09-16-2009, 12:00 PM
[quote Leaky33] TubeDude, what is your expert opinion??? [
][/quote]
[cool][#0000ff]Well, since you asked...[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I have always complied with the regulations for having a PFD on my tube. But, I have always considered it a nuisance. Another case of our officials meddling in our sport, with something that should be a personal choice and which is soooooo unnecessary.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]In the early days of tubing, at least in Utah, the only regulation was that any inflatable craft have at least two air chambers. I took care of that by having a small inner tube inflated in the back pocket section behind me, to use as a backrest. Anytime I got checked by rangers they were satisfied with that. Common sense.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Most of today's float tubes are virtually unsinkable. They have either two air chambers, foam seats or inflatable seats and even if the main air chamber suddenly split out on the water the tuber is in no real danger of anything besides getting wet...and/or cold. A PFD is redundant and nonessential.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Most tubers I know carry an approved PFD rolled up and tucked into the space behind their seats...in the pointy tubes many of us use today. That's all it takes to satisfy the rangers if you are checked. But, I also know a few who wear their PFDs at all times, on all waters, fair weather or otherwise. That is their personal choice and I cannot find fault with it. Some have had personal experiences that give them a greater "respect" for the potential dangers of the water. Some doubt their ability to survive and swim in the event of a disaster. No problem.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]I have been tubing for a LOOOOOOOONG time. My own personal experience is that I have never been even remotely in danger enough to worry about having a PFD. Nor have I ever known anybody who EVER had to rely on one to survive. That does not mean that I might not someday have a situation in which I need a PFD, but the odds are vastly against it. Still, I carry one on every trip...but because it is a law rather than because of any fear I have of danger.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Some other tubers have asked me "What if you get hit with a boat and you are unconscious in the water?" So...what if? You can play "what if" games all day long. What if a meteor fell out of the sky and landed right on top of you in the lake? What if there was a nuclear explosion nearby and it created a tidal wave in the lake and it washed over you? What if a giant tiger muskie came up and chomped a big hole in your float tube?[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]To me, PFDs are like the safety belt in your car. They are designed to help you under a certain range of potential hazards. But, they will not guard you against major disasters. If you are unlucky enough to get hit by a car or boat, you have a lot more to worry about than whether you get tossed out of the car or drown in the water. Yeah, I know. A PFD will keep your body afloat so that your next of kin will have something to put in the casket.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]If you are buying a PFD simply to comply with the regulations, there is no need to spend a lot of extra money on an inflatable. But, if you have a genuine concern for your physical abilities to survive in the event you end up in the water, then you should be wearing a PFD whenever you go afloat. And, if comfort is a factor...and it is...you may want to buy the inflatable. If you do, then don't buy cheap. It is better to spend a bit more than you want to than not quite enough. The wrong time to discover you paid too little is when you can't get your PFD to inflate when you need it.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]You have had some good input and advice. Shop around and you will form an opinion of the make and model PFD you will be comfortable in buying and wearing. Then shop for price. There can be a lot of good deals available both online and through sports outlets...especially this time of year, after the end of the major recreational boating season.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Another bit of advice that has been offered, and with which I completely agree, is to avoid getting an automatic inflation PFD. Since they inflate when they get wet, you risk having them "go off" while tubing if you get wet from waves, sloshing or whatever. Not good.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]There. You asked for my input. Sorry I got carried away, but I tend to do that. But, all of the above is only my personal opinion. You will need to make your own decisions for your own reasons. Hope you are able to make a good find. Let us know what you end up with.[/#0000ff]
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][/quote][cool][#0000ff]Well, since you asked...[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]I have always complied with the regulations for having a PFD on my tube. But, I have always considered it a nuisance. Another case of our officials meddling in our sport, with something that should be a personal choice and which is soooooo unnecessary.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]In the early days of tubing, at least in Utah, the only regulation was that any inflatable craft have at least two air chambers. I took care of that by having a small inner tube inflated in the back pocket section behind me, to use as a backrest. Anytime I got checked by rangers they were satisfied with that. Common sense.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Most of today's float tubes are virtually unsinkable. They have either two air chambers, foam seats or inflatable seats and even if the main air chamber suddenly split out on the water the tuber is in no real danger of anything besides getting wet...and/or cold. A PFD is redundant and nonessential.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Most tubers I know carry an approved PFD rolled up and tucked into the space behind their seats...in the pointy tubes many of us use today. That's all it takes to satisfy the rangers if you are checked. But, I also know a few who wear their PFDs at all times, on all waters, fair weather or otherwise. That is their personal choice and I cannot find fault with it. Some have had personal experiences that give them a greater "respect" for the potential dangers of the water. Some doubt their ability to survive and swim in the event of a disaster. No problem.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]I have been tubing for a LOOOOOOOONG time. My own personal experience is that I have never been even remotely in danger enough to worry about having a PFD. Nor have I ever known anybody who EVER had to rely on one to survive. That does not mean that I might not someday have a situation in which I need a PFD, but the odds are vastly against it. Still, I carry one on every trip...but because it is a law rather than because of any fear I have of danger.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Some other tubers have asked me "What if you get hit with a boat and you are unconscious in the water?" So...what if? You can play "what if" games all day long. What if a meteor fell out of the sky and landed right on top of you in the lake? What if there was a nuclear explosion nearby and it created a tidal wave in the lake and it washed over you? What if a giant tiger muskie came up and chomped a big hole in your float tube?[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]To me, PFDs are like the safety belt in your car. They are designed to help you under a certain range of potential hazards. But, they will not guard you against major disasters. If you are unlucky enough to get hit by a car or boat, you have a lot more to worry about than whether you get tossed out of the car or drown in the water. Yeah, I know. A PFD will keep your body afloat so that your next of kin will have something to put in the casket.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]If you are buying a PFD simply to comply with the regulations, there is no need to spend a lot of extra money on an inflatable. But, if you have a genuine concern for your physical abilities to survive in the event you end up in the water, then you should be wearing a PFD whenever you go afloat. And, if comfort is a factor...and it is...you may want to buy the inflatable. If you do, then don't buy cheap. It is better to spend a bit more than you want to than not quite enough. The wrong time to discover you paid too little is when you can't get your PFD to inflate when you need it.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]You have had some good input and advice. Shop around and you will form an opinion of the make and model PFD you will be comfortable in buying and wearing. Then shop for price. There can be a lot of good deals available both online and through sports outlets...especially this time of year, after the end of the major recreational boating season.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Another bit of advice that has been offered, and with which I completely agree, is to avoid getting an automatic inflation PFD. Since they inflate when they get wet, you risk having them "go off" while tubing if you get wet from waves, sloshing or whatever. Not good.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]There. You asked for my input. Sorry I got carried away, but I tend to do that. But, all of the above is only my personal opinion. You will need to make your own decisions for your own reasons. Hope you are able to make a good find. Let us know what you end up with.[/#0000ff]
[signature]