Choosing a PFD

Selecting a PFD (personal floatation device) you can comfortably work in has become easier over the years as PFD manufacturers have developed a wide range of options.

Important considerations include resistance to snagging, inherently buoyant or inflatable (or a hybrid mix of both), weight and bulkiness, and care and maintenance requirements.

Knowing what other fishermen have selected given the type of fishery and gear type they work with can be useful in helping you make a decision.  For this reason, you may benefit from reviewing the findings of a 2012 study conducted in Alaska by NIOSH (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health) that asked fishermen to try various types of PFDs while working and to report on their personal preferences.

The findings are provided below, by gear type, and where possible we have provided links to the Canadian equivalent (or similar) PFDs to help aid you in making a purchasing decision.

Read the findings for longliners

Read the findings for trawlers

Read the findings for gillnetters

Read the findings for dungeness crabbers

Read the NIOSH study overview

NOTE:  Hybrid PFDs are now available!!

Mustang now makes a PFD with a dual flotation system that blends the security of foam flotation with the slim profile of inflatable technology.