Stearns Flotation Heads-Up Vest

Safest life jacket ever and kid approved

I bought this life jacket for my 10 year old daughter who is about 80 lbs. She is tall and skinny for her age and we needed a good Type II life jacket for a trip to Michigan so she could ride the jet skis. Their state law says, "Each person less than 12 years of age riding or being towed, behind a personal watercraft (jet ski) must wear a Type I or Type II PFD." There are not a lot of Type II life jackets for kids weighing 50-90 lbs. There are the orange horse collar ones but they are a b...it uncomfortable after a while and not great for the back of a jet ski. She has her Extrasport Children's Type II PFD which she could wear but I wanted to try and get her something new and possibly a little more comfortable. The life jacket, as seen by the pictures, is mostly bright green on the outside. I was afraid that it would not be a bright enough color, but even from the dock I was able to spot her swimming in the water without difficulty. There is a slim silver strip of reflective material on either side of the vest as well. The inside is a smooth nylon with four drainage holes at the bottom. There are five sections of foam, two in the front and three at the head. The foam is in layers which allow for the foam to move and conform to the body making it more comfortable for her and safer too. The front foam pieces have less material at the shoulders to give a better fit. There is no foam in the back, just nylon. There is a zipper in the front, two waist belts that can be adjusted for snugness and a crotch strap with a neoprene rash guard, also adjustable. That was a great extra feature since I insist my daughter uses the crotch strap to ensure she does not slip out of the vest while going at high speeds. She never once complained about it and wore it all the time even when just swimming in the lake. Finally, there is a grab loop at the top which makes for a nice hook as well as a way to grab your kids out of the water if needed. The life jacket was easy enough for her to put on herself. The buckles are a little harder for her to unsnap then previous lifejackets she has worn, but work just as well. My daughter normally wears a youth size Mustang Lil' Legends life jacket so she is used to most features of this life jacket. She tried it on in pool before we left for the trip and absolutely loved it. I had her jump in the pool and if she relaxed, the life jacket would place her on her back with her head and mouth well above the water thanks to the head flotation. I also had her flip on her stomach and relax, a few seconds later the life jacket turned her to her back with her face out of the water. She seemed very comfortable and happy swimming in the life jacket. Sometimes, the waist strap on the Mustang Lil' Legends life jacket would ride up and rub near her armpit. She doesn't have that problem with this life jacket. I only wish I had bought this life jacket for her earlier in the season. But we may be able to get one more year out of it. Her only complaint is that it didn't come in hot pink. Oh well, maybe next year's model.

Best vest we have on our boat for the grandkids

It is really good, very light weight, and has a floatation behind the head as required for children under the age of 6. It dries quickly and is comfortable.