Best life jacket for a tournament bass fisherman?

[lafae7]

I just got a new bullet boat and I am wanting to get new life jackets to go with it. Right now I am just using your standard fishing life vest. I am looking at getting 2 inflatable life jackets and I am wanting some ideas as to what is worth the money. I have been looking at the 2 big stores and a couple others so far. I just don't want to spend money on something that isn't safe or worth the money. The inflatable jackets look like i would accidentally set it off while I was fishing. Any opinion is welcome.

emoThanks

 

[Blue76]

I am going to buy the Mustang HIT vest tomorrow when BPS has them on sale for $50 bucks off. However they are still expensive and thier reliability is not 100%. I have a couple of nice vest designed for kayak fishing but they are hard to wear over thick clothes.

While a regular vest is the only 100% reliable option it doesn't work if you are not wearing it. So I figure I will wear the inflatable more often which would make it work way better than one I am not wearing.

I have a cheap inflatable I have been using a little and I find it very easy to take on and off when I am moving to a new spot. So I am getting a better one for piece of mind.

Also, the mustang HIT isn't supposed to inflate unless you are submerged under water. The others can go off in the rain... and... it doesn't have that pull cord dangling off the front that hangs on everything.


Greg

 

[Fishindawg25]

I really like the Onyx A/M 24 that you can get from Academy for a really good price. It's a automatic and manual and has a hoop to hook your kill switch to. My wife bought me a Mustang when they were on sale and it didn't have a place to clip my kill switch lanyard to, so I exchanged it for the Onyx for half the sale price of the Mustang. It is so light and comfortable that you don't even realize you have it on.

 

[markrwil]

I don't have a recommendation...but thought I'd share why I went back to a regular vest. On my first outing with a new inflatable vest, I was checked by a game warden (license, iife jackets, fire extinguisher, etc.). I wasn't wearing the inflatable vest because I was stopped and fishing. I was told that the inflatable vest only counts as a life vest when you're wearing it. In other words, you have to wear it 100% of the time or have a regular vest in the boat. Since I often don't wear a vest while I'm stopped and fishing, having to keep a regular vest onboard is a must to be legal...so for me, and to save storage space, it just makes since to use a regular vest.

 

[lafae7]

markrwil - 2/16/2017 8:35 PM

I don't have a recommendation...but thought I'd share why I went back to a regular vest. On my first outing with a new inflatable vest, I was checked by a game warden (license, iife jackets, fire extinguisher, etc.). I wasn't wearing the inflatable vest because I was stopped and fishing. I was told that the inflatable vest only counts as a life vest when you're wearing it. In other words, you have to wear it 100% of the time or have a regular vest in the boat. Since I often don't wear a vest while I'm stopped and fishing, having to keep a regular vest onboard is a must to be legal...so for me, and to save storage space, it just makes since to use a regular vest.

That's some very interesting information. I was looking at both class 3 and 4 inflatable vest and was wondering if the inflatable you had with you was a class 3 or 4. Most inflatables are rated class 4. So, if I spent the money and bought the more expensive class 3 inflatable vest, would the game warden complain if I wasn't wearing it while just fishing?

Also, the two throw-able class 5 flotation devices should cover me if I did buy a class 4 correct?

this is just getting confusing

 

[derek81]

markrwil - 2/16/2017 8:35 PM

I don't have a recommendation...but thought I'd share why I went back to a regular vest. On my first outing with a new inflatable vest, I was checked by a game warden (license, iife jackets, fire extinguisher, etc.). I wasn't wearing the inflatable vest because I was stopped and fishing. I was told that the inflatable vest only counts as a life vest when you're wearing it. In other words, you have to wear it 100% of the time or have a regular vest in the boat. Since I often don't wear a vest while I'm stopped and fishing, having to keep a regular vest onboard is a must to be legal...so for me, and to save storage space, it just makes since to use a regular vest.

This is true. You need to have a regular PFD in the boat as well.

 

[hoop235]

Since you're running one of the fastest bass boats made, you may want to look at a Lifeline race jacket. Lol!!!!
My partner has an inflatable that he loves. Wears it all day without any issues.
I'm still old school, I'll just take on/off a regular vest.
Plus if I get "thrown out" of the boat I like the idea that it has a little extra padding.

