This is my first post. I paddled my first canoe at age 27 in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness BWCAW) of Northern Minnesota. In 2019, I volunteered with the Lac LaCroix U.S Forest Service as a Wilderness Ranger for an entire summer. This huge paddling endeavor changed my life. As I went on 8 day expeditions in the BWCAW with a canoe, a paddle, an axe, a shovel, a crosscut saw, a cooler with food, and you know the rest.
Thoreau once wrote that “money is something we trade our life energy for”. 2019 forever changed my life. I learned who I was through this immersion in nature for 2 straight months. I was 5"5 138lbs, and I carried a 54lb Canoe across a 2 mile portage. I helped fell 80 ft trees with the help of other forest service staff.
Unfortunately I decided to not pursue the field of conservation, and instead went into social work.
Well here I am in 2025, and 6 years have went by without any paddling.
Big news: I bought the 2025 revision of the inflatable Sea Eagle 393 RL. And I was looking for a PFD.
PFD’s w/ A low mesh high back that I am considering:
ORU PFD Life Jacket Sixe (S/M) $49.99 from Walmart. This seems like the best deal I can find online.
NRS Lucid $97 outdoor play website.
The ORU PFD seems like a bargain, but the black color may be the reason why?
Is it better to go with bright colors and spend around $80-100 for a new PFD. Facebook marketplace does not have any low mesh back PFDs in my area.
Any advice would be welcomed, as I try to outfit my kayak for South central Kansas.
Hi! Was that a somewhat of a budget low back mesh PFD at bass pro? I looked at the Astral V8 and it looked great. The NRS Lucid appears to be a 2024 model, and they say they conforms to you body well. So I guess it would offer more comfort?
If you can, see if you can try some models of PFD on. Fit is very important and I have found many cheaper brands are bulky, uncomfortable and hot.
I’ve owned about a dozen PFDs during my decades of canoeing and kayaking and my favorite mesh lower back one is the Astral V8. Also a favorite of many of the old-timers on this forum. Super comfortable, especially since the front and back have ventilating openings to keep you cool in hot weather. Very high quality PFD – in fact I have 4 different Astrals.
They are about $140 new now but I see there is someone on Ebay selling a couple of new ones in blue for $84 with free shipping. The M/L size fits chests from 38 to 44 so I am guessing that would be your size.
Regarding the ORU kayak NRS Clearwater in Black color. Do you think the black color is unwise to wear when trying to deal with the summer heat? Perhaps that is why it is on sale for $49.99?
I don’t believe there is anywhere to try on PFDs in my area, but I should definitely check. REI is the only place that I can think of.
The astral V8 was one PFD that I have considered. I didn’t know they had they low of a price on eBay, so that is a great link you shared!!!
My chest size is 34-36. Do you think I would have much of an issue with buying that medium chest size starting at 38 inches? Or would it be a negligible difference? Only 2 inches off…
This is what you want, scoop this up, this is a great price on a great PFD. Good design, mesh back, cool in hot weather, comfortable, EIGHT strap adjustments for fit, vibrant colors (I have the Deep Red) , handsome, front entry, very strong front zipper…
Wow. That a great price! Thank you so much. I do have Amazon prime, so free shipping is another perk. I will try and buy this within the next week or so. The Sea Eagle 393RL at $999.00 was a big expense. I’m real excited to get back on the water.
You dealing with Amazon, not some Ebay seller, so you make your best choice of size and if it is not just right or you don’t like it, you send it back and with Amazon Gift Card refund you get your money back in two hours after you drop it off and it is scanned. The Astral V8 is supposed to be a good PFD, I think they run about $140 new and it sounds like you want to watch the money. This is a very good value for the money. If you are going to wear the thing, I don’t, you do not want a bargain PFD chafing you on every paddle stroke. This is a high quality PFD.
You have a paddling experience that changes your life…then you don’t paddle for 6 years? Let this Stohlquist help you get back into it.
Don’t know anything about them, but if you can get a Stohlquist at that price and the company looks legitimate, you get it. Amazon is probably more secure and I KNOW there return policy is the best, bar none. That would have to be your call if the savings are worth it, I have no way of knowing what cost pressure you ate under. But one thing is certain, the Stohlquist is a quality product.
The reason for the bargain price may be because Stohlquist has gone through all kinds of restructuring and this might be just moving some stock, so it may be legitimate.
