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Anyone ski with a USCG approved vest?


skiboyny
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I have an Eagle vest (group buy) with the extra sheet of foam. It was added to the back panel. If I relax, I quickly go face down in the water. Face-up floatation is a primary element of the USCG approval.

 

For my next Eagle, I'll ask for extra foam in the front only. I am not trying to make a USCG approval equivalent, but just would hope that it wouldn't dunk my face so assuredly.

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A couple of us in my primary skier group are using the Radar X vest. It has extra thick padding in the side panels, perfect for those occasional rib shots to the wake. Probably not as light as you're looking for though, but reasonably flexible and very comfortable. Used an Oneill The Law vest before that, was perfectly happy with it also.
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Thanks for the input everyone keep it coming. To add to my dilemma, I can't have any buckles that protrude I seem to scrape the hell out of my arms if they do. Anyone have any experience with O'Neils revenge, HOs Access.
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I have the Radar X vest as well. They aren't cheap but it's one of the newest designs allowed by the USCG. The vest has a smooth exterior so you don't chafe yourself on it. If you're using decent form, your arms fall perfectly into the pockets between the padding on the front of the vest too. I can vouch for the rib protection. I've broken ribs skiing twice in the last few years from a side impact. For the record, these are the only bones I've ever broken in the last 25 years so it's not because I have weak bones. I've fallen a few more times similar to the rib breaking falls with the new Radar vest and I was perfectly fine.

 

As for the front buckles... How the heck do your hit your buckles? I will hit buckles on the el cheapo vests but anything decent that is adjusted properly has never been an issue.

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Thanks I just ordered the Oneil Revenge vest. Everything is tucked in. I can return it locally if I feel it's to bulky. As for hitting the buckles, It was on an older Oneil and I'm not sure if it was actually the buckles or the attachment points as rawly mentioned. I'll let everyone know how the Revenge pans out.
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I sink like a stone, just bought a BARE on ebay for short money lots of flexibility and weighs about 1/4 of what my O'neil does wet and floats me much higher in the water.
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@GAJ0004 you should double check the laws on PFDs and waterskiing. Most jurisdications allow a skier to wear a waterski specific floatation device, as long as you have a PFD on board. We MUST maintain this standard for our sport. Barefooting and trick skiing in particular are in jeopardy if PFDs are mandatory for a skier..

 

I checked the PA regs and I'm amazed at how detailed as well as naive the laws are in that state, I think I need a PHD to understand it all, but you can elect to wear a waterski specific "wetsuit" if you meet certain criteria...

 

http://www.boat-ed.com/pa/course/p4-12_reqspectopwc.htm

http://www.pacode.com/secure/data/058/chapter109/s109.4.html

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@Killer I wear a wetsuit for tricks and barefooting which PA allows, but otherise if you are on a slalom ski the vest must be USCG approved, but the neo vests I wear when I slalom work fine for me. I like having padding especially when I was skiing at 36 MPH. I wear wetsuit shorts too. I hate having my swim trunks flap around in the wind. You still have to have USCG approved PFD's on board for each passenger/skier. The combination of skiers/passengers cannot exceed the capacity on the boat's capacity plate. If you are towing more than two skiers at once you have to have a trail boat. In the cold water I wear a regular 4 buckle nylon vest over my drysuit.

 

 

 

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Just got the ONeil Revenge. I don't think I'm going to use it. I'm tempted but It's really HEAVY. In all fairness when I put it on It's very comfortable. No restrictions all concealed Lumbar support. I guess I just thought by now they might have some different foams that would be lighter. If I were to gain 10 or 15 lbs of fat, (non functional weight) I think my skiing would go down a bit.
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I used the women's version of the non-USCG for several years. It has a little more flotation than most non-USCG vest, but not as bulky as the USCG vests. You are right, it is heavier than most, but very comforatable. My biggest complaint was the dry time... I did like the lumbar support, I miss it in my current vest.
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