Watch this video it could possibly save your life.
https://youtu.be/rS3OH_syahs

Saw your video in the Crappie Section! Worth seeing it again. Some good information there. Thanks for sharing.

thanks. not many have put in the effort to do that.

which pfd do you have

excellent video ! Thank you for your concern, I have the auto inflate, and feel a lot better.

It's time to check the dates on mine again and I have saved the old stuff to do my own swimming pool test.

Thank you for that. Very informative and possibly life saving.

Great job bringing awareness about water safety Dee~! I've got two self inflates. And carry two other types in the boat just to make sure I'm legal should one of the CO2 cylinders fail inspection on the inflateables. But I usually check them first thing anyway.

Great Video, thanks for making it....

I've always been a little leery of the auto inflates not working so I wear the old traditional type vest. I may reconsider....enjoyed the video.

Thanks, very educational. Will test mine soon.

Very good video, thanks!

The downside to the auto inflates is simply that you need to be vigilant in checking them. I would check mine every month or so, but one time I found it was bad and who knows how many trips it was like that for. Now I check every trip and keep a spare kit, it only takes 5 seconds to look inside the velcro flap when you first put it on.

For those of you that don't know, there is a disk near the co2 cartridge that is green for good and turns red when it is bad (probably different for different models but I think a lot look like this).

Not quite sure what you mean by "bad" but on mine that looks just like that,, the more the bobbin cartridge screwed down the more it turns green, unscrewing the bobbin cartridge, the color will turn red the more it is unscrewed.

exactly, when its green like yours is it is good. when you are screwing it in you will notice that red go away. but if it is all the way screwed in and you see that red, then you need a new rearm kit.

I get it. ..If the co2 cartridge is punctured the indicator turns red. The tension has been released from the co2 cartridge end.

Glad I bought the one I did. Great vid, passed it on to my boating friends.

As luck would have it, one of the vest-type "do not use" PFDs blew out of my boat on the highway yesterday, along with the kill switch key/cord. Doh! So today I trotted to Academy and got an "approved" model along with a new kill switch key/cord.

None work when not worn...me and my wife have ours on all day..!!!

The whole thread is great and this is one one the best comments.

Maybe everyone knows, but in Texas, an inflatable does not count as a PDF unless you are wearing it.

I was wrong about thinking they had changed the rules on a type 5 inflatable. You still have to have an approved type onboard if you take it off. Thanks for the link below.

Have had too many friends use the auto inflate and they didn't work. Even with non-expired CO2 cartridges in them. A couple guys I know where ejected at high speeds out of thei bass rig and neither jacket went off......so not 100% in belief of their use.
I have switched to an non-inflatable
Just my two-cents worth.....

That's really interesting. The only other jacket I would like to have seen is one of the better regular vest like a mustang or BPS with the collars and 100mph rating. That does make me rethink my regular ole vest now though

The link below shows the Types/Class of Life jackets...so for any life jacket you have to look to see if it is a Type I, Type II , Type III, Type IV of Type V, they make inflatables in all these types...so if your inflatable is a Type V, it must be worn to be counted...most of the Life Jackets tested were I believe were Type II, or Type III , although he did not state...so as you can see they may not right an unconscious person in all cases, whereas a Type I will, so if you want that feature purchase a Type I life jacket...but an interesting video to demonstrate what to expect when you hit the water..

Texas Parks and Wildlife Life Jackets

Great information. Much appreciated. Will check our inflatables when I get home.

Thank you for the link, I looked and somehow missed it. I will share this with my friend that told me it had changed. I always have extras but I don't think he does.