Life Jackets and Personal Floatation
Any open water activity beyond the eyes of a lifeguard will require you to have a Personal Floatation Device (PFD). In the case of a small boat on a river or rough water, you should wear one at all times. Larger craft on flatwater should have one easily accessible PFD for each adult boater, with youths wearing theirs at all times.
There are many different categories and styles of PFDs. The sheer variety can be intimidating as you consider the most important piece of marine safety gear you’ll ever buy. Thankfully, it’s easy to find the right life jacket or PFD at SunnySports for your (or your dog’s) activities!
What’s the difference between a life jacket and a PFD?
A PFD is simply a device intended to keep a person afloat in the water. Although most boaters use the terms interchangeably, a life jacket is a specific type of PFD designed to keep unconscious victims in a face-up position for rescue.
More simply, if a PFD has a large “pillow” feature set behind your head, it’s also a life jacket. Life jackets are designated by the U.S. Coast Guard as “Type I” PFDs.
Other types of PFDs
Folks into active water sports often need a specific type of floatation device. Standard life jackets are too bulky for something like kayaking or wakeboarding. USCG “Type III” PFDs by O’Brien or Stearns have lower-profile vest-type designs. These specialized life jackets will keep active, conscious swimmers afloat.
Always keep the low belts on your Type III floatation device tight. The lower your PFD rides on your body, the higher your head stays above the water.
Calm water and whitewater life jackets
Calm-water boaters who intend only to use PFDs for emergencies usually opt for Type II “near shore” PFDs. These are essentially lower-profile life jackets, and not particularly comfortable to wear all day.
Whitewater and marine professionals will want Type V PFDs, which have special harness attachments for rescue purposes. And what are Type IVs? Those are throwable floats required for larger craft, like those classic donut-shaped “life savers” you see on cruise ships.
Inflatable vs foam PFDs
Our inflatable life jackets, such as those made by Mustang are very different from blow-up pool floats. They’re specifically designed for emergency situations, and automatically inflate with air cartridges. For obvious reasons, our inflatable life jackets are not appropriate for everyday, Type-III use.