: Has anyone used one of these for paddling or know of any reason not to?
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SOSpenders make a waist belt model that is labeled as a 16gram unit. The waist belt design in nice because it is like a fanny pack with a single strap around your waist. The drawback is that you need to pull a cord to inflate it and pull it over your head. The 16 gram co2 cartridge half inflates the pfd (to about 16lbs of buoyancy) and you need to orally fill it to capacity (about 38 lbs.). The pack is really unobtrusive. I only use the belt back when I am paddling in very 'safe' conditions. Calm, warm water, near shore, essentially when I figure there is no chance that I would need a pfd. Under those circumstances it is really nice especially in hot weather.