“um my grandkids are heading to college... Its been a long time since they have seen 30 lbs.”
Er, maybe the great-grandkids ;-)
Or younger paddling friends with a new addition. We’ve given newly purchased infant/toddler PFDs as baby shower gifts to paddler friends; no question who that gift was from. If I could find a crib mobile with colorful canoes I’d think about it.
Oh jeeze, Etsy has stuff that is close.
https://www.etsy.com/listing/122726...Ag1pmqXeE73Ac_rFCcrJ1UZxI6n1RRR0aAgZtEALw_wcB
I don’t like the proximity of that bear to the tent. Probably give the kid camping nightmares that his therapist would finally identify 20 years later.
I might nab one of those Stohlquist kiddie PFD’s on Monday and keep it around for the next paddling niece or nephew who brings forth a new one in the wife’s 40+ and counting clan.
“But just one tangent about passing down or using older PFD's—namely, that some/many/most (?) PFD's lose buoyancy as they age and may no longer be at or near their original design buoyancy. They should be tested periodically, somehow. It could be most unfortunate to put an old PFD on small child (or old administrator) that could no longer adequately float him or her”
Good point. I swim, unintentionally or otherwise, enough to know that my PFDs still have, and in the past have had, sufficient flotation. My most worn PFD is
relatively new, 10 years old +/-, but well cared for.
Our original decent quality PFD’s were Herrishoks (sp?), bought in the 1980’s. We wore those regularly for close to 20 years and did family in-water rescue practice in them on summer trips. The kids, being toddlers, then adolescents, tweens and young adults got new PFD’s more regularly. We still have a “Youth” PFD around as a loaner.
Folk old enough will remember those Herrishoks, with the long, narrow foam in pleated folds. The bottom third of that full coverage design could be folded upwards for use in a kayak. Those were relatively “High-float” full coverage PFDs, and still quite buoyant even when old. Also warm as hell; sweaty at times.
Great winter PFD’s. The favorite of adult snowmen.
EK_0012 by
Mike McCrea, on Flickr
I gave those Herishoks (one “r” maybe?) to a niece and husband as a wedding gift, along with a tandem canoe they had oft borrowed for canoe camping adventures, some paddles and a dry bag. That was years ago and they have since been to some very interesting places. I suppose I should ask them to do a test swim someday if they are still using those PFD’s.
I think the PFD killers, beyond initial quality, long, hard use and, especially, prolonged UV exposure, may be fabric and foam contaminates from sweat and salt water use. Pool practice in chlorinated water is in its own killer category.
I’ve never done pool practice, more of a WW kayaker roll thing. I probably swim often enough to eliminate the sweat-on-fabric issue, and often use a more breathable, partially-mesh-back PFD to help eliminate excess perspiration, switching to a more full-coverage PFD in winter, when the torso warmth is appreciated.
We always hose rinse our PFD’s, and boats, after salt water trips. Salt is terrible for zippers, and can stiffen straps to un-pliability through ladder lock adjustments.
Actually the boats get washed for dirt, sand, grime and hard to remove after baked-on scum lines, and for potential invasives after most trips; there is one hose-wet on the back deck as I type.
With quality PFD’s running $150+ a pop, and because we have models that have proven comfortable for our various physiologies that are perhaps no longer available in that same design, I want to make our current PDS’s last, and have sprayed them with 303 for fabric for added UV protection a time or two.
I had to try on a bunch of different PFDs to find the one I liked best. Body-shape PFD fit is like shoes, gotta try it on in a store and make faux-paddling motions.
https://www.amazon.com/30616-Marine...373025&sprefix=303+for+fabric,aps,255&sr=8-13
Like everything else that 303 stuff got pricey.
