Bogley

Alex · Joined: 27 Sep 2005 Posts: 2370 Location: SLC, UT

tanya wrote:

Is it true that those old cheap orange life jackets with the flap at the top are safer than the small and fancy types?

Tanya, you have to look at the buoyancy rating on the PFD. The higher the rating the heavier you can be to float. There was a discussion on the PFDs on the utahrafters mailing list a while back. All you ever wanted to know about it was discussed. The bottom line is, if you want to live, get a higher floatation PFD and have it CLIPPED in and not just on you when you are on the river.

Any life jacket is better than nothing, I think the biggest mistake people make is not adjusting it correctly and/or clipping all the clips in. Pretty much all the newbies that come on my trips do not have adjusted life jacket. I usually throw them in to the flat water (before rapids) and see if they fight the life jacket or not. It's a great wake up call for them and then they easily let me adjust them because they almost lost their PFD in the flat water. :eek2:

Felicia · Joined: 04 Jun 2007 Posts: 377 Location: So. CA

The following year we went back, but I the kids with me and they were too young to leave. I stayed behind and became the shuttle driver. It was fine with me.....the river was running at 13000. :-)

I would for sure go again, we just gotten side tracked with other sports.

Felicia · Joined: 04 Jun 2007 Posts: 377 Location: So. CA

The following year we went back, but I the kids with me and they were too young to leave. I stayed behind and became the shuttle driver. It was fine with me.....the river was running at 13000. :-)

I would for sure go again, we just gotten side tracked with other sports.

Alex · Joined: 27 Sep 2005 Posts: 2370 Location: SLC, UT

Rafting goes well with canyoneering! They are such different sports that you get the reward from both. I actually manage to mix and match the gear I used with both sports, all the water gear in canyoneering goes great with rafting.

Felicia, next time you guys are vacationing in Utah, make sure to leave a day for the Westwater canyon (just a bit north/east of moab). It's rated as a number 1 weekend canyon in Utah (or is it in the west?).

tanya · Joined: 18 Oct 2005 Posts: 5480 Location: Utah

Is it just a one or two day trip through there?

Alex · Joined: 27 Sep 2005 Posts: 2370 Location: SLC, UT

Tanya, it's roughly 5-7 hours flow, depends on the flow. You can do it in one day easily and a lot of people do that, but I like to take my time and do a two day out of it :2thumbs:

Then you get to spend the night under the open sky with a person of your choice.... :naughty: :naughty: :naughty:

tanya · Joined: 18 Oct 2005 Posts: 5480 Location: Utah

So this is why you and Steve hang out together? :ne_nau:

Alex · Joined: 27 Sep 2005 Posts: 2370 Location: SLC, UT

tanya wrote: So this is why you and Steve hang out together? :ne_nau:

Hmmm, I haven't been on a overnighter with Steve yet, but he is known to have lots of babes on his trips. Babes and beer.... now there is a living.

Alex · Joined: 27 Sep 2005 Posts: 2370 Location: SLC, UT

tanya wrote: So this is why you and Steve hang out together? :ne_nau:

Oh oh... almost forgot, What happens on the river, stays on the river and flows under the bridge :roflol: :cool2:

tanya · Joined: 18 Oct 2005 Posts: 5480 Location: Utah

Alex wrote: tanya wrote: So this is why you and Steve hang out together? :ne_nau:

Hmmm, I haven't been on a overnighter with Steve yet, but he is known to have lots of babes on his trips. Babes and beer.... now there is a living.

Is this not what defines a River Rat? :lol8:

soitgos · Joined: 29 Jun 2006 Posts: 113 Location: Price

Well, sometimes they're cuter than others . . .

tanya · Joined: 18 Oct 2005 Posts: 5480 Location: Utah

Alex wrote:
Tanya, you have to look at the buoyancy rating on the PFD. The higher the rating the heavier you can be to float. There was a discussion on the PFDs on the utahrafters mailing list a while back. All you ever wanted to know about it was discussed. The bottom line is, if you want to live, get a higher floatation PFD and have it CLIPPED in and not just on you when you are on the river.

Any life jacket is better than nothing, I think the biggest mistake people make is not adjusting it correctly and/or clipping all the clips in. Pretty much all the newbies that come on my trips do not have adjusted life jacket. I usually throw them in to the flat water (before rapids) and see if they fight the life jacket or not. It's a great wake up call for them and then they easily let me adjust them because they almost lost their PFD in the flat water. :eek2:

But the things are made for men! How could they fit a woman tight? There are obstacles! :roll: :haha:

soitgos · Joined: 29 Jun 2006 Posts: 113 Location: Price

tanya wrote: But the things are made for men! How could they fit a woman tight? There are obstacles! :roll: :haha:

There are a few made for women, with, ahhmmm . . . places for obstacles.

tanya · Joined: 18 Oct 2005 Posts: 5480 Location: Utah

Okay! I am relieved now. ~whew~

I guess they are not a one size fits all. :haha:

How do you tell what are the safest life jackets... as in which will get your head out of the water fastest!!! :mrgreen:

Sombeech · Joined: 09 Dec 2004 Posts: 11253 Location: The Rubbish Bin

There's some cushion for the pushin.