# PFD recommendations?



## scrapiron (Jun 13, 2020)

What will you be doing- kayaking (sit in or sit on top), paddleboarding, boating, etc.? That will help narrow down the recommendations. Each style has it's merits and cons. Do you want one with pockets? What season will you mostly use it? What's your budget?


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## DBStoots (Jul 9, 2011)

Mustang. Get a bright color. 

Mustang MIT 100 Automatic Inflatable PFD


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## C_Wheeler (Jan 14, 2014)

DBStoots said:


> Mustang. Get a bright color.
> 
> Mustang MIT 100 Automatic Inflatable PFD


I wear a Mustang inflatable everyday for work, they are very comfortable. But I would recommend the HIT (Hydrostatic Inflatable) over the MIT (Manual Inflatable) incase you get knocked unconscious or something and can't pull the release. Also, you don't have to worry about getting a bright color. The inflatable portion is neon yellow with reflectors when it pops.


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## orey10m (Aug 19, 2019)

scrapiron said:


> What will you be doing- kayaking (sit in or sit on top), paddleboarding, boating, etc.? That will help narrow down the recommendations. Each style has it's merits and cons. Do you want one with pockets? What season will you mostly use it? What's your budget?


I primarily fly fish while
1) wading small to medium sized streams where I likely wouldn’t wear a PFD in the first place
2) paddle/row my canoe down rivers in Missouri (it’s extremely wide and a bit more like a row boat than a canoe)
3) use a trolling motor on that same canoe while on flat water 

Those are my main “applications”

Other instances where I’ve needed a PFD in the past are when fishing tail waters, but there’s not any of those near me so I wouldn’t likely come up against that. That being said, the rivers do flash flood here pretty easily im told, so perhaps if I had a nice non-obtrusive PFD I would wear it more while wading 

Lastly, no I don’t really need or want any pockets. If I’m wading then I generally have a hip pack/lumbar style bag around my waist, resting on my butt.


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## orey10m (Aug 19, 2019)

orey10m said:


> I primarily fly fish while
> 1) wading small to medium sized streams where I likely wouldn’t wear a PFD in the first place
> 2) paddle/row my canoe down rivers in Missouri (it’s extremely wide and a bit more like a row boat than a canoe)
> 3) use a trolling motor on that same canoe while on flat water
> ...


Oh I forgot to mention budget and season. 

I would think I’d use it in all seasons. I fish in the winter and that would be probably one of the more important seasons to have it if you were to fall in. 
I don’t know about budget but I imagine there’s like high end and mid range? I’m thinking $100ish


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## DBStoots (Jul 9, 2011)

C_Wheeler said:


> Also, you don't have to worry about getting a bright color. The inflatable portion is neon yellow with reflectors when it pops.


Never knew that--thanks!


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## Hank (Jan 14, 2019)

I’d get a white water kayak style vest. Generally they allow full arm and shoulder movement. They will be warmish in the summer. An inflatable might be more comfortable then.


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## gulfcoaster (Aug 8, 2019)

I have used both for work over the last 30 years In the Coast Guard and dredging industry. I order the mustang life vest over the inflatable. When the inflatable goes off it’s like a shot gun and will scare the shit out of you. I had one get caught on something and inflate. Also you have to change the co2 charge out every couple of years. When you get a life jacket make sure it has plenty of retro and go ahead get a strobe light and whistle it helps finding you better. Good luck.


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## Steve_Mevers (Feb 8, 2013)

orey10m said:


> I primarily fly fish while
> 1) wading small to medium sized streams where I likely wouldn’t wear a PFD in the first place
> 2) paddle/row my canoe down rivers in Missouri (it’s extremely wide and a bit more like a row boat than a canoe)
> 3) use a trolling motor on that same canoe while on flat water
> ...


I have a waist manual inflatable that I have used for kayaking, and wading swift water for trout. The vest types like mentioned above provided the most protection, everything is a tradeoff. The best PFD is the one that you will wear.


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## ifsteve (Jul 1, 2010)

I have an wear an inflatable every time on the boat. Two reasons.
1. Its mall enough that I will actually wear it.
2. They take up less room than a vest type when stored.

Been doing this for over 10 years now and see no reason to change. I do have the manual inflate type and may switch to auto inflates the next time I need to replace the cartridges. When I first started buying these a guide buddy told me some stories about auto inflates self inflating inside his hatches. I think the technology has improved and mine are never stored in a hatch now anyway.


