Vest

[ktm300]

I am getting picky but this is what I want in a vest:

 

-more flotation than my Eagle but not CGA; kinda in between

-not made of neoprene so it will not get heavier when wet and stretch out of fit

-as form fitting as possible given the limitations of the two factors above

-front zip

 

Any suggestions?

 

Thanks

 

[chris_logan]

The Camaro Impact vest meets all of that with exception of the flotation. It definitely has equal flotation to an Eagle vest, but I'm not sure that it is more.

[Chef23]

What about the new HO legend vest? I haven't seen it so I don't know how much flotation it has.

 

Eagle makes vests with more flotation but you still have the stretching issue.

[TFIN]

Have a look at the HO Legend. Def hits those three points. I'm with you @ktm300 I wanna know i'm gonna float too.

TF

[Waternut]

Is there a vest that doesn't get heavier when wet? The Radar decibel meets all of those except it has neoprene on the inside (or outside depending on how you want to wear it). It does get heavier when soaked but it's not like a wet towel either.

[Ed_Johnson]

My vote is for the Camaro Impact...Plenty of flotation and feels like your not even wearing one. Last season I bought a new Eagle Platinum and the Camaro Impact..I like the way the Camaro seems to stretch to form fit you..Both great vests, but the Camaro was $60.00 cheaper.

[Chad_Scott]

You can contact Chuck at eagle and ask them to add flotation. The platinum series vest have more flotation in them than the standard vest however if you don't like the platinum you can have them custom build vest with additional flotation

[klindy]

+1 for what @Chad_Scott‌ says about Eagle. Always had great responses from them.

[Eagle1]

Chad is correct. We offer floatation in 6mil, 9mil, 13mil, and 20 mil. Up until this year, all of our men's vests were 13mil front and 13mil back. Due to the popularity of the Platinum series, which we made 13mil front and 20mil back, I decided that the 2014 line would come standard 13/20. Women's vests have always been 13/20. Shorter & smaller bodies need thicker since they don't have the length. Most top ranked skiers want a vest as light as possible and have never complained about the 13/13. The platinum vests definitely stay the lightest and seem to dry out instantly. Our padding is sewn in so it won't float or move on you even after countless sets. It costs a lot more in labor to sewn each pad like we do. We must first bevel the edge of the foam, then apply an light adhesive strip to keep it in place, and then make sure the sew lines are accurate. Very time consuming! 80% of my cost is labor. Most vest manufacturers sandwich the foam between two layers or neoprene and quickly sew around it. Once the padding flips inside the cavity, it's a pain to get it back into place. We make a lot of custom vests (colors, sizing, and custom padding). Just contact your Eagle dealer and explain what you're looking for and they'll get it into the works for you. We definitely appreciate the support you give us. We're committed to being a US Made manufacturer. ...Chuck

[JJVDMZN]

@Eagle1, do you deliver or have an agent in South Africa?

[Chef23]

@Eagle1 when I tried on the Platinum I found the arm holes a little smaller than the regular Eagle vests. Was that in my mind or is that true? I am skiing in one of your regular vests (size XL) and liked the idea of having more flotation but it seemed a little restrictive.

[Eagle1]

It's in your head. The patterns are the same. The silver coating we laminate to the front is a thin rubber to prevent water penetration. It's less flexible than without it and makes the vest feel more snug, so I'm guessing that's what you're feeling. We add room in the pattern to compensate, but what each person feels is different. I get more requests from our promo skiers for that vest than any other vest and they can have any vest they want.

 

We don't deliver to an agent in S. Africa. That's the worst country on the planet to ship to. We have several customers in S.A. that order products from barefootcentral.com due to their discount program. Most South African skiers visit the US once a year, and they'll have the products shipped to their hotels or to friends in the US.

[Rivvy]

How about sizing? If I use a large prey series do I need a xl platinum series? Dealer is saying they are running snugger due to heavier material. I'm really not a big guy.

[chris_logan]

@Rivvy I would definitely try one on if you have the option. I prefer my vest to be quite snug, but still be able to breathe fairly comfortably. Most vests loosen up once wet anyways.

[Rivvy]

Thanks. I'm leaning toward a prey series. Stick with what I know. I was intrigued with the fast drying and additional flotation the platinum offers. Plus it looks sick. The dealer said he would ship me both and pay shipping back for the one I didn't want. Tough to tell without getting a few sets in how they are going to fit.

[Chef23]

I found the arm holes a little small on the Platinum. I could zip the same size vest but felt a little constrained in the arms. I wanted to buy the Platinum but bought the regular one because of the arms. The Eagle folks say the arm holes are the same size so maybe the extra flotation makes it feel smaller.

[Chad_Scott]

I wear a large in the regular Eagle Vest as well as the Platinum. However the Platinum is much tigher at first to get on. I like mine very tight with little or no movements. I am 185 lbs and can wear either one in the Platinum series If you are worried then go safely and order one size up It will only stretch to the person wearing them. So you will be fine The platinum is the best vest. As stated above the front is a rubber coating on top of the neoprene so if you wear it very tight over time you will see where the rubber stretches on the side