Vestless

Matt_French · Guest

Nick Taylor,...no...i am just saying that if you are wearing a vest you have a much greater chance of landing in the water in a position (KO'd) that allows you to breathe air and not water.

mike.h · Posted: Jul 13, 2005 6:50 pm Post subject:

i dont plan on ever riding without a vest, i dont care if there isnt a cop around for 100 miles. my vest doesnt bother me at all so i see no reason for me not to wear it

and urinal mint your sig is killing me, and i dont meen its funny, i meen i have 56k and it takes 5 million hours to load Mad

wakesk8er19 · Faceplant Joined: 25 May 2005 Posts: 33 City: Baton Rouge

Ive thought about riding without one, but with my luck the first time i do ill hit somekind of submerged object. I never have before but the Amite is littered with junk all over the place. Its just not worth the risk.

nick · Posted: Jul 13, 2005 8:34 pm Post subject:

Matt_French, I don't see how that is.

BTW, I am not against wearing a vest, I wear one 99/100 times I ride.

electricsnow · cassette Joined: 14 Sep 2003 Posts: 10752 City: Jefferton

No, it's not even about "hoping" your vest flips you over or you luckily land in a position so you're not breathing water. It's about remaining at the surface so your friends (who may or may not be paying close attention to you) can bust ass and actually find you and pull you out of the water. If you're not wearing a vest, the chances of this happening decrease significantly.

Now, knowing rescue breathing and CPR is a different story.

Here's a story, which I may or may not have told on here before. Many many light years ago, in a state far, far away (for me) a girl named tara hamilton was shredding the gnar with darin shapiro. Somehow she knocked herself out doing a scarecrow or some other such maneuver, and was "hovering" about a foot below the surface of the water. She was wearing a non coast guard approved vest...luckily darin shapiro was able to pull her out of the water. She's seriously lucky she didn't just plain sink because as someone else said (and collin wright can attest to), a non coast guard vest won't necessarily float you. If she wasn't wearing a vest PERIOD, she would have sunk down even farther.

And you know, the no vest boycott won't work. Jeff barton tried that with WBM and it didn't work. Some of the videographers felt some responsibility (FLF) but they have left and nobody else seems to really impose such a requirement. Point blank, it's really up to the rider, pro or not, whether or not they want to wear a vest. Magazines and videographers shouldn't have to babysit (but if it's decided to be done, in my opinion it should be all or nothing). And even though it would bring some good to the art, I find it hard to fully support some sort of forced act on another rider. Again, WBM tried that, but I'm sure that an assload of riders still rode at home without a vest, even though that in the beginning, their photos for ads/what have you wouldn't be accepted. In the end, it's more of a personal choice.

I HATE it when someone tries to glorify riding without a vest because that's stupid. But if they keep it as their choice and their choice alone, then so be it. I won't lie, I feel sad when I see "special" people riding without a vest...I would be crushed if someone I highly respected and felt contributed a huge amount of good to wakeskating, died because they didn't have a vest on. But again, it's their choice...and professionals are just an example on a larger scale. It's sad when ANYONE dies wakeskating...including a "model citizen" who's having fun with his bros on a golf course...

Anyway matt, I really like your first post.

one-eyed sailor551 · Backside 180 Joined: 26 Mar 2005 Posts: 1111 City: mahopac

nicely put electricsnow, i dont ever ride without a vest except once in a puddle. but i like the fell of the vest and it absorbs the shock of the fall if its particularly hard. i have a huge bruise on my back that would be a hella lot bigger if i didnt wear a vest.

wear a vest kiddies

Josh · Posted: Jul 13, 2005 10:11 pm Post subject:

I don't think I can really add anything more to this thread, just about everything has been said. I'm glad that Cordell came up, because we should never forget about what happened.

Just wear a f'n vest. It's stupid not to. If I see someone ride past me without a vest, I don't think they're hardcore, I think they're idiots.

kmps_40 · Faceplant Joined: 13 Jul 2005 Posts: 1

Thats so crazy that the sport has come to far as to hit a double up and have consequences of death. i like progression but thats scary . Its so sad Neutral

SleuCrew · Posted: Jul 14, 2005 2:21 am Post subject:

electricsnow, Thank you for your post... Cory actually came up at dinner tonight and it brought out a few tears. There are still times i hear the last message he left on Collin's answering machine about how stoked he was on Collin's cover shot on WBM, very rarely do we ever talk about that...

He was a dear friend and a great person on and off the water and he is missed everyday.

Thank you for all of your condolences from everyone else... Wether or not i have a death wish at times and don't wear a vest is up to me, and like i said its only in a closed circumstance that is controlled... its still no excuse and i should always be wearing a vest.