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## CaptDanS (Oct 26, 2017)

Ditto the Mustang


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## orey10m (Aug 19, 2019)

C_Wheeler said:


> I wear a Mustang inflatable everyday for work, they are very comfortable. But I would recommend the HIT (Hydrostatic Inflatable) over the MIT (Manual Inflatable) incase you get knocked unconscious or something and can't pull the release. Also, you don't have to worry about getting a bright color. The inflatable portion is neon yellow with reflectors when it pops.


Ok so the HIT ones seem to be generally like $200+ right?
That’s a big price difference. 

Is there a difference between HIT And whatever this “automatic” one is?








Mustang Survival Deluxe 38 Auto Activation PFD


The DLX 38 combines refined styling and enhanced comfort with premium in-water performance. A popular choice for big-water adventurists, coastal cruisers, and general boaters seeking high buoyancy flot




www.leisurepro.com


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## Ben Sheppard (Feb 1, 2020)

Mustang, bright color, attach their strobe flasher. Consider adding the vhf to your belt with the button that sends your position to the CG. Once in the water you float, can be seen and can be located


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## Hank (Jan 14, 2019)

Maybe this?






Minimalist Manual Inflatable Belt Pack


Same great covertness of the fan-favorite, the Minimalist inflatable belt pack PFD is pared down and tuned up to make it even more discreet, comfortable to wear, and easy to use. Your next adventure begins today, with Mustang Survival.




mustangsurvival.com





High convenience, price is right. May or may not satisfy regulations for boating. Probably not.

Something like this was posted above.


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## Hank (Jan 14, 2019)

The other thing for a lot of your use (as stated) is self rescue. On a river, that often involves swimming to the bank or another safe spot and/or away from danger. Whitewater type vests allow pretty much unrestricted swimming because active self rescue can be super important in that environment. If you’re gonna be alone, self rescue is all you have.


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## orey10m (Aug 19, 2019)

C_Wheeler said:


> I wear a Mustang inflatable everyday for work, they are very comfortable. But I would recommend the HIT (Hydrostatic Inflatable) over the MIT (Manual Inflatable) incase you get knocked unconscious or something and can't pull the release. Also, you don't have to worry about getting a bright color. The inflatable portion is neon yellow with reflectors when it pops.


Just to clarify, MIT actually doesn't stand for Manual Inflatable Technology. It stands for *Membrane* Inflatable Technology™ (M.I.T.)

Therefore you can have an automatically inflating MIT vest


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## Bjorn240 (Jul 24, 2020)

Yeah MIT vests inflate from a pill or membrane dissolving in water and triggering the inflator. HIT vests rely on hydrostatic pressure - the pressure of the water you’re floating in -triggering the inflator. Both systems work. HIT is potentially more reliable and won’t have false triggers from splashing etc.


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## 7WT (Feb 12, 2016)

I have an inflatable CO2 or blow up fly fishing vest. Not a bad idea for rivers.I wear a kayak style on my Maine CC. I remember once early in my flyfishing days in waders floating down the Beaverhead. No pfd. Could have been a problem. Closest I ever came to buying the farm was a March river trip down the Pemigewasett in NH age 17. Day 3 late afternoon a Dam let out a bunch of water and swamped us in 4 foot haystacks. 38 degree water. So cold we could not think. Parkas and thank God life jackets on. 15 minutes thru rapids, legs high to escape boulders that turned the aluminum grumman into a pancake. Ended up on an island in 2 feet of snow, 1 mummy bag a can of soup and 3 dry matches I happened to wrap in saranwrap the night before. The old WW1 guy we met earlier who warned us about the river was standing with his cat across on the river road watching us. He yelled over start a fire, which shook us literally out of our hyperthermia and we made a fire and made it! Stomped the canoe back in shape in the morning and made it back the final 12 miles in the morning. Alive.


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## Mdees88 (Jun 23, 2021)

orey10m said:


> Oh I forgot to mention budget and season.
> 
> I would think I’d use it in all seasons. I fish in the winter and that would be probably one of the more important seasons to have it if you were to fall in.
> I don’t know about budget but I imagine there’s like high end and mid range? I’m thinking $100ish


Buy a Mustang HIT and be done..... how much $$$ is your life worth?

Another benefit of HIT over MIT is accidental deployments from getting rained on, splashed, or from leaving in a damp compartment. There's videos of people spraying an HIT with a water hose and it wouldn't go off.... it has to be submerged to go off.


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## Steve_Mevers (Feb 8, 2013)

Mdees88 said:


> Buy a Mustang HIT and be done..... how much $$$ is your life worth?
> 
> Another benefit of HIT over MIT is accidental deployments from getting rained on, splashed, or from leaving in a damp compartment. There's videos of people spraying an HIT with a water hose and it wouldn't go off.... it has to be submerged to go off.


