Collaborating with many of the world’s best big wave surfers, we developed the PSI (Personal Surf Inflation) Vest to help increase safety in heavy surf. The vest supports multiple rapid inflations and features a dump valve for quick deflation in the water. We received a U.S. patent for its innovative technology in 2014.

The User Manual below contains essential information about its features, operation and care.

For any questions, contact inflation.vest@patagonia.com.

User Manual

READ CAREFULLY ALL LABELS, WARNINGS, AND INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE USING THIS VEST.

PLEASE REVIEW ALL OF THE SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS ON THIS PAGE BEFORE USING THIS VEST. THIS DEVICE IS NOT FUNCTIONAL UNTIL INFLATED. INJURY OR DEATH, INCLUDING DROWNING, COULD OCCUR WHILE WEARING THIS VEST.

BEFORE EACH USE, INSPECT THE VEST TO ENSURE THAT IT IS 100% FUNCTIONAL AND THAT ALL MODES OF OPERATION ARE IN PERFECT WORKING ORDER, AS DESCRIBED IN THE INSTRUCTION MANUAL. AT LEAST 12 HOURS BEFORE EACH USE, THE USER MUST INFLATE THE BLADDER TO CONFIRM NO LOSS OF AIR. BETWEEN USES, THE VEST MUST BE MAINTAINED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THESE INSTRUCTIONS. A PAPER COPY OF THE INSTRUCTION MANUAL WAS INCLUDED WITH THE VEST. THE INSTRUCTION MANUAL AND INSTRUCTIONAL VIDEO ARE ALSO VIEWABLE ON THIS PAGE.

THIS VEST IS INTENDED FOR USE BY PATAGONIA® CERTIFIED SURFERS ONLY, ONLY IN AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE SAFETY FACTORS SUCH AS PATROL BOATS AND OTHER RESCUE WATERCRAFT ARE PRESENT, AND WHERE THE SURFER IS UNDER CONSTANT OBSERVATION. PATAGONIA CERTIFIED SURFERS ARE SURFERS WHO HAVE BEEN PERSONALLY TRAINED BY PATAGONIA IN PROPER USE AND CARE OF THE VEST. DO NOT USE THIS VEST IF YOU HAVE NOT RECEIVED PROPER TRAINING OR INSTRUCTION IN ITS USE AND CARE.

AFTER REMOVING VEST, REMOVE ALL CO2 CANISTERS. RINSE VEST, BLADDER EXTERIOR, AND INFLATORS AND THREADS WITH FRESH WATER. RINSE BLADDER INTERIOR THOROUGHLY WITH FRESH WATER. OPEN DUMP VALVE AND DRAIN WATER FROM BLADDER THROUGH DUMP VALVE BY PULLING DUMP VALVE CORD. RINSE DUMP VALVE COMPONENTS WITH FRESH WATER. AFTER VEST AND COMPONENTS ARE THOROUGHLY RINSED, ALLOW TO AIR DRY IN A COOL, SHADED PLACE. STORE IN COOL, DRY PLACE. CO2 CANISTERS ARE DANGEROUS AND SHOULD BE KEPT AWAY FROM CHILDREN.

THE BLADDER IN THIS VEST HAS AN EXPECTED USEFUL LIFE OF APPROXIMATELY TWO YEARS. BEFORE USING THE VEST ON OR AFTER THE TWO YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF YOUR PURCHASE, RETURN IT TO PATAGONIA FOR INSPECTION AND POSSIBLE REPAIR OR REPLACEMENT. DO NOT USE THE VEST ON OR AFTER THAT DATE UNLESS PATAGONIA HAS INSPECTED IT AND RETURNED IT TO YOU.

