Review on 🏊 Inflatable Waist Belt with Reflective Tapes and Whistle - 4 Color Options - Manual Inflatable Life Jacket for Safe Swimming and Adjustable Strap by Duane Kerr

Most reviewers state that the CO2 cartridge required is not included and there is very little information on which CO2 cartridge to purchase for them. I did a little research and was able to find the right cartridges. First, readily available 16 gram CO2 cartridges for air guns and bike tire inflator DO NOT WORK. They require a 23 gram cartridge with a 1/2" thread. They are available from Revain but are incredibly expensive. Google them and you will find them a lot cheaper. The cheapest I found were compared to normal 16 gram cartridges are still relatively expensive and one website mentioned that the reason for the high price is the anti-corrosion coating as they are designed for use in salt water cartridges today so finally got a chance to test it and was comfortable surprised to see how well it works.After you screw in the cartridge and put on the strap, make sure it is facing the right direction.Only the waist part should be on your back and the part with the inflatable material should be facing forward pointing and the velcro should be facing your face.When you pull the cord it inflates almost instantly and ejects itself out of the pocket so you don't have to manually untangle it or need to open the velcro. Once it inflates and pops out of your pocket, simply pull it over your head and you are now floating as its bottom is still connected to the strap. I was pretty sure the 1/2" thread would be correct, but couldn't find anything definitive on the size of the cartridge, so I was concerned if it would be under-inflated or over-inflated and burst. Now I can confirm that the 23g cartridge is the perfect size and pumps perfectly. I've seen some other reviews mention that it only stayed inflated for about half an hour, but the refills were fully inflated for a couple of hours with no sign of leakage. The manual bleed valve also works and it took me a while to figure it out. You have to blow really hard the first time because the seal is tight (as it should be). To deflate, twist the cap over which there is a small protrusion and push against the valve opening. The protrusion will release the valve if you press hard enough. All in all it seems to do what it's supposed to do as long as you have the right CO2 cartridge.