In The Market For A Life Jacket

[OzarkFishman]

I am in the market for a life jacket that I will use on my kayak with chest waders on. I am very skittish to get on my kayak with waders. My dad's friend died when he was going from one duck spot to another and fell out of his boat with his waders on. I was always taught to never wear waders in a boat.

So ... I have a few questions:

1) Will the life jacket actually hold you up if your waders start to fill up?

2) I would think you would want a life jacket that floats you high in the water so that the water can't get into the waders. Is this true?

3) What life jacket would you all recommend?

Thanks for any advise given,

OzarkFishman

[Stoneroller]

Sorry to hear about your father's friend's accident. Panic is most likely the cause of his drowning though. It's a common misconception that falling in water with waders will pull you under, while this may be more likely in moving water, it is very unlikely in flat water. what is nearly impossible to do with waders full of water is pull yourself up onto ice or a boat. then of course hypothermia is an issue.

You are much better off getting a wet or dry suit to wear when the weather is cold. Immersion Research makes a really sweet pair of kayak fishing pants. neoprene booties, ready for wader boots and a neoprene waist that WILL keep out water. http://www.immersionresearch.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/dry_pants.jpg i'm not gonna lie, they are pricey, but well worth the extra cost. They have a cheaper pair without the booties if you want to go that route.

now as far as PFD's go... (sorry I got sidetracked it's the A.D.D.) Check Austinkayak.com http://www.austinkayak.com/products/814/Stohlquist-Fisherman-High-Back-Life-Vest.html

they have a ton of choices on there. I got the Stohlquist Fisherman Highback vest. it has pockets on the front for lure boxes, a rod holder (like a fishing vest) and some other cool features. the back is high enough that it doesn't hit the top of my high back fishing seat. It should be floaty enough to hold you above water, even if you waders were full. (although full waders wouldn't actually add weight to you if you were floating, again it's getting out of the water with full waders that will be the tough part)

I've been considering the wader/dry suit debate for some time now and I'm going with the pro's on this one, although waders, two wading belts and a good pfd, "shouldn't" be an issue. it's probably best to err on the side of safety and wear a wet suit or dry suit/pants and a good PFD. You might only get one chance to test theories, best to use others' experience as a sounding board.

[Stoneroller]

oh, and I got the Univesal Fit vest. that way I could make it bigger if I want to wear it over a jacket when it's cold, or make it smaller to fit properly in the summer. Keep that in mind.

[Gavin]

I canoe in waders often, and I cant remember the last time I put on a life jacket..Probably a bit of stupidity on my part, but I just dont see a need for one on the streams I float on a regular basis.

I'd definitely wear on if I was doing any lake canoeing, whitewater, or floating a big river like the Mighty Missippi or Missouri...Probably an inflatable. Cheers.

[Stoneroller]

use coupon code 'holiday10' to get 15% off ALL accessory items at austinkayak.com during december. (they'll send you another code for 15% off one accessory item each time you order, codes are good for about 45 days)

[OzarkFishman]

It seems I have some researching to do tonight. Thanks for the input.

[Ham]

Wearing a wader belt and a jacket over the top of your waders will greatly slow the intrusion of water into your waders if you have an unplanned entry into the water.

DO wear the PFD though.

I wear waders in a canoe or kayak when the water is < 60 degrees and I don't worry about it at all.

[jdmidwest]

This is similar to the models I wear in my yak, it is made by Stearns and offers a full range of movement for paddling, fishing, or shooting at ducks. I have a camo and a green one and they are pretty comfortable, it has straps or mesh instead of the web shoulders. In the summer, they are not hot. In the winter, they fit over a pair of waders and a hunting coat. Will they float me if I fall in, I really don't know for sure, never tried them out. Maybe this summer I will dump myself in full hunting gear and make sure I can float.

I hunt a deep lake that is over 30', it gets choppy in the best of duck hunting and hard to paddle across safely. I hunt in breathable waders, wear a belt, and don't carry ammo in my coat and the rating on the vest exceeds my weight so I should float. If you wear neoprene, it is buoyant also, so it adds to the flotation. I always wear a PFD in the winter, cold water can shock you and you can not swim. Added clothing and waders just drag you to the bottom.

I have an inflatable belt model by Stearns also that I use during the summer in deeper waters by myself. My thought process is, if I get tossed, I can pull the cord and float on it. I have wore it wade fishing by myself in the winter also, I have had some exciting stream crossings in the winter time that almost pulled me down. I really don't wear a PFD during the summer in most rivers when I am with others. My yaks float fully filled with water and unless knocked out cold, I will have flotation nearby, just grab it as I go out. Or I can just stand up.

Stearns Fishing PFD

[OzarkFishman]

When you all are talking about wader belts ...

Do your wader belts have extra flotation?

What makes the belt important when it comes to safety?

I have a pair of Cabela's Dry Plus Breathables and the belt that came with it is basic, but effective ...

Do other belts really offer anything other than a little storage and comfort?

I am looking at the PFDs that you all have listed. The ones at the kayak site are high, but there is one I am interested in. I also saw Bass Pro has their XPS fishing pfds. The Stearns one is the best price and looks pretty good in camo.

I don't want to skimp on this purchase. I want to have confidence no matter where I am fishing or hunting.

Thank you all for the links and comments,

OzarkFishman

[jdmidwest]

A belt for a pair of waders is simply a nylon belt that fits around the waders and closes them tight to your body to prevent the water from rushing in if you dunk. I mentioned a flotation belt which is a nylon belt with an inflatable PFD attached that is activated by a pull rope and a CO2 cartridge to inflate. It only works if you are able to pull the cord and is Coast Guard approved type 3.

Most PFD's will have a flotation weight on the label, how many pounds that it will float. Assuming you are only wanting to float and fish, any PFD that will carry your gross weight, body, clothing, waders, etc. will get you out of trouble. Most kayak PFD's are designed for the guys that spend most of the day rolling the yaks and popping back up in whitewater situations in yaks with full skirts to keep water out. It also acts as a layer of protection against bumps and bruises on the rocks.

To further muddy the water, full vests are required in higher speed boats to prevent them from coming off if ejected from a bass boat, ski boat, or jet ski at cruising speeds and to keep the head up since there is a higher possibility of getting knocked out when ejected.

Here is a link to some of the PFD ratings.

Stearns USCG Rating

PFD Ratings