Looks pretty goodQuote:
Originally Posted by Tenn Tux
YouTube
My buddy uses s small rope ladder. He keeps it tied to the boat and will just work his way around to the ladder if needed.
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I’ve thought about doing the same thing. Also, if the trolling motor is in the water you might be able to get a foot hold on the motor. Either way, you need to have a plan in mind!Quote:
Originally Posted by silverside
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I got Mustang and its expired Requires (MA7214) still a hassle tryin to find rearm kit BPS in Katy showed 5 on my puter. Drove 120 miles to find out that they only had one and it expired in 2020..and they wanted $80. for it the rest were not ever found..Well to put it mildly I was P......... so still lookin there on line but unless I see exp date I aint buyin...Gona try West marine later on cell....Price is really HIGH no matter where!!!!!
Ever wonder if the canisters really loose there air after they have expired or if that's just ploy to sell you another one??? I have one that is about 12 years old guess I'm going to have to pull the cord to find out but if it does work I will never fall for the expired gimmick again.
Here is a video of an "EXPIRED" vest being tested!
YouTube
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lonnie84
With you on that BUT the way I understand it...If its EXPIRED it don't count as Life Jacket
Actually I never thought of that and I'm sure you would be correct, I wear my inflatable because it's comfortable but I do have on my boat the standard type vest/life jackets so if a lake patrol checks I'm still good.Quote:
Originally Posted by cva34
I'm glad that mine don't expire!
Thats a great Idea...Quote:
Originally Posted by Lonnie84