I enjoy a good downwinder when we have waves up here. Excellent fun - but on the odd occasion when things go bad - broken lines etc. I have wished I had some sort of floatations vest. Any recommendations ? Do impact vests give enough floatations?

Usually between 100-500 meters from shore. Have just found trying to keep board and manage a kite with a broken line in swell a fair challenge.

not required, floatation from harness alone is plenty...

^completely disagree after coming out of a few hectic crashes behind the boat and at cable where i was either a) ko'd or b) completely munted that i didnt know what was going on for a few seconds, impact vest auto corrected me and put my head above water.

If you want something that's easy to swim in, good impact protection, good flotation etc. go do yourself a favor and stop in at a wakeboarding shop and look at their range of PFD type 3's, I got a ripcurl one I use behind the boat, its thin, doesnt feel like it gets in the way and very comfortable, i have contemplated using it during kicker sessions in the waves so i dont get winded as much on crap stacks.

If pfd3's are too thick then some kiteshops should still have thinner impact vests, pretty sure Liquid force made one that could accommodate for a harness

You can get some fairly slim impact vests like the Mystic Force but they are not smooth, but if you got a neoprene hooded vest and cut the hood off it would be smoother. They make them up to 7mm. You can get thinner vests without the hood up to 3mm you could wear under your wetsuit.

Agree 100% with charl dv....

Coming from a waterskiing/wakeboarding background I have always wondered why it is not compulsory to wear a PFD 3 when kiteboarding, as it is with other watersports.

This issue has also been raised in the surf life saving association, due to the tragedies that have occurred over recent years at the national championships here on the Goldy. As highlighted in these incidents, all it takes is a knock to the head and the air to be expelled from your lungs, next thing you know you are rolling around on the ocean floor where no one can find you.

As we all know you will not last more than 3 or 4 minutes underwater!!

Personally, I wear a 5mm Barefoot suit, in the surf, which serves several purposes. It is a PFD 3 as well as a wetsuit which I can use for skiing, wakeboarding and kiting.

Checkout Wing, Wavelength and Rip Curl brands to name a few.....

Same old, same old.... some are dearer than others, you get what you pay for...

here in sa they are trying the fines for no life jacket so here is an option use an inflatable
I havent got one yet but am considering it. It could be good in your situation

www.biasboating.com.au/Axis_Pacific_Manual_Inflatable_PFD_L_150_p/1087X.htm

there are many other brands and models you can look at in the same line

Stuthepirate said...

GreenGriff said...
here in sa they are trying the fines for no life jacket so here is an option use an inflatable
I havent got one yet but am considering it could be good in your situation

www.biasboating.com.au/Axis_Pacific_Manual_Inflatable_PFD_L_150_p/1087X.htm

there are many other brands and models you can look at in the same line

Manual inflation PFD's are no good to you if you're KO'd.
You can get water activated inflatable PFD's but this would not be suitable for kitesurfing.

goes without saying really! but does forfill the topics requirements

The OP was talking about kitesurfing and downwinders, and NOT cable, waterski, kickers etc.
1. The vest which could keep your head above water is way way too bulky to do any activities in it, let alone kiting. If you become unconscious you naturally turn face down, and consequently drown anyway.
2. The buoyancy of the vest is dependent on its capacity to hold air. So the safer, floatier, the bulkier. That's why they advertise the kiting ones as IMPACT vests, not flotation vest.

If you think you may knock yourself out with the board, an impact helmet is way better option, as it is preventative....

It is no question, that a flotation vest helps in a death loop situation, as you less likely to be dragged underwater. However, a hook-knife is a way better option.

In other situations, just follow the basic rule: don't go further out then what you can easily swim back....

Accidents in surfing or kitesurfing highlight that they are still somewhat extreme sports, so if you cannot take the risk don't start it.

Putting regulations, like compulsory floating vests is ridiculous, especially for surfing. Let's assume we are intelligent enough to make our choices, rather than letting nanny do it for us....

foxkiter said...

