Life vest

Im looking at getting the MENS CARDIGAN COMP vest from LF but not sure what size to go with I am 5'9 145. Looking for opinions on this vest and other recommendations would be appreciated.

I am about the same size. I would go with an extra small. However, I would say that I have had two pullover vests and they stretch out a ridiculous amount. I would strongly caution against it. They do not fit very well by the end of the season, and mine have reached the point when I bail hard on my back or take a heel edge digger, they slide up a substantial amount. My O'neil Gooru has actually come right off of me before. I would really look in to something with a buckle, or a CGA vest.

Thanks man I would have never thought about the stretch until it was to late you have any suggestions on CGA vests that have received good reviews?

A lot of people love the JP Murray. I haven't used them, but I hear good things about the Helium CGA's as well. I am pretty picky about how my vest fit though. I have not tried too many CGA's lately. I would suggest going to your local shop and trying a bunch on. You might pay a little more, but it's worth it for the warranty and customer service.

Hi Mike!

Thank you for your interest in Liquid Force’s Cardigan comp wake vest. For sizing please refer to the sizing chart in the link provided below

http://www.liquidforce.com/support.html#vestsizechart

When I ride I use the Cardigan Comp. This pullover style vest is light weight, flexible, and provides a maximum range of motion

Happy Shredding!

Darren what are you currently using?

Mike, I have a Helium Swat CGA, and I love it. I'm 6'1", 150 lbs and it fits me snugly. I've never had a problem with it riding up, it fits nice and long (touches my shorts), and the little snap on the side keeps the zipper from falling down. It is a little heavy when compared to some other CGA vests (my uncle's O'Brien, not sure what model). I would highly recommend it if you're interested in a side entry CGA vest.

Ben what size of the helium do you wear ?

Mike,

Right now I am using both the Jet Pilot O.G. and the O'neil Gooru. Once again, I would not recommend either of them. I will most likely be purchasing the Murray this year. Some other CGA's to check out are the Quicksilver Massive, Rusty Stew, JP Core and the Hyperlite S/E Neo.

Sorry, forgot that little detail eh? I wear a medium.

I have a hyperlite side entry cga, and I really like it. I'm 5'8" 125lbs, and the medium fits me well.

I have had my Helium CGA Collin Wright vest for about four years now and I love it. It has been through hell and shows no wear, except that the webbing for the buckles is twisted where it runs through the vest. We call the vest gay pride...



I am wakeboarding challenged (see the video) and this vest has just the right amount of padding, flotation (safety), and freedom of movement to be comfortable in all cases...

I can't recommend another vest more highly than the Helium CGA vest.

Wow Austin do you really wear a medium and your only 125? according to liquid force it recommends I get a small do brands have different sizes?

Sam, that is the best colourway on a vest ever, I was super tempted to buy that one when I was getting mine but there were threats of not getting picked up after my first fall so I went with the all black.

I am 5'8" and about 140-145 lbs. I have a Helium Swat CGA in a small and it is perfect! I really love this vest, very comfortable and fits just right. I had a medium Jet Pilot side entry at the begining of the year and it fit fine dry but when it was wet it slide up really bad. I gave it to a buddy and it is allready looking really worn after one summer, was pretty suprised in the lack of quality. Buy a Helium u wont be dissapointed!

I prefer this one myself...

Hey Mike, I work down here at a cable in Tampa and probably have used ALOT of different brands of CGA vests and thought my SWAT was amazing untill I got the Murray CGA. Most people at the cable don't think my vest is CGA because of how thin it is! I would go with a small if you decide on this one....

Haha Jeremy. Jon ill have to look into the Murry CGA havent heard much feedback on it yet so ill have to check it out. And a lot of people are recommending the SWAT so looks like i cant go wrong with that one either

Mike, the Billabong pullovers are suprisingly great. I lost my old one on a gnarly fall, but it was a season and a half old, and had the flawed half zipper in the back that enabled it to open up more than it should. If you want a pull over non cga vest, you honestly cant go wrong with most of the billabong vests. They're on the verge of having almost cga floatation (but don't have the buckles so they'd never pass the inspection) and the new ones stay on really wel. Just buy a size as small as what will fit you, and hang it up to dry every night. You won't have a problem with stretching if you do that. THe same probably applies to the cardigan vest. You need to dry them out every night as best as you can, or else they will stretch out more and more. But when you dry them in some kind of natural heat, they shrink back down, at least the billabong ones do.

+1 for the Murray CGA. Awesome vest! Mobile and Floats!

Nick with the pullover non CGA vest if I just hang it in a non heated boat house after every use would that be good enough or are you talking like completely drying it out before you even hang it up

Originally Posted by SafetyMike

Wow Austin do you really wear a medium and your only 125? according to liquid force it recommends I get a small do brands have different sizes?

...back from Thanksgiving vacation...

Yeah, I'm 125 and wear a medium. You can't ever really trust sizing. If you want something to fit, you have to try it on. Unfortunately when you're into niche sports it can be very difficult to find stuff locally to try on, but this time I got lucky and a local shop had some for me to try on before I bought. Plus what "fits" is sometimes a matter of preference. I don't have much body fat for cushion, so I definitely like anything that goes around my waist or upper body to fit loosely without too much pressure.

I guess its all preference because right now i have a medium and it rides up every time i fall.

