favorite pfd

[Kevin]

The Astral Ones looks super nice, but they are hard to find in Canada, i don;t tihnk boatwerks has them unless they just picked them up.
Im also in the market for a new pfd. Im tihnking about some of the Lotus ones.
Im also torn between trying to get a low volume rescue one, or just a full on rodeo style pfd. Im leaning towards a super salim one cause i do a ton of playboating, but i feel useless on the river without being able to clip myself in and help out in a emeergency situation. But the rescue ones are always too bulky for just going out a throwing down some tricks, ideally i could buy 2 jackets, but that isn't possible.

[bearboater]

i, like kevin am looking at either a rescue vest, or a low volume playboat vest, either a sherman a P-vest, or an astral 300 R, but i have never strapped into an astral, and i own a rio grande from lotus, and am pleased with the fit, but its large. its hard, i may go with the astral, but things are yet to be decided. who knows, ill flip a coin.
-isaac

[DP]

I've been using an Astral 300r since Gauley Fest. It is supriingly low profile and I am not really aware that I'm wearing a rescue PFD while I'm boating. I had been wearing a plain Sherman with no pockets or tabs and the Astral feels more comfotable and less restrictive than the Sherman did.

[Larry Horne]

thanks for all the input everyone.
i will for sure try the astral again, but i'm leaning toward the hydroscapes full on vest. that sucker seems like it's bomb proof. i like the protection for your back/ shoulders and the strong shoulder staps.

[Jan_dettmer]

Interesting:
http://lvmenvironmental.blogspot.com/20 ... ation.html

I totally did not know about the PVC foam issue in lifejackets.

I also don't know what kind of foam the Hydroscapes uses.

I'll ask them.

Cheers, Jan

[bearboater]

dioxins, a family of compounds starting at N02, then branching out to its derivatives, are known to cause cancer. being that i participated in an air quality study last year, the small list of compunds they listed are unfortunate, and potent. its good that astral is beginning to use the polyethylene.
the one thing that would be nice to have been reported in the presentation was what causes the release of these compounds.
-isaac

[bearboater]

that is not to say, new life vests will cause cancer, but consistent inhallation of dioxins in high quantities will raise the risks. so still wear the vest, just dontcut it open, and snort like crazy. and toluene, something found in gasolene, a solvent, is only 1 methyl group away from benzene, which can lead to major problems, again over extended periods of time
-isaac