Wearing a vest is the smartest thing you can do.

BillyOLDS · Posted: Jul 14, 2005 3:04 am Post subject:

SleuCrew, well put

i dont think its smart not too but to me i love riding and the way i feel when im just wearing boards shorts and shoes. i dnt give any one crap for not and when ever im out with chase he has teh rule no vest no ride and i totaly respect that

jzwake · Pop Shuvit Joined: 06 Apr 2004 Posts: 103

I know people who will not wear a seat belt in a car because it chafes them or is uncomfortable or some BS. I honestly think they just feel cooler by not clicking the belt, like they're sticking it to the man or something. It's very equivilant to wake sports in my opinion. Riders want to look cool while riding but they're excuse is freedom of motion or comfort. Either way if theres an accident, freak or not, you could be injured signifigantly greater or die. People die in car accidents every day, and I would imagine thier is a notable percentage of people who would of lived if they were wearing a seat belt. Sure you probably stand a greater chance of getting in a car accident then getting knocked out wakeskating, but why risk it.

I'm not sure how comfortable being dead is but its not comfortable to your family and friends.

I rode with Corey the fall before he past away. He was awesome to hang around with and a great person. He wore a vest and it was amazing to watch ride.

Needless to say, if you ride behind my boat, you'll be wearing a vest. If you ride in my vehicle you'll be wearing a seatbelt. I'm not going to be the one to call your mother/wife/kids and tell them the horrible news.

if your puddle skating, i'll let the vest slide.

electricsnow · cassette Joined: 14 Sep 2003 Posts: 10752 City: Jefferton

The one thing I'll never forget that has to do with corey is the quote from greg nelson and how he had to call corey's mother and tell her that "her baby was gone". According to Greg's interview, he was the first person to call his mom. It always hurts when I think about that.

Xbar91 · Faceplant Joined: 09 Jun 2005 Posts: 6 City: San Jose

Personally, I feel that this is a similar argument to the helmet law while on a motorcycle. While it can take away the pleasure of feeling the wind through the hair it is just an overall bad idea. They design many different helmets that will allow more ventilation and even much less protection, very similar to PFD's. I know that I used to ride without a helmet before the law went into effect in California, and I was naive.

But to this day I will always wear a uscga vest when I ride. Sure it isn't the most comfortable thing, but I also wear a rash guard. I hate the feel of it against my skin but just knowing that it will be there in case of a hard fall or otherwise makes myself and crew feel safer. Let alone now that some of the guys I ride with have kids on the boat someone needs to set an example. Just my .02.

lakeannarider230 · Ollie Joined: 24 May 2005 Posts: 61 City: lake anna, va

i rode vestless for the first time yesterday, its ok theres no real point except you can do underwater starts

Nekkie · Posted: Jul 15, 2005 12:53 am Post subject:

it is always dumb not to wear a vest, no argument can be used to back this up Razz

but still, it feels good to ride without one ^^

But I just got a new killer vest and can't wait to wear it lol

Re-entry · Ollie Joined: 26 Jun 2005 Posts: 62

Nekkie, What vest did you get? I am looking into the new oneill boost and vapor vest, or rip curl stealth.

Rob · Posted: Jul 15, 2005 12:28 pm Post subject:

I got a severe concussion after a heavy fall on a double up last year. I slammed the board right into my head and thank god I had my vest on so I stayed afloat! Another time i hurt my ribs after a nasty fall when we winched in shallow water and I can imagine the consequences if I've been riding vestless that time.
Behind our boat you don't ride without a vest, regardless if Thomas Horrell or Danny Hampson rides without one in some video... It's just plain stupid if you don't wear one.

I love wakeskating, but I love life even more...... Smash

Trac · Ollie Joined: 16 Jun 2005 Posts: 50 City: Richmond Hill

Re-entry, the vapor vest is super sweet. I picked it up a couple weeks ago and its awesome. You can barely feel it when your riding and it gives good cushion. The only thing is its a beach to get off. But you get used to it.

TYLER** · Posted: Jul 15, 2005 12:46 pm Post subject:

i ahd the vapor but it recently flew out the boat on the way home but it was great for a long time but then the padding wadded up really bad and it sucked, now i wear a ripcurl stealth and i like it alot more but it doesnt keep you up as good

Trac · Ollie Joined: 16 Jun 2005 Posts: 50 City: Richmond Hill

The vapor also rides up a lot when you fall, not a big deal unless you have your nipple pierced like me in which case it rips at it every time I fall... in that case, wear a rash gaurd