www.youneedahero.com/content/products/
plenty of times you want a jacket for those just incase situations but they are more of a hindrance until you actually need it.
The down side of the Billabong unit is that the floatation is in the back, so if you are unconscious, when you do get to the surface, your face will be in the water and you still cannot breathe.
The Hero keeps the head and neck up.
If the Billabong unit was at the front of the wetsuit, and you came to the surface unconscious, you would automatically be rolled onto your back with your head higher. (Like a life jacket) it would be great for kiting.
But, then again, if I was out there doing what they are doing,(which I wouldn't be) just something that gets me to the surface like that would be a god send.
But if your unconscious you wont be able to inflate either way.
Unless the hero auto inflates which I couldn't see.
thats the draw back to these systems, if you are knocked out or otherwise unable to activate they are of no help.
These Big wave surfers are all trained Freedivers Usually. Most of them can hold their breath for well over 2 minutes.
Ive done alot of spearfishing and I think this device would be great for Diving.
It's always different when you are being held down. The energy you consume in the initial struggle, and later panic if you can't get up, can all make 45 seconds seem like years. I have had two close ones in 40+ years of surfing.
I have also saved someone who drowned in massive cloudbreak,(who has now been a close friend for over 20 years!)
Stoked to see a product like these.
In the early nineties I was on Tavarua during an epic swell. The Hawaiian crew that were there was Brock Little, a very young (17) Shane Dorian, and Todd Chesser. Those dudes were the three amigos. The week was an amazing 7 days of grinding surf, and watching those dudes was nothing short of thrilling! This was a triple A swell.
Couple of years later the worst happened for one of them:
Sadly, Cheese died while out surfing on an outer reef on the north shore. Very tragic story to a best friend of theirs.
So, I can really see the motivation in trying to design something like this. What is really so great is that he has taken something that really hit him hard in his life, and now maybe his efforts might save the lives of many.
Good for surfing in general. Designs will only improve. Won't save everyone, situations always vary, but.....it could make all the difference in the world after being pinned down by two waves.
How cool is that, now they just need to include a pony bottle attachement to the bag..............
We can't use the automatic one because we're in the water all the time.
I would be worried about maintaining the manual CO2 one.
The oral inflation one would be good to have, if you get injured/stuck out/etc etc and you are able to inflate it.
I tried on a bunch of kayaking pfds and they were all horrible. Uncomfortable and way too much crap on them.
I ended up buying one of these. 
It felt fairly comfortable and was not too expensive at $150. Now I just have to remember to wear it. I would not wear a PFD for general kiting. I bought it for doing long solo coastal runs so I just have to make sure I wear it when there is a chance for a coast run.
Has any one tried the pfd's that are incorporated in to wetsuits (non inflatable type)? I think they are usually aimed at watersking.
^^ yes i learnt with a waterski wet suit with its own floatation . was sweet you didnt have to worry about trying to dog paddel ect to keep afloat while you were geting all ya stuff sorted out . Though at the time was the best thing to learn with . Got hot in summer though but i would highly recomend it .
