I know there has been a lot of talk of proper safety equipment after last weekends tragedy.

What is the difference in construction, price, and comfort between the poker run jackets and the race jackets?

Is there enough interest or quantity of OSO'ers to pursue asking them to make an "OSO Edition" with colors and logo? Will OSO allow them to use the logo? It seems like it would be good advertising for safety measures from the OSO family.

I'm interested

It would be cool. Only a small percentage of us would buy them though.

Unless the run organizers insisted upon it.

Yeah but it is neat to customize them though, we have our team names embroidered on ours it kinds of makes them stand apart, we will be wearing them at loto at the big dicks run, also I think Wiggler is bringing some or somebody and selling them at cost at the shootout and it would probably be a good idea to ask them about getting them done up. I know I would take another one, but just for my wife.

Yeah it is Wiggler4490..

I own both kinds. All are Lifeline brand. (Though many folks use Security brand too - either brand works).

The major difference you see right away is the chest protection. After years and years of crash testing, the improvements in ballistic material have improved tremendously. This added "Flak" material (standard in the Lifeline Offshore Racing jacket) is design to reduce loads from sudden impact - this can prevent injury to your ribs, chest (heart & lungs) kidneys and back. Punctured lungs are rare today because of these jackets.

The "Poker Run" or "High Perf" jackets don't have this material. Instead, they have 1 1/4 inches of closed cell foam -- only slightly thicker than what you see in water ski vests.

The other differences are the "skid collar" (for head & neck protection) and beefier leg straps and heavy duty zipper.

These racing jackets are also designed to automatically float an unconscious person face up, nose and mouth above water. The "High Perf" "Poker Run" jacket doesn't have this life-saving feature.

But both types use cut-resistant material.

http://www.lifelinejackets.com/catal...ketspants.html



Some people say the Racing jacket is uncomfortable....but that may be because they didn't have it built for them. My Lifeline Racing jacket was built EXACTLY to my specifications --- so it was very comfortable.

Sure, you can't move as fast while wearing one, but it actually makes me feel "snug" and protected. I can take a hard "smack" to my chest or stomach and not even feel a thing.

On the comfort front, I find mine more comfortable to wear than nothing at all. It is tight and provides back support and stomach support I find I am less tired driving in one. Anyone that runs over 80 should have one, and a lid with neck restraints at over 100.
If you can afford the boat and the fuel you can afford to be safe..... anything less is stupid.

RT

Thanks for the replies guys. It sounds like the offshore racing jackets with the "flak" material are the way to go. $500 sounds pretty cheap compared to the risk without one.

Who was the member that said he would sell for cost? Can he get them cheaper than the list price directly from Lifeline's website?

I have a 54" chest so they may have to sew two together

That is the other cool thing about the Lifeline racing jackets...

If for some reason you later need a little more "room" in the torso area (due to things like too much ice cream, steroids, implants etc) you can order some "Zipper extensions" like these:





If anyone asks....just say you've been working out a lot lately and your chest is bigger than it used to be