'Big' Wave impact/flotation vest

[doc_flavonoid]

I always find it a little funny when people wear extra gear for “safety first” but they order everything in murdered out black like they’re stopping for pics at Starbucks first.

Red is a safe color. Yellow, too. Black... not so much.

same with clear for guns and other heavy water boards.

couple 3 months ago, legendary charger ex life guard heavy water rescue vet was feeling up one of my new this season boards for the outer bars. he was like, "yeah youll be able to ride this in some pretty big surf. love the color too. red! one be losing sight of that"

since then, ive been referring to it as my rescue board

 

[Sam_K]

They only come out at Ulu once it hits 15 ft + (non-Hawaiin). Never really see them when it's just 2x OH

 

[r32]

Would be great to have at slabs, or any tow-in wave, deep water spots like cloud breaks and outer reefs. I would definitely want to test it out first in smaller surf to get the feel of that bulky thing on my chest.

Would you want one under your suit or above?

$1,200 from Quik
$1,250 from Patagucci

 

[potato-nator]

If you surf the same spots I do......and I think you do........there are a couple of them and one in particular who really should wear one. In addition regarding the one guy in particular, every surfer within a 20 yard radius would be well advised to wear one. The guy is just flat out dangerous.

i like the gerdens area but also AC and LBI even though theres no surf there.

luckily the sup-schmucks seem to favor the MPier which as far as i'm concerned
they can have it.

 

[surfadelphia]

I trust the local kids to hold down the Mpier... all that new unnecessary sand is a bigger concern than the sups

 

[GromsDad]

All that new sand has made that zone much better. Gotta say this past year that spot was the best I've ever seen and one of the most consistent spots for 5 miles in either direction. Everyone should go there.

 

[CCKeith]

no such thing when i did my time on the NS. floatbablecourage maybe for some. dunno.some guyswould still charge. Chesser.

 

[kool-aid]

I tried a Patagonia impact vest a couple of years ago. I found it really constricting and that it made it much harder to paddle out. In fact, I pulled it off mid-paddle when getting annihilated and obviously never saw it again.

Now that I'm getting a bit older and want to keep pushing things hard out on big days, I'm thinking it's time to reinvest in that gear. A lot of guys are using impact vests/suits on the biggest days at OB. You're also starting to see some inflation vests out there too. I'm going to give one a shot when I get a chance.

 

[Maz]

I tried a Patagonia impact vest a couple of years ago. I found it really constricting and that it made it much harder to paddle out. In fact, I pulled it off mid-paddle when getting annihilated and obviously never saw it again.

Now that I'm getting a bit older and want to keep pushing things hard out on big days, I'm thinking it's time to reinvest in that gear. A lot of guys are using impact vests/suits on the biggest days at OB. You're also starting to see some inflation vests out there too. I'm going to give one a shot when I get a chance.

Yeah, I was worried at first about the bulkiness, but the Ripcurl vest (see my original post) looks better than the Patagonia one, I reckon.

Getting a bit older++ myself and am keen to stay alive.

 

[doc_flavonoid]

I tried a Patagonia impact vest a couple of years ago. I found it really constricting and that it made it much harder to paddle out. In fact, I pulled it off mid-paddle when getting annihilated and obviously never saw it again.

Now that I'm getting a bit older and want to keep pushing things hard out on big days, I'm thinking it's time to reinvest in that gear. A lot of guys are using impact vests/suits on the biggest days at OB. You're also starting to see some inflation vests out there too. I'm going to give one a shot when I get a chance.

seems to me that the inflation vests and the impact vests/suits serve different purposes.

while the impact gear does offer some flotation, its primary function (coupled with a gath)is providing protection from high speed encounters with your board. makes good sense for sizable top to bottom beachbreaks/reefs where it powerful enough to some serious damage and/or knock your ass out, but not necessarily big enough to drown you by virtue of sheer power and water volume alone.

im sure some guys pre-inflate at jaws mavs nazare in anticipation of impact, but for the most part inflation looks like a great idea when your taking multiple 30' whitewaters on the head. those who know, know. trying to get your head above that super aerated soup is no joke but generally not something you struggle with very long at ob and the like

 

[thekadvang]

have owned a patagonia impact vest that i wore under my wetsuit surfing norcen cal reefs that warranted it and now that i live hawaii am the proud owner of a buell rb1 padded springsuit that i wear in similar conditions

the impact vest gave me a lot of confidence surfing larger waves with a big board. it is definitely a little bulky and awkward, but when you're riding a 9'+ gun and wearing a 4/3 etc. it doesnt really matter. I think a lot of wearing it was mental for me -- like doc says it has float, but not a ton -- but it's enough to give you the assurance when you take waves on the head or fall that you're headed back up. it's also enough float to really make swimming if you lose your board much easier.

i can personally attest to the impact protection - i took the fins of my gun to my ribs hard enough to break out the fin box part way and only had a tiny cut -- would have been really bad if i didnt have the vest

like kool-aid said i would not wear it at a beachbreak situation where you are duckdiving or bailing your board a lot. i wore it once at ocean beach and did not like it at all. it will also stretch the sh!t out of your wetsuit but not much to be done about that

i now wear the buell in similar warm water conditions and it is rad. less spacesuit feeling than the impact vest but still enough protection. the major difference is no padding in the chest, which the impact vest has and puts your body in a bit of a weird paddling position

i don't think i am interested in waves requiring an inflatable vest

 

[Bullnutts]

have owned a patagonia impact vest that i wore under my wetsuit surfing norcen cal reefs that warranted it and now that i live hawaii am the proud owner of a buell rb1 padded springsuit that i wear in similar conditions

the impact vest gave me a lot of confidence surfing larger waves with a big board. it is definitely a little bulky and awkward, but when you're riding a 9'+ gun and wearing a 4/3 etc. it doesnt really matter. I think a lot of wearing it was mental for me -- like doc says it has float, but not a ton -- but it's enough to give you the assurance when you take waves on the head or fall that you're headed back up. it's also enough float to really make swimming if you lose your board much easier.

i can personally attest to the impact protection - i took the fins of my gun to my ribs hard enough to break out the fin box part way and only had a tiny cut -- would have been really bad if i didnt have the vest

like kool-aid said i would not wear it at a beachbreak situation where you are duckdiving or bailing your board a lot. i wore it once at ocean beach and did not like it at all. it will also stretch the sh!t out of your wetsuit but not much to be done about that

i now wear the buell in similar warm water conditions and it is rad. less spacesuit feeling than the impact vest but still enough protection. the major difference is no padding in the chest, which the impact vest has and puts your body in a bit of a weird paddling position

i don't think i am interested in waves requiring an inflatable vest

How is the Buell in regards to sizing? Order the same as you would for an O'Neill or Rip Curl or whatever brand you used to wear or order one size bigger? Mahalos.

 

[thekadvang]

How is the Buell in regards to sizing? Order the same as you would for an O'Neill or Rip Curl or whatever brand you used to wear or order one size bigger? Mahalos.

I actually ended up going a full size DOWN (normally a medium or medium-short, got a small). fits perfectly. their neoprene is super buttery stretchy

that was buell's rec -- they were super responsive and helpful on instagram and can probably point you in the right direction

 

[vanrysss]

Just saw a guy late 20s rocking the full red buell floaty suit and ghost white zinc-face. Was maybe head high out?