About a month ago I purchased a Mustang inflatable vest for 79.00. Before I even got an chance to use it or even take it out of plastic sleeve, it inflated on its own. It was in the forward hold with two other traditional vests overnight. There was no way for the yellow pull tab to have been activated since it was still in the package. It wasn't the heat because I cover my boat at night, the hold is locked nor did it snag on anything.

I took it back to Academy even though I did not have the receipt. I knew they wouldn't take back so I resigned myself to having to buy a re-arming kit. 29.00. The salesperson didn't even know where the vests were located so I led him there myself.

Basically it is a CO2 canister that has to be installed. However, the yellow tab that must be reset, pushed back in place, before installing the new canister. Well, it would go in but wouldn't stay in. When I managed to force it in and held it in, I tried to install the canister. As soon as I rotated it into place, it shot out, missing my face by a fraction of an inch and hit the ceiling. Scared the [censored] out of me.

I'm going to send it to Mustang and see if it is defective. I won't be purchasing another inflatable vest and i will be sticking with the old school "won't go off by itself" vest.

You could have lost an eye. Those things sound like an accident waiting to happen. Let us know how the story ends with Mustang. I am really surprised Academy didn't help you out and replace it. Did this last event happen in the store?

No, it happened in my living room. Glad my wife wasn't home. I'd be hearing about it for months.

Maybe she should have seen it. Then when she is giving you trouble go put it on and follow her around.

Something is wrong with your stuff. I have had 2 different kinds of inflatables and only one went off like what you are talking about. The time mine went off it was stored wet and I left it in the boat storage and it rained an there was a lot of moisture in the air for days.
The first ones were the cheap ones from Bass Pro and that was the one the inflated on it's on . That was once in five years of using them.
We know have some of the better made Mustang's and have never had a problem with them. But we store them inside in the dry

I use the Mustang with H.I.T. Water pressure sets them off.

Something isn't right. They don't come armed from the store in the package. You should've had to arm it after you got it out of the package.

I've had very good luck with my Mustang.

I agree

something doesnt sound right about the arming /bobbin...take a look at this video and see if maybe you are missing a part...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qd255Bc2HAw

I have two them that I sell right now for 20 .00 each to someone smarter than me. My wife's went off riding down the lake. The other one went off in the compartment. Bought replacement canisters for both, took an engineering class to install them and they both went off again.

In the video, the lady gently pushes up the yellow tab back into mechanism with ease. Not so when I tried it. The is a spring in there that is stronger than me. It took both thumbs to push it back but it wouldn't stay put. But the vest in that video is a nicer model than the one I have.

Hopefully I hear back from Mustang this week but unless they offer a replacement I won't be buying another Mustang vest. If it inflates without explanation, it isn't something I want in my boat or on me.

You anywhere close to Huntsville or Rayburn?

I would send it back to them. I know they have a company that works on them. I contacted them about mine to just do some maintenance on them. They wanted $35 just to look at them.

Sorry but I am in the Ft Worth area.