PFD choice??

[Flymph]

OK, I am not getting younger and am tired of reading about drownings and/or near drownings. What PFD do you recommend for a mostly lake fisherman who spends many hours in a 12' Smoker Craft? Amazon has an Onyx that goes for around $50 that I am considering but want to hear from those with much more experience.

 

[up2nogood]

I like the self inflators on a lake , mine barely touched the water getting my pontoon ready , and it inflated . Made me a believer.

 

[Bambooflyguy]

I’ve had a waist belt PFD for a long time. It’s a ripcord operated style, I have bad shoulders and don’t want anything hampering them. I fish lakes 95% year round, winter in a pram, warmer months in a small pontoon. I’ve seen a lot of “pill” water activated PFD’s inflate unintentionally…..$35 bucks for a new cartridge. My .02

 

[clarkman]

I have a couple of the Onyx ones. Personally, I prefer a manual pull, but I'm sure if I fished in crazy conditions, I might opt to switch it back to auto.

 

[Buzzy]

NRS Chinook, it's comfortabble and I forget I have it on, even in my float tube. No worries about CO2 cartridges.

 

[iveofione]

Get an NRS Chinook, wear it and keep it zipped. If you don't think your life is worth $140 just stay off of the water.

 

[krusty]

I really like my NRS Chinook OS. Lots of pockets (that don't stick out too far), and very comfortable.

 

[Josh]

First off, the right PFD is the one that fits you the best and you won't be annoyed wearing.

That said...

Traditional foam? NRS Chinook

Inflatable? Mustang w/hydrostatic activator (senses underwater pressure instead of moisture)

Cheaper inflatable? Manual or moisture sensing from Mustang

Budget inflatable? Manual or moisture sensing from Onyx

I stay away from the waist belt style for fishing as most do not have the same buoyancy power and may not meet the legal definition of a pfd for all activities.

Inflatables are nice, but the Chinook has a ton of useful pockets and attachment points that are very handy when fishing. I find myself wearing it more often than my Mustang inflatable.

 

[Divad]

I’m a fan of the manual pull and least intrusive, so I went with an M16 Onyx belt.

Downside of manual inflate is that you do indeed have to be conscious to inflate it. And downside of the belt is that you must slip it around your head when inflated to keep you upright. These two steps are important to think about. Along with the fact an inflation style can fail so testing at least once a year is recommended.

I would go with either the NRS Chinook or AM24 for you. Mustang is $160-$260, AM24 is $100-$120. AM24 recharge kit is $20, Mustang is $35. Mustang may be better built and does offer a couple extra lbs of buoyancy.

 

[troutstalker]

I use and would recommend a NRS Chinook.

 

[adamcu280]

NRS Chinook owner here. No complaints.

 

[Matt B]

I too have an NRS chinook I got on sale that I mostly use on moving water. It is good. The Astral Ronny model also looks good. On lakes I like to use my self-inflating bAss Pro PFD.

 

[Kilchis]

I wear an automatic pill-style inflatable in summer, and an NRS Chinook the other 10 months of the year. In 15 years I've had two unintentional inflations.

 

[Dragon Mo]

Manual opening for sure. I'm alive today because of wearing one.

 

[Tom Butler]

NRS Chinook, it's comfortabble and I forget I have it on, even in my float tube. No worries about CO2 cartridges.

Another Chinook fan here also, for the same reason. Originally got it for my tube, and to set an example for the grandkids who have to wear a vest on the big boat. Like a bike helmet when cycling, I feel naked without the vest on now.

 

[Tim L]

NRS Chinook Fishing PFD

The evolution of NRS Chinook Fishing PFD, our best-selling lifejacket, depends on our designers listening to the reviews of anglers around the world. And we do. With reconfigured pocket designs, the Chinook makes catching the adventure safer and more effective on the water.

www.nrs.com

 

[rattlesnake]

I like traditional life jackets, more fail safe an option for me. Chinook is a good one (although I don’t use that one personally), but I like the ninja too. Think the old style ninjas are on sale too

 

[Eastside]

NRS Chinook

 

[troutpocket]

Astral Ronny kayak-style foam PFD when it’s cold, Mustang hydrostatic auto inflator when it’s hot.

 

[krusty]

A friendly reminder; an inflatable PFD must be worn to count as a 'one PFD per person' in a watercraft.