Recreational High Speed Life Jackets

[Onetime]

Ive seen them in action and the jacket floated face down after the crash.

That's what I've seen also....not good!

[rude tim]

I hate these conversations, because people get to bashing others and making comments like any jacket is better than nothing. There is no place for this when we are talking about safety.

This is my opinion based on my experance with a blow-over. I have a Life Line race jacket and have a Life Line race/poker run jacket. When i crashed i was wearing the Poker run jacket because it was more comfortable. The jacket saved my life but when they got to me i was under water hanging by my wrist. The plastic clips fot the leg straps one broke and the other un buckled. The main strap in the center of the jacket its plastic clip broke as did the plastic zipper.

Lets talk confort, 10 fractures in five vertbre a broken hip and two seperated shoulders and 3 months in a wheel chair is not comfortable so safety is way more important!

Lets talk price, over $100,000 in medical bills so price should not be entered into the arguement.

If you are running close to 100 you need a racing jacket. If you plan on using anything else make sure it has D Rings not plastic clips.

[58Evinrude]

Great info here.. I'm at the point where I'm running my ride fast enough to want/need a good life jacket. I've been looking at both the Mustang and Lifelines, and I think one of the things that should be tested is do they turn you face up after a spill? A good jacket is as much a part of running fast as any other part of the boat.

[pyro]

Just my thinking any life jacket is better than none just saying. I never went 100mph but made sure my jacket was 100mph rated however I tried to get the same jackets for my kids and the guy looked at me like I was stupid. Now I didn't run over 50 with my kids but would luv to have had a 100mph jacket for them over a 50 mph jacket any day they are 7,8,9 years old

See? He's using those "100 mph rated" terms as if it has something to do with how well the jacket protects a human body at speed... Which, as I've repeatedly pointed out, is not the case.

Again, one more time... "100 mph" rated means they strike an EMPTY jacket hanging by a string with a test object traveling at 100 mph... OR they throw an EMPTY jacket into a fixed object at 100 mph... Just to see if it stays together. This test is NOT a measure of protection, and does NOT imply that the jacket will protect you or even STAY ON YOU at any given speed. It is a marketing gimmick for the Overton's and Cabela's catalogs.

[powerabout]

I agree re the offshore jackets from years ago mine was like 5" thick across the chest with some hard reinforement in it and it laced up and leg straps no way would come off but not many boats did 100mph then either.
I think it was made in kiwi, cant remember
Circuit race guys used them as well
Re uscg label, they do it per size so a custom will never have it as lifeline explained to me for my capsule suit.
When we were kids we used to see how fast we would go andjump out of a boat but in reality you would hit the water going faster when playing around ( skiboats)
That issue with the layered foam definately caused a problem and would fold up into a corner.
Ski racing guys certainly didnt have gear good enough for them back in the 80's and they were doing over 100 all the time down under and a few world records as well not to mention a backwards barefoot record....

[Mr. Demeanor]

See? He's using those "100 mph rated" terms as if it has something to do with how well the jacket protects a human body at speed... Which, as I've repeatedly pointed out, is not the case.

Again, one more time... "100 mph" rated means they strike an EMPTY jacket hanging by a string with a test object traveling at 100 mph... OR they throw an EMPTY jacket into a fixed object at 100 mph... Just to see if it stays together. This test is NOT a measure of protection, and does NOT imply that the jacket will protect you or even STAY ON YOU at any given speed. It is a marketing gimmick for the Overton's and Cabela's catalogs.

Pyro, how do you know what the test process Mustang uses is? Did you find it somewhere because I looked and could not.

[pyro]

It doesn't matter what their specific test is, unless it's on real people. That's why Lifeline doesn't have these false "MPH ratings." My point is, the "ratings" they use in the catalogs have NOTHING to do with the jacket's suitability for driving at any specific speed, or their ability to protect against injuries at those speeds.

What happens is, people get the impression that a "100 mph" life jacket is meant for high-speed or high-performance use, which is NOT the case, as the MPH claim has NOTHING to do with boat speed, or protection for human bodies at those speeds, plain and simple.

