PFD ?

[FES313]

Unless one knows the specific brand involved and the maintenance history, that's an awfully broad brush. I suspect the reputable brands like Mustang have tested inflation under some pretty extreme conditions and found the failure rate to be REALLY low.

When the failure rate gets to zero let me know. I have had 2 mustangs and both have ended up in the garbage. The first one, this was before HIT technology hit the market, went off while I was running. It was just after a summer time thunderstorm so everything was wet and the humidity was high. Scared the crap out of me when it went off. The second was probably the second generation of HIT. It was getting close to the expiration date and my son wanted to see how it worked. I strapped it on him and off the dock he went. The vest did go off but only inflated to 1/4 to 3/8s its volume. It was not enough to hold my son's head above water. I only run solid vests now. I have one of the Mustang Accel 100 MPH vests and one of BPS good vests. I am think of replacing the BPS with one like mikesxpress is running. Even down to the EPRB.

[MN1965]

When the failure rate gets to zero let me know.

Of course, that will never happen.

It seems that there is a lot of focus on the floatation aspect after being knocked unconscious. Don't forget, that means you've most likely already made contact with some part of the boat as you were ejected. Floatation may just allow the rescuers to pick your dead/paralyzed body from the water.

I'm not denying that a standard PFD reduces risk as compared to an inflatable. It does. What would help even more would be backing off the throttle.

[LTZ25]

Mike , I like that one !! Where did you buy that ?I have one kinda like it I use now but still use the New Mustang when I'm not alone . They sent me 2 new units and a recharge setup , said if I felt unsafe to test it in a controlled condition , I figured that don't make sense because the recharge might be bad .

[FES313]

Of course, that will never happen.

It seems that there is a lot of focus on the floatation aspect after being knocked unconscious. Don't forget, that means you've most likely already made contact with some part of the boat as you were ejected. Floatation may just allow the rescuers to pick your dead/paralyzed body from the water.

I'm not denying that a standard PFD reduces risk as compared to an inflatable. It does. What would help even more would be backing off the throttle.

I have worked in the fire/rescue service for a really long time and have even did a stint as a rescue diver. I have yet to get a dead body out of the water that was wearing a PFD, injured, broken, cut, unconscious, yes, but not dead. Now that I think back, I don't remember anyone having inflatable PFDs. This also brings up another issue with inflatables, they can deflate. Damage from impact, floating debris, items in the water, hooks on your lures, all can put holes in the floatation devices. As a diver, I wear a BCD, buoyancy compensating device, it is essentially a inflatable PFD that hooks into the SCUBA tank that can be inflated or deflated at will. I don't think I ever had one that did not end up with a leak. If you have a leak or doesn't inflate and you are unconscious, someone like me will spend a few days diving in zero visibility looking for your cold dead body.

[LTZ25]

I have worked in the fire/rescue service for a really long time and have even did a stint as a rescue diver. I have yet to get a dead body out of the water that was wearing a PFD, injured, broken, cut, unconscious, yes, but not dead. Now that I think back, I don't remember anyone having inflatable PFDs. This also brings up another issue with inflatables, they can deflate. Damage from impact, floating debris, items in the water, hooks on your lures, all can put holes in the floatation devices. As a diver, I wear a BCD, buoyancy compensating device, it is essentially a inflatable PFD that hooks into the SCUBA tank that can be inflated or deflated at will. I don't think I ever had one that did not end up with a leak. If you have a leak or doesn't inflate and you are unconscious, someone like me will spend a few days diving in zero visibility looking for your cold dead body.

I WAS almost a first then , my Mustang was brand new first time I put it on ,my boat is kept immaculate , I was loaded with heavy clothes and boot like shoes , it was 52 degrees water temp and luckily I didn't quite panic but I did not remember the manual inflate value until I was back on boat . My Ulterra got me to shore after I reached boat side because I had remote around my neck and it was water proof .

[twitch]

I was down on the docks last year and they had the city dive team there doing drills and showing people how they work as a team and so on and they all had Mustang inflatables on or in the boat , so I figured good enough for them good enough for me but like I said everyone has there own opinion and expectations. How many people still drive without seatbelts and other examples to any situation.

[BrianFLA]

I were the inflatable mustang that came with ranger in the summer and regular mustang in the winter

[pabasshawk]

We have had 2 club members that have had auto inflatable vests fail when they fell out of their boats. One of them was me and I was wearing a two week old Mustang. I would not trust my life to one. When the boat is on plane I wear a regular high speed vest and when fishing, especially alone, I wear the auto inflation vest. If I fall in and it doesn't auto inflate I can still manually inflate it.

