I still wear the old fashion type life jacket and I wear it all the time while in the boat. I fish by myself a lot and am older now. The last thing I want is to end up drowning in the lake were I love to fish. But age is catching up to me and I don't jump around as well as when I was younger.

I'd like to think that the new auto inflatable life jackets would be 100% reliable but I doubt that they work 100% of the time. They are lighter and less bulky which would nice in the hotter summer months. But I don't trust them ..yet. Plus they are more expensive to buy.

QUOTE=Shellkat;504307]Do you prefer a jacket or the newer auto/ manual vest. Just wondering if some of you are 100%talking confident it will deploy when you need it. If a man was to quick unexpected dip in the lake, he would haveto re- arming stuff and haveto stop and regroup. Never wore one much but I am not as young or in as good of shape as i once was. Now i wear one while running and throw it in driver seat when fishing. Usually dont fish alone and really considering some sort of boarding ladder that you can get from the water.[/QUOTE]