Self Inflating PFD

[Gary C.]

Always been too cheap to spend the money for a self inflating pfd but I think I've finnaly decided to do it. It's pretty much just for float tubing. I don't much care for the idea of a standard inflatable that looks like a pair of suspenders. Seems like a couple of big pieces of plastic hanging down your chest and around your neck all day in the sun fishing would not be so nice.

I was thinking that one like this in the link might be the answer to my worries. I was thinking that this wait belt might be worn as a wader belt. Hopfully it would sit down near water level and stay cool. It might even fit in the wader loops so that it could be left on the waders and not back at the truck.Of course it has to be a manually activated device.

Any of you guys use one with you tubes? What are you thoughts about the waistpack?

https://www.cabelas.com/product/Cabelas ... s?slotId=3

[NorcalBob]

<<< I don't much care for the idea of a standard inflatable that looks like a pair of suspenders. Seems like a couple of big pieces of plastic hanging down your chest and around your neck all day in the sun fishing would not be so nice.>>>
Mine are ultra comfortable and I don't even know I'm wearing them. Far safer and superior to waist pack types IMNSHO (suspender types will turn you face up if knocked out).

[BrownBear]

Mine are ultra comfortable and I don't even know I'm wearing them. Far safer and superior to waist pack types IMNSHO (suspender types will turn you face up if knocked out).

Oh yeah. The belt type almost drowned a buddy of mine while he was float tubing. Good thing my wife and I were close by in our pontoon boats. He managed to flip the tube while in it (don't ask) and the pouch on his belt hung up in the tube, even uninflated. He was upside down and fighting with every fiber of strength and desperation to pull his head up for a breath every few seconds in the cold water. His gasp reflex almost got him lungs full of cold water. Took both my wife and I to right him. Back on shore he still had a fight getting that belt untagled from the tube so he could get out of the tube. Don't recall how it hung, but it did a real good job of it.

We got him out of his wet clothes (long, long way back to the trucks) and lit a fire to warm him. Once the fire was blazing good, he removed the CO2 cartridge and tossed the belt on the fire. Went out and spent the extra money to buy the same ones we use. Built by the biggest name in marine survival wear and Coast Guard approved. So light and comfortable we wear them all the time on the water- pontoons, tubes, kayaks, sailboats and motor boats. Worth every extra penny and so comfortable you'll find yourself driving down the road or walking around the house while still wearing it. Can't tell you how often we forget to take them off at the end of a day.

[Gary C.]

So you guys useing the standard tupe don't have any chafeing problems on your neck working a rod in the sun all day?

[BrownBear]

So you guys useing the standard tupe don't have any chafeing problems on your neck working a rod in the sun all day?

Not a bit with the Mustang. It fits low down past your shirt/jacket collar. Not even an issue in a t-shirt.

Got a couple a little cheaper from Austin Kayak and ended up giving them away for chafe issues in tubes. No experience with Cabelas/BassPro, but there's a better than even chance they're popped out of the same factory as those from AC. Sure look the same.

[NorcalBob]

So you guys useing the standard tupe don't have any chafeing problems on your neck working a rod in the sun all day?

Nope, not with my Stearnes. I take it with me to tropical destinations where it's often in the 100's and don't even notice it. They don't weigh much, and have little bulk. Now I will tell you they are uncomfortable and bulky when you're floating in the water after they activate. But they float you face up very nicely so I don't mind that a whole bunch.

[Wildman]

Some good advice, here, Gary. The inflatable belt will keep your hips high which means your head will be more difficult to keep above water. I'm this close to pulling the trigger on the suspender style as I get older and a lot less agile on moving water. I have experienced the immediate incapacitation that falling in cold water gives and came as close to panicking as I ever care to and had to consciously tell myself to take breaths and begin to move towards shore. I've been using a wading staff attached to my wading belt for years and won't fish without it now. We adapt as we change over the years.

[NorcalBob]

<<<The inflatable vest is placed over your head after deployment, so you will still ride face up.>>>
Not if you're unconscious or hurt bad enough to be unable to pull it over your head before you drown. Like Hank, I had a friend almost drown with the waist belt type PFD. Sorry, not a fan of that type. And I'm a former USNPS Ranger who worked on a SAR team so I know what can happen when the crap hits the fan.
In my local FF club, four club members have drowned while flyfishing because they thought wearing a PFD was too uncomfortable.

[Gary C.]

Thank you all for your input. Amazon should have my new PFD shipped soon. I thought that the black and red one looked the best but figured that the Mossy Oak might be at least a little bit cooler in the afternoon sun. It was also $8 dollars cheaper. I told you I was a cheap SOB.

https://www.amazon.com/Mustang-Survival ... rnull&th=1

[BrownBear]

Ah man.... I didn't even think of Amazon and free Prime shipping. While I was in town today I bought 4 more for our boat at the local "good" price of $129 each. We took 4 from the boat south with us for our Florida boat, and needed to replace them. Nobody, and I mean nobody, gets onto our boat without one.

[Gary C.]

Amazon is really acting weird on this item. Yesterday from work it showed all colors as $118 but after clicking around at some stuff and came back to see the camo dropped to $113 and a little quote lower left for $105. Last night at home it showed the camo for $118 and the lower left quote at $110 which is what I bought for. Just now it was showing camo for $113 and lower left for $108. Nothing like flexible pricing I guess.

[BrownBear]

Up here we have all sorts of problems with their fulfillment department. "Fulfillment" in a pig's eye! It can take several weeks for them to get around to shipping something. I'm pretty sure anything headed for Alaska gets tossed in a pile, and it sits until they have collected enough for a break in shipping. With the king salmon crashing herring schools now, perhaps it's a good thing I bypassed the big A and went with a local vendor.

[NorcalBob]

Not gonna play your game of acrimony and insults, JD. Sorry, but this forum is better than that.

[tomsakai]

JD this is a forum for friends to talk about fly fishing. Please behave appropriately. There’s no need to insult others just because you disagree with their posts. Just posted this on his post and removed him from the rolls.

[Wildman]

Just posted this on his post and removed him from the rolls. I apologize for missing that post and others that he seemed to have made. The tenor and tone of his attack post leads me to believe he is someone who called himself fishpole on earlier flyfishing forums, including this one. He has been bounced from every forum he's belonged to except one...The Rock Creek Forum where he contributes nothing of substance. He'll be back, I'm sure.

Sorry I missed that.

Joe Dirt....Two things to remember. #1-Never drink to excess and post on a forum. #2-This is not the first time you've launched with inappropriate posts and personal attacks. We had a troll like you years ago who made iinappropriate posts like yours. Fishpole he called himself. Like you, he knew better then all of us. He liked cars too. Go back to your car and jeep forums. You're done here.

Wildman