Hi guys, recently I bought an O'Neill Gooru comp vest, it fits me well but I haven't tried it on water yet. I ride both on salt water and fresh water. I used to wear a thick comp vest though the JetPilot A-10, it worked very well. Once I've tried a comp vest before which I don't remember what brand and the water came up to my lips. Do you guys know how to stay afloat well wearing a comp vest? <BR> <BR>Thanks a lot for the help before. <BR> <BR>Cheers!

I had last year's Gooru and it didn't float me at all. I would tread water between falls and it would tire me out... I got rid of it after stargazing a backroll. I didnt want to deal with treading water while the wind was knocked out of me... but as for your question... breathe in as much air as possible... should help u stay afloat..

keep your board under you(a standing position) when waiting to be pulled out or for the boat to come back around. The flotation of the board and bindings will help keep you afloat better.

comp vests arent going to keep you afloat.

make sure your bindings are tight cuz yer board is whats gonna float you. I started wearing a comp vest this year cuz its super comfortable but it doesnt float you real well. I kinda see it as a way to beat the laws without wearing abig bulky vest.

I tried a comp vest my buddy bought, and all I can say is NO WAY. I definitely don't feel safe in one. I also had to continuously tread water to stay afloat. What worries me is if you take a hard spill and hurt yourself or knock yourself out then what. I'm not even sure I want to let anyone wear one while riding behind my boat. I would have a hard time dealing with a death or serious injury do to a comp vest while riding behind my boat. My friends say I'm paranoid.

This past weekend I compared my USCG to a couple non USCG vests noting significant floating differences for me personally. For me personally a non-uscg vest will not float me. I found this out by getting in the water without a board on and blowing all the air out of my lungs (or atleast as much as I could). I usually floated around the eye level or worse with a non-uscg vest. With the uscg vest I Floated around the neck area keeping my mouth and nose above water. This was the first time I ever did this and I was really suprised by the results. I weight approx 175lbs, am 5'10" with a 32 inch waist. I am guessing the differences people notice in float is related to their percentage of body fat....?

I bought an O'neil Vapor non-cga last year...I've had a-10's and a gooru before that. I always pull the board under me when I'm waiting for the boat so I don't have to tread...but when I'd get the wind knocked out of me it was extremely difficult to stay afloat because I didn't have the energy to bring the board under me. the Vapor, even though its a non-cga, floats me well enough to wear I don't have to tread. its the most "floating" non-cga I've ever tried and its really comfortable!

yea just stand on your board under the water ala butterslide style. helps for people who aren't good at it yet to have your knees as bent as possible

can someone explain to me how you go about standing on your board underwater. I have seen it done but can't figure out how to do it myself?

just stand on your board in the water and get up that way

keep your body straight up and down with your board straight under you, if you bend your knees a little it makes it easier. It's just like trying to balance on a pool noodle. Tricky at first but makes it alot easier to float without a good jacket. But these jackets aren't made to float you when you are conscious, they are made to float you when you are out cold. So just because one floated better when you were awake doesn't mean it won't put your nostrils under the water when you catch and edge and knock yourself out. WEAR A LIFE JACKET.

whats the easiest way to get the board back underwater once you fall from a ride. Am I just to weak??

....try to stay calm in a comp vest if you try to stay afloat you end up going up and down and make things worse because of momentum. If it floats you under your nose....your good dont panic and go with the flow...if a wave comes just take it like a surfer. The calmer you stay the better ...it just takes a bit getting used to not having your chest out of the water.

<b>Edgar:</b> I had trouble figuring this out as well, and it actually still isn't easy to get the board under me even though I now know how to do it. What I usually do is tuck the board under my butt as far as I can and use my arms to paddle my weight over the board. Then, it's just a matter of extending your legs and balancing.

I turn my board perpendicular to the water level, and let the weight of the board sink it down, then swim your body over the board with your hands.

If I let go of the rope or just jump in I can keep the board under me but just having trouble lowering once its floating, will try those things this weekend.

I've never understood the purpose of comp vests other than maybe more manueverability. If you look in my profile, the picture I have is me wearing the vest that I'm used to. It doesn't restrict me at all and it's not a comp vest. <BR> <BR>Can someone explain to me the pros to a comp vest?

It helps for me to grab the toe rail while pushing water with the other hand. you'll figure it out.

ill tell ya what untill this year when I grew out of my noncga vest that's all I wore. never ever second guessed the fact that it didn't float me all that well. <BR>that being said I was wearing a cga vest when I took a nasty fall on a scarecrow and compound fractured my left leg. all I can say is with your bone sticking out of your skin, obviously at that point putting the board underneath you is not an option and I was/am sure glad treding water to keep my head afloat was the least of my worries. food for thought!! trust me I was like everyone else and never thought it could happen to me. wear a cga vest!!

whenever i go to the right of the wake i lose control and fall any tips?

or you can get the obrien team vest. i have one. it looks like a comp vest but is coast guard approved. and i move just fine in it.

angela: i'm sure this isn't the answer you're looking for, but if you seriously have doubts about how to "float" in a comp vest, you need to consider a cga vest. it's none of my business, but if you're buying comp vests so you can be like the cool kids, you need to re-evaluate the risks of wakeboarding....seriously. <BR> <BR>sorry for the lecture....cool kids proceed with flame....

I had a comp vest for years and I don't think that I will ever where it again. Broke my ribs, because there was no padding in the vest. Had it be a coast guard approved on, there is no where it would have happend.

I just dislocated a rib in a CGA vest and bruised about 6 others...I think its all about how you fall. I was leaning towards a non CGA hoping it would not buffet as much. I guess I just better learn not to fall ;)

So what CGA vest are yall rolling with that still gives you freedom?

I have a hyperlite Catalyst 5to10 none cga and it floats me great.. super comfy, really thin feeling and it floats me just as good as my CGA vest

I use to wear a non cga vest till i started reading on this site. Got me thinkin what would happen if i got knocked out or broke a leg. I definitely would not want to be having to tread water. I went back to a cga vest and to be honest once im riding i feel no difference in mobility. I also do not want anyone riding non cga vests behind my boat, odds are nothing will happen but why take the extra risk when it can be avoided easily. If you can do a backroll with a non cga u can still do it with a cga.

can you stand on a wakeskate and have it float you

I've been using the LF Watson vest, and it's a good in between. Not CG approved but it floats a lot better than most while still being fairly slim.

keep your board under you helps alot

I have been doin backrolls and raileys with a CGA and NonCGA vests.....cant really tell a difference....bought billabong nova vest and still floats me decent