WARNING: THIS IS NOT A LIFE JACKET OR LIFE VEST AND IS NOT INTENDED TO BE WORN WHILE BOATING OR RIDING PERSONAL WATERCRAFT OF ANY KIND. THIS VEST HAS NOT BEEN APPROVED BY THE US COAST GUARD, CANADIAN DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORT, OR ANY OTHER AGENCY MAKING OFFICIAL APPROVALS OF FLOTATION DEVICES. TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, NO EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES ARE MADE CONCERNING THE USE, PERFORMANCE, OR MERCHANTABILITY OF THIS PRODUCT.

THIS VEST SHOULD NOT BE USED BY ANY PERSON UNDER 18, ANY PERSON WHO IS NOT A STRONG SWIMMER AND EXPERIENCED SURFER, OR BY ANY PERSON OTHER THAN THE PERSON WHO ORIGINALLY PURCHASED OR OTHERWISE RECEIVED THE VEST DIRECTLY FROM PATAGONIA. IT MUST BE WORN UNDER A WETSUIT THAT HAS BEEN SPECIALLY MODIFIED BY PATAGONIA TO ALLOW THE VEST TO OPERATE PROPERLY.

SURFING IS AN INHERENTLY HAZARDOUS ACTIVITY. THE PATAGONIA® PSI VEST, WHEN USED AND MAINTAINED ACCORDING TO INSTRUCTIONS, CAN REDUCE, BUT CANNOT, AND DOES NOT, ELIMINATE THE RISKS OF SURFING.

TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, (i) PATAGONIA DOES NOT MAKE AND EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES CONCERNING THE USE PERFORMANCE, OR MERCHANTABILITY OF THIS VEST; (ii) USER’S SOLE AND EXCLUSIVE REMEDY IN THE EVENT OF DISSATISFACTION WITH THIS VEST DUE TO DEFECT NOT CAUSED BY USER, SHALL BE TO RETURN THE VEST TO PATAGONIA FOR A REFUND OF THE PRICE PAID; (iii) ALL OTHER WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, AND ALL OTHER REMEDIES WITH REGARD TO THE CONDITION AND/OR USE OF THE VEST, ARE HEREBY SPECIFICALLY EXCLUDED; AND (iv), PATAGONIA, INC. AND ITS PARENT AND AFFILIATES SHALL NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES BE LIABLE FOR ANY DEATH, INJURY, LOSS OF PROPERTY, LOSS OF USE, OR ANY OTHER DIRECT, INDIRECT, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES SUSTAINED BY USER IN THE COURSE OF USING THIS VEST.

IF YOU PURCHASED THIS VEST IN AUSTRALIA, THE ABOVE DISCLAIMERS DO NOT EXCLUDE, LIMIT OR MODIFY THE APPLICATION OF ANY NON-EXCLUDABLE STATUTORY RIGHTS AND REMEDIES CONFERRED UNDER THE AUSTRALIAN CONSUMER LAW, AND THE DISCLAIMERS DO NOT APPLY TO YOU WITH RESPECT TO ANY SUCH NON-EXCLUDABLE STATUTORY RIGHTS AND REMEDIES.

COVERED BY THE FOLLOWING PATENTS:

US 8,911,273; AU 2013309473

ADDITIONAL PATENTS PENDING

PRE-FLIGHT CHECK LIST

BEFORE EACH USE, USER MUST INFLATE THE BLADDER WITH AT LEAST TWO (2) 25g CO₂ CANISTERS WITHOUT RELEASING ANY AIR THROUGH THE DUMP VALVE TO CONFIRM FULL INFLATION OF THE BLADDER. LET THE INFLATED BLADDER SIT FOR AT LEAST TWELVE (12) HOURS. IF THE BLADDER SHOWS ANY SIGN OF SOFTENING OR DEFLATION AFTER 12 HOURS, DO NOT USE THE VEST. INSTEAD, RETURN IT TO PATAGONIA FOR INSPECTION.

