Which Lifejacket: Crewsaver Crewfit, Spinlock Deckvest or Baltic Race?

[GrahamM376]

I have a Spinlock Deckvest & loathe it with a passion It is like wearing an old fashioned horse collar & it shoves the thick collar of my jacket into my neck so much I cant move properly. I tried it on in the shop, but over a regular jacket. I am on the lookout for a replacement, but next time will take my Musto to make sure that it fits comfortably over the top. Also, the thigh straps (WTF) have gone in the bin.......

Resorted to wearing a very basic LJ in the meantime, while the Spinlock sits in the cabin chuckling...Di

We like our Spinlock deck vests and find them very comfortable but, 99% of our sailing is in tee shirt and shorts so don't know what they're like over a jacket. Yes, the thigh straps were a PITA but easy to convert to crotch straps.

 

[BruceDanforth]

It's not a useful question. How comfortable it is doesn't really matter. The question you need to ask is do you die if you fall in the sea wearing it. Hope that helps.

Bump - i am looking at these and the kru pro sport. Would be keen to hear about Baltic Race 150.

 

[Uricanejack]

Not sure if avalable in the UK.

I would recomend Mustang inflatable life jackets.
I like the one with a harness.
Some varieties are SOLAS aproved.

 

[colind3782]

It's not a useful question. How comfortable it is doesn't really matter. The question you need to ask is do you die if you fall in the sea wearing it. Hope that helps.

Comfort does matter because you're more likely to be wearing it when you fall in the sea. One boat I was on had lifejackets that badly chafed the back of my neck and I rarely wore it for that reason. I vowed to never own another uncomfortable jacket.

 

[sailorgirl]

We like our Spinlock deck vests and find them very comfortable but, 99% of our sailing is in tee shirt and shorts so don't know what they're like over a jacket. Yes, the thigh straps were a PITA but easy to convert to crotch straps.

+1 for Deckvests they work for us over oilies and without, comfy to wear and don't get caught up on things as much when working on deck presumably because higher up the body. And as a girlie they fit properly without squashing bits you'd rather not have squashed as the main part of the jacket is quite stiff and self supporting unlike most other designs!

 

[Keen_Ed]

I preferred the Spinlock over the Kru, but it's a personal thing. Waitiing for the Team O back pull with interest.

 

[Daydream believer]

I have a spinlock & like it because I always wear my LJ ( i insist crews always wear LJ's on my boat). This means I need to adjust it regularly for fit over oilies or T shirts as weather changes & the deckvest can be adjusted quickly- unlike my visitors Crewsaver jackets which seem to take ages to fit to a visiting crew
However, my deckvest has 3 problems
1) No holder for my Personal epirb (I think new ones have this)
2) When returning to spinlock ( who's after sales care is very good) for service I decided to try a test inflation first . The inflated tube extends under the chin. It inflated with such force that it banged my neck back & the seam of the tube scratched my skin
3) the straps are possibly designed as they are just to be different but if one sits for a while then stands up one finds they have slipped down the leg & snag when standing. I have ditched mine & use a sail tie which I fasten to the front with a couple of half hitches & I find that better than the purpose made ones on other jackets

My daughter has a Kru & loves it for sailing on a squib but there is no harness attachment so make sure you check what model you are buying

 

[prv]

My daughter has a Kru & loves it for sailing on a squib but there is no harness attachment so make sure you check what model you are buying

Most makes have both harness and non-harness versions. My Kru has a lifeline point, so anyone reading shouldn't discount it for that reason.

Pete

 

[Simondjuk]

Pete, We were thinking of getting ourselves Kru Sports, having tried them and liking the fit and absence of a feeling of weight on the shoulders, which Helen finds a problem when wearing our current Crewsavers for a long time.

One of the features which actually appealed to me about the Kru Sport is the soft harness eye, mostly for the sake of the joinery when going below. Do you find it a real pain to use, or merely a minor niggle? I can clip my line into the D-ring on my Crewsaver without looking, and would consider a jacket where I found myself fiddling around in the dark using both hands to clip on to be a retrograde step. I didn't think to look at that aspect of the jacket, or test clipping a line to it, when trying.

 

[Seajet]

I have some 275 ( ? big ) newton Crewfits which are fine, but for everyday use standard Kru LJ/harnesses.

I find the Kru's particularly comfortable - good value too - and the canvas type cover seems harder wearing tan Crewsavers'.

Not had heavy green water over the Ktru's yet, but I can vouch they do their job as I managed to go overboard from the tender a few years ago, worked a treat.

I had only just got into the habit of always wearing a LJ in the tender...

Fitting a new trigger & bottle was still over £20.

 

[Sans Bateau]

It's not the susceptibility of the pellet mechanism which worries me; it's the susceptibility of the cylinder to rust.

Never ever experienced this, mind you the jackets get serviced every year, live in a dry area when not used and what is just as important, our Baltic jackets have the cylinder and pellet mechanism under an inverted pocket, so when stood at the wheel and I got totally drenched when green water came over the spray hood the jacket didnt inflate, although I'm sure some budget LJ's could well have done.

 

[prv]

One of the features which actually appealed to me about the Kru Sport is the soft harness eye, mostly for the sake of the joinery when going below. Do you find it a real pain to use, or merely a minor niggle? I can clip my line into the D-ring on my Crewsaver without looking, and would consider a jacket where I found myself fiddling around in the dark using both hands to clip on to be a retrograde step. I didn't think to look at that aspect of the jacket, or test clipping a line to it, when trying.

I don't clip on all that often to be honest, and only bought the jacket this year, so don't have that much experience. But we had a roughish night departure from Cherbourg round to St Vaast and an even bouncier (though daylight) trip back again; I clipped on at the helm for both of those. I remember it being more fiddly to disengage the hook than to hook on. Because there's no load-bearing buckle you have to clip into two soft eyes to secure the strap that goes round the back, and the eyes are arranged to face each other lying flat against the body rather than sticking out. So it's never going to be as smooth and easy as picking up the single sticking-out D ring on the front of a traditional jacket.

I suppose if you find it a problem you could get a climbers' screwgate carabiner each and put it through the harness eyes when conditions are such that you might want a tether. Then you're back to a single metal loop to clip on and off from.

Pete

 

[Simondjuk]

Thanks Pete.

I think I'll take another look before buying, especially since not being able to unclip rapidly may potentially present a bigger danger than clipping in being a fiddle.