I remember when the worst part of fishing was wearing a life vest. Hot, heavy and bulky, life jackets were less than comfortable. The old life jackets spent more time stuffed in tankwells. Not ideal. A decade ago, designers of life jackets first added a mesh back to accommodate the high seat back on a fishing kayak. Then, they added pockets and clips for tools and gear. Eventually, life jacket brands focused on downsizing, venting and molding the foam to fit more body sizes. Recently, it seems life vests have a reduced the number of pockets and clips to further trim the fat. Today’s fishing PFDs are so light, slim and cool, I forget I’m wearing one.
Onyx
OnyxA/M 24 Deluxe
$229 | onyxoutdoor.com
Inflatable life vests face two limitations: storage and comfort. Onyx developed the A/M 24 Deluxe (pictured above) to overcome both challenges. To prevent shifting and rising and keep the straps from cutting and rubbing, the premium inflatable life vest features a whole-body harness with padded air chambers and back pad. To increase storage space, the A/M 24 Deluxe includes two fleece-lined and zippered pockets to carry small items or keep my hands warm. These great features are in addition to manual or automatic inflation and 22.5 pounds of buoyancy. My favorite feature is the smallest; I love how the pull cord tucks out of the way into the inflation chamber.
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Kokatat
Kokatat Leviathan
$179 | kokatat.com
With fleece-lined handwarmer pockets and soft foam and fabric, Kokatat’s Leviathan is my choice for a winter life vest. The Leviathan has 14 pockets in total. Probably too many, but I like having options to store my gear. Even with acres of storage, the Leviathan manages to stay low-profile and lightweight. Environmentally friendly GAIA foam curves to fit my body and maintain ventilation. Straight out of the box, this life jacket feels as comfortable as an old sweatshirt.
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NRS
NRSChinook OS
$169 | nrs.com
How do you improve on a classic? NRS took one of the most iconic fishing life vests and modernized it. The Chinook is a great all-around life vest with the right combination of storage and fit. They kept the soft, moldable foam and ripstop nylon and reorganized the pockets for a lower profile fit. The large pocket remains on the left side, but the right side now features a smaller tackle pocket and a vertical pocket for a VHF radio or smartphone. The new Chinook OS is just as durable and comfortable, but now it’s a little more versatile and less bulky.
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AMAZON BACKCOUNTRY REI
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Mustang Survival
MIT 70 Automatic Inflatable
$139 | mustangsurvival.com
When I hit the water on my fishing SUP, I grab Mustang Survival’s MIT Automatic Inflatable life jacket. The low-profile vest doesn’t interfere with paddling and provides 15.7 pounds of buoyancy making it the smallest Coast Guard-approved life vest. I can manually inflate the vest with a convenient pull cord. If I end up in the water unconscious, the MIT will inflate automatically. When the going gets wet, I can disable the automatic inflation feature. The MIT 70 uses Mustang’s Membrane Inflatable Technology with light, flexible bladder material for maximum expansion.
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Stohlquist
Stohlquist Keeper
$179 | stohlquist.com
When the going gets rough, I appreciate the combination of form-fit foam and cross-cinch adjustment to secure the Stohlquist Keeper. Unlike the big chunk of foam high on the shoulders, the Keeper uses a thin layer of foam across the life vest’s back panel. The design spreads the foam out so the PFD doesn’t ride up in the water. On a highback seat, the foam provides an extra layer of padding. If the fishing plan includes a good chance I will end up in the water, I rely on the Keeper’s security and fit.
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Astral Designs
Astral DesignsEV-Eight
$140 | astraldesigns.com
Astral Designs’ EV-Eight is the pinnacle of a modern no-frills fishing life vest.After testing every life vest under the sun, the EV-Eight is my personal life vest for summer. First, the vest only has two low-profile pockets. I stick my smartphone in one pocket and leave the other pocket for my Garmin inReach Mini 2 satellite communicator. The foam is carved and curved to improve air circulation. The outside is covered with recycled material that is tougher and softer than classic reinforced nylon. At only 1.25 pounds, the EV-Eight is the lightest foam vest in the review.
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Wear it and forget it. New fishing PFDs focus on convenience. | Feature photo: Courtesy Onyx Outdoor