*Four 25g-fill CO₂ canisters required

1. Ensure Front Shock Cord is tied through the two
2. tabs on the front lobes of the Inflation Bladder (see illustration #1).
3. Ensure Rear Shock Cord is tied through the rear
4. tabs of the Inflation Bladder (see illustration #2).
5. Ensure the nuts on the four Manual Inflators are tight; use a 9⁄16" wrench to tighten the nut, if necessary (see illustration #3).
6. Ensure the Dump Valve is screwed on hand-tight (see illustration #4).
7. Inspect the threads of the four Manual Inflators for corrosion and damage.
8. Ensure the Trigger Cords run freely and are not twisted or restricted from moving.
9. The Trigger Arms must be in the Down Position before loading the CO₂ Canisters (see illustration #7).
10. Screw in four new 25g-fill CO₂ Canisters hand-tight. Ensure your wetsuit has the Pull Handle Snaps and Dump Handle Exit Hole installed.

1. Load four new 25g-fill CO₂ Canisters.
2. Find a quiet place, and with the vest in your hands, trigger one of the CO₂ Canisters. Listen and look for any leaks in the bladder. Return to Patagonia for inspection if any leaks or malfunctions are observed. If the bladder is leak free, deflate the bladder using the Dump Valve Cord and release all of the CO₂.
3. Repeat step 2, and trigger a second CO₂ canister to inflate the bladder. Listen for leaks once again and deflate the bladder if everything is functioning properly.
4. Repeat step 2, and trigger a third CO₂ Canister to inflate the bladder. Listen for leaks once again. DO NOT DEFLATE THE BLADDER.
5. Trigger the fourth CO₂ canister. The Dump Valve should automatically release the excess CO₂ from the bladder when two canisters are triggered consecutively. When the Dump Valve has released enough CO₂, the Dump Valve should stop releasing CO₂. Listen for leaks after the Dump Valve stops releasing CO₂.
6. LET THE INFLATED BLADDER REST FOR AT LEAST TWELVE (12) HOURS.
7. After 12 hours or more, check to see if the bladder has lost any of its CO₂. If the bladder has softened or ANY CO₂ has been lost DO NOT use the vest. Instead, return the vest to Patagonia for inspection.
8. If no leakage is detected, deflate the bladder and ensure all cords are still routed properly through the bladder (no twists) and that all cord knots are tight.
9. Complete all steps in the SETUP section and the PRE-SURF CHECKLIST.

There are two Pull Handles on the vest to inflate the CO₂ Canisters—one on the left chest and the other on the right chest. Each Pull Handle is designed to trigger two CO₂ Canisters. For each Pull Handle, pulling DOWN triggers the first CO₂ Canister, then pulling UP triggers the second CO₂ Canister. NOTE: If you pull UP on the Pull Handle for the first inflation, both CO₂ Canisters on that side will trigger.

NEVER USE THE VEST WITH ONLY ONE FULL CO₂ CANISTER REMAINING.

1. Remove all CO₂ Canisters.
2. Rinse the entire vest with fresh water.
3. Rinse the bladder exterior and all four (4) Manual Inflators, including the threads, with fresh water.
4. Rinse the inside of the bladder with fresh water. Open the Dump Valve by pulling the Dump Valve Cord. Add fresh water through the Dump Valve. Move water throughout inside of bladder, then drain water by pulling the Dump Valve Cord.
5. Rinse the Dump Valve components with fresh water.
6. After the vest is thoroughly rinsed, allow it to air-dry in a cool, shaded place. Do not use heat to dry the vest.
7. Store your dry vest in a cool, dry place.

1. THE BLADDER IN THIS VEST HAS AN EXPECTED USEFUL LIFE OF APPROXIMATELY TWO YEARS. BEFORE USING THE VEST ON OR AFTER THE TWO YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF YOUR PURCHASE, RETURN IT TO PATAGONIA FOR INSPECTION AND POSSIBLE REPAIR OR REPLACEMENT. DO NOT USE THE VEST ON OR AFTER THAT DATE UNLESS PATAGONIA HAS INSPECTED IT AND RETURNED IT TO YOU.
2. User should not perform any maintenance on this vest. Return to Patagonia for any maintenance.
3. No person other than the original purchaser of this product should use it.