I am thinking of getting one of those one auto inflating life vest I have read some reviews saying that some have had trouble with them going off sitting in there garage has anyone out there had any problems or have any suggestions on which kind to get

I have two of them, one is a Stearns manual, the other is a SOSpenders auto/manual. I havent had any problems with "miss fires". If you get the auto wet it will go off!
I susspect hanging in the garage they can fire from condensation building up. I keep mine in the house so I wouldn't have that problem. Remember, they must be worn at all times to be counted as a life jacket! The Stearns is light and comfortable, while I find the SOS to be a little more bulky and a bit heavier.

I have heard many reports of 'economy' auto inflate vests being triggered by humidity or condensation. this doesn't seem to be a problem in the premium units. Tom

I was looking at Cabalas tournament model, heard anything good r bad about them

I have owned four inflatable PFDs that I keep in a waterproof/dustproof storage box aboard my boat for the past ten years. They are still just like new because of the way they are stored and that I do not wear them often. Yes, it is true that they can not be counted as PFDs on board unless they are actually being worn. I do have other type 3 PFDs also on board my vessel too so I do not need them for USCG regs.

With that all said.. I have never had a problem with my inflatables and they are not self inflating, they must be manually activated or filled by the oral filling tube. I would not want my inflatables to be the only PFDs aboard my vessel because they are easily punctured or damaged. I must also count on them inflating in an emergency when I need them. I have them to wear when fishing. If I am off-shore or in conditions that make me a bit uneasy... I wear the inflatable PFD. Otherwise I will really depend on my type 3 PFDs because I can examine them daily and easily and I know they are intact and will support me or others if we are in the water. Inflatables are good for sportsman that want flexibility and comfort but they do carry some risk in their use.

Non-swimmers should never wear an inflatable PFD or should young children.

I have two SOSpenders and have had them inflate in my rod locker because of moisture. I have since switched to the Mustang auto inflation vest and have not had any problems with either of them. I live in the Northwest and believe or not we get a lot of rain and I have to fish in it all the time in tournaments and the Mustang's come thru everytime.

in the army we use mustang manual inflating ones and they can hold up a 300 pound man with all his gear (close to 350 lbs) with no probaly and you can get kits so if you use them you can use the kit to put it back together and use it again

I have 2 Cabelas auto vests. One of them inflated in the locker within a year. I have since switched both of them to manual mode.

As I already said... my inflatables are the manual inflation type. But with them I also have an inflation tube in case the CO2 cartridge fails to inflate the PFD when I pull the activation handle. Can it happen? You bet it can.... what if my CO2 cartridge was empty due to a slow leak I never noticed.... what if the activation pin don't penetrate the cartridge? Let's face it... anything mechanical or powered can fail. Don't forget that an inflatable can be easily punctured and they then become completly useless! The best PFD device is still a type 1, type 2 or type 3 personal floatation device; all of them are easy to inspect and can not fail if they are not ripped, torn, dirty or otherwise damaged.

Again I have inflatables and type 3 PFDs on my vessel. In severe or dangerous conditions, I will don my type 3 as I can rely on it. I value my life and do not care to bet on it.

I looked into some surplus U.S. Navy mae west life jackets what do you guys think would they work for fishing mcopeland1

Posted By mcopeland1 on 08 Jul 2010 11:58 AM
I looked into some surplus U.S. Navy mae west life jackets what do you guys think would they work for fishing mcopeland1

I will answer your question with a  question.... how much is your life worth?

If the US Navy has sent them to surplus, how good do you think they are... are they top notch PFDs... I think not. Plus you better see if they are with USCG certification and legal to use.

fish-eagle is right I was in the Navy for 20 years and the vest arn't all that great. If you only knew what they went through you wouldn't even consider them. There are alot of good inflatable vest out there and are dependable. Go new not surplus.