Mike,

it should dry out fine. Depends on the temperature. They say not to leave stuff like that out in the sun, but for the most part, i leave mine out on the dock and it dries out fairly well. As long as it's hanging, that's your best way to dry it though, and it usually rebounds once it is dry. Really you just have to figure out a way to dry it, so if hanging it in the boathouse dries it out, then that would work. Right now, the bottom of my billabong has stretched out some because I pull it so tight, but I just have to keep sinching it tighter, which keeps it working just the same. I rode a lot more this season than others before, so that was kind of expected. They do stretch out over a long period of time, but it shouldn't ride up every time you fall.

Originally Posted by dperizzolo

A lot of people love the JP Murray. I haven't used them, but I hear good things about the Helium CGA's as well. I am pretty picky about how my vest fit though. I have not tried too many CGA's lately. I would suggest going to your local shop and trying a bunch on. You might pay a little more, but it's worth it for the warranty and customer service.

Yeah Darren, I've got a JP Muray and it's awesome, and it's so light too, almost like a comp vest, sometimes I forget that I'm wearin' it. and I'm a pretty big guy (5'9" & around 200 lbs) so that's definitely a good choice no doubt!

Originally Posted by kristian

+1 for the Murray CGA. Awesome vest! Mobile and Floats!

+2 from me man, big props for the Murray vest, definitely a good fit, I've tried others and man they felt like vices on me, and hardly no mobility, but picked up the Murray! and the game changed big for me, good stuff sho 'nuff

Originally Posted by austin

...back from Thanksgiving vacation...

Yeah, I'm 125 and wear a medium. You can't ever really trust sizing. If you want something to fit, you have to try it on. Unfortunately when you're into niche sports it can be very difficult to find stuff locally to try on, but this time I got lucky and a local shop had some for me to try on before I bought. Plus what "fits" is sometimes a matter of preference. I don't have much body fat for cushion, so I definitely like anything that goes around my waist or upper body to fit loosely without too much pressure.

Agree there Austin, it's pretty tuff to find a good fit specially among the other brands, 'specially when you hit a local shop that has a limited choice, plus being a big guy around 200 lbs that looks like mini-me with linebacker shoulders and a beer keg for a chest, I definitely like a loose fit around the torso area, otherwise I feel like I'm being squeezed so hard my head n' arms'll pop off. that's why I dig that JP so much it's a snug fit and not so much like I've been wrapped in a rubber band like some of the other brands I've tried. and those large cut armholes work well for handle passes and with a thin cut profile so it doesn't feel bulky, JP hits the mark in my book with the anatomical cut of their products, gives a lil more room for us "thick" guys.

Originally Posted by wake77

I prefer this one myself...
Attachment 10187

Too funny Jeremy, ya can't go wrong with the good ole standby!

Originally Posted by wakeboardern1

Mike,

it should dry out fine. Depends on the temperature. They say not to leave stuff like that out in the sun, but for the most part, i leave mine out on the dock and it dries out fairly well. As long as it's hanging, that's your best way to dry it though, and it usually rebounds once it is dry. Really you just have to figure out a way to dry it, so if hanging it in the boathouse dries it out, then that would work. Right now, the bottom of my billabong has stretched out some because I pull it so tight, but I just have to keep sinching it tighter, which keeps it working just the same. I rode a lot more this season than others before, so that was kind of expected. They do stretch out over a long period of time, but it shouldn't ride up every time you fall.

I always rinse mine out w/fresh water since we have the darker waters (nothin' worse n' puttin' on a stank vest) up here in North central Fla, and hang it up on a thick hanger (inside of course), which usually dries it out in 3-4 hrs, the heat definitely expands the material, and causes the vests to hold the leftover moisture longer after the major part of the water drys or drips off, which prob'ly is the bigger reason of the stretching, so keeping it in a cooler area is a real good option if you can do it, like an outdoor closet or shaded area. just my .02

Haha it never really gets that hot in MN dont think ill have to worry to much about temp.

You in a different minnesota than I am? haha the 85 to 90 degree days here are plenty warm enough to expand these vests. That being said, I'd recommend getting a cga vest. Nothing scarier than taking a digger , being dazed, and floating upside down with just your board keeping you afloat. Ask chad sharpe. with the cga vests out these days, you can hardly tell a difference. And in my opinion, wont hinder your performance at all. I wear the cwb essential and love it, slim, doesn't block movement at all. its their cga version of their faction comp vest. i tried out both and honestly couldn't tell the difference except that one floated better. The faction actually scared me into gettin a cga vest....i could exhale while floating and I'd start to sink. Add being unconscious to that, and its not lookin pretty. Any of the cga vests recommended here are good. its your call though, if you want a comp pullover, go for it. sidenote, what lake are you on near annandale?

yeah during the day its 85 ti 90 but it rarely is that warm when id be putting my gear away. I have decided to go with the Swat CGA thanks for all the help guys
- Ben lake Fransis, how do you know my cousin?

Originally Posted by SafetyMike

yeah during the day its 85 ti 90 but it rarely is that warm when id be putting my gear away. I have decided to go with the Swat CGA thanks for all the help guys
- Ben lake Fransis, how do you know my cousin?

You'll like that vest for sure. Good call on CGA too. I know quite a few people from Foley, so I've met Kyle up there at a couple of parties, talked to him a little bit but not much

Haha sick if your ever in cloud hit me up always parties going on over here