packrafting pfd suggestions

I use these guys: Snorkel Vest

Dana,

Your are referring to the “Thing”. It was an zippered Epic material vest in which you inserted water bladders for inflation. It was originally made for Andrew Skurka by MLD but, is no longer available.

I use an inflatable PFD from the aviation industry. You can pick these up on eBay. Mine is an EAM GA-12 and it weighs 125g (4oz) with the CO2 cartridge removed. It blows up by mouth. Not that comfortable but a good compromise if you’re paddling relatively tame rivers but want some peace of mind.

+1 to Dan.  I have the same one and its great for flat stuff or if I just need to do a couple crossings or whatever. Makes an awesome pillow too. I have an mti journey for anything more than that (which I’m pretty conservative about…)

Edit: I also cut the straps off and resewed them to the sides so I can tie it behind my back.  Seems a bit more secure.

I’ve played around a little bit with using a CCF sleeping pad, cut into a simple vest by trimming out the arm holes (safe them!) and securing the front and shoulders with velcro.  A little velcro on the removed armholes lets you replace them into the pad when you them use it sleep on.

On myself, the circumference is 42″, the average height about 20″ (less under the arms, more over the shoulders) and I used a $7 5/8″ sleeping pad from Walmart.  So it’s displacement is 42 x 20 x 5/8 = 525 cubic inches = 2.27 gallons = 19 pounds of buoyancy which puts it right in the range of commercial PFDs.

I think Daryl (is his user name Daryl Daryl ?), has done something like that as well.

The potential multi-purposing was appealing to me:
1) life jacket

2) sleeping pad

3) insulation, when worn as a vest, especially if used under another layer.

Obviously, it’s not USCG approved and so if you’re rafting through GCNP on the Colorado or someplace where a Ranger insists you have an approved PFD, it won’t fly.  But I feel a lot better about a PFD you don’t have to inflate (or that you have already inflated) than any pull-the-handle or blow-in-the-tube PFD because sometimes things happen very quickly and a bonk on the head is always a possibility.

Need a USCG approved PFD? Price? Weight? Inflatable? Lots of different PFD’s available, and fit for usage is very personal.

If buying an approved PFD, go to a good canoe/paddling shop and try a bunch on. Do not wory too much about useage descriptions, fit and feel should be deciding points.  KM

That’s awesome David. Clever.

In general, anything USCG approved and foam is going to be quite bulky and heavy. USCG approved inflatables can be a lot lighter but there’s still usually a ton of unneeded features and overkill fabrics. Modifying ones of these is probably the most practical USCG approved way to go.

Problem with modification is USCG needs to approve for it to be legal, under serviceable condition language. Mod at your own risk. My search for a minimal canoe tripping PFD resulted in my purchase of an Astral YTV, https://www.astraldesigns.com/shop/paddlesports/pfds/ytv. A minimalist approved inflatable in contention was a Mustang HIT, https://mustangsurvival.com//recreational/md3183-02?division=recreation. My decision because I paddle in BWCA, Quetico, Sylvania, + other parks, and have been checked.  Age and solo travel also makes me somewhat more cautious in gear choices. KM

There’s several applications for packrafts. Some obviously require the burliest rescue equipment, with all the government approvals.

Assuming we’re not talking about that here, what’s left are simple crossings to facilitate a planned backpacking route, lake hopping, short stretches of class I-II rivers, etc. Typically one would bring a bulky white water vest of the most minimal design, but this is obviously not in the spirit of minimalist packing. In some instances no flotation vest at all might well be the route, in other scenarios an unapproved snorkeling thingy is all it takes.

It boils down personal comfort and risk taking, plus land administrators and their rules (and one’s willingness to obey!)

I do 90% of my packrafting adventurers on southwest rivers. Besides the obvious biggies, most have minimal flow when one happens to have time off. On both the Dirty Devil and the Escalante we went without PFD’s and didn’t feel unsafe. This include my kid, and my feelings as a parent.

Because of strict regulations in Canyonlands (which affords incredible backpacking loops using packrafts on class I), I mostly bring the real stuff. In winter, when lack of patroling could tempt one to forego the rules, the water is cold enough for one to feel sketchy with sub-standard gear.