 

[Tn bullet]

Austin if you fish different states pay attention to the wear all the time or not Alabama doesn't count inflatable ones unless you have it on all the time. Congrats on the new boat

 

[spuds704]

I've used the inflatable vests for several years and haven't had a problem with setting them off while fishing. It takes a pretty good yank on the lanyard to inflate them. I've fished in rain and it's never inflated , it has to be submerged in water to activate. I have a friend who left one in his john boat and after a heavy summer storm, it inflated but there was six inches of water in his boat. I fish tail waters in the heat of the summer for stripers and these vests are so much more cooler, comfortable and less limiting of your movements, that I will never go back to the old vests. BPS is about to have their spring sale, get some, you won't be disappointed. If you can buy a new Bullitt, what's a little more for a lot of comfort.

 

[lafae7]

Sounds great everyone. I have a good idea of what to spend my hard earned money on.

 

[BulletTJ]

You need to stop and think before you by a life jacket for your boat. I have a Mustang Inflatable life jacket as well as high performance life
jackets. At the speed you boat can run any inflatable life jacket is useless. If you have a wreck or are thrown from the boat at high speeds
the inflatable jacket will be ripped off of you. I had a friend that got tossed out of his Bullet at 80 mph. He had on a zip up jacket. After being tossed from his boat the only thing he still had on was his shorts. The belt he had on kept his shorts on. The cheap life jacket was ripped to pieces. His shirt was ripped off over his head and his shoes were torn off his feet. He would have drown if a near by boat didn't pull him from the water. He broke 3 vertebra in his lower back. I use a jacket that has a zipper, 3 buckles and leg straps to keep the jacket from being pulled off over my head. I only use the leg straps when I know I am going to be running hard or on blast offs. I use my Mustang jacket when fishing in cold weather. I wear my other jacket when running at speed. Do yourself and your family a favor and get
a good life jacket. They can be a pain to put on and take off but not nearly the pain of spending 6 months in rehab or worse.

 

[scooby-doo pole]

I've got two of the Mustangs; and they're awesome! So compact, lightweight, and comfortable... I even wear it when I'm fishing. It doesn't bother me or get in the way. Expensive, $250 plus tax, but to me... well worth the money.

 

[Arnold9999]

I also use the Mustang https://www.amazon.com/Mustang-MV-IV-SIZ-Survival-Integrity-Vest/dp/B004EPR4P6 ,however, were some days on fishing when I was hot in them. I have the Mustang type that I use when I canoe. I just figured that I may want something that we are a few pockets in it to stash some of the items that I will be using frequently. Also, I like the vests of SKOTTeVest https://bestoutdooritems.com/best-travel-vests/ Very light and comfortable material, plus it is very good resist moisture

 

[AreTheyBiting]

I bought the one they are using on MLF
Onyx A-33 In-Sight Tournament deluxe

It's a type II so you don't need another Lift vest
(I still carry my Triton Life Vest Type III)

Extremely comfortable
fits fat boys like me very well

I paid $140 last fall
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[TNTall]

My auto inflatables have salt pills that I have to replace every so often. As you can see I can't remember the frequency... something else to keep up with. If I wait too long, the pill will give out and inflate the vest, then I have to buy a whole recharge kit.

 

[Tn bullet]

Too many stories about the auto inflatable being ripped off at high speeds check out the bullet ones through bullet boats also many comments are correct check state regs a lot of states don’t count the inflatable unless you are wearing them

 

[FishingwithRusty]

heres what i went with: http://fishingwithrusty.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=1852

 

[Cp78]

I have the onyx and it’s comfortable to wear for a while. I saw some I liked but they can get expensive.

 

[Strato-G]

Cp78 - 3/20/2018 5:37 PM

I have the onyx and it’s comfortable to wear for a while. I saw some I liked but they can get expensive.

Funerals are also...jmo................. emoGeezer emoUSA

 

[FishingwithRusty]

this is the class V vest that im using for blast off and high risk situations: https://rivergear.com/product/life-...ult-type-5-commercial-whitewater-vest-by-mti/
its built to float you face up if unconscious and keep you head out of water. it was $170 shipped to my door. according the manufacturer who i spoke with a couple times the Coast Guard does not reccomend crotch straps as they consider them a snag hazard. this vest has a low belt/buckle that goes down around your waist, pretty confident the vest isnt coming off unless you take it off.

then i go to my inflatable while fishing the rest of the day