: I was recently in my local marine store and came across an inflatable life
: jacket by Mustang Survival. It's very small and unobtrusive and is
: inflated with an enclosed C02 cartridge by pulling a cord. I tried one on
: and it is VERY comfortable. It comes in black, red, or blue, and it turns
: yellow when inflated. It can also be manually inflated through an attached
: hose. It is Canadian and US Coast Guard approved. The cost is $150 (Cdn)
: which is comparable or just slightly more than most PFDs, and replacement
: cartridges are about $20.

: Has anyone used one of these for paddling or know of any reason not to?
: -----

This seems better suited to a situation where one is unlikely to need flotation, but when you do, it's an emergency situation. (being aboard a big boat, seaplane, etc.) In a kayak, I frequently find myself in the water and would hate to be spending 20 bucks a pop to stay afloat.