In light of recent events I would like to know if these exist?

Messed up a jump yesterday by over rotating (13m 25knots) resulted in small crash, broke my board too.


There is a fine line between conscious and unconscious.

I would have thought with all the pros pushing the limits, someone might have thought of some workable PFD.

Wear a helmet?

Buy a foil,mow grass,its safer then boosting

Chuck one on the cat
Throw it in the drink
See if it lands feet 1st

I have used the Pro-Tec brand of helmets before. I have no doubt they spread the load when impacting with a solid object.

This isn't so much the issue, the issue I found was - when I hit the water the additional surface area of the helmet rips your head backwards.

This can become problematic and could lead to neck injury when falling from 7 or 8m+ above the water. head gets ripped back.

I''m no mathematics expert, but i recon a helmet would probably increase the service area of your head by a 2 fold increase.

PDF1 are designed to float you face up. Maybe a self-inflating one? You obviously need to be conscious to activate it.

Underoath said..
I have used the Pro-Tec brand of helmets before. I have no doubt they spread the load when impacting with a solid object.

This isn't so much the issue, the issue I found was - when I hit the water the additional surface area of the helmet rips your head backwards.

This can become problematic and could lead to neck injury when falling from 7 or 8m+ above the water. head gets ripped back.

I''m no mathematics expert, but i recon a helmet would probably increase the service area of your head by a 2 fold increase.

I could be wrong (misunderstanding) but it sounds like the fit of your helmet isn't right. I had a wake helmet (Jobe) that was lovely and comfortable - but far too loose. Haven't used it since my first body drag when I realised it bucketed as it wasn't snug enough. Your helmet should be very snug on your head (shouldn't move when you shake your head vigorously even without the straps fastened). My protec ace wake had a dense foam that I trimmed to the shape of my head to get the fit right.

A quick back of the fag packet calculation suggests more like a 20% volume increase and a 12% surface area increase (assuming a helmet thickness of about 1/2inch and my 7 5/8 melon to fit it to). Whilst I get your concern about neck injuries, I would suggest you were going to have neck problems regardless of a helmet and that the helmet is there to help you stay conscious by dissipating the impact. Moreover, with a helmet you can turn your head slightly into the impact knowing the helmet is going to absorb some of the impact.

Underoath said..
In light of recent events I would like to know if these exist?

What you're asking for is a type 1 PFD that will accomodate a harness hook, be light enough to wear whilst kiting and have impact resistance. They're competing priorities so no such a thing probably doesn't exist.

You have to settle for a compromise somewhere and give one of those four things up. It sounds like your contemplating the worst case unconscious kiter scenario? Trying to source and wear a type 1 PFD for inshore kiting is probably counter-intuitive. If you've been knocked out or similar its likely been a catastrophic moment and odds on you're still hooked into your kite. On that basis the over-riding forces on you will be from the kite, there's little chance of the buoyancy from from the vest competing with this and keeping you face up.