There’s a challenger to the old-fashioned foam throwable life ring. The TD2401 from Throw Raft is the world’s first, and thus far only, personal inflatable Type IV PFD approved by the United States Coast Guard. Why go inflatable with your throwable? Space conservation is a good place to start. The TD2401 fits into a pouch the size of a large water bottle, making it an ideal addition to a ditch bag and convenient to carry on smaller boats and dinghies. The TD2401 is roughly nine times smaller than a ring buoy when packed, and can be thrown both in its inflated and packed forms.
The TD2401 inflates to a visible bright yellow, and the rated minimum buoyancy of 20 lbs is perfectly in the range to support an adult according to Coast Guard recommendations. A custom mounting case made of strong ASA-Geloy plastic is also available for pre-order to keep the throw raft handy on center consoles, bulkheads, sailboat railings, and dock pilings. More information is available at throwraft.com, prices start at $129.95.
