Sometimes, you need a life vest.
Like when the Coast Guard is writing you a ticket while verbally informing you that “state laws require you to have personal flotation device on board — one per person on board, in fact.”
But life vests are bulky and ugly, and thus hinder your chances of looking like a rad boat dude who swashbuckles his way about the high seas with a posse of bronzed ladyfriends in tow. So someone designed a new kinnd of flotation device: Ploota, a sensor-triggered life-saving device perfect for all manner of water activity. And it’s, uh, easier on the eye than those standard velcro’d foam jobbies. Sort of.
The device initially debuted on Kickstarter, and it’s more or less a life vest for your neck. A heart-shaped, cushioned rung rests over your shoulders as you surf, deep sea dive, snorkel or swim, remaining prepped all the while for potential danger.
If danger arrives — from man-eating sharks to your own inability to calmly swim back to the surface — Ploota’s automatically inflating, refillable CO2 cartridges discharge a neck float that will keep your head safely above water … even if you’re unconscious.
The minimalist design also includes a manual trigger and a button to check on the battery.
While the Ploota looks more functional than polished around a beachgoer’s neck, it’s not really meant for a Saturday afternoon boogie-boarder. This is a development for legit water adventures, and a lightweight one at that: Ploota’s small frame absolutely dusts the clunky life vests of old, weighing in at just over half a pound.
No word on whether we’ll see a similar model on planes soon, but they certainly look the part.
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