We continue to get more great feedback from Wired readers on the best lifejacket for anglers. We will continue to pass them along. Some great points and food for thought! Be safe and wear a PFD. Thanks to all who are participating in this Reader Poll.
From Wired Readers:
The new suspender type inflatables are a very comfortable jacket that allows you to wear it at all times. The only drawbck I see with them is that they require some maintanance that people tend to overlook and it could possibly fail when needed. The traditional style vests are ready to go and are much more comfortable than they used to be, with basically no upkeep. People just need to remember that neither on does any good if you don't wear it.
Curt Forth
I own both life jackets and use both styles frequently. I still use the full life jacket for long high speed runs, mainly because I am a creature of habit and won’t unhook it from my kill switch!
For the last 3 years I have almost exclusively used the suspender type life jacket when fishing and playing on local lakes. The comfort allows me to keep it on all day in hot, cold or….like this weekend, all day rain. I am a poor swimmer and I keep it on from the moment I get in the boat until it is back on the trailer, I could never fish all day in a full jacket.
Michael Langenfeld
I prefer my inflatable suspender type jacket because it is far more comfortable. As far as safest I'm not sure I haven't gone overboard yet so I haven't tested either in real world conditions, I'm just hoping I don't have too. I still carry a couple standard jacket type life vests but they never come out of the storage hatch.
Adam Bailey
Just my .02cents, but I prefer the “old style” full life jacket. It ALWAYS works, as long as you wear it!! And lets face it, unless it is the last hour or hour and a half of the derby and you are struggling you normally end up taking it off to fish anyway. As well here in Texas if you choose to go with auto. Or self inflate you must also keep an “old style” in the boat for each individual if you do not wear the auto. All the time. Game Warden will gladly issue you a citation, So now your carrying 4 PFD’s needing more storage space. You also have recurring cost of rearming and that is x2, for you want to keep an extra in the boat. I have had and auto. Not inflate once when I went in the drink, thus causing concern if I had been unconscious.
Again just my thoughts, to each his own and good luck and good fishing.
Red McPeek
I have thought long and hard about lifevests. I have not owned an inflatable but I am giving them consideration. I want to invest in some more comfortable vest but at what price. I don't like the idea of inflatable vest while running on the lake. I have read of a few instances where an inflatable vest didn't inflate. So my only option would be to wear traditional vest while running and have the inflatables on while fishing. Only reason I am considering inflatable is so my son could have on a vest at all times. He hates wearing a traditional vest while fishing and who can blame him.
Johnny Wiggs
National Safe Boating Week is May 16-22.