[mikesxpress]

Mike , I like that one !! Where did you buy that ?I have one kinda like it I use now but still use the New Mustang when I'm not alone . They sent me 2 new units and a recharge setup , said if I felt unsafe to test it in a controlled condition , I figured that don't make sense because the recharge might be bad .

Clyde,
That is a MODEL: MV5600 High Impact SAR vest. It has "strength rating of 100MPH". That does not mean "impact rated to 100 mph" as the laws have changed over the years and manufacturers can no longer claim impact ratings due to the many variables associated with impact.

http://www.mustangsurvival.com/en_US...st-MV5600.html

http://www.amazon.com/Mustang-High-C.../dp/B003P8L7BA

The selection/use of a PFD is matter of personal preference. My belief is that the your at your greatest risk for needing a PFD is while your underway via the big engine or when your fishing in rough water and that is when I where mine. Dead or alive, I want to be floating and visible even if it's just to haul my carcass to the bank.

[catdude28]

I have a Mustang Elite inflatable, and a Stearns high collar standard vest. Although my intention this past season was to wear the standard vest when running, and change to the inflatable when fishing, I left the inflatable on pretty well all of the time. I did fall in once this year, and the inflatable worked as expected.

[Somata]

I'm in the "only trust an old school vest when running" camp. I was ejected from a buddies boat at about 60mph last April when he hooked the bow on a wake. It happened so fast I don't remember leaving the boat. I remember the view out of the front of the boat and the next thing I knew I was tumbling underwater and thinking "No way did this just happen". After rolling 3-4 times underwater I honestly had no idea which way was up...that was the first panic moment...until the vest started lifting me. Water was upper 40s air temp was low 50's so I had jeans, goretex hikers, long sleeve shirt, and a heavy wind resistant hoodie. I'm a pretty good swimmer, but would have sunk like a stone without the vest. If an inflatable had failed to deploy, I doubt I would have had the presence of mind to pull the manual inflate, and I'm not sure I'd be here to type this. So it's a standard vest strapped up and tight for me. I am going to get an inflatable to wear while fishing in cold weather, but I'll wear a standard over it when running...

[Lil Mo]

Same here as with others, I wear the BPS XPS vest with the leg straps while running and then change to an auto inflate (Cabela’s brand) while fishing. However, I’m thinking on getting a new Mustang or Onyx auto inflate.

[LTZ25]

Mike , I zoomed in on your picture last week and figured out the model thanks .Seems like saltwater guys understand boating Saftey .

[rchavis]

Bass Pro Shops XPS platinum series. Very comfortable and has leg straps for those 200 mph bass boats we all fly around in.
http://www.basspro.com/shop/en/xps-p...ng-life-jacket

Hard to bet them for the price .
I have a Startos and i wear the older silver Ranger vest like them above.They have the neck brace built in them . Got i good deal from the board here .

[mikesxpress]

Mike , I zoomed in on your picture last week and figured out the model thanks .Seems like saltwater guys understand boating Saftey .

Inshore fishing during the week you may not see another boat. Best to cover all the bases.

[va floater]

I see that I'm not the only one that carries a PLB with them. It's one of those things that you don't need until you need it. Then it's priceless.

[mikesxpress]

Being retired and fishing 3+ days during the week it's a requirement for both me and my wife. Cheap insurance that someone is coming for you when need them.

[riggpigg]

I'm willing to bet the failures on most inflatables can be traced back to not reading directions??? Of course no one will admit to it............so flame on here...

[LTZ25]

I'm willing to bet the failures on most inflatables can be traced back to not reading directions??? Of course no one will admit to it............so flame on here...

Directions ? Heck you just put them on and add water and they pop open - maybe , mine was new I was wearing it on the outside of hoodie .
I was wearing a MUSTANG ELITE $275.00 at TW .

[kercha83]

Mikespress, will that life jacket keep your head and face out of the water in case you get ejected out of the boat and knocked out unconscious? I am looking for a good non inflatable when I'm running my boat and use my Mustang Hit when I'm fishing. Once a year I would jump in the lake with my mustang hit just to test it out and make sure that its working right, I have tried to turn face down with this PFD but it will always turn you over to your back and your head will be out of the water.