It's hard to shoot down the undisputed leader in the industry - Mustang Survival. They are the most trusted name in water safety gear in industrial applications where demands exceed recreational use. Today's vests are improved over earlier versions, too. The better ones offer 30+ pounds of buoyancy, which is almost double the USCG required level for a PFD. Most foam vests used in fishing are typically just above minimum to keep the bulk from being annoying to the user.

If you shop for an inflatable, I suggest you note the USCG TYPE. Better ones are often TYPE II, where our standby foam vests are TYPE III. TYPE II will float you higher out of the water and is much more likely to roll an unconscious wearer to a face-up position. I like both of those features.