Opinions? Good brands? So many to choose from!!!! Help!

I use the Astral V-Eight because it's well ventilated and doesn't have a lot of pockets that make it bulky.

I use the NRS Chinook. I've had it for about 2 years now and have no complaints. I'm hard on gear and this thing has held up just fine.

Another vote for the Chinook

I had a Chinook and didn't care for it. Honestly it really depends on the seat of your kayak and personal preference.

I'm a fan of Astral. Check out the Ronnie and the Ronnie Fisher PFDs. The flotation on the back is thin and evenly dispersed making it very comfy with a high seat.

http://www.astraldesigns.com/products/Ronny.php

http://www.astraldesigns.com/products/RonnyFisher.php

Their customer service is top notch as well.



Mariner Sails has a nice selection to choose from if you want to head over there and try some on.

For an inflatable option I really like my Mustang MIT100. The only negative for me is it has zero pockets. But as for comfort it is hard to beat. I normally forget I have it on.

2 thumbs up for my Chinook. I love mine. It stays on the whole trip. Comfy and lots of pockets. Good luck!

Thanks guys! Looks like a trip to Mariner is in my near future, that will cost me more than a PFD I am sure. I prefer to handle stuff before I buy it anyway!

Chinook

Inflatables are a bad idea for kayaks. If you're in a power boat I could maybe understand one but I would still want a traditional PFD.

x5

Can you explain this to me? I would like a view from the other side. I personally use an inflatable in the yak, but would prefer a traditional pfd in a powerboat. My logic is that if something goes wrong in a powerboat I'm more likely to lose consciousness (or at least the ability to inflate my pfd) than if something went wrong in the kayak.

Chinook.

I've been trying an inflatable waist pack and am pleased with it as far as comfort on these 100deg days. While probably the most "risky" of PFD's, its a choice that I think those of you who tend not to wear PFD's on hot days (or any day) may want to consider. The pros are the obvious comfort level while giving some amt of protection, easy to throw in the hatch of the yak so it is always there, etc. The cons are you have to be conscious and have your wits about you to make it effective as with any manual inflatable. Obviously, I would not recommend for those with poor health history or those with a propensity to pass out, those not comfortable being "in the water", poor swimmers, etc. I use mine primarily on warmer, reasonably calm lake days in the PA (the PA being stable and limited risk of falling out or turtling).



When in a less stable yak, rough weather, cold days, river trips, etc, I use my Stohlquist Trekker. I prefer the simpler design over the multi-pocketed offerings - just enough space to hold a camera, phone and wallet.

http://cdn-products.austinkayak.com/p_1795_700.jpg

If you are tending towards a multi-pocketed design, I would have to second the Chinook - I considered it during my last purchase and found it comfortable and well made. WIth that said, I think it is important to evaluate any PFD first-hand which means finding a store that may have many choices for you to compare and see it how it fits you personally - what works for one person may not work for the next. Mariner Sails has one of the best varieties that I have found.

I like Rogers idea for calm days. I went to Mariner and tried them on until I found the one that felt the most comfortable. I hate wearing it but I dont want to drown either. LOL!