Life vest recommendations

I'll make the point that I've made about 100 times before. If you fall into near freezing water with a life jacket and waders (or worse no waders) - you are immediately saturated and the strength is sapped from you as the shock hits you and then hypothermia sets in. A float coat with waders lets you float on top of the water and dramatically cuts down on saturation and gives you the time to rescue yourself. Little good bobbing around with a life jacket on if you are soaked and too cold and weak to rescue yourself.

It is astounding how dry you stay float coat and waders. I have a float coat for everyone in the family when we are out over cold water.
 
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Tod~


Concur re waders + float coat. My 5mm neoprene "farmer John's" are good peace of mind - but I'm looking for a new float coat/jacket. Your recommendation?


Also, is a float coat (longer) as handy as a float jacket (shorter)? I'm thinking the coat might be fine when sitting upright on a seat/bucket - but maybe uncomfortable if on my back in a Scooter or Sneakbox?


Finally, I seem to recall seeing you in an olive float coat/jacket? I would prefer that over camo (because of my Old School proclivities/peculiarities).



All the best,


SJS

 
Steve Sanford said:
Tod~


Concur re waders + float coat. My 5mm neoprene "farmer John's" are good peace of mind - but I'm looking for a new float coat/jacket. Your recommendation?


Also, is a float coat (longer) as handy as a float jacket (shorter)? I'm thinking the coat might be fine when sitting upright on a seat/bucket - but maybe uncomfortable if on my back in a Scooter or Sneakbox?


Finally, I seem to recall seeing you in an olive float coat/jacket? I would prefer that over camo (because of my Old School proclivities/peculiarities).



All the best,


SJS
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I own a bunch of float coats, they are all Mustang bomber style (so short). I just looked and it looks like they no longer make them in olive and it is hard to find the "Classic Bomber" on their website, although it appears that they are available online (but not in olive). Mustang is what I see the commercial guys and USCG wearing, so that is what I've always bought, I don't know about the other options.

Me modeling my original Mustang Classic Bomber back when I was young and fat.
ED0pgtD.jpg

 
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This is important as sadly this happened over the weekend. A 16ft jon boat carrying 4 hunters capsized, 2 were lost.

https://www.wboc.com/news/one-dead-another-missing-after-boat-capsizes-in-chincoteague-bay/article_1ae4b7ac-7bf1-11ec-b47c-935207a3b47f.html
 
Thanks, Richard~


What caught my attention, though, was using a jonboat on coastal waters. It gave me the opportunity to explain to my wife the concepts of initial and ultimate stability.


All the best,


SJS

 
Be sure to check the temperature rating for inflatable PFDs. The one I owned and the ones I?ve looked at said not to use in temps below freezing.

My inflatable had two mysterious deployments while in storage and I pitched it.

I use standard life jackets with mesh shoulders for comfort and shooting if necessary
 
Steve Sanford said:
Thanks, Richard~


What caught my attention, though, was using a jonboat on coastal waters. It gave me the opportunity to explain to my wife the concepts of initial and ultimate stability.


All the best,


SJS
Click to expand...

That caught my attention, but also 16' boat and 4 people.
 
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