Stop and Think Before Buying One of These Jackets

This is an inflatable life jacket, the type that inflates as soon as it hits the water. You don't have to pull that red lever in order for it to work. That is both a blessing and a curse because if you are in the water--say two feet--and don't need to float, it still blows up quickly.

The problem there is that the c02 cartridge below costs between $20 and $25 (more online if you're paying exorbitant shipping for a hazardous material). Every time you go in the water, you have to buy a new cartridge. That's a problem. It's one I just had because I fell out of my kayak in the Roanoke River Monday--in two feet of water.

I spent a good portion of yesterday evening and most of this morning trying to find the cartridge and finally located one at Sportsman's Warehouse. I would have thought it would have been readily available, but it is not.

So, the lesson here is: think about how you're going to use the jacket and if the cost is worth the comfort (and it is, indeed, much more slim, light and comfy than its alternative.