New PFD design

[mhiley]

Hey raiders,

I am an Industrial Designer and am in the process of designing a PFD purely focusing on fishermen and women.

I have done all my research and background info gathering but now comes the fun part of actually designing the thing.

I would love your input. Whether you fish from a boat, a kayak, from rocks, from the beach or anywhere else!

Let me know things you love about current designs,things you hate about current designs, features you would love to see in a new PFD design, comfortable designs you have tried, uncomfortable designs and anything and everything related to PFD design that might help me design a flotation device that will best suit you!

Thanks very much for your help with thisl I hope I am not breaking any rules re: sponsors etc!

Cheers

Mark

[alluring]

That's sick to see another Industrial Designer on here, I'm currently studying it in my second year! Fishing related gear is something I'd love to get into when I finish! Back to the PFD though, every lifejacket I've ever worn has felt clunky, especially around the shoulder area.. Maybe you could balance the floats better around the front and rear, in a way that you could still wear it comfortably without feeling obstructed. The ones with a lot of straps too are really fiddly to play with, maybe something flexible that fits a range of sizes would make a better material, so that you wouldn't have to waste a lot of time adjusting different straps. Hope that was of some help!

[cameldownunder]

Maybe a PFD1 in the style of the PF3: Less bulky, that lets you hold your arms close to the body. Maybe include it in a wind jacket.

Maybe by making it a bit longer, you can reduce the bulkyness.

[The Incredible Hull]

If I had a chance to have my own custom pfd, it won't be bulky, esp around the shoulder\neck area.

Some pfds are either extremely thick, or really thin with floatation devices.

I would design one thats in the middle. It would half the thickness, and would also incorporate a pull cord for floatation devices to pop out. Possibly have some leds that light up when you pull the cord.

I would also have water proof pockets, to store my mobile phone, wallet and car keys - in case for whatever reason I go overboard.

[The Incredible Hull]

I've also noticed that a lot of the older pfds made a "one size fits all" with the straps to adjust accordingly.

However some of the newer pfds are moving forward to more of a "clothing" feel - I reckon this is the way to go.

For this to happen, there needs to be small,medium and large sizes as opposed to having a strap and it needs to fit and feel like a jumper, not a traditional, clunky pfd as many have stated above. In my mind, the inside of the pfd, I'm thinking of a stretchy material, like the wet suit ones.

[mhiley]

Thanks all for your feedback so far! Thanks for pinning it swordfisherman!!will be very helpful.

alluring good to see another ID out there obsessed with fishing!

Keep the feedback coming!

Cheers

Mark

[Blood Knot]

My pfd's (manual inflatable) seem to turn themselves inside out and the straps twist inside the loops so are a pain just to put on. Also really over the servicing aspect, what can be done to extend service periods perhaps puncture proof bladders & corrosion resistant fittings etc etc..

Good luck with it Mark - I reckon these things are under developed

Cheers

Blood Knot

[Catchin Jack]

BIG sizes also, Australia is growing lol

[piratesgold]

an inflatable one, but like a waistcoat to put on, 'waistcoat' could be net like a string vest to keep you cool, but easier to put on than a strap thing, zip up the front, belt around the waist, waterproof pockets as suggested. maybe ready fitted straps to take a gimbal, click into place and wind em in. stylish so you don't look like a dork, something you would want to wear. some places to put logos for those who do want to look like a dork. An overjacket with pleats for the float bags to open into. Zips over the top of the pfd, to keep you dry or warm in the winter. some work jackets are like this with a zip in body warmer, make the body warmer the PFD..., two or 3 different style/function overjackets as optional extras. wooly and warm, thousand pockets, etc care must be taken to ensure the ripcord is accessible at all times though.

[LungFai]

a strap around the waste that is easy to make smaller and larger would be awesome

Would you really want to strap your waste in when you go overboard? I know we fishos preach "Clean up after yourself" But giving it life saving straps is kind of extreme

I'd like a PDF that breathes and has a neck support function that auto inflates when it hits water. We don't usually fall overboard and of the small percentage that do there is a small chance that it has something to do with things gone wrong. If i'm unconscious i'd like to know the vest is keeping my face out of water

[Jewhunter]

BIG sizes also, Australia is growing lol

Sure is!!

Look at me & Swordy!

[LungFai]

Gee I hope you don't make any typos of spelling errors as I will come down on you like a ton of waist

LOL I look forward to the banter. Friendships are usually started off in a similar fashion. Be it on the forums with light jeers or on the field with "My fish is bigger than yours".

