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 On: 2007-02-14
Back when the coast guard in Canada and the USA allowed these to fill in as a floatation device, they were used by the hundreds of thousands and all manufacturers made them with real closed cell foam inside.
Now that they are only legal as a class IV throwable many people must have stopped buying them just to sit on and the make it cheaper line of thinking has caused a major change in the way some manufacturers like KENT for example make their product. Now you can get CHEAP type IV cushions for less because instead of using real durable foam, those manufacturers substitute about 15 sheets of 1/8 inch thick white packing foam and a few thick plastic stiffener sheets instead. This is fine for use as a never used emergency throw but it does not work to sit on. In one month of daily use the foam crushes down from over 2 inches thick to less than 1/2 inch and worst of all the sheets scoot around, curl up and the cushion is uncomfortable even before it is trash.
There are still a few quality type IV cushions out there like these Stearns brand which still have the real closed cell foam in a cloth cover and even commercial quality for fire departments and such which are made by Jim-Buoy and you will only need to buy them once... for life. They cost on average about $35 to $40 retail and are available online so if you plan to use it to sit on instead of stowed as an emergency throw, then spend the extra money and dont buy the cheaper quality product!
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