Hello there! Looking for some advice from some seasoned Kayakers! I’m fairly new to the sport and am looking into inflatable life vests. I’m a decent size gal with a fairly large chest and HATE the bulkiness of any life vest that I’ve ever tried. I feel that my movement (and comfort) is significantly limited by every one I’ve ever tried and the idea of a smaller inflatable option appeals to me. I’m wondering what folks would recommend as far as brands and models go? I notice there are auto, manual, and combo auto/manual options out there. I don’t like the idea of my vest inflating if I tip my yak in the pond but I also want to be safe in the event I would be knocked unconscious and need the auto inflate feature. Looking for thoughts on brands, models, anything really, that anyone with any experience could share with me!
How far and good can you swim?
How big is the pond you’re paddling in?
What water temps will you paddle in?
What PFD,'s did you try?
How are you thinking you’ll be knocked out?
My wife and I bought Hobie branded inflatables for our first PFDs 5 years ago or so. I think that they’re fine for use with an SUP or in hot weather on very calm and sheltered water as long as you’re within easy swimming distance from shore. But if your interests in kayaking develop you’ll want a regular PFD and your inflatable will end up like ours hung on coat hangers in our garage for the last 4 1/2 years.
My wife is also large chested and tried a lot of PFDs before she found a women’s specific Astral that fits her reasonably well. It took her a while to get used to it but now she doesn’t think about it and we’ve never gone back to the inflatables. Many of the women on this forum also prefer Astrals. I suggest you check them out…
Inflatables are type five PFDs. They only count as a PFD by the coast guard if worn. Manual inflatables are fewer than they were but preferable. They are cooler in the summer than jackets. However, they can leak out, get punctured, or otherwise be compromised and still look operational. A foam PFD floats new or old, clean or ripped.
Finding an inflatable that will be a lifesaver if you get knocked out but not inflate when you don’t want it to is going to be a tall order, and probably an expensive one. If you are larger you need a decent amount of flotation, and the ones that will keep your head out of water if you are not conscious are pricier by a good bit than those assuming you are able to do some swimming.
There are comfortable PFD’s for women with endowments. I am not one of them, but my recall is that the Astral line comes up a lot in that discussion. You may just need to get to a better quality outfitter than you have dealt with so far. The basic cheapo PFD’s are too long and make of uncomfortable material that tends to chafe. A comfortable one will likely come in full price between 90 and 120 bucks. But it is worth it.
If you are likely to be knocked unconscious by paddling what is probably a wide rec boat in a pond, there may reason to reconsider the pond or kayaking. At least until you are comfortable that this risk is reduced to near nil.
If you plan to have a kayak with a spray skirt, the inflatable might not be a good choice, because if you find yourself tipped on edge, an inflatable won’t allow you to become an effective outrigger by remaining seated–until it inflates, or you inflate it; all of which takes a little time. With a regular pfd, you can lay back, or just brace up and be on your way.
Depending on the pfd, it might have features like a hand warmer and pockets and attachment points that come in handy. One of my pfd’s is a rescue vest and has a towing and lift capability. You never know when that might be needed.
Some pfd’s (like the NRS Ninja) are designed to fit low on your chest and the shape of the front flotation pod is such that lady parts might not be covered.
Thank you everyone. I don’t have any solid concerns that I’d be knocked out. It was just a thought. I’m only paddling calm rivers and lakes but have done some boating on the Lake Superior shore a couple of times, which was a little more intense. I am a strong swimmer and generally have very little concerns. I’ll check out the Astral line and see what I come up with.
Thanks again! I’m enjoying all the hobby but feel like I have LOTS to learn!
Layla by astral is made with kapok which is long thin natural plant fibers. It is what many life jackets were made of before foam when I was a kid. Very soft and moldings qualities.
@SaraM - what boat(s) do you use? That could impact the type of inflatable PFD that would work.
@Celia said:
… If you are larger you need a decent amount of flotation, and the ones that will keep your head out of water if you are not conscious are pricier by a good bit than those assuming you are able to do some swimming.
Not sure I agree with all of this. First, assuming the OP is larger due to added fat (not muscle), her body would have more natural flotation, as fat cells are lighter than water so buoyant. So she should need less flotation from her PFD (not that it really matters in actuality, as PFDs are designed to provide a certain amount of flotation, and don’t vary based on body size for adults).
She says above she will be checking out the astral. And there is difficulty in assuming a well endowed female who is not small carries a relatively large percent of that weight in fat. Maybe but l would wait to be told that before jumping to it in writing.
I’ve not been hit on Lake Superior in my Astral. Having a foam filled PFD can get you some extra warmth in cold waters
The gals are uplifted. They need no more padding
I’ve used my inflatable rarely and only in the summer where I am on warm water
I am 5’7" and a fluffy 200 pounds and float quite nicely My boat is a Perception Rhythm and it’s kind of a tight fit so adding a bulky life jacket is so uncomfortable that it ruins the whole experience for me. I was looking at the Layla from Astral and it looks to be built well to accommodate the average bodied woman but I’m not convinced it’ll be comfortable on top of my size 38F chest. I may just have to find a place near me that I can go and try a bunch on, unless I stick with the idea of the inflatable, which continues to appeal to me!
I’m a 36DD and can testify to the comfort of Astrals (I have 3 of them). The one I use most often year round is an Abba, which has the same softer filling as the Layla but is the lower cut front zip model. One problem with being busty and short-waisted is that I find some PFD’s that are cut high in the front tend to ride up too close to my chin. I also have an Astral V8 that is my go-to vest for hot weather. Very well-ventilated and flexible – I hardly know I have it on.