[wizza]

hey mark like most i only gave the pfd a cursory glance when throwing it in the boat. Then had a big shoulder injury and op. Previously loved swimming up and down the local beach missed that alot.got the pfd back on in rehab after long crappy period of therabands etc. flapping alomg breaststroke with one arm mainly was brilliant therapy .improved fast and went on to another type of floatie just around the waist and soon came good.my point is get it on and use it to swim say amile.you realise what agreat aid they are.you will no doubt improve on the design and i wish tou success regards wizza

[locodave]

Any drawings so far? Or you are not allowed to release them?

[Nolongeramember]

The only thing I don't like about mine is it rubs on my neck all day long. Everything else is ok.

[mhiley]

At this stage the thought process is geared towards incorporating a PFD into something similar to the current fishing shirts (i.e. the berkley/shimano style sleeve, collared shirts) or something similar ( may look into more of a jacket style). The ideal design will hide the PFD and be as light as possible for the user, as they will be wearing it the whole trip. Through material technologies and design innovation the hope is that fishermen/women will not even notice that they are wearing a PFD, but will have that security should an incident arise. The large majority of the design work is ahead of me, which is exciting, and hopefully I can come up with the goods for the sake of all anglers! There are obviously alot of considerations that need to go into the design which I have not mentioned in these few lines!

What do you guys think of this type of thing? i.e. incorporating the PFD into a fishing shirt/ jacket.

[The Incredible Hull]

Great idea, it won't look as dorky and people would want to wear it =) Most of all, I'm sure rock fisherman will be more inclined to wear them too.

[Hodgey]

My pfd's (manual inflatable) seem to turn themselves inside out and the straps twist inside the loops so are a pain just to put on. Also really over the servicing aspect, what can be done to extend service periods perhaps puncture proof bladders & corrosion resistant fittings etc etc..

Good luck with it Mark - I reckon these things are under developed

Cheers

Blood Knot

100% agree mate. Twisted straps and the expense of servicing are so annoying that I have been considering a vest-type one purely to avoid all that. There are some great suggestions to date! The key will be to design something that can be worn in all types of weather conditions. The big plus for my current yolk is that it can be worn over a fishing shirt in Summer or a bulky jacket in Winter.

It sounds like you already have some terrific ideas in the pipeline so I look forward to following your progress. Good luck!

Cheers

Hodgey

[Don_]

I'd lean more towards having something that is more like a singlet/under-shirt only because we go fishing through all the seasons. If you have it incorporated in a jacket, you are limiting the use to the colder months (people won't be wearing a big jacket in 35 degree heat). I would definitely purchase a PFD that would comfortably be worn under a shirt/jacket..

Edited June 21, 2013 by Don_

[helliconia]

The only thing I don't like about mine is it rubs on my neck all day long. Everything else is ok.

Ditto, an inner material that prevents chaffing and rubbing would be good. +1 for the waterproof pockets too.

I like the idea of the zip up model, but maybe with zip/velcro on sleeves for summer/winter wear.

Stay away from spandex though - I'd look terrible in a super hero costume!

[quaddy]

What about something that comes already in the shirt or jacket not separate? Just an idea.

[scarab36319]

Hiles I was thinking a wind proof jacket with hood and some of the other stuff the guys have said. Instead of recommending what I'd like I googled it and came up with these. If the link breaches rules please delete. Just trying to help.

https://www.pfdsales.com.au/product-type/jackets

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk

[Paikea]

I was given a weatherproof PFD jacket when I purchased a 6.5 M Aussie Whaler some years ago. Manual inflation, bright red it looked great but was a bugger to wear. Too bulky and too hot for year round use.

I believe that the best form of PFD should be as light as possible and fit comfortably under all conditions including casting lures for hours. Ideally the wearer should not notice that he/she is wearing a PFD. Maybe shaping the floatation medium to better fit around the chest and back with obviously very different models for woman would be worth a study to see if it works better.

Warmth can be achieved by adding layers of clothing under the PFD.

Cheers

Paikea.

[Paikea]

I much prefer the type of PFD that has built in flotation rather than the inflatable type but they must be unobtrusive and comfortable. particularly when casting for hours.

I have been giving this issue some more thought and as per my earlier post I remain convinced that possibly the best way to invent the "better mousetrap" is to find a way to have the floatation material either shaped to suit different body shapes or better still to find a material that can be shaped to suit individual wearers. That may mean a type of foam that is activated after it has been placed on the wearer. Maybe not possible but hey, lateral thinking has proven useful on more than one occasion.

Cheers

Paikea