just paddled a round with my new crash vest

[captain twang]

hi guys, i never owned such a thing. here in germany many people use protective vests, because they are nice and cosy. so i went  and bought a ion vector. its really cool, sorry, warm! feels good. i am  pretty happy. i really hate, when the cold wind  cools my wet chest. that is a good cure. it is comfortable too. later in the waves, it will be  good against  boards crashing into me.

[SUPlime]

Any pics? Never heard of a crash vest.

[DavidJohn]

We call them impact vests.

DJ

http://www.kiteboarding.com/proddetail.asp?prod=dakine_matrix_vest_size

[Beasho]

I approve so much I made a video.

After breaking a few ribs, a few times, I added a rib protector to the mix.  Here is a combination of Rib protector and float.

Note:  Given all the padding you can afford to go with a thinner, cheaper wetsuit.  So pay $100 for the suite and spend the rest on the float and impact protection that will keep you both healthy and alive.  I wear this get-up religiously in surf from 2' to Infinity.

[JakeSupTX]

I have that Dakine impact vest. was about a hundred bucks but I like it. Haven't ever SUP'd with it but it has saved my bacon a few times kiteboarding. I really suck at kiteboarding.

[sup_surf_giant]

I approve so much I made a video.

After breaking a few ribs, a few times, I added a rib protector to the mix.  Here is a combination of Rib protector and float.

Note:  Given all the padding you can afford to go with a thinner, cheaper wetsuit.  So pay $100 for the suite and spend the rest on the float and impact protection that will keep you both healthy and alive.  I wear this get-up religiously in surf from 2' to Infinity.

Beasho, do you ever prone with that vest? Can you duck dive?

[XLR8]

I've worn a wakeboarding impact vest in big conditions or solid solo conditions and love the added flotation, even though it is less than pfd's.  I don't know how much buoyancy you lose in freshwater surf, but add in close interval pounding surf and that extra flotation kept my head below the panic line on one broken leash scary situation.

[Ichabod Spoonbill]

I've been under the impression that impact vests are not Coast Guard approved PFDs. Are these ones that are?

[Takeo]

I wear one for big downwind days just in case I lose my board and have to swim to shore in the rough surf! The impact does add flotation but it's not a pfd and in Hawaii weather can get super hot.  By the time I'm paddling in, I have to fully unzipped.

[supthecreek]

Beasho... does it offer any protection against GW body bite? Seems like an appropriate consideration, given your other thread...

[SUPJorge]

Broke 5 ribs and partially collapsed a lung 8 weeks ago. Plan to get back in the water SUS this weekend and bought this rib protector shirt original designed for football.

http://www.evoshield.com/Rib-Protector-Football-Padded-Shirt-Hybrid-Pro-p/a310.htm

[Beasho]

Beasho, do you ever prone with that vest? Can you duck dive?

I have not prone with it, but there are guys at Mavericks that do. 

With regards to helping the panic: YES!  It works.  Better yet you can go over the falls up to 2X OH and race up like a cork.  Its pretty unbelievable.

The reason I wear the rib protector was because I popped some ribs while just wearing the floatation last year. Fortunately while I was bobbing in the water in 1 1/2X OH conditions I thought to myself "well at least I float." 

My next worry was flopping on the beach because I couldn't climb on the board.  Fortunately I recovered enough to slither on to my board and limp home.  Couldn't cough or laugh for a few days.  Now I wear both religiously.

With regards to duck diving think of a duck.  They float like corks but dive and swim faster than we can.  If you are motivated you can duck and successfully dive.

PS:  Yes its sharkproof foam.  Rather all that fabric will hopefully keep me together enough to get to the doctor

[supthecreek]

"They float like corks but dive and swim faster than we can.  If you are motivated you can duck and successfully dive."

I like that

[TallDude]

I bought this wake board vest last year after surfing an outside reef during a big storm (with a friend). It's about a quarter mile out. Even though it dies out after a hundred yards or so, you're still way the hell out there with no support boats, and no one can see you from the shore. It was double overhead and I kept thinking "if my least breaks, this could not be fun." It was about a hundred bucks. It fits good, but I keep forgetting to wear it. 

[sup_surf_giant]

I bought this wake board vest last year after surfing an outside reef during a big storm (with a friend). It's about a quarter mile out. Even though it dies out after a hundred yards or so, you're still way the hell out there with no support boats, and no one can see you from the shore. It was double overhead and I kept thinking "if my least breaks, this could not be fun." It was about a hundred bucks. It fits good, but I keep forgetting to wear it. 

Call me next time!