Thinnest Wake Vest
 

Just curious to get your opinions on what you think is (or probably is) the thinnest life vest out there at this time?

Thx in advance.

NCGA I assume....

been wearing a jetpilot hellcat for 2 years. Have compared it to others, one of the thinner ones I've owned.
Still have an older O'brien pullover that was pretty thin as well

Then there's the JP A10...

I haven't shopped a new one in years, but from what I have in the boat still Oneill Guru pullover and the old old Oneill Boost were the thinnest I can think of.

There are several vests that people have drown in. Years ago I had hook-up with Helium and their vests were super thin. I would wear a small with a medium vest on top. I'm not a CGA or nothing guy, but buy something that floats. Also, something that barely floats you probably won't float you in a few years. All vests lose floatation over time.

Oneill Guru is the other one I have... couldn't think of the name

I have had a lot of different vests over the years jetpilot , ronin , O’Neil, follow and the thinnest was definitely my O’Neill slasher or any other of their nitrolite foam
Vests. It is like wearing nothing .My favorite was jet pilot or follow vest however just purely based on fit

Tbh once im riding I don’t even think about my vest.

I wear a jetpilot cga but cant tell a difference between any of the high quality CGAs or comp vests. The difference is that one floats and one doesn’t

If you want CGA you really can’t do much better than O’Neill’s Assault vest. Thinnest CGA I have ever ridden and super buoyant. I am 235 lbs and a large floats my shoulders up out of the water. For non CGA comp vests, I found that the Liquid Force team comp vest provides probably the best floatation out there. I rode that when I was about 215 lbs, and with board on it would float my whole head out of the water even with no air in my lungs (when in an upright position waiting for the boat to pick up). Take the board off and exhale and I would slowly sink tho...

I’m also not a CGA or nothing guy... but, you take a calculated risk when you wear a comp vest. Board off, knocked out, and wind knocked out of you and you are likely to sink. How likely is it that all three of these happen during a wreck when you ride? That’s the calculated risk part riders need to consider. I do wear comp vests from time to time, but when working on a new trick where I’m not comfortable with how I’ll fall I always put on the CGA. Perspective changed significantly after having children and now have a lower threshold for calculated risk. To each his own...

I have also had buddies that modify CGA vests. Where most of them tend to be bulky is around the sides. I have seen guys pull the stitching to open them up, remove the foam from the sides under the arm hole, and then sew them back up. Nice middle ground that takes the bulk out of the sides (most likely to “interfere” with handle passes and such), but overall still more buoyant than a comp vest. This works particularly well with the atomic Capella, which is a great vest overall but really bulky on the sides.

This x100.

BUT I have been yanked out of my bindings or broken bindings on back edge too many times now to even chance it. You can hit your head and be stunned and have the wind knocked out of you and not know what way is up- which I have experienced a few times now for myself

I switched to CGA this year because my wife is usually the drive and kids are in the boat. I got a ronix one 2.0 that has a longer torso and its awesome. the price is rediculous unless you can find a deal.

LF's Flex comp is the perfect "in between" for me. Comp, but does provide floatation. Another daddy here ;)

I have a large and medium Phalynx comp vests I would sell cheap. Worn maybe 10 times each.

all great vests worn maybe 10 times each. I am 6ft2 and lost weight so down sized.

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I get that a thin vest might seem nice to ride in, but IMHO I would recommend going with a good CGA-vest. I love my Ronix One Capella CGA.
It is super thick, but once on the water I don't feel any difference compared to riding a few newer comp-vests (when at different camps and didn't fly my own vest with me). Well, the only difference I feel is that it hurts less when taking a really big fall as the impact protection in the vest is a lot better.

I switched to this after riding comp vests a few years and finally broke a rib from a big fall.

Also consider getting a vest with a band and not just a zipper. Taking big falls will open that zipper right up and you are basically not even wearing a vest anymore.

I agree the risk of the vest stripping off you at the same time as both bindings break so that you actually sink is virtually zero. So as long as you have someone that will pick you up of the water quick enough if your are left unconscious with your head down and only being held afloat by your board (and feel comfortable with that risk) I guess it isn't a huge issue.
I went to the thicker CGA vest for added protection and won't look back. Not because of any pain, but simply because I hated loosing the last two months of that wakeboard season due to breaking that rib.

By far the best vest I have ever owned!

Crushes my A10 I was riding.

https://www.amazon.com/Ronix-Kinetik...VTKVV85PEBWM2M

prices on the phalanx vests?

One of the problems buying a vest online is not being able to try them on. I picked up a competition vest at Performance Surf & Ski last week. I ended up with a medium, but most of the mediums were too small. If I had gotten one of them online I would have had to send it back.

Sent you a PM