I wanted to have impact protection in my kite vest. I did quite a bit of looking around the internet to find the best one for kiteboarding. I found it in a U.S. Coast Guard approved flotation device made by Stohlquist. This PFD (personal flotation device)was originally designed for kayakers and such. The design is great for kiting because it does not come down to interfere with the harness. The "shorty" design also bulks up the thickness on front and back sides to about 3 inches each. This thing almost makes you bullet-proof! Plus you have a fully rated flotation device that could save your life if you got knocked silly for a few minutes. I highly recommend this P.F.D. to anyone who is serious about protecting themselves with their gear. It is available at Kiteworld for about 130 dollars. Check it out at:
http://kiteworld.net/lifejackets-pfds.html
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