It may be minimalist in design, but the MIT 100 Automatic Inflatable PFD by Mustang Survival packs serious performance in its sleek package. By incorporating Membrane Inflatable Technology (MIT), Mustang Survival has produced a lightweight and flexible front-entry vest fashioned from strong but comfortable nylon fabric that outperforms the competition – by a lot. But first, its party trick: the vest automatically inflates when submerged in water (a manual activation cord is also incorporated should you desire on-demand inflation). The vest easily folds when deflated, making storage, recharging and inspection a piece of cake. When fully inflated, the MIT 100 generates a very impressive 28 lbs of buoyancy, which is enough to float most wearers face-up. That’s great, but the numbers tell a larger story: 28 lbs of buoyancy is 1.5x the output of typical foam vests.The MIT 100 is US Coast Guard approved as a Recreational Type III device, and it qualifies as a Commerical Type V device as well. If you need any more convincing, just check out the massive slate of five-star reviews on Mustang Survival’s website – customers agree across the board that this is the PFD upgrade every water enthusiast needs.
Price: $170