[James Laraway]

I put mine in for a service this week and it came back as a fail due to a hole on the bladder!
For light use (like occasional fishing) I think the recommendation is every 2 years)
So get it checked. If I had gone in a bladder with a hole is no use whatsoever.....

[Mike Barrio]

Always a good new season reminder 

[Hamish Young]

There is useful information from the RNLI here: https://rnli.org/safety/lifejackets

I have worked in the Search & Rescue world for just on 25 years and I have extensively tested (in controlled conditions ) lots of different lifejackets and PFDs to see what 'works' for anglers.

The thing to remember between a basic floatation device (a buoyancy aid) versus a lifejacket for adults is that lifejackets over 150 newtons are designed to help support the wearers airway by being theoretically capable of turning an unconscious person on to their back - but this is only half the story. Anglers are often encumbered by heavy clothing, waders and gear that they'd rather not let go of (like that nice Winston rod and Orvis reel - other brands are available) which can cause issues....

Tackle can be replaced, a life cannot.

I'd look at 150N as being the minimum. 275N is maybe a bit much - they are primarily for offshore use - but the chunkier you are, or if you regularly use float tubes or spend time afloat then lifejackets can be had in various sizes which will support an angler wearing more gear. I use an older 175N where I need to wear one, but will probably replace that with a 190N Crewsaver in the near future.
In all cases make sure the jacket has crotch straps and use them.  In testing we found this was the biggest single difference in how lifejackets performed. If you're worried about wear of the straps on the Simms breathable waders you're wearing, pop a protective sleeve over the straps.

Most importantly - try one on if you can, before buying. It needs to be a good fit.

H

[James Laraway]

I think I'll be going for the crewsaver ones as they look lovely and compact, far neater than by old paramis ones were.
Great info Mr Young 👍

[Mike Barrio]

Possibly an interesting forum challenge .....

How many shops/outlets can we come up with in a Scotland wide list where you can get a lifejacket or PFD serviced or checked 

I would guess that there will be some folk that don't get theirs done because they don't know where to take them, or how much it will cost.

[James Laraway]

Caley Marina Inverness, I think it was about £35 the last time

[Hamish Young]

Most chandlers should be able to point you in the right direction.
If you're paying for a service then you want to make sure you get a certificate of servicing - if you can - as these are life saving appliances and as such must be serviced by an accredited agent.

Can you service your lifejacket yourself Yes, you can.  But I would not recommend it.

PFDs are essentially 'dumb' buoyancy and as such getting them checked is not so important, pre and post use checks are really all that is required. But note that even 'dumb' buoyancy can become compromised so it's worth looking at what the manufacturer states  in the documentation that it comes with. 

The pre and post use checks thing is actually incredibly important, but too few folk bother.

[James Laraway]

I also have a PFD that I keep in the bow of my float tube, as a backup.....just in case.....

Mind you the guideline drifter has a bladder within a bladder on both sides of the tube so even like when I tried to sink. Myself by stabbing it with my scissors by mistake the other year I was still safely afloat

[Ian Fraser-Stables]

This is a very good Topic, one close to my heart.

I've got 7 for our power boat, all auto inflating. The boat is predominantly used on the Solent where tides can be sometimes strong and the weather changeable and the seas choppy, so they are always checked once a season. There is a big debate whether auto inflating is the best or manual pull. For us its the getting flung out of the boat or being knocked out, or from cold water shock , which swung it, but then there's the getting stuck underneath, which is another reason aircraft life jackets are only manual pull now, plus they can always be pulled manually if needs be i.e. the water is too shallow, but you have to be conscious of course.
We also use them for some shore marks when fly fishing but we do very little wading down here. 
Auto jackets used to  have a wax in the arming device which melted in water, these days its a pressure switch which operates much faster to pierce the CO2 cylinder. It's amazing how well they work. 

So I absolutely agree with James. Also  if its any help, there isn't much to do to a life jacket when servicing, so if you can't find someone to do it for you there is a very simple routine you can do safely. The interior bladder should be inflated at least every season  or sooner (depending how much you use it and how old it is)  by blowing it up manually through the inflator and left for 24hrs, then checked for any deflation and replaced as necessary.  The cylinders checked for corrosion and if you're unsure if they have failed, buy a new one they are not expensive. Arming devices must be replaced when they indicate although I tend to do ours ever year regardless.  That is basically what a marine service centre would do.

There is not much else to it really and there are lots of reliable kits sold online. I think the biggest fear that most people have is that they might go off whilst you're checking them and replacing the cylinders but the cylinders screw in to a point and stop where the firing mechanism can reach its target.   

Hope this helps.