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[bluenoser]

Thinking about buying an inflatable PFD for myself and my daughter....she is soon going to be 10....I hear they are not approved for children so I'm still checking into that.

I've heard a few say they had trouble with the Auto deploy going off in the garage or when the humidity is high...on the flip side you have the guy that went over the Stamp falls who couldn't deploy his manually.

Any comments from personal experience.

[Fish or cut bait.]

I have a manual.
 My buddy guides in the Charlottes and tells me stories of new guides who buy the auto-inflate pfds; where they toss it in the boat and it inflates if there's water in the bottom of the boat, it rains it inflates, yada, yada, yada.
She's 10 and I don't think you'll be weighing her down with a vest full of tackle so just get a regular life-vest (imo).
and at 10 she probably wouldn't fit into one properly.
They're cool but they're really not that much LESS bulky than a regular life jacket unless you plan on layering up with a tackle-vest and such.
My son's a young teenager and I just get him to wear a regular life-vest (though that may change soon)
Just my opinion.
Good luck with your decision

[blaydRnr]

i would probably go with the regular kid's pfd vest that have the collar...it ensures their face is always topside when in the water.

[aquapaloosa]

They now have auto inflate vests that have to be submerged by water to go off.
The old ones(still available in stores) had a tablet trigger that would degrade/dissolve in high humidity or heavy rain.
Manual does not go off if your knocked unconscious.
I would say use normal approved life jackets or top of the line auto inflate.
For children I would use a regular life jacket.  They cannot be tampered with and are always ready to go.  The safety is found in the basics.
Auto inflates are for emergency only.  If the jacket inflates by mistake it could cause an accident or be rendered unusable for the rest of the day.
IMO

[Sam Salmon]

safety is found in the basics

Very much agree-get her a regular jacket that fits well and you'll both be happier.

[Brian]

Thinking about buying an inflatable PFD for myself and my daughter....she is soon going to be 10...

regular foam type for your daughter.

For you, what are you doing with it?  I have a couple pfd's and I wear them according to my activity.  A regular vest when I'm out on the ocean or on a seadoo, a belt-type manual inflating one for when I'm out fishing the river.  I figure if I go for an accidental swim in the river, the belt-type manual is better than not having one.

My kids all have regular foam type Mustang PFDs.

[bluenoser]

Your probably right...stick with the foam for her...least until she's older.

I'm thinking manual inflate for myself, for the most part it's for ocean fishing several times a year and occasionally river fishing out of a boat.

Thanks for the advice

[jetboatjim]

get a foam vest...the guy that went over the stamp falls, pulled his and it would not go off..

[skaha]

--I conscider PFD's same as specialty fishing equipment.
--You can get general purpose for most situations you would use it in or get special purpose.

--I have several PFD's from full collar foam, survival suite, manual inflatable etc.

--I use the manual inflatable river fishing because at the time I bought it only the dissolve type were available and they would have deployed. Next purchase will be pressure triggered inflatable.
--When crossing a river I blow up the inflatable with tube then  let air out on other side.
--If fishing alone or from a boat I use full collar foam as if I go over and bang my head at least I'll have a chance.

--When driving boat at full speed I use full foam and attach kill switch. When I get to troll speed or casting I usually switch to inflatable unless fishing alone.

--When fishing with my son when he was younger I wore same style foam as he did thus setting the example.
--Remember  inflatable doesn't count as a PFD unless it is being worn.