Sławek Ochnio ex commando
I recommend it to all windsurfers who value freedom of movement and at the same time can use its large buoyancy when starting from the water. It is much more comfortable than a life jacket or other life jacket . I used it in Croatia Viganj at approx. 5 BF with a Diablo 8.4 sail, no problems, and starting from the water after inflating it is pure pleasure. Then I tested it in Egypt Pro Center Tommy Friedl Jasmine base, with a set of JP Super Sport 124 Pro and Hornet 8.2, the Bo Vest exceeded my wildest expectations. I estimate its buoyancy at 20-24 liters. Super light, well balanced, maintains a vertical position, very good protection against high sun exposure (you just have to choose the right color). I also use it in a set with a short or long wetsuit, instead of a life jacket . The shirt dries quickly, is comfortable and pleasant to the body. Very technologically advanced, and the materials used are of the highest quality. You can inflate it to the max, and after releasing the air it takes on the previous dimensions. I am delighted with the shirt and its functionality.
Marek Rowninski, sr. Captain of the Great Navigation, Vice President of PZKite
I've been swimming in the Bo Vest for a few days now. At first I tested it out of curiosity and now I've developed the habit of putting the vest on over my wetsuit. For a few reasons. 1. It doesn't bother me. Even when it's very inflated. I was wrong to think that it would restrict movement. Even the chambers under the arms don't bother me at all. 2. It can help in the W hour - additional buoyancy - I don't know how many liters of air go inside, but by eye it's a dozen or so liters. 3. When inflated it improves thermal comfort. While swimming it certainly doesn't cool you down like any Lycra, but on the shore it warms you up. Kołobrzeg in May is an ideal thermal training ground: water 10 degrees, air probably the same. Normally after getting out of the water after 10 minutes it starts shaking me. Now I've been taking longer breaks and I didn't feel the typical cooling down. 4. It has an anti-collision effect - like an airbag in a car. Today I fell on my back from 7m at full power. I only got wet :D Nothing helps with a point impact, but with flat impacts - it's brilliant. Because the Vest is put under the harness! On the first day I was swimming relaxed and everything was coming up under my arms. During the bottoms the tube fell out from under the lycra. I moved the valve 15 cm above the original place and the problem was gone. During the bottoms I lost the neoprene valve cover. Normally you can't see it. Also cut out the label - it whistles in the wind! My vest size is XL, even though I'm more of a stool. So it's worth trying it on before buying. I've seen the vests in yellow and black. Apparently you can order the color and graphics on request. Generally - I keep my fingers crossed for this idea and recommend trying it out - it's worth it. I think it will stay with me for a long time. Where to buy it and what the price is - I don't know yet. I know that Bo Sport is involved in this. A life jacket and a life jacket are a thing of the past
Piotr "Globus" Golba
Lecturer at VDWS International
I found out about the Bo Vest in the spring of 2014. Maciek Boszko told me about the concept of a life jacket for people doing water sports. I got interested in this idea because due to my passion and profession I often windsurf and kitesurf in various conditions. I remembered about it when in April 2015 I was supposed to take part in a rescue training organized for a team of instructors and lecturers of the International Association of Water Sports Schools VDWS. The training took place in the Netherlands on the waters of the North Sea, which was as cold as hell at that time, and lasted 3 days. Bo Vest test : Circumstance: VDWS Lifeguard Workshop - Netherlands, Brouwersdamm (North Sea) When: 20-21.04.2015 Air temperature: approx. 10 degrees Water temperature: approx. 8 degrees Wind: 15-18 knots Training objective: Practical learning of how to cope with difficult and complex situations of rescuing people at sea while maintaining maximum realism of the actions played out. Course: When we played the role of "injured people", we were thrown out of a motorboat at a distance of approx. 500-700 m from the shore into the icy sea and we had to wait until colleagues from the "rescue" team found us and brought us to the shore:-) Since there were several injured people in the water at the same time in different places, the waiting time for rescue extended to up to 20 minutes. Observations / impressions: The vest put on over the wetsuit and not inflated looks like ordinary Lycra and does not restrict movement in any way. I also put on a windbreaker jacket on top. Inflating is very fast and does not require force. After filling the chambers at the front and back with air, excellent buoyancy is obtained. To stay on the water surface, you do not have to make any movements. The body position is comfortable and the head is not immersed in the water. An additional advantage was that the inflated vest provided great thermal insulation and I was much warmer in cold water. Opinions of teammates: After getting to shore, the heavily inflated vest under my jacket made me look a bit funny :-) A large chest but also a large hump on the back aroused the interest of people on the beach. At first they looked at me with a smile, but after a short while and after explaining what it is and how it works, they became interested in the idea. Summary: I think that the Bo Vest life jacket is a very interesting idea for people practicing water sports. It is very easy to use. When inflated, it provides excellent buoyancy and a safe positioning of the body in the water and when you do not need it, it is normal lycra. It can be an additional thermal layer, which is especially important in cold water. Personally, I would most like to use it while swimming at sea, especially in conditions when the breaking waves reach deep into our native Baltic Sea:-) Piotr "Globus" Golba Lecturer VDWS International
Jurek " STONE" Makowiecki
I tested the Bovest vest with my 13-year-old son. The boy is in the process of switching from a twin tip to a directional board – so first contacts with waves and surf, ground bait and drowning are commonplace. The vest helped him a lot to get to know the elements without stress, it was usually only slightly inflated, it was more about the feeling that it was "something" that would help in case of trouble, he knew that if it got really bad he could always "inflate" the vest and save himself by unfastening the equipment. After 2 weeks of training in Cabo Verde, the boy goes into every surf and copes quite well, I think that this is largely due to the sense of security that the Bovest life jacket gives. Apart from its safety features, the Bovest life jacket has one great advantage – in the "resting state" it is just an ordinary lycra – a T-shirt that does not look uncool. This fact is probably of fundamental importance to many, especially younger riders... because you can always make a splash on the beach in a deflated state and pack your life jacket where no one can see it ☺ For me, an experienced wave rider, the Bovest life jacket is simply amazing, mainly because when slightly inflated it does not have too much buoyancy that would interfere when washing in the surf, it does not restrict movement and yet provides enough buoyancy for survival... and you don't have to look like a pumped-up ham in it ☺Darius Musial
IKO level 3 Instructor, PzKite level 2 Instructor - El Gouna, Egypt A brilliant alternative to life jackets that often restrict movement. Bo Vest is a perfect idea for kitesurfers, windsurfers and snorkelers. I have repeatedly demonstrated to students the principle of BoVest operation during self-rescue. Safety above all. I recommend it for all waters.
