Floatation/impact vest

[kiterkay]

Hey guys
I’m looking for recommendations. Couple of fatalities have made me think it’s time to get a vest and it seems that floatation ones are only available in designs that don’t fit under the harness, which I feel will be annoying. And do they restrict movement a lot? I’ve read they make body dragging harder too.
I’m wondering if an impact vest will do the job. I’m told that they aren’t CE marked because there isn’t the required amount of floatabity to be classed as a life saving aid, but they are buoyant. They do tend to fit under the harness which has the added attraction of stopping it riding up.
I guess I envisage a need for it if I’m in deep water and need to self rescue or release the kite a long way from help. Obviously a floatation vest would be best but if it’s going to be a hindrance in other ways, it may not be the best option overall because it’s really not often I’m that far from a rescue boat or land, so if there’s enough float in an impact vest it might be enough in that rare situation especially if I also had a board.

[RustyChain]

I have an NP high hook.

It has a strap that goes over the harness hook so it doesn't ride up. That being said everything rides up a bit and it's kind of annoying.

[Macster]

A wetsuit and impact vest gives a lot of bouyancy but won't come near a proper lifejacket. I use an Ion vest always when twin tipping.

I have a certified lifejacket (PFD 2) that I wear when I go offshore on my foil board. It is a fitted one that is typically used for jetskis and wakeboarding and fits perfectly with a waist harness.

If you crash it does ride up though and so I only use it foil boarding.

I think some kitesurfing drownings also occur from concussions in which case neither of these options will save you if you're unconcious. I also wear a helmet...

[Kitemenn]

If floatation is your issue an impact vest plus wetsuit will do the job! I float just fine...it also adds some warmth if you have to lay in the water for some time!

[iriejohn]

If floatation is your issue an impact vest plus wetsuit will do the job! I float just fine...it also adds some warmth if you have to lay in the water for some time!

This ^^^.

There are several threads discussing impact vests/flotation At some length, here is one:

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=2398074

[kiterkay]

Thanks for all this.
The NP High Hook isn't easy to find in the UK but I think I have located one. Given that it's CE-marked safety marked to N50 standard, it's a top buy but there's no impact protection on the sides at all.
So I guess I have to choose between that and the Ion Vector or Dakine Surface, which look more comfortable under my waist harness.
It's a proper nuisance that there isn't an ideal design - I agree that it's also surprising that there aren't some options incorporating it into harnesses.
Suspect that there is a lot of pride/embarrassment about this, most kiters I know wouldn't be seen dead in one. Ironically.

[Beardytello]

The riding up can be annoying....but it isn't the be all and end all, I have a JetPilot impact vest I bought for wakeboarding, it's got big pads so you wouldn't think it would fit under a harness, I just pull it down and wrap the harness around it, I have to stop maybe 2 / 3 times in a 2 hour session and pull it all down again but it's not that bad.

As previously said as well most wetsuits will offer you good floatation too.

I had my first swim in the other day after a big crash and the kite inverting, it was all fairly chilled out, once I decided I wasn't getting the kite back up I slowly headed into shore, no stress!

[rynhardt]

If floatation is your issue an impact vest plus wetsuit will do the job! I float just fine...it also adds some warmth if you have to lay in the water for some time!

This ^^^.

There are several threads discussing impact vests/flotation At some length, here is one:

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=2398074

Another upvote for wetsuit plus impact vest - enough buoyancy without sacrificing freedom of movement.
I wear mine with a seat harness.

[kiterkay]

I only use a wetsuit for half the year so can't depend on that for float. This winter I crashed with an inverted kite with twisted lines in 28 knots that went all kinds of bad and I felt like my wetsuit made no difference whatsoever to my ability to stay above the surface.
With the tech and design advances giving us kites and boards engineered within an inch of their lives, why is there not more attention paid to vests? Doesn't seem too much to ask. Hey, design team, y'know that cool impact vest that stops a waist harness riding up (thus avoiding impact injuries caused by harnesses)? Go and make that floaty to CE mark standards.
*happy faces all round*

[Beardytello]

So I'm not sure if it's because of where I kite and other spots aren't like my hometown but I've never kited further out to sea than I can comfortably swim back in, are people generally kiting way out further than a swim is possible? Or am I just very floaty?!