I want to thank everyone for your input...you guys are great!! Now I know why my husband is addicted to this site, We don't really run at high speed, but we do attend poker runs, and boat in general, I just want to be safer, I make sure my husband is wearing his lanyard at all times (which he does on his own). This all makes me wonder if the life jackets I have for my kids are safe enough for them, they have the stearns pullover models that of course buckle between the legs, but what we started doing last year was puting them on them backwards so the buckle that goes around the body is on there back instead of the front of them, that way if they want to take it off they can't. What do you think?

Tanya

SRP or Lfeline brands. I have been told the reason they are not USCG approved is they are not easy to put on in an emergency situation (leg straps?). Another reason I have been told is the cost to certify. What I can tell you is I have been stopped by CG and water partrol (inspections) and when wearing the Lifelines they did not even ask about other jackets. In fact we were complimented on wearing a good jacket. I do not even bother to carry the orange junk anymore.

We have the Lifeline poker run jackets here in stock. Med. Lrg, and X-Lrg. (954) 943-3200.

That makes sense.
I agree, it probably would be more difficult to get into the leg straps in an emergency, but I imagine it would still hold you afloat.
Even if it isn't approved, I think I'd rather be in something that's going to do the job, than something that got the "stamp".
I can imagine the media, if someone was killed wearing a non-approved life nest
You'd think by now that there would be something better/more boater friendly than the orange things that have been around for 50+ years.

That has been my exerience also, they just say thanks for being safe. But I've heard others have been told they needed approved ones. I just throw some old ski vests in a storage area but have never been asked to show them. If you want to check out what they have, visit http://www.lifelinejackets.com/catalog.html