They must have improved them, I know marine officers that have had them go off hanging in their patrol vehicles. Of course they wore them daily, but still.


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## hipshot (Sep 29, 2018)

If you wear an inflatable while fly fishing, consider the possibility of an accidental puncture.


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## Mdees88 (Jun 23, 2021)

Steve_Mevers said:


> They must have improved them, I know marine officers that have had them go off hanging in their patrol vehicles. Of course they wore them daily, but still.


Every marine police, coast guard, or game warden I've ever seen on the water was wearing a Mustang H.I.T., that should say something. I left 3 inflatables laying in my boat one day and we had an afternoon shower. The only one that didn't deploy was my H.I.T. Not too long after that I was backing out of duck blind and my H.I.T. got caught on a piece of bamboo, fell out of the boat and instantly deployed once in the water. I recharged all 3 but I will only be buying HITs from here on out..... nothing is perfect but I doubt you'll find a PFD with a better track record. If you do please let us know...


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## Bonesonthebrain (Jan 2, 2020)

ifsteve said:


> I have an wear an inflatable every time on the boat. Two reasons.
> 1. Its mall enough that I will actually wear it.
> 2. They take up less room than a vest type when stored.
> 
> Been doing this for over 10 years now and see no reason to change. I do have the manual inflate type and may switch to auto inflates the next time I need to replace the cartridges. When I first started buying these a guide buddy told me some stories about auto inflates self inflating inside his hatches. I think the technology has improved and mine are never stored in a hatch now anyway.


If you have the auto-inflate style that uses the ‘pill’ it is best to not store them in a boat hatch or garage. Store them in a climate controlled area. I have three auto-inflate PFD‘s and would have at least one inflate on its own every year or so. Now storing them in the house have not had an issue in about 5 years. Humid conditions apparently degrade the ‘pill’ relatively fast. My next one will be a HIT.

When on the water I keep the vest hooked up to the kill switch lanyard and hang it on the steering wheel, so that way I wear it whenever under power, good reminder to do so.


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## Steve_Mevers (Feb 8, 2013)

Mdees88 said:


> Every marine police, coast guard, or game warden I've ever seen on the water was wearing a Mustang H.I.T., that should say something. I left 3 inflatables laying in my boat one day and we had an afternoon shower. The only one that didn't deploy was my H.I.T. Not too long after that I was backing out of duck blind and my H.I.T. got caught on a piece of bamboo, fell out of the boat and instantly deployed once in the water. I recharged all 3 but I will only be buying HITs from here on out..... nothing is perfect but I doubt you'll find a PFD with a better track record. If you do please let us know...


Things have changed, it has been several years since I wore the Mustangs everyday in a patrol boat, it sounds like they have improved design. I will have to look at the H.I.T. model


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## sjrobin (Jul 13, 2015)

There are a lot of "opinions" in this thread on two different activation switches. The best are hydrostatic. Mustang is the best. They all have manual release valves.


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## topnative2 (Feb 22, 2009)

FYI>>> don't throw them down on the deck u may get surprised ..........been there!


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## Loogie (Jul 24, 2019)

I use the manual version of the mustang, I prefer having to deploy it myself. Fl fishing things tend to get too wet for an automatic. Although I am now considering a hydrostatic if it doesn’t deploy when it just gets wet.


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## Sonny Palma Sola (Jun 26, 2020)

Spend the money ($250.00 ish) and buy the Mustang HIT. Rain or splash won't activate it and they are comfortable to wear. The jacket has to be submerged in at least four inches of water to activate where pressure sets it off. It also has a self activation pull tang and a blow up self inflate value. I wear one always attached to my kill switch cord and it has become second nature to wear (see attached photo). Your life is certanily worth the money.


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## Mdees88 (Jun 23, 2021)

I've been fishing heavily for around 15 years and have never wore a life jacket. That includes running narrow fast current rivers full of logs at 3am duck hunting and tons of offshore fishing and solo trips. After a few "close calls" and realizing how big of an idiot I was I now wear a life jacket all the time. Every duck hunting trip. Pretty much the whole time when solo and pretty often when underway offshore. That mustang is so comfortable I barely notice it's on. Have even forgot I was wearing when getting on the dock, lol.


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## Jason M (Aug 13, 2017)

Here's a recent story from NC.


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http://instagr.am/p/CRC4Tu2B9mr/


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