Originally Posted by
BackPacker
You look at the mechanism and possibly the instructions. If there's a salt tablet somewhere inside the mechanism, then it's auto inflatable. If there's not, it's manual.
I haven't tried this but supposedly on some auto inflate types, you can remove the salt tablet to make it manually inflatable.
The reason I ask is i have a collection of both types hanging up in the hangar for the boat (auto inflate) and plane (manual), after reading PDARs post i realised my habit of just grabbing the first 2 within easy reach when going flying is probably not the best method. Im sure if i got the glasses out and read the small print on the label it would state the type and operation. I just wondered if there was something the manufacturers do that makes it obvious visually as to what type of vest it is. IIRC both types have a pull cord.