Lifejackets - Auto inflate or?

[Time]

To follow up from Sculpins thread on life jakets, the concensus i got from reading the thread was that the automatic inflating is the preferred type, rather than the manual inflatable or 'solid' type of jacket.
Now I'm wondering what brands and models people prefer or would reccomend.

I know I splurged - $200+ - for the Mustang with the soft neoprene collar and the window for checking the charge of the cylinder, but there are a lot more models out there now.

Any thoughts?

 

[tubber]

Peope with enclosed cabins with solid doors need to read up about auto-inflaters vs manuals. The decision comes down to: am I more afraid of being unconscious and not having the auto-inflate, or is there a chance I could be inside a capsized boat or down in the bilge while my auto-inflate inflates and keeps me from escaping.
Neoprene is nice, my older Mustang chafes a bit.

 

[trophywife]

Auto inflate and a knife in yer pocket. And remember these are not life jackets!!! Just a pfd if worn.

 

[ComfortZone]

Peope with enclosed cabins with solid doors need to read up about auto-inflaters vs manuals. The decision comes down to: am I more afraid of being unconscious and not having the auto-inflate, or is there a chance I could be inside a capsized boat or down in the bilge while my auto-inflate inflates and keeps me from escaping.
Neoprene is nice, my older Mustang chafes a bit.

this is exactly why I preffer manual inflatable jackets...while im trying to unlatch my cabin door while upside down the last thing I want to fight or remove is my life jacket...mind you, I try to keep the cabin door open as much as possible for easy access/escape

 

[Wwunder]

There is a deflate button on the top of the manual inflate tube (the one you blow into). My preference is to wear an autoinflatable PDF in the case of an injury preventing pulling the tab. In the unlikely senario where it is too bouyant to exit a capsized vessel, i would prefer to press the deflate button and blow it back up once I got out. I would not plan on using a knife to destroy my only floatation.