I've been researching the auto inflatable pfd market and am now somewhat confused- there seem to be few if any real reviews of them. Maybe comfort is addressed but never the accidental inflation issue- On the
SOSpenders model of auto /man it clearly states splashes, high humidity, fog and rain may set it off. Does anyone have anything in the way of experience to share about that? -Apparently there are only two inflation systems for the vests. One kind, the pill/bobbin system uses a "pill" that upon contact with moisture dissolves and causes a pin to hit a bobbin to release the CO2. This kind of mechanism is used on three of the four manufacturers.
Mustang has in addition to that mechanism one called hydrostatic- that means it works on the the principle of hydrostatic pressure, the weight of water, it fires off when the pressure is equivalent to four inches of water, therefore there is no "pill" to dissolve. Price not withholding which way is the way to go for a cruising sailboat liable to be in all sorts of weather? The navy and the coast guard use the pill kind why? Is there no real difference? Is this military intelligence? Can any one shed some light on the accidental inflation issue?