Thank you for the input! If I was going to pick one of the Astrals, which would you go with? I want the lightest, least bulky, and most comfortable! I don’t care about pockets and fancy features and I don’t care about cost (as long as it’s under $200) I’m considering the Layla, V8, or Abba…
Thanks!
@willowleaf said:
I’m a 36DD and can testify to the comfort of Astrals (I have 3 of them). The one I use most often year round is an Abba, which has the same softer filling as the Layla but is the lower cut front zip model. One problem with being busty and short-waisted is that I find some PFD’s that are cut high in the front tend to ride up too close to my chin. I also have an Astral V8 that is my go-to vest for hot weather. Very well-ventilated and flexible – I hardly know I have it on.
Definitely try on PFDs. This goes for everybody of any shape, size, or fluff level. B)
If it doesn’t feel comfortable you either won’t wear it or you’ll paddle less. Take your time; winter still has a long stay at this point.
The design of the Astral Blue Jacket (>$200 unless on sale) allows it to be tightened across the midriff and not the upper chest. I bought one on sale earlier this year & had my wife give it a try for fit. Ruth is similar in specs to the OP and the M/L size fit well. We have another on on order for her.
The major differences between the V8 and the Astral are the filling, the back and the pockets.
The V8 is lighter and better ventilated (it has cutouts in the foam panels in the front so it’s great for hot days. It only has flotation in the upper portion of the back – the lower back is just mesh which means that your back has more direct contact with the seat back in your kayak. Most of my kayaks have a low back-band so this works fine for me. When I use the Abba or the Camino (my other Astral) I have to loosen the back band a little bit because the full flotation on the back of those vests comes down to my waist so it is between me and the band when I’m in the boat.
My older V8 has virtually no pockets – but the newer version has added a couple of good sized mesh ones.
The soft kapok fill of the Abba makes it nearly as comfortable in hot weather as the V8 and I prefer it on cooler days because it covers my lower back and because it is lined with fleece so that you can tuck your hands inside to warm them when you are not paddling. The Astral site has a short video for the Abba showing the features.
The V8 is often on sale for a little under $100. I got my Abba on sale a few years ago because they had changed the style slightly and were selling out the older models – got it for $115 if I recall correctly.
I really like both vests (and I have owned PFD’s from Stohlquist, MTI, Extrasport, and Lotus, and have borrowed ones by Palm and Kokatat over the years, so I have quite a few to which to compare them.) I would have a hard time choosing one over the other – if I had to choose I might stick with the Abba because it’s fine for hot weather and better for cooler conditions. I freely admit that I also love the colors – I have the pumpkin orange V8 and the bright Spring green Abba. Besides being very visible they are pleasing to my eye. For accommodating “fluffiness” I think the soft flexibility of the Abba’s stuffing wins out.
I see there is an outfitter in Colorado who is selling some of their rental Abba’s for $85.00. I used to work for an outfitter and there are often tax advantages for them selling off their rental gear at the end of each season – you can often get very good deals on items in good shape that way. Also, the PFD manufacturers usually sell some gear to the outfitters to be used in the rental fleet at a deep discount every year because they know that people often will buy the same model that they got to use as a rental. Does not look like you would have a choice of colors but saving $55 is a decent discount – nearly 40%. I know that the Astrals hold up well. I’ve had the V8 for 9 years and it still looks like new.
@SaraM said:
Hello there! Looking for some advice from some seasoned Kayakers! I’m fairly new to the sport and am looking into inflatable life vests. I’m a decent size gal with a fairly large chest and HATE the bulkiness of any life vest that I’ve ever tried. I feel that my movement (and comfort) is significantly limited by every one I’ve ever tried and the idea of a smaller inflatable option appeals to me. I’m wondering what folks would recommend as far as brands and models go? I notice there are auto, manual, and combo auto/manual options out there. I don’t like the idea of my vest inflating if I tip my yak in the pond but I also want to be safe in the event I would be knocked unconscious and need the auto inflate feature. Looking for thoughts on brands, models, anything really, that anyone with any experience could share with me!
Thanks in advance!
Sara
In 50 years of paddling, I recall 3 instances of paddlers being knocked out; 2 were canoes turning over and paddlers hitting their heads on rocks. One was a real freak. A fellow paddler was entering a canoe and just as she was stepping sideways into the canoe a gust of wind blew it away and her foot came down right at the inwale, causing the hull to tip forcefully toward her and loose her balance falling forward. The off side gunwale and her chin collided and she fell facedown forward alongside the canoe. She was wearing a lifejacket and regained consciousness before we got to her, but it was scary.
I’ve seen 2 instances of paddlers wearing manual inflatable pfds, overturn and neither remembered to inflate.
Thank you all for the advice! I really appreciate the time you all put into your responses for me, lots of great info! I tried on the V8 and love it! It was actually very accommodating for my fluff! The only store near me didn’t have much in stock this time of year but I plan to go back in spring to try on a few more before making my final choice Thanks again!
My boat is a Perception Rhythm and it’s kind of a tight fit so adding a bulky life jacket is so uncomfortable that it ruins the whole experience for me. I was looking at the Layla from Astral and it looks to be built well to accommodate the average bodied woman but I’m not convinced it’ll be comfortable on top of my size 38F chest. I may just have to find a place near me that I can go and try a bunch on, unless I stick with the idea of the inflatable, which continues to appeal to me!