I enjoy a good downwinder when we have waves up here. Excellent fun - but on the odd occasion when things go bad - broken lines etc. I have wished I had some sort of floatations vest. Any recommendations ? Do impact vests give enough floatations?

I'm a bit confused. isn't your kite your flotation to get back in?

PoleTroll said...

knotwindy said...

foxkiter said...

I enjoy a good downwinder when we have waves up here. Excellent fun - but on the odd occasion when things go bad - broken lines etc. I have wished I had some sort of floatations vest. Any recommendations ? Do impact vests give enough floatations?

I'm a bit confused. isn't your kite your flotation to get back in?

you assume that all kiters are experienced watermen and have the knowledge and apptitude to be able to self recover. Some of them can barely swim and are let loose on the ocean.

kinda like pole dancing trolls in the kiters forum

Get an inflatable life jacket or fanny bag version the SUP guys use.


Alternatively, a few years ago I thought of inserting a bladder in the back of my harness, inflate it by mouth when you need it, I think a cabrinha or north harness came out with an inflatable back support for the harness. You would not need a lot to keep you afloat.

Cheers
Rich

knotwindy said...

radman4 said...

knotwindy said...

foxkiter said...

I enjoy a good downwinder when we have waves up here. Excellent fun - but on the odd occasion when things go bad - broken lines etc. I have wished I had some sort of floatations vest. Any recommendations ? Do impact vests give enough floatations?

I'm a bit confused. isn't your kite your flotation to get back in?

All good if you still have your kite but if you don't then it's handy to have the floatation.

sorry, still don't get it
i've only been at this a short while and i'm sure some of you have been kiting a lot longer and have more experience so
if you are doing a downwinder and playing in the waves and things go sideways and you have to swim, you keep your kite with you if you can,
if you have to let the kite go to not get eaten by a wave or whatever, you are not that far out in the wave area to swim in,
if you are to far out to swim 1 why and 2 don't go out farther than you can swim, the waves are not out there anyway
so how does a floatation jacket help?
[/

When your 2k off shore with no kite cos your centre(depower)line snaps and your safety clip straightens with the force of the separation and you have to swim in dragging your tt board and bar against a 8knot current you'll be glad of any extra floatation,1 1/2 hour swim and ended up 3 k downwind.

knotwindy said...
sorry again, my stupid but WTF are you doing 2K out when you can have more fun where the waves are in closer?
if you can not swim comfortably that far out why are you there?

maybe below the equator it's not just the weather that spins different?

In a n-nth wester we get awesome surf,but in summer in a s-swest theres not much surf but we have an island 8k offshore and we get big rolling swells through the channel so good to go offshore for a play,have ridden all the way over and back no prob but on the odd occasion the s**t has hit the fan and hence the vest is a good backup plan for a long lazy swim.

radman4 said...

knotwindy said...
sorry again, my stupid but WTF are you doing 2K out when you can have more fun where the waves are in closer?
if you can not swim comfortably that far out why are you there?

maybe below the equator it's not just the weather that spins different?

In a n-nth wester we get awesome surf,but in summer in a s-swest theres not much surf but we have an island 8k offshore and we get big rolling swells through the channel so good to go offshore for a play,have ridden all the way over and back no prob but on the odd occasion the s**t has hit the fan and hence the vest is a good backup plan for a long lazy swim.

I would be guessing foxkiter isn't planning on going 8km offshore, therefore rendering the extra buoyancy nothing but a hinderance...

Keep it simple, floatation is not needed...

There's a big difference between a normal Pfd and a impact floatation vest,I wear a impact vest for mainly the impacts but it gives adequate flotation if needed,nothing like the bulk and float of a true Pfd,not bulky easy to swim in adds an extra layer of warmth fits snug with a harness,have tried numerous brands over the years and the Naish is the best I've used to date.