• Help Support TNDeer:

Life preservers

RUGER

RUGER

Well-Known Member
TNDeer Supporter
2-Step Enabled
Joined
Nov 19, 1999
Messages
4,145,978
Location
TN
Ok so I am gonna splurge and buy some new life vests.
The ones I have are probably older than I am. LOL

Bass Pro has one on sale that has the CO2 deal and it is a dual deployment. It is automatic plus it has the rip cord. Never seen one with both, but then again I have never really looked at them.

How often do they deploy on their own due to moisture / humidity?
I know I have heard of them doing it, just wondering how frequent it happens?
I noticed they have a refill deal for like $50 and I figure it would be a good idea to replace them annually anyway but I don't want to spend $50 multiple times a year.

Trying to decide on this type or the belt type that look like a fanny pack.
I know from experience these are the most comfortable but honestly where I fish 99% of the time that doesn't matter because I don't wear them.
I will be going to KY lake more now though and I will be wearing them then.

Just looking for advice from the experts.
 
RUGER said:
Trying to decide on this type or the belt type that look like a fanny pack.
Click to expand...
If you are unconscious I believe you would drown with the belt. I have the vest. I bought it to wear all the time, not just when the big motor is running. So far I only wear it when the big motor is running. Unless you are 100% sure you are going to wear it all the time, I'd probably buy a $25 vest and forget it. But, I did a lot of research and bought a top rated inflatable for just over $100. When I'm alone and it's not 100 degrees I'm going to try to wear it all the time.
 
If you plan on wearing it all the time I'd get a good hydrostatic pfd. Mines a mustang and I have no problem putting it on and forgetting about it. Got mine Xmas 2020 and it's good till 2025 or until i decide to take a dip.
 
Crow Terminator said:
I got mine from Academy. Onyx brand, manual pull or auto. Academy was cheaper regular pricing for the same thing that BPS has when on sale.
Click to expand...
I have one of those from Academy. Don't really use it since if it if left in a box, it opens by itself. 3 mustangs have been in my boat for a couple years and do not open by themselves. I check them every year and replace the charging system.
 
I have both, depending on where I fish decides which one I use. With the inflatables they must be worn to be legal. Only had one to inflate unexpectedly. I forgot to put plug in boat and by the time I got from the truck to boat it had got wet and inflated.
 
no problems with inflating without cause here. Just be aware an inflatable jacket has to be own your body while boat under power or you can receive a ticket. Not an option by TWRA to be just laying in the boat at the ready position like a standard life jacket.
 
i have the bass pro one, i wear it while fishing. i re-arm every other year.

driving the boat and fishing in winter, a class 1 vest. and inflatable or class 3 is pretty much useless if you pass out. quite possible if you hit 40 degree water in winter or get run over by some lake lice.
 
As you know, I use the belts. Admittedly not as safe as the over-the-shoulder variety but FAR more comfortable. I consider myself safer because I (and my clients) wear them ALL THE TIME! And yes, as scn pointed out, you do have to have them on your body to count as a legal PFD.

Mine are manual, which I prefer because I have heard of multiple cases of the automatic variety discharging on their own - either due to water in the boat while they were in storage... or even one case of an arbitrary discharge for an unknown reason.

As for recharging, I can recharge my own whenever necessary (although I have NEVER actually had to use one out of necessity). I usually pull the ripcord on one each year just to reassure myself my CO2 canisters are good. Be advised, they recharge with a special "16 ounce" CO2 canister, not the smaller ones you buy to use in pellet rifles.
 
I don't have an inflatable vest and am too paranoid to wear one. I don't trust something made in China to auto deploy when my life depends on it. I wear my life jacket 100% of the time from the time I get out of my truck to load my boat to the time my boat is loaded on the trailer and out of the water. The reasons I do this:

  • I fish by myself 100% of the time
  • I have slipped multiple times on the wet dock getting onto my boat, and have slipped multiple times on the vinyl surface of the boat when entering on days where the dewpoints are in the 70's meaning everything is wet. If I slip and hit my head I could fall in and drown right next to the dock
  • I have been on the trolling motor multiple times, and including last week, where a boat drove by at some point in time and produced 3-4 foot waves parallel to my boat and caused me to lose my balance and I about fell in. Not a good situation to be in if you are not wearing a PFD.
Please be safe out there.
 

Latest posts

Back
Top