It comes in many styles, colors, and sizes and is generally the most comfortable type for continuous wear. The Type III foam vest has the same minimum buoyancy as a Type II PFD. The wearer may have to tilt their head back to avoid turning face-down in the water.

It is designed so wearers can place themselves in a face-up position in the water. Good for conscious users in calm, inland water, or where there is a good chance of quick rescue. This type of inflatable turns as well as a Type I foam PFD. Inherent buoyant PFDs of this type will turn some unconscious wearers to a face-up position in the water, but the turning is not as pronounced as a Type I. Intended for calm, inland water or where there is a good chance of quick rescue. It is designed to turn most unconscious wearers in the water to a face-up position. It is effective for all waters, especially open, rough or remote waters where rescue may be delayed. If you have questions, reach out to our friendly customer service department. So, get a good fitting PFD and wear it while youвЂ™re on the water. A jacket with leg straps helps prevent ride-up, giving an extra measure of safety. If the PFD fits right, the childвЂ™s chin and ears will not slip through. To check for a good fit, carefully pick the child up by the shoulders of the PFD.

If you have a kayak seat back that interferes with your PFD, look for a model with reduced foam thickness or mesh in the lower back of the jacket.Д¬hildrenвЂ™s bodies are tricky to fit with a PFD to work right it must fit snugly.

Reflective tape or piping on touring jackets to make you more visible to motorized craft.Pockets for stowing articles you want easy access to.Lash tabs and other attachment points for securing a knife, strobe or other accessory to the outside of the jacket.Large armholes allow for active movement in rowing and paddling.It needs to fit snugly, so it doesnвЂ™t slip over your head when you enter the water. Start with the lowest adjustment point, generally at the waist, and then work up the jacket tightening them in turn, the shoulder straps last. Multiple adjustment points help in customizing the fit to your body.In addition to flotation, here are a few things to look for when choosing your PFD: The highest flotation jacket in the world wonвЂ™t do you any good if youвЂ™re not wearing it when itвЂ™s needed! All our jackets exceed the Coast Guard flotation minimum. Again, finding a PFD youвЂ™re comfortable in is the most important criteria. However, that additional flotation makes the jacket bulkier and possibly less comfortable.

The more flotation in a jacket, the higher you float and the faster you pop to the surface. The more muscle you have, the more flotation you need. If youвЂ™re a non-swimmer, you may feel more secure in a higher flotation model, one in the 22-27 pound range. If youвЂ™re a swimmer and comfortable in the water, a jacket with 16-18 pounds of design flotation should be fine for you. The US Coast Guard specifies a minimum of 15-ВЅ pounds flotation in an adult PFD. Most adults in a bathing suit need seven to 12 pounds of extra flotation to keep their head out of the water. Especially in aerated whitewater or when the water is cold, a properly chosen and fitted PFD can literally be the difference between life and death. We carry a wide array of models to ensure thereвЂ™s a good fit for all body types and builds.Д®ven if youвЂ™re a good swimmer, a life jacket (often referred to as a PFD, for Personal Flotation Device) gives you that extra margin of safety while boating. WeвЂ™re often asked, вЂњWhatвЂ™s the best life jacket?вЂќ The best answer we can give is, вЂњThe one youвЂ™re wearing when you need it.вЂќ And youвЂ™re much more likely to be wearing it if it fits well and is comfortable enough to wear all day while youвЂ™re on the water. ThereвЂ™s a Reason They Call Them вЂњLife JacketsвЂќ

Type 3 life jacket