It has always amazed me how concerned people are about their children wearing life jackets (as they should…), but given none thought whatsoever about themselves. Hey, I can swim! Right…
You should always have a life jacket when paddling. If something happens, and you end up in the water a life jacket will be one of the best friends you ever had.
A kayak life jacket differs in comparison to a “normal” life jacket. When kayaking you have a constant movement of the upper part of the body, and the arms need space to be able to paddle comfortably. That is why a kayaking life jacket looks more like a slim vest.
Most paddle life jackets only give flotation help, for a complete life jacket floating solution you need an offshore life jacket, which will turn you over in the right direction if you become unconscious when ending up in the water.
Kayak life jackets come in different models, some are more specialized towards the sea, others are better for river or wave paddling. If you are an all-round paddler think of buying a life jacket that can be used for both ocean or river.
For more safety choose a kayak life jacket that has color which is easy to spot by other boaters, especially if you are going out on the sea. The same goes for reflexes which should be a standard feature on life jackets.
Another good thing to look for on a kayak life jacket is a towing belt. If you paddle in a group, some are stronger than others, especially going upwind can take its toll. A towing belt makes it easy to release a rope to the person in need and give that extra pull.
A kayak life jacket usually has a couple of well planned pockets. They are convenient for putting your mobile phone, vhf or maybe a powerbar when hunger creeps on to you. Some life jackets have larger back pockets which can store water bags. A great innovation for cold hands are pockets mounted with fleece on the inside.
Waterboy
