Mocke PFD

-- Last Updated: Apr-07-13 2:45 PM EST --

An alternative when doing training on the water
and giving it everything you got.

http://www.oceanpaddlesports.com/site/index.php/news/index-single/mocke_pfd_here_soon/

Nice to see something different on the market

I discovered it on the blog:
http://blog.tcsurfski.com/

I could not find more info on the site.
Supposedly there is an article by the designer of the PFD, but I can’t find it.



Can you provide a direct link? Also, if it is a non-US product, what about the USCG approval issue? I never run into Coast Guard cutters on whitewater, but on the ocean or Great Lakes it might be an issue.

It is what it is

– Last Updated: Apr-07-13 5:51 PM EST –

It will never be much more than a true ""minimalistic"
racing pfd to give a paddler "something" in a crisis.

Maybe one day the USA will sync with the rest of the world
- ISO standards - Metric System - etc.

Mocke has made PFD's for a while

http://www.paddling.net/Reviews/showReviews.html?prod=2727

http://www.paddlinglight.com/reviews/mocke-racer-pfd-review/

http://surfskiracing.org/2012/02/performance-pfd-review-live-love-life-jackets/

Flotation
Interesting - on the first page, flotation is given as 45N (10.1 pounds) or 50N for the XL (11.2 pounds). This is significantly less than a USCG approved vest, e.g. 16.5 pounds for a Kokatat MsFit Tour.



On the ordering page, flotation is given as 45 or 50 kg, which is a big misunderstanding of SI units - oops. The specs really should be converted to pounds for the US market.

I have ICF pfds for slalom racing, and
they are about as good as my trusty 15 year old Lotus Sherman. That is, quite adequate for class 3+ like the Ocoee. The Sherman has a nice front pocket, though.

Mocke PFD
I have two of them: old style and the new incarnation. They are not USCG certified; from my understanding, the certification process was extremely lengthy and costly.



That said, this is a superb product. Minimalist perhaps, but only in the best sense of the word. It is nothing like the CO2 vests sold by West Marine, etc. The Mocke pfd fits exceptionally well; the arm cutaways do not chafe or bind, and the vest form fits, and does not rise up around the ears as many vests do. It seems to have just the right amount of flotation, low profile and unobtrusive.



The neon orange mesh fabric is extremely cool, and highly visible from afar. The single pocket in the front is large and secures well. It accepts a small drinking bladder held in the pocket on the back.



This one’s a winner.

USA standards

– Last Updated: Apr-07-13 8:54 PM EST –

I'm not convinced everything the USA government does
"actually" protects us all that well in the end run.
If something is good enough for 7 Billion other folks
--then maybe it's okay enough for those in the USA too.

International Organization for Standardization aka ISO

International Maritime Organization aka IMO

The USA Coast Guard uses the IMO requirements
for acceptance of buoyancy material for
SOLAS lifeboats and rescue boats.
These same materials may be used in some ring buoys,
life floats, buoyant apparatus, and the like.

I wouldn't hesitate to wear this from a foreign country
http://www.prijon.com/produkte/wildwasser/sicherheit-wildwasser/machiwildwasserweste.html

Mocke PFD
I was on the wait-list for a Mocke PFD for over a year, and received mine about two months ago. I used mine just today, on a nice LSD (long slow distance) surfski training day.



I need more time with it, but so far it is very comfortable. It is constructed with small blocks of foam that articulate nicely, but as has been noted it is not USCG approved. It is primarily designed for surfski/racing use.



There’s a long discussion this PFD at http://www.surfski.info/forum/2-announcements/14543-new-mocke-pfd-released.html .



Greg Stamer

I Own Four Of Them: 3 Old & 1 New
And wear them because they are made for racing where hard active effort is required. The Coast Guard approved types are for passive use and are detrimental for very active paddlers with pronounced exaggerated movement.



My cell phone and VHS both fit in the front pouch and the back pouch easily carries my 2 litre water bladder.

Best PFD I"ve owned…
Very comfortable and form fitting. I’ve had it for about 2 months now and I find I prefer it over the over 3 PFDs I own (Astral, Lotus, ExtraSport). Very easy to store extra gear and a hydration bladder. It floats me very well but doesn’t restrict movement.

Here is another one
This one is USCG approved

Onyx M-24 Belt Pack - http://goo.gl/eNNtl




Caution on the CO2

– Last Updated: Apr-09-13 1:53 PM EST –

For those new to the world of PFD's ,
please do the homework and educate yourself.

If you paddle, you're going to go in eventually.
Having a 1 shot device at $100 a pop
doesn't make a lot of sense for many.

1) As opposed to conventional, inherently buoyant PFDs, these are high-tech devices. They will not provide buoyancy until they’re inflated. This imposes a higher level of responsibility on the user. They MUST be carefully inspected before each use to see that the inflator mechanism is armed and in good condition. The bladder must not leak, and the user must be familiar with its use and operation. This is a big difference from using a conventional PFD. That's also why they’re not approved for use with persons less than 16 years old.

2) They are not recommended for swift water sports (white water) or any activity where the user will probably get soaked (personal watercraft, sailboards).

3) Cold weather adversely affects the operation of these PFDs. While the CO2 cartridge will fully inflate the vest most of the year, in extremely cold temperatures the same amount of gas will not expand to the same volume, reducing the vest’s buoyancy.

4) While they are designed to auto-inflate only when immersed in water and not by rain or high humidity, the ‘pill/bobbin’ material can break down under these conditions and activate the inflator.

5) Inflatable PFDs provide no protection from hypothermia.

6) Since there is a slight delay from immersion to inflation, they are not recommended for non-swimmers.

7) An inflatable MUST be worn as the outermost layer. Never wear a coat or rain gear over these vests.

As seen on
http://boatsafe.com/nauticalknowhow/082000c.htm

Look nice and cool but

– Last Updated: Apr-09-13 1:51 PM EST –

It only has 11 pounds of buoyancy which is what most child PFD's have. Seems rather low??? No way it could ever get Coast Guard approved with such a low buoyancy rating.Is 11 pounds enough? Plus hard to see the pockets I think its a mesh pock on front?

The real deal

– Last Updated: Apr-09-13 1:59 PM EST –

Most adults only need an extra seven to twelve pounds
of buoyancy to keep their heads above water.

Fat is not as dense as muscle and bone,
so people who are overweight can actually
be easier to float than someone who is
much smaller and leaner.
Heavy people do not need a higher buoyancy PFD
because of their weight.

http://www.uscg.mil/hq/cg5/cg5214/pfdselection.asp