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Buckles on a Comp Vest?


powbmps

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Not bashing or complaining in any way.  PSA maybe?  I have been paranoid about losing my comp vest during a crash, so I added a wide nylon strap and buckle.  Cut two small slits in the neoprene on either side, with the belt going around my waist and buckling in the front.   No issues at all with the neoprene stretching or tearing. 

Put my little experiment to the test today.  Freeskiing this morning with my buddies and ate it hard.  Went OTF, popped out of the ski and flipped over 2 or 3 times.  Somehow I surfaced totally unscathed, but my vest tore entirely through on one side (second summer with it).  Without the belt it would not have been on me.  I was fine, so maybe no issue with either scenario, but if I was incapacitated in any way......different story.  At $8 all in, it's cheap insurance.  

FHPPjAl.jpg

JH2slJR.jpg?1

 

Edited by powbmps
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1 hour ago, Eagleboy99 said:

Maybe if you hadn't cut the slits, it wouldn't have exploded?  LOL  J/K.... my comp vest has a buckle plus the zipper. I like it but it is slowly falling apart.

Ha!  That was my initial thought, but the neoprene is rugged.  I wonder why none of the current comp vests have a buckle.  

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Thats evidence of one hell of a wipeout. I have been looking at new comp vest. The vest I currently have comes completely unzipped in some wipeouts. It does not have buckles and now I am looking at some with buckles.

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If the crash is hard enough I'm not sure if anything practical will keep the vest from exploding. I had probably my worst crash ever earlier this year. OTF across the wakes, totally ripped open my vest with zipper and two buckles. Near the end of the ride back to the dock I started to get confused and couldn't think straight (I think I asked the same question about 4 times in a row). Probably had a minor concussion.

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59 minutes ago, Hemmy said:

Thats evidence of one hell of a wipeout. I have been looking at new comp vest. The vest I currently have comes completely unzipped in some wipeouts. It does not have buckles and now I am looking at some with buckles.

Mine does too, without the buckle it would have been off me like @powbmps

53 minutes ago, drh said:

If the crash is hard enough I'm not sure if anything practical will keep the vest from exploding. I had probably my worst crash ever earlier this year. OTF across the wakes, totally ripped open my vest with zipper and two buckles. Near the end of the ride back to the dock I started to get confused and couldn't think straight (I think I asked the same question about 4 times in a row). Probably had a minor concussion.

That's definitely a concussion, and actually not a minor one, that's significant.

Here's my vest:

 

 

Liquid Force Comp vest 1.JPG

Liquid Force Comp vest 2.JPG

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1 hour ago, Eagleboy99 said:

There are a few like https://www.bartswatersports.com/catalog/Mens_Comp_Vests/SlingShot_Impact_NON-CGA_Comp__SS9V46/index.asp  I think because a lot of the vests are to look cool, rather than protect ribs and spleens in slalom crashes,

Thanks for the link!

@Michigan boarder - does that one float you at all?

 

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1 hour ago, drh said:

If the crash is hard enough I'm not sure if anything practical will keep the vest from exploding

I can't recall seeing a jumper losing a vest.  And I've seen some horrific crashes (like at the last Worlds in Calgary)

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If you're worried about your safety when incapacitated, you should not be wearing a comp vest. And you shouldn't be modifying a uscga life jacket's straps.
 

In a comp where there is a safety officer and designated safety team and where scores matter is when a comp vest might be safe enough if you're incapacitated.

There's a reason for the buckles and zippers though, so that complete failure is unlikely.

 

 

 

Edited by smileysteve
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7 hours ago, smileysteve said:

If you're worried about your safety when incapacitated, you should not be wearing a comp vest. And you shouldn't be modifying a uscga life jacket's straps.

Valid points.  To be clear, I didn't modify a USCGA life jacket.  

Pretty soon it will be cold enough for the wet/dry suits :(.  Only thing I have that fits over those is CGA, so flotation won't be a concern. 

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Even better, just buy a decent USCG jacket and you won't need to sew straps to anything.  My father inlaw insists on wearing comp jackets, doesn't crash much but on a couple occasions has come up with the thing over his face.

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There are comp vest out there with buckles.

examples (I'm sure theirs more):

https://www.evo.com/wakeboard-vests/ronix-kinetik-park-impact-vest

https://www.evo.com/wakeboard-vests/follow-axe-wake-vest

I have both and prefer the comp vests with buckles.  I've had non buckle jackets pulled over my head in a light surfing falls yet alone catching an edge out of a scarecrow.

I've used that Ronix impact the last couple years and have to say I'm a pretty big fan of the impact foam in it. Overall its thin like a comp vest and has lots of mobility but the foam is stiffer and does give some extra impact protection. I've tried the follow on and it feels like a normal comp vest it does run small though. 

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1 hour ago, drh said:

What's the advantage of a comp vest? I don't seem to have any movement restrictions in a regular vest.

You may not think so until you try reaching across your chest or getting your elbows down close to your sides.  At least for slalom, they make a big difference.  For nonsense like surfing, USCG vests are fine.

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5 hours ago, UWSkier said:

You may not think so until you try reaching across your chest or getting your elbows down close to your sides.  At least for slalom, they make a big difference.  For nonsense like surfing, USCG vests are fine.

Meh.  Try out an x vest.  Most life jacket fit issues can be resolved by reducing the beer belly, not the lifejacket flotation. 

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18 minutes ago, oldjeep said:

Meh.  Try out an x vest.  Most life jacket fit issues can be resolved by reducing the beer belly, not the lifejacket flotation. 

If your Michelob Muscle affects the arm holes then a diet is the best place to start.  Even my wife knows a good vest rocks for slalom.

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26 minutes ago, oldjeep said:

Meh.  Try out an x vest.  Most life jacket fit issues can be resolved by reducing the beer belly, not the lifejacket flotation. 

Right. Which is why all those super fat pro skiers rock the comp vests. 

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