Your life jacket or bouyancy aid is one of the most important items of equipment you need while out on the water.
Wearing a life jacket or buoyancy aid gives you protection. It helps you float, makes you visible, gives impact protection, and helps retain heat.
If you’re taking part in a watersport, you should have some form of a buoyancy aid.
If you’re a parent, insist that your kids wear one…it can save their life when on the water.
So what's the difference between a life jacket and a bouyancy aid?
Life Jackets
Should be used by children or people who are unable to swim well enough to help themselves get to safety if they go overboard or have an accident while on the water. Life jackets will also aid people in the water who have been knocked unconcious as it keeps the head above water. A lifejacket is usually the preffered choice for people using offshore or coastal waters, however, the type of life jacket used should be determined by the environment, conditions and users clothing. Life jackets should be bought to fit the user correctly at the time of purchase, allowing for "growing room" will render the lifejacket unsafe at the time of purchase as it will rise above the users head when in the water creating more difficulty.
Bouyancy Aids
As the name suggests these are used to simply increase the users bouyancy. People wearing a bouyancy aid should feel confident enough in the water to swim and help themselves get to safety or be able to wait in the water comfortably until help arrives. It is recommended that these are only worn in sheltered areas where help would be close if the user needed assistance. Bouyancy aids are a popular choice amongst watersports enthusiasts as it allows for movement and manouverability. Bouyancy aids should fit the chest to give maximum freedom of movement.
It is important that you pick the correct CE Category to suit your type of activity and experience. The chart below should help you decide.
See our full range of buoyancy aids by clicking HERE. For any queries, please email us at: info@bigsurfshop.com
