I'm running one of these in the lifesaving dept:

https://www.mtiadventurewear.com/sup/web400900000-fluid-20


And one of these in the hydration dept. (probably not so good for hand on the handle racing but I prefer to squeeze than suck):

www.raidlight.com/en/waist-packs/4015-pb-1000-45.html#/color-lime_green_dark_grey


The benefit of a waistpack is that you can swing it to the front to access food / gear etc.


Thinking once of these might be good for the hands free racing option as I prefer not to have a sweaty back backpack:

www.raidlight.com/en/bottles-and-bladders/3878-bion-roko-750-ml.html#/color-neutral

David, which PFD do you use?
Timely question from Paul, I was only thinking of this on the weekend, would like the added security of having one whilst solo. The Starboard waist one looks OK (in the catalogue anyway)?

Re hydration, no idea, I take a 600ml drink bottle, but paddle 2 hours max.
I strap it to the board, stop and drink.
IMHO, the bum bag PFD satisfies a legislative requirement, but is of no actual use in saving you.
If you are in trouble, getting it around the front and putting it over your head before inflating it means you just drowned.
But I wear one on Westernport paddling solo to satisfy my wife, and on Port Phillip if I think I might have to argue with the water police as to whether I am 399m offshore or 401m offshore (or is that 499 vs 501?)
I wore it for about 6 months before looking inside it to discover the inflation canister wasn't actually screwed on, so it was less than useless.
At one stage I got all safety conscious, and went and bought the slimmest canoe / kayak PFD I could find, big arm holes to not restrict paddling.
Decided I should wear it when paddling alone, which is most of the time.
I was trying it on at home, thinking it looked rather stylish when my 20 Y.O. daughter walked in and said "Dad, you look like in Health and Human when someone had to wear the fake pregnant belly". It remains unused.
I have a couple of the wear them over the shoulder type inflatables in my boat, haven't tried them but they should not interfere with paddling.
But they are a messy thing to put on and wear, and again probably of no use if you are actually in trouble.
Possibly a waterski type vest would be best, but I find fashion and comfort usually win over safety.
No one wants to look like a dork, even alone, and until someone can make a PFD "cool" there will be little take up.
It's bad enough having to wear a bike helmet.
Not telling what my daughter said I look like in the bike helmet.

Couple of options for hydration:
1). Waist pack - Camelback Tahoe.
2). Back pack - Camelback Molokai. (for longer paddles, 3hrs+ I use a 2.5ltr bladder)

PFD:
1). Vest type - best I've tried is the Vaikobi brand. You can fit your hydration bladder in it, has lots of adjustment and mesh pockets in front. You get used to wearing one quite quickly.
2). Waist type - never really saw the point; as was previously mentioned, by the time to you'd have it deployed and fitted you'd quite possibly be gone. Its ok if it's literally only a "box tick" exercise to satisfy the letter of the maritime law.

Kieranr said...
Couple of options for hydration:
1). Waist pack - Camelback Tahoe.
2). Back pack - Camelback Molokai. (for longer paddles, 3hrs+ I use a 2.5ltr bladder)

PFD:
1). Vest type - best I've tried is the Vaikobi brand. You can fit your hydration bladder in it, has lots of adjustment and mesh pockets in front. You get used to wearing one quite quickly.
2). Waist type - never really saw the point; as was previously mentioned, by the time to you'd have it deployed and fitted you'd quite possibly be gone. Its ok if it's literally only a "box tick" exercise to satisfy the letter of the maritime law.

Thanks Kieranr. I looked up the Tahoe earlier today. I'll look up the Molokai tomorrow. Are the vaikobi vests available in Australia?

I've got the same camelbak bumbag as DJ and I reckon it's great. I often don't worry about the bladder - just chuck in a bottle of water. It's got enough room for a few bits and pieces including a small marine radio.
The bag is comfortable, in fact it's easy to forget it's on. Being able to swing it around to the front is handy.

Kieranr said..
Couple of options for hydration:
1). Waist pack - Camelback Tahoe.
2). Back pack - Camelback Molokai. (for longer paddles, 3hrs+ I use a 2.5ltr bladder)

PFD:
1). Vest type - best I've tried is the Vaikobi brand. You can fit your hydration bladder in it, has lots of adjustment and mesh pockets in front. You get used to wearing one quite quickly.
2). Waist type - never really saw the point; as was previously mentioned, by the time to you'd have it deployed and fitted you'd quite possibly be gone. Its ok if it's literally only a "box tick" exercise to satisfy the letter of the maritime law.

+1

In addition to the PFD and Hydration vest, I carry a SPOT messenger beacon. Whilst it has an emergency beacon function, it also has the ability to tell friends and family where you are whilst paddling and if you have to bail out from your intended finishing spot, there is a separate function where with the push of a button you can send a pre determined message to a friend and it gives them a google maps position of where you are so they can rescue you rather than the emergency services.

Has been handy on the odd occasion. au.findmespot.com/en/

That's if you're actually conscious to pull it out of your bum bag, put it on while you're in the water and blow the sucker up.

Try putting on any type of PFD in the water and find out how much fun it actually is!

Yeah I think the neck support thing is not very logical as a claim of benefit with inflatables because the first assumption is you are unconscious and can't keep your head up. Why are you unconscious? Because you fell and hit your head on something? Then as magilla says, you haven't taken the inflatable out of the bag, slipped it over your head, strapped up, and pulled the cord on the gas canister. So forget neck support, you're already dead.

