Double_J wrote:
There is such a wide variety and price range for PFD's. As a new boat owner
I'm curious if there is legitimate arguement for spending $175 plus dollars
on an Astral piece?

Find a PFD that fits and offers the features you want. Don't pay for
anything that you don't need. There are lots of good PFD's in the $100
range. Unless you have a requirement for a "rescue" PFD, there's no
point in paying for one, since the extra features are of little or no
benefit for sea kayaking.