I have both the Mustang and Spinlock, hydrostatic inflate with integrated harnesses and crotch straps. They are both comfortable, though the Spinlock is a bit better fitting and doesn't weigh on your neck, and it also has a pop-up spray hood with an integrated strobe. I have attached a strobe to the Mustang's waist strap, which also has a small pocket where I've stuck the whistle and mirror. I asked Spinlock about their thoughts on the report from the San Diego race in which one sailor died last year. They said large breaking surf is always going to be a challenge for inflatable life jackets given the forces on the large inflated bladder created by the waves, which try and pull the jacket off, as you're fighting to prevent inversion. The same thing happened in the Farallones race, but they had a mix of PFD types. There was a 1999 study on the efficacy of PFD tethers and harnesses that didn't make me feel all warm and fuzzy about any of them, but this is old information. This study needs updating. One thing everyone should do is inflate their PFDs in a controlled environment and see how it feels. I haven't done it yet (yea, do as I say, not as I do), but have been told they tend to squeeze around your head making it hard to breath (this is probably more pronounced without the crotch straps), and the position of the bladders make it hard to swim unless you're on your back. Some of my friends will only use inherently buoyant PFDs because of the rib protection they afford and the assurance that the inflation is going to be there when they need it, but unless these are Type I life jackets, which the ones my friends are using are not, they don't have the buoyancy that the inflatables have, and that you'll likely need in offshore conditions. If anyone wants to shoot me a PM, I've been thinking about this a lot and gathering ideas on a mo betta' PFD. I've noted Outbound's suggestions...