belt pack PFD?

[gumpus]

Any words of wisdom on these? I only recently became aware of these PFD's that were apparently developed for stand-up paddleboarders. I did some googling and found the attached article which seems logical to me (not for beginners, not for weak swimmers, not for cold water). I would think they are also a poor choice for whitewater where you could slam into a rock immediately if you leave your boat.

https://paddlexaminer.com/2016/03/w...on-of-inflatable-belt-pack-pfds/#.Wz0SU-tHarU

I've got an Astral V8 and I like it. In cool or cold weather it even adds some feeling of security. But even though it is often recommended as a great hot weather PFD I have no trouble sweating in mine when temps get into the 80's and 90's. I'm a former lifeguard and decent swimmer and I'm never very far from shore and I'm not running whitewater. The freedom of movement and coolness of the belt pack PFD's sure is appealing!

 

[alsg]

Just read the article. Meant to be worn on the front of your waist but "nobody does this" and they are wearing them like fanny packs? I guess some people think that because they can talk out of their a$$ they can breath out of their a$$ as well; and they better learn how since that will be the only thing above water if they fall in while wearing it that way. Seems like an extraordinarily bad idea to me.

 

[BWCA66]

Belt pdf's were banned in MN years ago, wonder if these would be legal.

 

[hidden_lo]

Seems to me to be a tradegy waiting to happen...can't believe they are actually coast guard approved. Can see it now, paddlers corpse floating with butt I the air

 

[gumpus]

Seems like they could be a great option for weak swimmers or for folks on powerboats. Lake Michigan recently had the 10th drowning of 2018.

 

[Sweetfancymoses]

We all make compromises. It beats no PFD (but only slightly). My wife and I wear Type V (suspender type / not auto-inflating) in the summer on the small local lake. For wilderness trips it's type II all the time / no exceptions. Too many things can go wrong (i.e. knocking yourselves unconscious, cartridge malfunction, not enough pounds of flotation). I really don't want to stay on the sofa to avoid all chances of drowning, though.

 

[yellowcanoe]

How do you paddle in a type II?

really bulky

https://www.boatus.org/life-jackets...MIh5_G2dya3AIVBjBpCh2JYAh3EAAYASAAEgKRPvD_BwE

 

[gumpus]

I just meant that it seemed like a cool new option for beach goers...people that go to the beach and then go swimming in areas with big current that can surprise you. Even here in SW Michigan they have constant warnings about rip currents on the weather reports, and flags on the Lake Michigan beaches. But people go swimming and drown. That's when it would be nice to have a ripcord to pull!

 

[Sweetfancymoses]

How do you paddle in a type II?

Typo, meant to write type III.