Something to remember about Navy PFDs, they are not designed for comfort while fishing and a PFD only works if you wear it! Tom

I have 2 Auto/Manual, one is mine for all the time I'm on the water, except for when I was fishing. If it is ruff water or windy I will wear it.The other one is for my grandson and he is 8 going to be 9 but the USCG approved Auto PFD for children. But this I like to say, when the weather or season is very early spring or late fall or winter I use full PFD. to help with the Hypothermia.
Dennis

LISTEN TO THE GRAND KIDS!  Well, they taught me to wear seat belts in the car or truck.  So far so good.  First time in the boat I said:  Yes, you have to wear those life jackets!  But?  No if, and. or buts about it!  But Pa! Pa! You don't have yours on, we don't want anything bad to happen to you.  Since one of them fishes with me most all the time and if she isn't going she usually follows me to the boat and brings my life jacket, wonder how they got that name?  Only out of the mouths of little children--they love you most.  Spend the money, you are worth every penny.  Uncle Tom

Surplussing them doesn't mean they were not safe, else they would be destroyed instead of redistributed, by federal law. All are USCG approved. When you have a budget that has to be spent within the fiscal year they (all federal agencies & military) don't replace cartridges that show red buttons. They buy new improved models. Every couple of years the old were sent off to state agencies, and we got new replacements. All makes and models we used were much more comfortable to work in than the old bulky styles which were also too hot for summer. I wore one all day whenever maintaining lake buoys. When I saw them available to the public I bought some Stearns auto/manual inflatables and have never had one accidentally inflate even when rained on, and they are at least 10 years old. We never had that problem at work, either. The tablet has to dissolve to let the trigger drop. I bought replacement cartridges in case I couldn't find replacements for that model Stearns, haven't needed them in ten years, though I finally tested a vest a few years ago, so used a replacement cartridge. They are pricey. You probably won't need one until the vest is soaked from falling in. They don't blow up the instant you go in the water. When I jumped in I thought I would have to find the manual string, but before I found it the vest inflated. It took maybe 5 seconds to go off. Swimming and fishing is not interfered with. Dry the wet vest before replacing the new cartridge and arming it.

Jim

I guess you were never in the Navy and never had anything to do with military surplus. Well I did serve in the USN and I served as a procurement officer for some time and was involved in surplusing items no longer wanted or used and with also procuring surplused material for re-use. The items go to the surplus depot with little regard to its condition, it is why they call it surplus. Then it sits there in piles for who knows how long and any other USN ship, department, or station can procure it for little or nothing. Then after that, other military agencies have access to it.... then other goverment agencies... then state agencies and etc. Finally when other goverment agencies don't want it... it will be auctioned off or scrapped.

Those vest were USCG approved when manufactured.... that means nothing when they are surplus or later bought. Thats why they say "buyer beware" and it is up to the buyer to decide if it is safe.

I know you got beat to death on your suggestion.  BPS has a package of 4 Type III vests for under $50. Good quality from the looks. They come in a bag making them convenient to store.

Tight Lines

USN 1968-1972 then 35 years state and federal govt career. I have many times been involved in govt surplussing, sending and receiving. Even local, state and federal agencies as well as military follow the law concerning items having an inherent safety issue.

However you obtain an inflatable vest, the required tags must be present or the vests are destroyed. There is no excuse for having a dud vest.

Inside is a CO2 cartridge. On it are various buttons. The user has responsibility to inspect for all green, ready. Any red, get it out of the boat until all buttons are green. Upon being inspected on the water by any authorized government officer the user can be fined for using faulty equipment. It won't work to say "It's Navy surplus!". You will be told "Tell that to the Judge. Now get off the water."

Any brand of auto inflate vest can inflate in storage. All that I am aware of use a salt tablet that dissolves quickly when wet enough. The gas cartridge waits for the tablet to break down. If it inflates in a garage then the air there is too humid, or the tablet is too old and brittle. I've never seen a crumbling tablet, but have inspected a few thousand vests and found signs of cartridge leakage, at least one red button somewhere on many vests both stored illegally instead of being available to boaters, and even some being worn by seasoned anglers. It was one of my major jobs at the COE, on lake patrol, and we took very seriously any problem with PFDs. A new tablet comes with each replacement cartridge, so be sure to use it. It will likely outlive the cartridge, but replace it anyway. Replace using the kit model listed inside the vest. Keep the vest in a dry well ventilated place. I don't leave them in the boat. I wear it to get the truck to take the boat out of the lake, then put it behind the seat, then it is taken inside my home.

No non-swimmer should rely on an inflatable vest. They deflate after a while, leaving no flotation. You can also buy manual inflatables, allowing you to decide when to inflate it.

Jim