Everyone has a difference of opinion based on their own experiences. Some people use their gear more than others, some in harsher environments than others, some gear is better manufactured then others etc. With all of this subjectiveness involved in many of the posts here and on other forums there are to many variables for one person to be right or wrong. I also understand that there are dealer reps that register here and talk up their products and promote them as a user. One thing I try do is take in everyones opinions and suggestions. Then take from it what I believe to be sound and potentially unbiased information to aid me in my decision making process. For the most part I can separate out the BS and the salesman. In the long run I just want a good product that will work as advertised. In this case a PFD. This is what I came away with. Class 3, pockets, lash tabs, reflective tap/cloth, and material used for durability and a color that is relatively visible for safety. Arguing on how often it needs to be replaced is going to based and the above items and is relatively pointless. When mine wears out (ie seems fail etc) I will get new one. No need to argue over it..... :-)
if I may… …an idea for you which will also resolve this debate: get two. Get two models and rotate them, or keep one for trip duty and one for practice and pool use. Then you can extend the lifetime and have a sacrificial pfd and a go-to pfd.
But it’s you, reefy, who are playing hall monitor here. Like the assistant principal, telling kids to renew those bookbags or take the consequences. And “little”?!? That is funny. I rowed and sculled for seven years, and paid the requisite dues in sun and sweat.
I read your posts over. The one unquestionably true mechanism you cite is UV. I did have two old Flotherchocs fail from UV damage. They were made of rather light Nylon taffeta of the sort widely used in the 70s and 80s. Whatever Lotus used in my Sherman seems not even to have faded.
As for sweat soaking into and damaging foam, I don’t have information on that. Nor do I know anything about salt damage to fabrics or foam. The foams are closed-cell, and might not soak up things until mechanical damage breaks open cells at the surface. On mechanical damage to foam, and spontaneous decay, I have seen it occur in some cheap old Stearns jackets. And certainly many of us have seen even good brand PFDs get real shabby when used through just one year in an instructional program.
I haven’t found the USCG replacement standard yet. The USCG has made its share of mistakes on PFD standards. I wonder whether their standard is based on objective tests. I have googled around on the PFD replacement issue, and haven’t found much. So, if you know where this information can be found, I would be glad to see it.
It is remarkable to see the wide range of experience with PFDs. Why do some people have PFDs get shabby in 3-5 years, while others go twice as long without problems? I think it can be only differences in the pattern and condition of use, or differences in the kind of PFD purchased in the first place. Maybe the PFDs that are discounted to $50 or below are not everything they were meant to be. I know that anything I buy on deep discount at REI is likely to have some special fault. I bought a Betsea PFD for my wife on discount at REI, and had to return it because the foam was ridiculously stiff. So, maybe one reason my particular Stohlquist and Lotus PFDs have lasted so long is that they were designed properly and made from quality batches of great materials. Maybe the reefmonkey recommendation of buying low-cost PFDs but limiting use to 3-5 years is an internally coherent one, although not necessarily the cheapest or safest one.
I would like to hear from other salt water kayakers, specifically about your typical PFD life to the point where the PFD is getting pale and slack, and also from anyone who has experienced unusually long PFD life in sunny saltwater conditions.
Reefy has just informed me that "everyone" thinks I am an “ass”. Doubtless this in part reflects his annoyance at having to come up with some specifics.
Red… With Red as a PFD color, you’ll be invisible at dusk, and power boats will run into you, and the props will cut you into little tiny pieces of fish chum… at least that’s what I’ve read…
It seems to be a mystery. Suburban Chicago water (where I grew up) is probably “hard,” and basic. Our water in the SE is generally “soft” and acidic. I don’t think the acid/base thing by itself would have much influence on Nylon, but differences in water might influence mildew.
I’ve had mildew on tents, but not on PFDs. The only obvious effect on my older PFDs was UV weakening the Nylon until it began tearing.
What I’ve noticed is that the thin Nylon taffetas suffer from UV and wear out. Thicker Nylon with a cordura character, like on my Lotus Sherman, just does not seem to show UV damage as quickly.
I probably don’t deserve the good luck I’ve had with the Sherman. I just use it, and then throw it in the trunk.
LOL. POTD on the nice board for sure. And for the record, Reef usually speaks the truth. If he called you an a**, then that’s confirmation that he speaks the truth.
"Sailing and Seamanship" course. You wanna read it? Pay to take the course like I did. You might learn something that those of us who actually go out on the ocean already know.
Well, reefmonkey, that may show less committment to a standard on the part of the USCG than is needed, from my point of view. I looked all over the USCG sites I could get from Google and couldn’t find anything beyond some instructions on how to inspect your PFD for damage.
Anyway, reefmonkey, you don’t want to lower yourself to my level by citing a standard and suggesting that people adhere to it. Do you?
nm