New auto-inflator

Typhoon have a solution to the unintentionally inflating lifejacket problem

Typhoon International have come up with Racer Pro lifejacket, which provides the solution to the occasional problem of automatic lifejackets accidentally inflating in extreme conditions. How’ve they done it? By becoming the first company in Europe to introduce the unique Halkey-Roberts Pro 1F Lifejacket Inflator into their range of lifejackets.

Halkey-Roberts have taken an innovative approach to solving the problem. They’ve made the water work harder to get to the inflator mechanism. Instead of giving the water an easy route to the salt bobbin that activates the inflator they’ve set it an obstacle course. Now, not only does the water have to get into the inflator housing, it also has to go uphill and round an ‘S’ bend before it can get to the salt bobbin and inflate the lifejacket. The result is an inflator mechanism that has to be properly immersed in water before it goes off, so moisture and condensation should no longer be a problem. If you do end up in the water though, as with all Typhoon lifejackets, the Racer Pro will inflate within five seconds as required by EU guidelines.

It’s this approach to the problem that has convinced Typhoon, a company also known for innovation, to use this inflator for their new top of the range Racer Pro lifejacket. The increased moisture resistance isn’t the only thing that sets this inflator apart from the others though. There’s a whole host of other features that make this the most user-friendly lifejacket inflator available.

One important new feature that takes the guesswork out of lifejacket care and maintenance is the single point indicator. If the indicator is green, the lifejacket’s ready to go. If anything’s wrong – perhaps the gas canister has been discharged or the unit is due for a service - the indicator shows red. It’s easy to see too as Typhoon have incorporated a window into the lifejacket cover so the indicator is permanently on show.

The bobbin used is new too – the Halkey-Roberts Super Bobbin. With the Super Bobbin you can’t go wrong as special alignment grooves mean it can only be fitted to the inflator in the optimum direction. The serrated surface of the bobbin is also important as it increases the surface area exposed to the water. The bigger the surface area water can get to, the faster the salt bobbin dissolves resulting in improved reaction times and reliability. Its high-visibility yellow case also makes servicing easier – you just can’t miss it.

The improvements don’t stop there either as Halkey-Roberts have also dramatically increased the normal service life. It’s now only every three years for recreational lifejackets and every two years for those in commercial use – a big increase on the previous annual service recommendation.

For added peace of mind the inflator complies with both the CE requirements and the most stringent United Laboratories requirements – the official approval laboratories for the United States Coastguard.

The combination of this unique inflator and Typhoon quality, reliability and workmanship make the Racer Pro a lifejacket to be reckoned with. This 150 Newton lifejacket comes with a red cover and there are two models available –-the Racer Pro 150 automatic with harness, which has an RRP of £89.95 and the Racer Pro 150 automatic without harness with an RRP of £84.95. Both models are available from Typhoon’s extensive retail network.