Good point! Amazon has a smooth process for returns. Are you saying you don’t wear a PFD? Although I didn’t paddle for 6 years. I still did some camping and hiking. I camped in New Mexico, North Carolina, West Virginia, and Georgia. I still find New Mexico to be the most beautiful state. Especially the Gila National Forest. So I definitely still made time for outdoor adventures since 2019. I just didn’t have any storage for a kayak, since of my living arrangements. Sea Eagle seems to make portability a priority which is perfect for my needs.
It may very well be a good deal, $30 in savings is nothing yo sneeze at especially if the budget is a concern. The only thing I am worried about is the fit, it has to be right. I can’t remember, but I believe the Amazo reviews said to go up if the sizing was in between, you would have to read the reviews. I am 5’ 10” and 180 pounds or so and I just noticed I have a large/extra large. If you don’t get the sizing right and you have to send it back, I do not know what SwimOutlet.com’s return policy is, I KNOW what Amazon’s is.
At the risk of aggravating @kayakhank , I can’t stand wearing a PFD, I don’t feel free. I tuck it under my legs in the Kayak. Have it, will put it on in dangerous conditions.
Camping, Hiking, Other Outdoor Activities…It ain’t Paddling. You have found your solution with the Sea Eagle, but me, buy a Ford Cargo Van instead of what you are driving, can get one in good mechanical condition but looks like …. at a very reasonable price and stuff a 12’ hardshell kayak in there and use it for storage and transport. You get in and go, you are already loaded up and ready to go.
Most PFD will adjust the same way to fit. Make sure you buybonevin your weight range. The NSR, Astral, and Stohlquist arexall good brands. I find the features I like in the $140 range. The NSR posted has some of the features I seek (my NSR has the bottom buckle, which allows venting while keeping the front close so it doesn’t slip over your head if submerged). Its nice to have a handy whistle pocket. I don’t carry a lot of gear, so pockets aren’t important, but if it has pockets, make sure they don’t chafe when you swing the paddle. Mine did initially, but ironically, avoiding the chaffing made me a better paddler by adopting a a more efficient paddlers box/torso rotation. I wish mine had D-rings to attach the GPS lanyard, clip the waterproof Pelican Case for my phone and a smaller one for my truck key fob, while carrying gear between the truck and the kayak. My vest has a slot to attach my VHF radio. It also has the high back so it doesn’t interfere with the seat back. Take you pick and don’t feel intimidated by price. I have a dozen PFDs in different sizes for ever size paddler. During 15 or more years of paddling, I mainly used two PFD’s: the first was a Transport brand that only cost $101, which I though was crazy at the time, but now I have the NSR which serves just as well for $140. Don’t fret over cost. Buy one that fits and has the features you want. You’ll use it for years, so it better feel right or an hour will seem like four. Remember, you better make full use of it and embrace it, because it could save your life some day.
I looked at Ebay again and someone has an orange one (the same color as mine) in S/M size for $83.00 plus shipping, which would probably be about $12 or $15 for you (it’s actually for sale about 5 miles from where I live!) What you might try is to mark that you added it to your “watchlist” on Ebay. I find that when I do that I will often get a discounted offer from the seller via email of 10% or more off. But that’s still a good deal for around $95 and probably the best color for visibility.
All PFDs need to meet the same safety ratings in the US to be certified, so all will keep you safe. So why pay for a more expensive one - that often comes down to fit, comfort, and some other things, (like number and placement of pockets). This is also a reason why some people will bring their own PFD when they are renting boats (side note - paddles are another item that people will bring their own) - the “cost effective” ones used at rental locations are often not comfortable.
I strongly recommend PFDs as a place worth focusing on best for you, not best price. Go to a place where you can try on PFDs. Put one on, adjust so it is comfortable, then walk around and shop for other things. If you forget you have it on after 10-15 minutes, that is a good sign.
I’ve ordered things from SwimOutlet, mostly wet suits and water shoes. Decent company.
Stohlquist makes some good gear but their PFDs don’t fit me well. I had one for a while but sold it. That is a very good price for that Trekker PFD. It has more pockets than the Astral V-8 but doesn’t have the high visibility color or the ventilation.
That’s good that the website is credible. I think I should look at the brighter colors as you stated, and for something that can be returned easily. I believe the one I shared was a “final sale”. So I definitely don’t want to be stuck with having to resell something that doesn’t fit. Thank you!
Lots of good points and insight. I’m glad I joined this forum for advice! I will have to check out what retailers are available for trying on PFDs. I definitely want a comfortable fit! Buy with no regrets. Thank you!
