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PFD for kiting

Posted: Sat May 29, 2021 5:52 am
by beebad
I sometimes wear a helmet and usually wear my (lightwave dave) impact vest but always wished I had some more buoyant at times in case something happened.

REI has this NRS Ninja PFD that I ordered to see if it will not be too kooky and bulky.

I looked at the NP high hook as well

https://www.nrs.com/product/40013.04/nrs-ninja-pfd

I dont know if you cannot get around a bulky pfd for kiteboarding.

Re: PFD for kiting

Posted: Sat May 29, 2021 7:23 am
by chaosgate
I think you're looking for this: viewtopic.php?f=1&t=2409821

Re: PFD for kiting

Posted: Sat May 29, 2021 8:07 am
by SMJ
I own and like the NP High Hook Elite:
https://www.neilpryde.com/products/high ... 2336264215

Another one to check out is the ION Booster Vest X:
https://www.ion-products.com/water/men/ ... er-x-vest/

Re: PFD for kiting

Posted: Sat May 29, 2021 3:17 pm
by Tony
I think this is a good option if you're looking for an alternative to a bulky vest:
Restube Sport

Re: PFD for kiting

Posted: Sat May 29, 2021 3:25 pm
by Matteo V
beebad wrote:
Sat May 29, 2021 5:52 am
........PFD that I ordered to see if it will not be too kooky and bulky.

.. ......I dont know if you cannot get around a bulky pfd for kiteboarding.
As you can see below, image is (ain't?) everything.

NErail5.jpg
NErail5.jpg (72.88 KiB) Viewed 1817 times
viewtopic.php?t=2400824&start=10

I always wear a floaty PFD for fresh water. But since I have reasons for not wearing one on the coast, I do have an idea for a low level of protection. I'm thinking of getting a cheap manual inflate snorkel vest for under my wetsuit for on the coast. Not really going to help the coast guard recover my body like a real PFD if I get knocked out way on the outside, but at least I wont die after struggling for a long time. And it should be quick to deflate in the break to keep me from getting my neck broke.



jumptheshark wrote:
Sun Sep 30, 2018 2:48 pm
Hooked in, two hands on the bar, a LF fish on a slider, a kayak vest and socks in straps at a perfectly sandy beach. At first I actually thought it was a parody shot..... but then I realized.
Hey, and jumpy got on about me in those pics. So that's how I know I'm doing it right.

Re: PFD for kiting

Posted: Sat May 29, 2021 10:19 pm
by Trent hink
Kayakers usually need a high-cut off to clear the coaming/ spray skirt, and most of these will also work with a kite harness.

I used to wear one regularly when I started kiting.

Two things to consider if you choose to wear one:

If you do have to swim, the pfd makes it much more difficult to make efficient progress.

You don't want to get caught in large breaking waves with a pfd, because you won't be able to duck under the waves.

Re: PFD for kiting

Posted: Sat May 29, 2021 10:44 pm
by Matteo V
Trent hink wrote:
Sat May 29, 2021 10:19 pm
If you do have to swim, the pfd makes it much more difficult to make efficient progress.
I can swim 30km in a life vest, though it would take me quite some time.

I can only swim maybe 5km without one.

So if I was in a game where I had 3 "lives", I'd still die the 3rd and final time only having made it half way back.


Pdf's reduce your sprint speed significantly. But they keep you alive well past exhaustion. Keep that in mind at all times.



Trent hink wrote:
Sat May 29, 2021 10:19 pm
You don't want to get caught in large breaking waves with a pfd, because you won't be able to duck under the waves.
Medium waves on the inside where they break shallow, is my biggest fear with a life vest. Big waves on the outside...... well even if one of those breaks on a bar suddenly, and you get slammed, you are still coming up eventually.

Re: PFD for kiting

Posted: Sun May 30, 2021 12:26 am
by beebad
chaosgate wrote:
Sat May 29, 2021 7:23 am
I think you're looking for this: viewtopic.php?f=1&t=2409821
Thank you, with the exception of perhaps, the khymera , way expensive, none of those are uscg approved type-3 pfds.

Re: PFD for kiting

Posted: Sun May 30, 2021 12:39 am
by beebad
Trent hink wrote:
Sat May 29, 2021 10:19 pm
Kayakers usually need a high-cut off to clear the coaming/ spray skirt, and most of these will also work with a kite harness.

I used to wear one regularly when I started kiting.

Two things to consider if you choose to wear one:

If you do have to swim, the pfd makes it much more difficult to make efficient progress.

You don't want to get caught in large breaking waves with a pfd, because you won't be able to duck under the waves.
Yeah, i am a flatwater kiter. I would bring my surfboard if in the ocean.

Re: PFD for kiting

Posted: Sun May 30, 2021 12:42 am
by chaosgate
beebad wrote:
Sun May 30, 2021 12:26 am
chaosgate wrote:
Sat May 29, 2021 7:23 am
I think you're looking for this: viewtopic.php?f=1&t=2409821
Thank you, with the exception of perhaps, the khymera , way expensive, none of those are uscg approved type-3 pfds.
A bunch of the forward wip ones are 50N vests, the one you had in your first post is 75N. Unless someone is checking for coast guard approval, I would look more at how much floatation you're comfortable with -- definitely, if 50N is okay you will have a lot more choices (and it will be less bulky) than with 75N.