Nicco, depending on the amount of REAL protection you want, and the amount of water you get covered with while running (a BIG Lake Michigan or Lake Erie wave will set off your automatic as it will seem like someone dumped a fish tank over your head)..... If you fish alot alone, or in colder weather/northern climes, I EXTRA STRONGLY recommend you get the AUTOMATIC , and when you buy it be sure to buy a few (2 or 3) extra refills and keep one in the boat/car. MY LIFE WAS SAVED by my SOSPENDERS when I went into 40 degree water, 15 feet deep, going ZERO M.P.H.....As air temps were 45 degrees, I had LOTS of layers on, I went STRAIGHT to the bottom, my clothes soaked all the way through, and I became an 'anchor', I kicked off the bottom, came to the top,and was halfway back down (permanently...), but that's when my SOSPENDERS popped and I was brought back up. My partner couldn't barely even hold onto me let alone pull me in. There was VERY FORTUNATELY another boat in this tournament, about 200 yards away, and after my partner got their attention ,it still took 10 minutes to get to us because of the standing timber deadheads (part of the cause of my plunge...), by this time I was freezing and my teeth have never chattered like that before, or since. It took all three of them ,getting in our boat, and together, the 3 of them were finally able to haul me in. I owe all three of them and my SOSPENDERS- MY LIFE. Period. If I had not been wearing an AUTOMATIC vest, I doubt I would have: A. Had the presence of mind (while submerged...and in AUTO SHOCK from the COLD water) to pull the tab on the 'self/manual' activator B. Even been PHYSICALLY able to find it, and then in water swollen clothes, grab and pull it! C. Had I hit my head, and been knocked out..... blub,blub,blub............I hope this helps, SPEND THE MONEY, BUY THE BEST YOU CAN AFFORD. WEAR IT RELIGIOUSLY ANY TIME YOU ARE ON THE WATER, 2 feet deep, 1000 feet deep,5 degrees outside, 105 degrees outside. Nicco, there are three questions I ask people. IF YOU DROWN, HOW MUCH WOULD YOU SPEND TO BE BROUGHT BACK TO LIFE?, HOW MUCH WOULD YOUR MOM,DAD,SISTER,BROTHER,WIFE, or KIDS PAY TO HAVE YOU BACK? Lastly, would they ask if you were wearing a life vest......? I know I'm ALIVE because of one, and I THANK the inventor of SOSPENDERS and that new style of LIFE PRESERVER - it's not just a 'PFD', as now there is NO EXCUSE for not wearing one! ><> ><> ><> BE SAFE on the H2O, ALEX