My very tall 10-year old daughter is now 93 lbs, which means she no longer legally fits in any child-sized PFD since they are rated only up to 90 lbs (Youth size). So, I have to put her in an adult size while underway. What is a good comfortable adult-sized pfd, non-inflatable, that can be worn for hours while boating, on deck, in hot weather? From everything I have read, you have to be over 16-years old to wear any kind of inflatable, so that desirable option appears to be out. My daughter's Youth-sized Mustang PFD had a mesh back, making it comfortable to wear in the heat but there doesn't seem to be similar one for adults. Any advice?
Comfortable PFD for youth > 90 lbs
- Thread starter Brian L.20665
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She cannot wear a child size so she has to wear an adult size.
Go down to WM and have her try on some. The general consensus is that ALL PFD are nasty to wear in hot weather. Try a cotton T-shirt
I personally would take the risk at her being identified as an "adult" due to her height. Questions to self: can she swim?, well? If yes to both then you are taking minimal risk. Remember laws are written for the average person in general conditions.
Go down to WM and have her try on some. The general consensus is that ALL PFD are nasty to wear in hot weather. Try a cotton T-shirt
I personally would take the risk at her being identified as an "adult" due to her height. Questions to self: can she swim?, well? If yes to both then you are taking minimal risk. Remember laws are written for the average person in general conditions.
There are two general classes of vest. One is for recreational use and the others are for work wear. I find the work wear type to be more comfortable and they also place the flotation lower on the body. Having 35 pounds of flotation wrapped around your neck doesn't work as well as if it were under your arms and around your chest.
90 lbs - we got one of those too!
Actually she is just 88 pounds and the life vest we had for 90 pounds wouldn't work because the minimum chest size written on the vest's tag was too larger for her.
Maybe not all vests of that weight range have a chest size range but this one did so be sure to check if the vest has one.
The child's vest's have a crotch strap that helps to prevent the vest from going over the user's head but the 90 pound vest we had didn't have one. It would have been nice if it had because a kid this size is still kinda skinny and it could possibly slip over their heads if and arm or two came out of the arm hole which on ours was quite large.
In the Northwest it's difficult to find water to really swim in because its all so dang c-o-l-d ! And there aren't that many swimming pools around.
Heck, our high for the day just recently passed 50F not too many weeks ago but recently it seems like someone switched the lever from winter to summer.
Actually she is just 88 pounds and the life vest we had for 90 pounds wouldn't work because the minimum chest size written on the vest's tag was too larger for her.
Maybe not all vests of that weight range have a chest size range but this one did so be sure to check if the vest has one.
The child's vest's have a crotch strap that helps to prevent the vest from going over the user's head but the 90 pound vest we had didn't have one. It would have been nice if it had because a kid this size is still kinda skinny and it could possibly slip over their heads if and arm or two came out of the arm hole which on ours was quite large.
In the Northwest it's difficult to find water to really swim in because its all so dang c-o-l-d ! And there aren't that many swimming pools around.
Heck, our high for the day just recently passed 50F not too many weeks ago but recently it seems like someone switched the lever from winter to summer.
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I think I have to disagree with you Bill -- or perhaps, agree with you more strongly than you! Laws are written for the least capable person in the worst possible conditions. Here in Maryland, PFD's are required for all persons below a certain age. So if you are a swim team member, sitting in a john boat with your Life Guard Dad, fishing in 3' of water on a sweltering day 15 feet from the beach, you are in a life jacket. Huh? Wonder how those rules work if you are using the boat as a "swim platform?" As a kid, we used to turn the Avon upside down and swim off it for hours.
And have you seen the recent BoatUS info blurb on the USCG move to mandate PFD's for ALL users? There might be some size exceptions, but the new rules will mean that when you decide to row ashore (100 yards?) for the afternoon, you will need to don a PFD!
Harry
If you go to an Academy Sports store or similar place, there are life vests in the fishing department which are more comfortable than the standard vests. There is mesh material between the flotation panels, and mesh across the shoulders/neck - it allows for plenty of movement, comfortably. My son has one, and he wears it the whole time we're fishing (I have an inflatable). I'd imagine they are similar to the work vests a previous poster mentioned.
very much the same but for the color. I am not in favor of camo vests in the water.
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