Hi there, We have developed an inflatable rashie that can be worn as a normal piece of clothing but transforms into a lifejacket if needed.
You can see it here on Kickstarter, we have an early bird offer of $79 USD (60% off RRP)

www.kickstarter.com/projects/1880484897/hero-the-inflatable-rash-guard-that-can-save-your

Our shirt is suitable for children through to adults, with sizes ranging from a childs size 4 through to XXL.

Our Hero Rashie can be used for all water based activities, from Rockfishing right through to Kitesurfing, it can also be used in learning to swim campaigns and helping people with disabilities to enjoy the water and remain active.

Our product overcomes the stigma that people have with wearing lifejackets because our Hero looks just like a normal rashie.

To date we have had great support from Rechfishwest and in particular CEO Andrew Rowland, The Royal Life Saving Society of Western Australia and the Marmion Angling and Aquatic Club and several others.

Does it meer australian certification for life jackets?

Good point about water safety cert for Aus.
Also can only purchase using your credit card online, always a risk!

Do you do a budgie smuggler version,

I (unexpectedly) received mine today. I just got the standard one - I didn't go for the budgie-smuggler version...

I haven't used it yet, but Initial impressions are that it looks really good. The profile when on is a lot less than an 2mm wetsuit (way less) - barely more than a thick T-Shirt.

The inflators (CO2 on the left and Manual on the right) are not as noticeable as I thought they would be. They sit reasonably high on your chest - so they look like they won't get in the way of anything.

I don't usually use a Jacket, but when I I am going out deep on the foil I generally try to wear a vest. I have a low-profile wake vest I use for that, but I also have a separate, bigger harness, as the normal waist harness I use for Freestyle just doesn't work with the wake jacket under it. This new Rashie/Jacket goes under my small harness no worries.

I probably won't use it for freestyle, as I'm usually in less than 6 inches of water at my local... but I reckon it would be fine. Definitely worlds better than with the wake jacket on.

Hopefully I'll get a chance to try it out tomorrow, and I'll report back if anyone is interested. I just thought I'd post as I'd talked to quite a few people who were interested. We have a number of guys that do go out a couple of Kms - especially on foils - and it makes for a sh!tty day when things go wrong out there.

P.S. No association with the company - I just thought it looked like a great idea.

Select to expand quote

C000pers said..
Does it meer australian certification for life jackets?

It's certified as a 50N, which I can't work out would put it a PFD2 or PFD3 in the old spec (my wake vest is a PFD3). This page seems to say it could be rated as a Type 2: wearitaustralia.com.au/lifejackets-questions-answers/pfd-types/

Yeah interested in overall impression, let us know

I clicked on the link above & got...

Funding Canceled Funding for this project was canceled by the project creator on Aug 17 2018

Are you having another crack at it
(great idea)???

Select to expand quote

toppleover said..
I clicked on the link above & got...

Funding Canceled Funding for this project was canceled by the project creator on Aug 17 2018

Are you having another crack at it
(great idea)???

Hi Mate,

As I mentioned, I have nothing to do with the company. I did back it on Kickstarter back in September last year, and it got delivered today. They sent a message to the Kickstarter backers at the end of November saying it was on track for a December/January delivery, but I hadn't heard anything else until the package arrived this morning.

I think the original link above must have been archived or something: the links in the emails I received go to this kickstarted page:

www.kickstarter.com/projects/1880484897/hero-the-inflatable-rash-guard?ref=Fundedtoday&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=e.fnd.to

And they appear to have a direct website as well:

www.herowaterwear.com/collections/catalogue

Pleased to hear this is getting off the ground. I'd be keen on signing up but I find that the sizing on stuff is such a lottery - what size did you go for and hows the fit?

Cheers

UTB

Good to hear you got it as I was beginning to wonder what was happening, hopefully mines is on its way

Select to expand quote

UTB said..
Pleased to hear this is getting off the ground. I'd be keen on signing up but I find that the sizing on stuff is such a lottery - what size did you go for and hows the fit?

Cheers

UTB

I got a Large based on their sizing (I'm ~78Kgs at the moment and the large says 80-95). It fits fairly snuggly actually which is probably good as you don't want it moving around.

I haven't tested how it will go over a Wetsuit (I will hopefully try that this afternoon) as it might be a bit firm. Luckily, I'm in Queensland, so wetties are optional anyway...

If I manage to get out this afternoon I'll report back, as I reckon it will feel very different when you are on the kite.

I got out this afternoon. I was planning on going out on the Hydrofoil (which is why I bought the Hero), but the tide was too good for a Freestyle Twintip session.

I wore the Hero over my long sleeve rashie (I always wear long sleeves), but without my wetsuit. After wearing it, I reckon it would go over the wetsuit fine, which will be handy when the water temp drops down to about 22 in the middle of winter up here...

I didn't inflate it, as I was never in more than 2 foot of water, and was too busy on the kite.

Out on the water, I could almost forget it was there,. The only time I even noticed it was cutting hard upwind because there was a little bulk on my right shoulder. I think this was mainly because there was a little bit of air I didn't get out of if yesterday when I was playing around.

When I was actually doing anything else (S-Bends, Raileys, Backrolls, Double Fronts, Normal big air jumps) - I didn't even notice it. When I've worn my Wake Vest doing Freestyle (usually only if I'm too lazy to change when switching between the foil and the Twintip), I definitely notice it, and it gets in the way a bit. For freestyle, I didn't notice any difference between a normal Wetsuit and the Hero in terms of movement.

So, I'm pretty happy. It's definitely going to be a big improvement over the wake vest on the Foil, and something I'd happily wear anytime where the conditions were going to be sketchy or I was likely to be a long way from shore (or in the surf).

Suggestions:

1: I wish it was a long sleeve. I would never buy a short sleeve rashie. Up north, rashies are Stinger and Sun protection - rash protection is just a bonus. I will still have to wear a long sleeve under it.

2: I wish the Zipper went all the way off. I understand why they have done it the way they have, but it makes it difficult to get off. Getting it on is no problem though.