Looking for pfd recommendations

[J.A. Veil]

T

p.s. Thanks also for the tip to contact Mark; we've exchanged PMs and he is donating two milk crates to the DaveO cause.
A marvelous gentleman of no small generosity is Mark.

Mark is a great guy. He bought those two crates from me at the kayak fishing flea market last March, then upgraded to his BlackPak. They are authentic milk crates I found in the woods behind a High's store in Beltsville more than 30 years ago.

[DaveO]

Thank you Pat - I appreciate your guidance. I will eventually get to ACK and try on both, the Chinook and Cvest. I am leaning heavily toward the Chinook since it appears designed for anglers and angling from the start.

John: Yes he is, and I thank you again. Seldom is one fortunate to join with a group whose entire membership seems comprised of good men one and all. I look forward to eventually fishing with all of them.

Cheers//Dave

[Bulldog]

I agree, get the best fit for you and wear it, both times I flipped were unexpected, wife asked me to always wear one, and I do. I prefer not too many pockets as there is a dendency to fill them up with everything, and when trying to get back on a kayak , you sort of have to slide over whatever is in your pockets. I broke the zipper on a high end vest on the last flip. I carry a VHF, whistle,knife and not much else. There is a new vest coming out from I think Astral, that has lumps in the foam on the inside to allow it to breath better. Just get what you like and wear it!......Jack

[Mark]

Most of us have more than one fishing rod and some of us even have more than one kayak. Likewise I’m not sure that the ideal PFD exists. Owning more than one might be the best option.

Mine is made for paddlers with a high back and it has several pockets in the front which I do not use for storage. My PFD fits comfortably and the only time I realize I am wearing it is in the summer when I get hot. Yet I dare not remove it. In the late fall and now in winter it is a welcome part of my kayak clothing because of the extra warmth it provides.

I just wish there was a good summertime option. Are those of you with inflatable PFDs pleased with them? I’ve looked at automatic inflatables but I worry that they either wouldn’t inflate when needed or would inflate at the wrong time. What are your experiences with them? Are there PFD forms other than inflatables that will beat the heat?