Started fishing from a float tube last year and find the regulal PFD to be somewhat of a bother. Bulky, hot and restrictive.
I’m looking at getting an Auto Inflate PFD, any suggestion’s?
Don’t forget the Michigan Fish-In August 14th to the 20th. The Holy Water’s of the Au Sable await you!!
Cactus
Cabela’s had some on sale in the latest add I received. Might wan’t to check their site they have a sale going on right now.
ive got an sospenders with pouches that attch to it. i think im going to a stearns vest type next. however i went with manual inflate.
roger
princess anne, eastern shore of md.
Hey Jack,
I used the SOSpenders type PFD’s for
a couple of years before retiring from the
tugs. They were light and cool to wear and
a major improvement over the older bulky
pfd’s. I’ve worn them in real frog strangler downpours with never a false
inflation. However, each time one of us
unexpectedly hit the water they inflated
immediately and gave excellent support. I’m
sold on them. Warm regards, Jim
I spent quite a few years offshore sailboating and in Alaska on Forest Service boats. I used the SOS suspenders as mentioned and enjoyed the freedom of movement they afforded. At the time, this type of PFD was not Coast Guard approved. If this is important and or required, I would suggest another type of PFD. Also I reccomend getting the kind you have to manually inflate, the auto inflate, if wet will set-off on you and in a float tube more than likely it will get wet. Good luck, Jonezee
Jim and Jonezee;
Thanks for the tip’s. I’ve swamped the tube a couple of times, usualy when “Hitting the Beach”!! Being an older person I avoid any “Fear Factor” type encounters! Safe, Yes! Coward, Yes!!
Don’t forget the Michigan Fish-In August 14th to the 20th. The Holy Water’s of the Au Sable await you!!
Cactus
Greatest things ever made Jack!!!..
But…The Auto type ya might want to think about…they trip by a pill type thing desolveing…I went with type that you can either Manually inflate by mouth tube or pull the rip cord…I use mine alot while tooning…Hopefully soon while yaking…lol… I just Gotta have one of those !!!
Jack: I have a like new one I will sell for fraction of cost of new one. I will email you if you are interested. I see we are both Michiganders. Jonezee
Jack Hise, when it comes to your life, I would go with something you don’t have to depend on ie: automatic. Go with manual or a quality life vest.
My .02
The geezer
Excus my spelling and gramma, I hooked Mondays and Fridays so I could Hunt or fish.
Jack,
I have some of the manual type SOSpenders I started using while fishing in Lake Michigan. Very comfortable. One hardly knows they are there after awhile. They also allow lots of freedom of movement. They are a big improvement over the traditional PFD’s.
Mike
Jack,
If you’re primarily a warm water fisherman, take a look at the Lotus line of PFDs. They make a number of models that are essentially “swimmer vests” (there’s no float collar around the back of your neck to support your head in the event you are floating unconscious).
Don’t be fooled by the short waist and small size of these vests. My Lotus Rio Grande will float 16 pounds of lead, which is twice what the typical human body body weighs when immersed. The vest lets you keep your head lifted out of the water, and you can tread water and swim slowly with a minimum of physical effort.
The swimmer-type PFDs don’t have any floatation foam on the sides of your torso, just on the chest and back. This feature lets your arms and elbows hang naturally at your side while paddling (and casting).
On hot days, swimmer vests are good to wear because those modest foam panels on the chest and back will insulate you against the worst heat of direct sunlight. On these hot days, you can manipulate the side straps to get a slightly looser fit that enables better airflow between the foam panels and your torso.
I’ve never worn one of the PFD float coats. If these coats are designed so that a man overboard can adjust the fit tighter to reduce the movement of water between body and material, that feature would certainly buy you enough rescue (or self-rescue) time before hypothermia and cardiac arrest punches your ticket.
Joe
“Better small than not at all.”