“Outdoor workers have half the occurrence of melanoma as indoor office workers.”
“Avoidance of the sun is a risk factor akin to smoking as far as an affect on your health.”
It is indeed no exposure, then overexposure causing a sunburn, not General regular exposure.
Outside Magazine huh? Who would have thought.
Thanks
mjac
You have to be a man.
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mjac
Best one i’ve used, and I now have 2 of them is the Astral BlueJacket (being rebranded as the Bowen in 2024/2025).
Man look, I am not familiar with these PFDs, but the biggest complaint I have against these PFDs including many high end PFDs is this pouch type arrangement where there is this big protruding pouch right over you bell making you feel bulky. I am looking for something more contoured to the body and streamlined. Maybe that is just not the way Kayak PFDs are designed. The Astral EV-8 seems to be more along these lines, but I have never seen one, just pictures, it is also $150.
Thanks
mjac
okay let’s talk about how to put on a pfd. Many times the buckles are on the sides in awkward places. Keep the pfd off. loosen all the straps on the pfd. Buckle all the buckles. Take off a hat or helmet if you are wearing one. Put pfd above your head and put your arms through the arm holes. Slide down into place. If it has a zipper then zip it. Tighten each strap until snug but not uncomfortable.
Basically, this one PFD that I have received and my only experience with a high end PFD, The Stohlquist Edge, there is no way I could put this PFD on in the water using the side entry. If there was a shot and the glasses would have to be off is how you said over your head perhaps with straps loosened, I assume the straps can be retightened fairly easily but I am not that familiar with them yet. I had trouble putting it on with the side entry in the living room. But it doesn’t matter, this thing is going back, it makes me feel bulky.
Thanks
mjac
So the bulge in the middle is a legitimate concern. It can impede reentry onto a boat. On the other hand it allows plenty of storage in an out of the way place so that your arms and shoulders are totally free to rotate. I can live with the reentry concern as that is something I don’t typically do and while it is a bit more difficult than some other pfds it is still doable for me. If I was choosing a pfd for a surf ski or doing big open water I might select something else. When you get a pfd you really should test it out. Try swimming in it, to check “ride up” and ease of movement for swimming. How well does it float you? How well can you swim in it? What is the snag potential if you are paddling in and around wood. Is the zipper integral to the design? Will it still be secure if it blows out? Lots to think about with pfds. The first step is to get folks to wear one.
Hey I get it. Nobody wants to be told how to put on a pfd. Yes, take off your glasses and give it a shot. You might find it is not that big a deal. In terms of bulky, I actually find this style of jacket to feel less restrictive. I’m not saying you have to like it and if you don’t that’s okay. I went from stolquists to astrals because of fit. I think you might be someone who would be happier going to a “shop” and trying on pfds. As far as cost, $150 is nothing when your life is on the line. I don’t go cheap on pfds or helmets (for ww). I understand their value. You might not get as good a deal with a paddling shop as you would with mail order but you might be happier in the end with the fit and functionality you are looking for. I don’t use the same pfd always. I have a primary jacket but switch it out for different circumstances. I just cleaned the gear room so it was easy for me to count my pfds. I own 19. Some are for kids, some are universal adult (for large people). Some will support you if you are knocked out (rafting vests with head flaps). My favorite is an astral blue jacket (it is red in color) simply because it fits me well. I would feel very naked paddling without a pfd. For me, paddling with a pfd on is no big deal. My nrs big water guide jacket is pretty bulky and I only wear it in the winter for warmth or at high flows with continous ww where I want the additional flotation. Stuff needs to fit and be out of the way for an enjoyable experience.
i also agree that the stohlquist edge pfd might not be the best choice if you are taking the pfd off and on while on or in the water.
I don’t want my PFD to be a storage locker, I don’t want to put a thing in it, I wish it didn’t have any pockets as a matter of fact. I want it to be a PFD, contoured to my body, to do what a PFD is supposed to do. The boat I am looking at, The Delta 12.1, has a personal item dry storage hatch right in front of the paddler, everything goes in there, where it will stay dry. It ain’t going to stay dry in a PFD pocket.
If I spend $150 a PFD, I am going to have to like that PFD a whole lot, no compromises. I was centering on the Astral EV-8 then you say you like the Astral Blue Jacket perhaps better, just like the guy above, which creates more doubt. The V-8 looks slimmer to me. Right now Iam so disgusted I am ready to ditch the whole idea of PFDs.
The so called “Paddle Shops” (and they are not) around here, New Orleans, are a bunch of ding dongs. I don’t even like being around them. If I get committed to getting a PFD I will probably keep ordering from Amazon until I find one I like. I have got a 20% discount coupon from Emily at Astral for their website but shipping and loosing out on Amazon perks just about wipes it out.