I suppose you could pass out due to hypothermia after having inflated your PFD, but if you are bobbing around in the water for ages unconscious and with hypothermia, once again, you're probably dead.

have a look at the mocke (i think "racer"?) pdf... we shove a 3l bladder in the back for longer paddles & it has front pockets for phone/flares/food. doesn't restrict paddling, doesn't seem to heat up (i fall a lot), doesn't look very sexy (unless you're built like dawid or heath).

PaulShev said...

Kieranr said...
Couple of options for hydration:
1). Waist pack - Camelback Tahoe.
2). Back pack - Camelback Molokai. (for longer paddles, 3hrs+ I use a 2.5ltr bladder)

PFD:
1). Vest type - best I've tried is the Vaikobi brand. You can fit your hydration bladder in it, has lots of adjustment and mesh pockets in front. You get used to wearing one quite quickly.
2). Waist type - never really saw the point; as was previously mentioned, by the time to you'd have it deployed and fitted you'd quite possibly be gone. Its ok if it's literally only a "box tick" exercise to satisfy the letter of the maritime law.

Thanks Kieranr. I looked up the Tahoe earlier today. I'll look up the Molokai tomorrow. Are the vaikobi vests available in Australia?

Yes Paul, Vaikobi is an Australian brand. Based in Sydney. Google their website for local stockists

PTWoody said..
Yeah I think the neck support thing is not very logical as a claim of benefit with inflatables because the first assumption is you are unconscious and can't keep your head up.

I'm no expert but I don't think that is the case. The support is so you can lean back and conserve energy floating with your head up clear of the water for a prolonged period.

I think the "instant unconscious protection' is a bit of a read herring (generally and notwithstanding Lacey's turn) because, if it was a primary motivation, we would all wear pdfs when surfing where there is far greater danger of getting smacked in the head or having a heart failure paddling out / for a wave etc (or suit up in F1 protection gear every time we get behind the wheel).

Instead methinks it is primarily to provide a layer of safety when, forever whatever reason one is stranded (i.e. cramped up or flat out fatigued) and/or getting blown off shore and perhaps facing a night on the water (i.e most likely situation?). That situation doesn't require "instant" pdf floatation.

In that situation, and sitting on my board (assuming that my well maintained and fitted leggie is secured!), faced with the choice of a pfd or an inflatable belt with head support, I'd take the latter.

Genuinely interested in hearing counter-arguments and if a pfd would be better because I've considered upgrading the pfd I've already got to a better model but think that if the brown stuff truly hit the fan (sudden unconsciousness aside) I'm better off with an inflatable.

Perhaps there is a pfd out there with an inflatable head support option which would cover both options?!

Hawaiiheke said..

PTWoody said..
Yeah I think the neck support thing is not very logical as a claim of benefit with inflatables because the first assumption is you are unconscious and can't keep your head up.

I'm no expert but I don't think that is the case. The support is so you can lean back and conserve energy floating with your head up clear of the water for a prolonged period.

I think the "instant unconscious protection' is a bit of a read herring (generally and notwithstanding Lacey's turn) because, if it was a primary motivation, we would all wear pdfs when surfing where there is far greater danger of getting smacked in the head or having a heart failure paddling out / for a wave etc (or suit up in F1 protection gear every time we get behind the wheel).

Instead methinks it is primarily to provide a layer of safety when, forever whatever reason one is stranded (i.e. cramped up or flat out fatigued) and/or getting blown off shore and perhaps facing a night on the water (i.e most likely situation?). That situation doesn't require "instant" pdf floatation.

In that situation, and sitting on my board (assuming that my well maintained and fitted leggie is secured!), faced with the choice of a pfd or an inflatable belt with head support, I'd take the latter.

Genuinely interested in hearing counter-arguments and if a pfd would be better because I've considered upgrading the pfd I've already got to a better model but think that if the brown stuff truly hit the fan (sudden unconsciousness aside) I'm better off with an inflatable.

Perhaps there is a pfd out there with an inflatable head support option which would cover both options?!

Okay I understand what you mean. One thing I would argue in favour of a PFD 2 instead of a PFD 1 (neck support) is that you aren't going to have much luck swimming with a PFD 1. Put one on and try. It's for floating, but you won't be able to move freely. You'll be waiting for rescue. A PFD 2 on the other hand offers some possibility for self rescue. My opinion only.

Now you guys are confusing the hell out me. I've seen the vaikobi - but it is only rated a 50 which I understand is a very basic flotation aid.

Then there's the waist belt versions in either 100 or 150 and with or without air canisters - which personally I don't think would handle the dunking I'd be giving them, seeing how my bike ones corrode.

Then there's the issue of a genuine emergency where I'd be buggered anyway, lost tumbling board like DJ or a genuine brown gouge moment when I'd be better off with an EPIRB.

Distilling this all down, I'm leaning towards a manual 150 pfd1 that is packed away in a waist belt.

I was also leaning towards a DJ camelbak Tahoe until the comments by NNsup. The other alternative a trusted SUP Vic person recommended as an alternative is the Molokai.

How am I doing so far? I know that I couldn't possibly cover every situation.

Besides I haven't even got my 14 footer yet...... Which is another discussion for the other discussion channel.

Hawaiiheke said..





Perhaps there is a pfd out there with an inflatable head support option which would cover both options?!

Now that is an idea. a PFD impact vest wakeboarding/kiteboarding type that will float you/let you swim, with a pull cord to auto inflate a neck support float section.