The Mustang Survival Elite 120 is an inflatable life jacket anglers have already come to trust, and now it has received some serious upgrades.
Mustang Elite 120 upgraded for flotation performance and comfort
First is the addition of their ADAPT bladder technology, which stands for: Advanced Airway Protection and Turning. The bladder technology is exactly how it sounds. ADAPT is designed so that when the inflation deploys, it helps roll the user into a face-up position. While this has been a long-standing purpose of PFDs, ADAPT goes multiple steps in improving the function in a low profile design. It has baffle barriers that interlock to prevent the ingress of water around the user’s airway space. It has a wide comfortable head pillow section to keep your head and neck stable on the flotation. And the flotation also has what Mustang says is a dogleg design that acts like a hinge so that in waves it helps prevent the user from being pitched by their lifejacket while in a floating position.
In the summer of 2025, at ICAST, we spoke with Mustang Survival ambassador Hunter Bland, who credits a Mustang PFD with saving his life in a boating accident. Bland was able to be part of the behind-the-scenes of bringing the new Elite 120 to anglers.
Bland shared that the new Elite 120 has also been redesigned for comfort, better assisting the PFD for all-day wear. Mustang has taken some of the material off the back to help keep anglers cooler on hot days and provide a lower profile PFD. The adjustment in shape also allows the life jacket to sit lower on the shoulders, which provides an improved fit that helps prevent chaffing around the shoulders and makes it feel more secure.
The new Elite 120 still includes Mustang’s Hydrostatic Inflation Technology, which activates the 28 pounds of inflatable flotation based on water pressure.
The Elite 120 is available at Mustang Survival and retailers.
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Feature Image: Kayak Angler Staff
