Comp vs. USCG
 

I've knocked myself out a few times so naturally a USCGA vest seems the safest. However, last time I fell I hit really hard and jacked myself up. Collapsed lung, broken ribs and scapula. Naturally a thicker vest seems better for protection, but I was just reading about how it actually creates a bigger impact (more buoyant, greater surface tension on the water). Rather than cutting through the water on the fall, you're stopped at the surface with greater force.

What is your experience? Are falls easier with a comp and am I dumb to consider one given I will likely end up knocked out again at some point?

How in the world did you collapse a lung, break ribs, and your shoulder blade all in one shot? Did you fall from an airplane?

I unfortunately learned a little about falling hard when I was learning roll to blinds. On my first several attempts I didn't get all of my rotation which lead to me catching my back edge... you can imagine the rest...

IMO: The amount of surface tension saved by using a comp vest doesn't make a very noticeable difference. If anything, I've felt more of the impact when wearing a comp vest. I believe it depends more on how you fall, not what you're wearing when you do fall i.e. fall on your side, you cut through the water, fall flat on your back/chest (like I did), you don't. That's my experience at least.

I had a real rough fall over the weekend. Was a busy day on the water and poor conditions and ate it hard, broke 3 rips, pulled a muscle in my back. The fall knocked the wind out of me and my back was in spazm for about 30 seconds so I was totally unable to move. Some wally blew a ton of wake in my direction and I was barely above water. Im pretty happy I had my CGA vest on while I lay motionless for a few minutes until the boat was able to get back to me.

I have a comp vest also, personally when Im not trying anyting new and no one is on the water and great conditions ill wear my comp, but when Im trying new tricks, busy on the water and less then great conditions I have on my CGA vest.

I know exactly how you feel. Except when I crashed, the conditions were pristine and there wasn't another boat on the water. I just got excited and tried to go too big and too hard. It was the most violent crash I have ever taken and I don't wish to repeat it. I got the wind knocked out of me so hard that I passed out. I remember gasping for air and the next thing I remember were my buddies pulling me up into the boat. I had a CGA vest on which was probably good. When it comes to CGA vests though, there just aren't too many really good options. Many more choices and better looking with the comp vests.

Maybe I ought to look into having two like you and switch out depending on the day and riding conditions and how cool I want to look. :cool:

My doctor asked the same thing. At first I thought I just pulled a muscle in my back really bad. But...After two days of "clicking" sounds coming from my back with movement and every time I breathed, and with getting short of breath going up the stairs, I went back for an x-ray. Bad news!

Having to take it easy has been the worst! I'm going to The Boarding School in August, so fortunately it happened early in the season.

I think I agree with you on the surface tension issue and the comp vest not making much of a difference. It really is much more about how you fall. I've taken plenty of falls that should have been bad, but weren't because of the angle I entered the water. Being completely stretched out and hitting the water flat and face down is not a good way to go though. The vest wouldn't have made much of a difference at all.

The catching the edge part is what has me a little fearful of learning spins. You go down hard!

Ive been curious about the same thing lately...any good suggestions for comfortable cga vests? is the capella as comfortable as advertised?

Anything by O'Neill in my opinion. The Law is the lightest/thinnest cga vest out there from what I've heard. And The Outlaw is right on the other side as a comp, both very comfortable.

Ive got a LF Watson CGA and its pretty comfortable to me. Its a little loose on the upperchest, but it also has some use in it

There is no crash scenario as you are describing where a non-CGA would be beneficial. All of this "slice through the water, less buoyant" crap is just stuff people make up to justify a comp vest to their wives or parents.

I have both. But I'm not stupid enough to think that a non-CGA is safer in any event.

Haha! So true! And that is exactly what I did as soon as I read about it. I went to my wife and gave her the spiel about "slicing through water" and "less surface area impact", etc. She just rolled her eyes and walked away! :)

I took a fall off the Unit rail at O'dub last Friday and landed hard on my side. It knocked the wind out of me and I couldn't inhale fro at least 30 sec. That is a weird feeling. I switched to a thicker CGA vest a while back after using a non-CGA for many years. It left me wondering how hard it would have been if I had the old vest.

Get a USCG, no reason not to these days, and get the Oneill Revenge, best vest I've ever worn.

My Liquid Force comp vest won't even keep my mouth above water when I am waiting for the boat to pull me up! I wear it a couple times a year when I am wanting to get a cool picture or something and don't want to look as bulky as the Hulk using my regular vest.

I wonder if any of those comp vests will let you sink if unconscious?

Your best friend in a bad situation is an aware driver. I learned that after a bad barefoot impact...and once with a curious gator.

I recently got a LF Hinge because they started giving tickets on my lake for non-cga pretty regularly. It's pretty comfortable and thin and alot cheaper than some of the other CGA's out there. I still wear the non-cga at the cable just for comfort and would probably wear it at the lake if it weren't for the cops.

What cable allows non cga?