# Best Big Water PFD for the Large Busted?



## Livenswell

Hi, please pardon me in advance as this may come across as odd - having a man ask a group of women about PFD's for large busted women, but I am asking on behalf of my better half, who is having a hard time finding THE perfect PFD for bigger water trips but that is still comfy for her to wear days on end and having a ~48" chest. I am looking for something that has more than 20# of flotation and has the option of adding leg straps. 

She currently wears the Stohlquist Cruiser with something called "wrapture" technology that is apparently a better fit than unisex PFDs as it has some room built in the chest area for the girls without mashing or causing a poor fit; she likes the way it fits her and she's put a couple hundred miles on it; however, this PFD only has about 16# of flotation and seems unsuitable for a big water swim. We have some big water trips planned for this year and I need to find something better and more suited for her in these conditions.

She has tried on the NRS Big Water V which is unisex fit and that doesn't fit well. We have also tried on the Extrasport Swiftwater Ranger which is what I wear for the big stuff but it doesnt fit her well either, and without being at a well rounded whitewater rafting shop that carries a variety of PFDs - its difficult to try these on before buying and we are in this terrible cycle of ordering and returning without any luck.

Anyone have any suggestions for fitting her with a better PFD that is designed specifically for women, similar to the Stohlquist previously mentioned but with greater flotation? She is approx. 5' 5" 160# and 48" bust.

Thank you in advance for your help with this delicate situation

Cheers~~


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## Montana Cat 65

The only PFD I've found that works for me is the Kokatat MsFit. I wear the large, and it's still a bit tight in the bust, but I had to go with that in order for it to tighten enough around the rib cage. I now own 3 of them.


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## Livenswell

Thank you for the input. I took a look at one online and it too has just 16# of floatation. It's too bad there are not more options available in the 20# range. Have you ever swam any serious rapids with your MsFit? Curious. Only 16#s seems like it could allow a for flush drowning but that situation could be had with any I reckon. Her Stohlquist Cruiser with wrapture design also has just 16#.


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## LSB

We are going to need to see some pictures in order to be of any help...


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## Montana Cat 65

I got my first MsFit for a Grand trip in '04, but managed to stay in the boat the whole time, so swam nothing major in it. Same for the boating I do locally. It floats me fine inn smooth water, but I haven't tested it in more aerated stuff. Sorry.


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## Livenswell

Thanks staying in the boat is a good thing It's amazing that the industry has so little to offer. Seems like the only vests out there with comfortable fitting features are not necessarily suited for much more than flatwater paddling. 16#s of floatation seems dangerous for whitewater. Thanks again for your help


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## skiergirl

Tried a lot of them in 2014. Ended up buying a replica of what I had for 20 years the Kokatat MS Fit hands down the best choice out there for the big chest. The kokatat guide is the same vest built with rescue features


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## lhowemt

Renee at Cascade RG was doing some testing of pfds for gals and their girls, I sent her a message so hopefully she will chime in. Good luck!


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## Cascade River Gear

Livenswell... I will chime in tomorrow when I have all the floatations for the jackets at my fingertips. I have the same challenge and have a lot of big water running as well as PFD testing. I will be back tomorrow to share my experiences and PFD's. Kindly ~Renee


Sent from my iPhone using Mountain Buzz


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## Livenswell

Hey alright! We look forward to your ideas and hearing about your experience. Thanks for chiming in!


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## Cascade River Gear

Hi Livenswell, 

Let’s try this again… I had finished my reply to you and the internet at the shop went down which erased it all. Silly computers. So here is the skinny; 

Stohlquist Betsea 16.10 lbs flotation– My oldest and favorite of all my jackets. There is an actual groove cut in the inside of the jacket in all the right places. It feels a bit bulky when new but will form around your body and get comfortable. I wore this one for 21 days through the Grand Canyon, took a good swim in both Hance and Lava and popped right up. I should have had the high float on but it just wasn’t very comfortable. BetSEA PFD | Cascade River Gear

MTI PFDiva 16.8 lbs flotation – I have a couple of these and wear them often, mostly in the colder boating season. There are inserts like in our bathing suit tops that can be removed to make more space. I found that the straps rub my shoulders too much if I am in my bathing suit top so I like these when I have on my drysuit or splash gear. I am pretty sure I went for a swim in this one last summer on the canyon stretch of the Payette and I am still here to talk about it haha! MTIPFDiva PFD – SALE 2016 Colors | Cascade River Gear

Astral Layla 16.5 lbs flotation – This one is probably the best fit for the girls. I wore this one the most last summer however it was more because it matched my boat, yep I am girl. I took a Hell’s Canyon swim in this one last summer. It was the season of swimming for me, hoping not to repeat the same this season. It is comfortable for long days. Astra Layla PFD | Cascade River Gear 

Astral Green Jacket 16.4 lbs flotation – Many of the curvy boater babes in Idaho have been wearing this jacket for the last couple of seasons. They like the fit and instead of things being pushed into your armpits they are held up a bit. This one doesn’t fit me well but the girls love it. It is a rescue jacket and you may not need all the bells and whistles that come with it. Special Edition 2017 Astral GreenJacket PFD | Cascade River Gear

I hope that helps, I went down and tried on the MTI Atlas, it replaced the MTI Headwater this year and is 21.9 lbs flotation however it was a squish fest and I wouldn’t recommend that for a curvy girl. I also tried the new Stohlquist Misty 16-17 lbs flotation and that one is a bit too bulky which just sent the girls sideways. 

