USCGA slalom vest Favorites?

[shoeskiman]

What is one of the better vest for slalom that can be used within Florida rules?

I do not like vest with any buckles and I would like to find one that is comfortable and has large arm holes?

I know this will be a very personal choice since fit is probably very important.

Right now I am using a comfortable (Helium SWAT,) vest with side zipper and it doesn't have the CG rating or snug enough fit (I am a medium and this is a large.)

TIA

[skiboyny]

I've been searching for a USCGA vest that's maybe not as heavy as most with no luck. I can find comfortable O'Neil Revenge. Nice vest but at least 10 to 15 lbs dry. Gotta be something lighter. Hope your thread turns up some different ideas. You can search for a thread I made a week or two ago. There are some suggestions there that may help.

[Waternut]

Your biggest problem is going to be your buckleless requirement. All the good ski vests I know of have buckles. If you want to venture into the paddling vests, you'll find that there is zero obstruction on your sides and the arm openings are huge. Paddling vests typically don't have buckles or have a lower buckle that sits below the surface of the vest. I love paddling vests for everything EXCEPT skiing. The problem with a paddling vest is that it isn't designed to protect you in a fall. The front side is thicker but smaller in size which exposes more of your chest. They also ride higher on your hips which exposes your stomach and back. I've cracked ribs twice using a paddling vest while skiing. Greatest vest I've ever used minus the fact that it doesn't protect you...

 

On the flip side though, I won't ever buy another vest without some kind of buckle. I've taken two hard falls with my Radar X vest and had the water completely unzip it leaving only the buckles holding the vest on me.