Sospenders: Manual or Automatic?

[Staci Matheis]

A Sospenders (Or do you say "a pair of Sospenders"?) is very likely going to be my next purchase. Some of the stories I've heard about the automatic ones inflating in the rain leave me hesitant to purchase anything other than the manual. On the other hand, if I'm knocked out when I go over.....



How 'bout some thoughts?



me!

 

[John Foster]

Scott, SOSpenders does not call them "Auto Inflate model" they call them Manual with a Auto-inflat back up. The SOS web site has great info on them. They are build so if the auto inflate bobbin fails it inflates the unit.



I like the Manual with Auto back up because I use them as my primary PFD. I don't were a "standard life Vest" when I drive the boat. So if I do get pitched I want the unit to be able to auto inflate.



Plus you get the added bonus of converting it to a manual model with oral inflat backup if you choise to. It comes with a seperate manual cap to replace the auto cap and bobbin. So if you are worried that the unit might inflate itself if you are going to be fishing in a down pour. You can change it before you leave fore the ramp.



I hear you can't make a manual inflate into an auto back up. Something about different valves and Coast Guard approval.







John
http://www.sospenders.com/faq.html

 

[Brian Feist]

I just bought the Stearns manual model at BPS Baltimore last week during their Fishing Spectacular. They had them on sale for $60. I bought the manual model because I normally go at slow speeds with thhe 9.9 on my PT175. I do not swim well. I find this hard to believe because most people say that fat people are supposed to float. In any event, I think that I would be able to keep myself afloat log enough to pull the cord. I too wear a PFD as soon as I enter the boat and it stays on until I get the truck back at the boat launch.

 

[Andrew Zuber]

May be a silly question, but do they have to worn as the outer-most garmet?

Will they work if you have a jacket on over them?

I've never seen one in action, so I don't have a good feel for "how big" they inflate...



az

 

[John Foster]

Do not wear them under any clothing. They are designed to be on the outside. If the unit was to inflate while under a jacket it could really hurt you.



This is from their web site..



- How do you put your unit on?



The unit is designed to be worn on the outside of other clothing. Wear SOSPENDERS

 

[Scott Powell]

Some years back while fishing a tournament on the Arkansas River I hit a submerged sand bar (I swear it wasn't there the day before!!) at about 60mph. Needless to say my partner and I failed to remain in the boat (which politely stopped nearby due to the kill switch). I do and always have worn a top quality 100mph impact life jacket which has a neck pad. I was knocked senseless for about 2 or 3 minutes and my neck and back were black and blue for two weeks after that - bottom line: water is VERY HARD!



I wear SOSpenders when the the gas motor is not running and when fishing in a canoe or waders and love them, but having experienced a high speed water impact, I swear by the best traditional life jacket, completely snapped and zipped up, that I can buy and pay alot more attention to the water - I have a 11 year son who needs me around to cheer him on when he wins the Classic in 10 or 12 years

 

[Greg Meyer]

Good point Scott...My SOSpenders are going into the back-up mode...at speed I think they might just get ripped right off...

 

[Scott Powell]

Very possible - I thought the world was coming to an end... I was lucky in both mine and my partner's safety along with the fact that we still had our rods in the rod locker...