Mocke or Vaikobi PFD

Curious to hear some opinions and experience regarding the comparison between these two. PFD. Specifically ease of remount while wearing either of them. I find that I sometime forego the PFD because if the interference created during remount. May sound like silly criteria but it is what it is. Thanks.

Hi Stanton
As you can see from my profile name im quite new to this game & as a consequence have more than my fair share of remounts to do.
I currently have the Mocke pfd, it fits quite snug as the floatation panels are all individual,has a rear pocket for a hydration pack & front one for a flare/ phone.
Even with the above gear inside i find it unobtrusive during remounts even over a drysuit which is de-riguer for the UK at this time of year.
The Vaikobi looks good & has the hi-viz colour for added safety but i prefer the orange over the yellow/green.

Hi Stanton,

I have the Vaikobi PFD and really like it. It has two good pockets on the front and carries a bladder on the back easily. The PFD fits like a jacket with flotation panels all around. I have a few PFDs and this would be the most comfortable as the panel at the front isn't bulky like some. I have had a few swims in the PFD and remount is very easy. The good thing with the latest PFDs is they are so comfortable to wear that you don't even know half the time you are wearing them. Personally the thought of not wearing a PFD regardless of the conditions scares the heck out of me.

Not sure I've even seen a Vaikobi PFD but of the three PFD's I own the Mocke has been the most comfortable PFD so far, no problems with the one remount I did wearing it, carrys my VHF in the front easily and I far prefer the bright orange as it is the most visable color out there, the green/yellow high viz tends to fade into white with distance I've noticed, at least to my eyes.

For me day glow yellow/green is more visible on cloudy/ misty dark days and bright orange/red day glow like on Think PFD's better when it's bright or clear out. Ether of those colors are a couple of orders of magnitude more visible than anything not day glow.

Bill

Can't comment on the Vaikobi. But really grew to love the Mocke last season. The material used to fashion it seems to dry almost instantaneously, and I never got that funky, mildew, smell on it the next morn if I did a knucklehead move and forgot to take it out of the truck the day before...

The Mocke also seems to breathe very well on the really hot days. I have other lightweight vests that feel like they hold in the heat more than the Mocke in those higher temps.

No remount issues at all for me with the Mocke. I basically exude the grace of a clumsy Galapagos tortoise, climbing atop it's mate for some bow..chicka..bow..wow!!! when I am remounting my ski, so in my case, if there could be a problem, there probably would be a problem.

I also like the color of the Mocke from a fashion perspective. It matches the orange of my cheap artificial tanning product, as well as the crimsony tangerine hue of my oft sunburned and bloodshot, pale Nordic eyes...

The mocke is a very comfortable pfd. The problem I had with it was longevity. The mesh used seemed to tear and breakdown after a couple of seasons. As with most things lightweight also means less durable.
There is also a problem with ordering them at the moment. There seems to be a shortage. From a comfort and remount perspective they are really good.

The vaikobi seems really small compared to most vests, so comfort and remount shouldn't be an issue. If you want to paddle inconspicuously, don't wear the vaikobi. The lime green is the brightest thing I've ever seen on the water. I watched TonyB disappear up the beach a while ago and when I walked home he was still clearly visible 2km away.