[Mr. Demeanor]

It doesn't matter what their specific test is, unless it's on real people. That's why Lifeline doesn't have these false "MPH ratings." My point is, the "ratings" they use in the catalogs have NOTHING to do with the jacket's suitability for driving at any specific speed, or their ability to protect against injuries at those speeds.

What happens is, people get the impression that a "100 mph" life jacket is meant for high-speed or high-performance use, which is NOT the case, as the MPH claim has NOTHING to do with boat speed, or protection for human bodies at those speeds, plain and simple.

So you're assuming their test procedure is throwing against a wall at 100mph??? You might be right but you might be wrong.
Im trying to collect some real info so people can make educated decisions. Please refrain from stating how you think they test as fact if you dont actually know. I would also state there are ways to test without ejecting real people from a boat at 100mph.
When I get some actual facts on how each manufacturer tests their products I will post them.

[Mr. Demeanor]

Just another idea that might be cool would be to get someone who lives near each one of the manufacturers to actually visit the facility.

[Boomer 880]

I wonder if you could look at any outcomes from a company like Underwriters Laboratory, to see if there are any testing protocols they have in-place for PFDs. My guess is there has to be some sort of 'certification' the manufacutrers have to go through. If not, we should call 60-Minutes.

[pyro]

So you're assuming their test procedure is throwing against a wall at 100mph??? You might be right but you might be wrong.
Im trying to collect some real info so people can make educated decisions. Please refrain from stating how you think they test as fact if you dont actually know. I would also state there are ways to test without ejecting real people from a boat at 100mph.
When I get some actual facts on how each manufacturer tests their products I will post them.

Underwriters Laboratory... testing protocols they have in-place for PFDs...

This was already discussed here on the forum in great detail, but it was over 10 years ago. I can't be sure who I'm quoting, but reliable inside sources had claimed the "100 mph impact test" was exactly that: An empty vest launched into a fixed object at 100 MPH, or a moving object collided with the stationary and unsupported vest at 100 MPH. The test has no relevance to the vest's actual performance or strength while being worn. We don't throw baseballs at life jackets, we don't drop them off overpasses, and we don't spray them with fire hoses. We put them on, and we hope they will protect us when something goes wrong, so we invest wisely.

[Hot Shot Merc]

To Pyro and the others who keep saying stearns jacket dont save lives or injuries please watch these videos on the link ive posted to the thread about Joe Wards crash I spoke of 3 times in this thread where the Stearns 100 mph rated affordable jacket DID IN FACT SAVE HIS LIFE IN A REAL WORLD 100 MPH BOAT CRASH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I also encourage you to read post number 53. Joe told that member that the jacket saved his life!!!! If this isnt a good enough test for some of you then I dont know what is.

The crash is in the begining of all the vids and you can see the two allisons go by one at a time then Joes violent crash. These videos are from a property owners home security cameras.

http://www.screamandfly.com/showthre...light=Joe+Ward

Again I'll say I would choose a Life Line Race jacket over the stearns (I have both) however to say that a stearns jacket doesnt have a place in this disscusion or that they dont work or to say something is NOT in fact better than nothing I strongly dissagree and so would Joe if he were still with us. Unfortunately Joe passed away to cancer two years ago.

[motorheadbishop]

Righting the person to float face up is of huge importance to me and something I planned to test. If I am conscious, I can likely swim. The biggest fear for me is being unconscious and drowning. It seems unlikely they would design a vest to stay on with leg straps but not to float the person face up.
This is also a reason I carry type 1 offshore life jackets on my fishing boat that we take offshore.

USCG Type 1 and 2 life jackets will "generally turn the person face up".

Enough LifeLines around this site that I am sure someone can tell us if theirs does.

Im lights were out, when Dan grabbed me outta the water and I WAS face down... I told lifeline, and
They said I had the old version, they tore my jacket down and updated it, said I should float face up now, I said
I'd rather not find out... Lol...

[Mr. Demeanor]

Ok Pyro so you're quoting an unknown source from an old thread. How about you sit out and wait for the new info? Things change and I hope for the better.
When I have actual current info I will let you know.

[Mr. Demeanor]

I have had conversations with reps from LifeLine, Mustang Survival, and Security Race Products today. I have sent an email to Hutchwilco. The wheels are in motion and I will keep everyone posted.