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mjac
hey nothing wrong with being a demanding customer! I’m glad you are sticking with the search until you find something you are satisfied with.
I am not demanding, if there was a real, professional paddling shop around here with some men in it, I would gladly go in there, try on some jackets and give them my money. But this Stohlquist I got ain’t getting it and was a real let down. Your shot, Astral Blue Jacket or EV-8?
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mjac
I am fed up with this fancy PFD nonsense, time to get down to basics, This baby is Coast Guard Approved, good enough for me.
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mjac
That will certainly keep you legal and is way better than nothing. I told you what I like best but if I was paddling the bayous in the summer ( I go in the spring, buffalo cove Atchafalaya basin) even I might look for something different, something lighter, more airy. I rarely take my jacket off while on the water so that’s not a factor for me and I really can’t tell you what to buy because what fits me might not fit you very well. I’m 210 pounds with a beer belly and manboobs.
I did like one of the suggestions in this article but you don’t like pockets. An easy on/off front zip astral offering but you don’t like pockets and it may be a tad warm. My astral blue doesn’t have a zipper except for the pocket. You put it on over your head or you reach under your armpits and buckle. Once on, it feels like a part of me. The YTV in the article might work if you are comfortable putting something on over your head. It is really designed to leave on and not take on or off. The Ronny could be a solid choice with the front zip easy entry.
The 6 Best PFDs of 2024 | Tested by GearLab
Personally I love pockets and wish my astral blue had better pockets. The gps, sunscreen, reading glasses, a granola bar, a twenty dollar bill go on every trip. This time of year in wv I put in neoprene gloves ( for rescue purposes) since I use pogies and have a balaclava often stashed in the pfd as well. Often I keep a phone in the pfd.
You know your needs the best. We used to use cushions sailing. Would I take one kayaking now? No because understand that actually wearing a pfd is when it is most beneficial. Something is better than nothing.
Wearing a pfd is not a big deal to me but for some other folks it is a hindrance to just wear one. We all get to make our own decisions and find our own way which is one thing I really like about paddling. Often when we try new gear we have to get used to it but I like being comfortable as much as the next person. If you get something that doesn’t fit you, then you aren’t likely to wear it. I hated the old orange horse collar jackets I wore as a kid on family canoe trips. I noticed the adults never wore them. Only the kids were made to wear them! Now we know better.
Adults drown too! Sometimes when there are a lot of choices in the short term it becomes harder but ultimately it can be better. I hope you find what you are looking for.
Not legal. That’s a type IV. The requirement is for a type I, II or III wearable pfd.
Well, they offer the citations if I recall, it’s an old article. I would never tell somebody who has had skin cancer to skip the sunscreen because I think people should weigh the evidence and risk:benefits and make their own decisions.
“Men?!”
Oh now you are trolling 
A seat cushion, even if approved by the USCG, is just a throwable rescue device. It is not approved as a substitute for a USCG approved PFD. This regulation was put into place many years ago. If you are in waters under the jurisdiction of the USCG and just have one of these, you will be cited as not having a PFD. Most states and local jurisdictions follow USCG regulations on inland waters as well. Some boaters use the seat cushion type floatation devices as a substitute for life rings. They are still required to carry a readily accessible approved PFD for each passenger.
Inflatable PFDs, if used, must be worn at all times, not just carried and accessible like a standard approved PFD.
First rule of a good pfd is it keeps tobacco and fire DRY and Accessible.
seat cushions are a fail for me. Just my experience YMMV
Peace J
thanks for the info, good to know that cushions are not an approved substitute. This is not an issue for me since I wear type III or type V pfds kayaking. I readily admit to not knowing the coastguard regs regarding seat cushions and was thinking back to my childhood and the adults in the sailboat in terms of legality. I personally don’t choose to wear a pfd because of a regulation but rather beacause I know it is a good idea. It is also a good idea to have whistle, and lights if paddling at night. Great minds think alike.
I guess if mjac wants to be legal an actual lifejacket is required. I also have no idea what the laws are for paddling in the state of Lousiana, or specifically in a state park in Lousiana, or any local area codes where I have paddled. I just know I’ve never been stopped when wearing my pfd in Lousiana or the other 41 states I’ve visited. I was checked once in Baxter State Park by Ranger Tom Chase in the 80s to see if we had lifejackets stowed in the boat while lake paddling. He just wanted to make sure we had them. Which we did. In general I’m a ruler follower but sometimes it is difficult to know exactly what the rules are. It is just so much simpler to wear the danged thing.