I hope I was delicate enough in the descriptions not to offend anyone. I am sorry I don’t have more recommendations for a high float; they just don’t fit girls like us comfortably so I am sticking to the 3 above, I have ran enough big water in them to feel good about the flotation in all 3. Have a great evening and let me know if I can help with anything else. 

Keep it Right Side Up,
Renee


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## DoStep

Extrasport Hi-float?


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## Jungle Jane

Hi livenswell.

Some thought on hifloat jackets. It looks like the post , 2 posts above mine has some excellent suggestions. I was a commercial guide for years...I got an extrasport, ribbed hifloat once before a swiftwater class, and could not sell it fast enough. Sure, I popped up out of water maybe 1/2 second faster, but alot of extra flotation was above the shoulders, which does nothing once its above the water level. 
The people practicing throwbagging all missed; and if I had waited for someone to rescue me, I would've been in river least 2/3 mile, cold water. AS soon as I could see a path with few rocks, I turned over and did a crawl stroke to get out of current; much more difficult with a cumbersome hi-float on.

My best idea would be to call big volume river companies (grand canyon, high water main salmon, etc.) see what they recommend; rent a h-ifloat or another rental jacket. THERE ARE SO MANY KINDS NOW. They even make a jacket that comes with extra floatation you can add/remKve.

Just while I'm n subjectO NOT BUY A RESCUE JACKET WITH ALL THE BEELLS, WHISTLE, QUICKRELEASE BELT WITH CARABEENER. tHOSE JACKETS WILLK NOT HELP YOU, AND ARE DESIGNED TO WORK WITH AT LEST ONE. OTHER PERSON WHO HAS SWIFTWATER TRAINING. I leave quickrelease belt w/ carabeener at home, if I'm not boating with another that has actual training who to use this Jacket. (There's even wa warning on jacket label, saying not to buy unless you have special swiftwater, rescue training. You can borrow, rental is the best way to go if you can find an assortment you like. Don't forget, those 25lb. floatation lifejckets are made for 250-300 lb people(and the jacket i saw with removable floatation; they may make a 'floatation belt' now, that you could cinch around waist add to a small profile lifejacket. I like to go into a store, try on options, (used sports stores as well) and if i fallin love with something, shop the net anfd getmit for1/2 the price rent one tillI find what I want, etc. All those listed above sound like excellent options to go try on....I wouldn't even put so much emphasis on 16 vs. 25 lbs floatation, unles life jacket if for exceptionally large person. I also am not aware if they PFD w/leg straps for anyone larger than kids. If your life jacket it cinched properly, it should not ever come off you, and I've never seen someone who lost their lifejacket (except on land. when they didn't hook it to something and it blew away!


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## lhowemt

One thing to keep in mind with hi-float pfd's, is that all of that flotation matters when you are below water, possibly getting chundered. Flotation isn't only for the water's surface.


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## riveranimal652

I am a white water canoeist and I have canoed the Grand 4 times wearing my Kokatat Ms Fit. Far and away more comfortable than any other PFD. I swam Lava Falls three times and I was happy with the PFD. I am actually on my third MsFit now.


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## kanoer2

I like the Extra-sport B27 PFD with crotch straps The straps really do make a big difference in big water
C


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## Livenswell

*Stohlquist Cruiser w/ leg straps*

Thanks to all who have provided the input from experience, that's what we were looking for. We gained a better sense of comfort knowing that 16#'s vs. 25#'s is probably going to be fine and the realization that that amount of flotation is about the max flotation you are going to find in a PFD specifically sized and built for women - there are very few good options for anything greater than 16#. The whole exercise made us realize how little there is out there in adventure gear that is specifically built for women vs. all the options for men. Seems like the industry has an open window for someone to get into and start making gear more specifically sized and built to the female body. 

She actually loves the fit of her Stohlquist Cruiser and wasn't keen to the idea of having to get into a hi-float like my Extrasport Swiftwater as the fit with those was terrible for her. Since the "wrapture" design of the Cruiser provides a good fit for the "girls" as she refers to them as, she wanted to keep the PFD even though its relatively light on the flotation. 

We decided to just keep her in the Stohlquist Cruiser but we have added some "crotch straps" for more confidence that the PFD would probably stay securely on her in the event of a violent swim given the flotation is likely plenty enough to at least occasionally surface her long enough to get another lung full of air while she attempts to swim out. Unfortunately....or fortunately... she hasn't swam anything big recently so we've not yet been able to test this but we think the crotch straps have saved the day. I have also added a set of crotch straps to my Extrasport Swiftwater so now we are both ready for the big swims!


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