thinking about getting one for foiling...for those windier days with higher speeds.
any suggestions ? what are people happy with ? it would need to have a front zipper....which it appears most have . Are the ion vests good ?
I have an Ion Vector. Zipper failed once, whole vest was replaced under warranty. Now the zipper pull has broken off but I can still zip it closed with the body of the zipper itself. Sometimes if I get a face full of water, not even crashing, it will open up and I will need to rezip. It either doesn't have a way to snap the top shut (even though it looks like it does?!?) or I missed something obvious.
Also note it is not rated for floatation as a PFD if you need that. It has a little float, enough to help waterstarts (which can be fun with a 9.0 4 cam foil sail), but not enough for it to be legal in many areas. I did look around briefly to try to find one that is impact rated and a pfd and they seemed hard to find. And I think the vest itself says it's not really rated for impact IIRC but I could be mis-remembering.
It absorbs some blows from booms, but I haven't crashed at Nico Goyard speeds or close to it.
I have one from gun sails (impact one) for years. Works good and pretty comfortable.
Select to expand quoteskyking1231 said..
thinking about getting one for foiling...for those windier days with higher speeds.
any suggestions ? what are people happy with ? it would need to have a front zipper....which it appears most have . Are the ion vests good ?
I have a Neal Pryde that I bought for foiling. It works very well. Side zipper though. Don't forget to wear booties for foiling!
Select to expand quoteskyking1231 said..
they look nice. how does a waist harness fit over it ?
I'd assume good. I have it but use seat harness and it fits fine, it has a thin bottom that is designed for harness's to sit on. it also shows people windsurfing in it on the website and i think its very comfortable with seat or sailing harness.
Select to expand quoteImax1 said..choco said..
What is this ?
www.evs-sports.com/products/r3-race-collar?variant=42491965472966
Select to expand quoteGwarn said..Imax1 said..choco said..
What is this ?
www.evs-sports.com/products/r3-race-collar?variant=42491965472966
Not quite an impact vest . I can now see why a windsurfer could want one , when using a full face motorcycle helmet. 
I use a Mystic Foil Impact Vest. The thin bottom fits nicely under my waist harness. I chose this one as it's got better padding on the sides up towards the arm pit than most others and this is where I had broken a rib three times. They're not cheap though. It has less buoyancy than the Forward Wip which is a rated PFD (allowed to be used in races & dinghy sailing). I think less buoyancy is an advantage for swimming and diving under waves.
www.surfsailaustralia.com.au/product/mystic-foil-impact-vest-fzip-kite#surf-sail-clothing-hardware
After breaking most of my ribs in a high speed stack, I now wear a carbon fibre rib protector under my buoyancy vest (Freem karting rib protector - there are other similar products made for karting). I found that none of the water-sports impact vests on the market have decent side impact protection. They are good front and back but light on the sides. The Freem is very light, not uncomfortable and bullet proof. Fortunately have not had a similar stack.
I brought a NP impact vest, doesn't add much protection or flotation but makes me feel a little more indestructible.
Got it after getting back winded then catapulted and slammed in what I think judging by the shape of the massive bruise was the mast.
For foiling I've been using the DaKine Kicker model. Thin unlike the Surface model and with a harder outer layer. It's ~13mm thick in the padded region above the waist harness area. Just don't care for thicker pfd feeling models. Do recommend if you find one online to make sure it is returnable for size issues. I ended needing a M to fit even over a 3/2 wetsuit. Wear size S Billablong wetsuits.
Side zip, but the NP model that Nico Prien wears would probably be the replacement for the DK vest.
For foiling I've been using the DaKine Kicker model. Thin unlike the Surface model and with a harder outer layer. It's ~13mm thick in the padded region above the waist harness area. Just don't care for thicker pfd feeling models. Do recommend if you find one online to make sure it is returnable for size issues. I ended needing a M to fit even over a 3/2 wetsuit. Wear size S Billablong wetsuits.
Side zip, but the NP model that Nico Prien wears would probably be the replacement for the DK vest.
