Life jackets, buoyancy aids and impact vests: The difference?

Lifejackets, buoyancy aids and impact vests.

What’s the difference? It’s understandable that confusion often surrounds the three given that each will help you float.

Simply put, buoyancy aids and impact vests will assist you in the water. Whereas life jackets are intended to save your life by fully supporting your body if submerged.

 

Buoyancy Aids

 

A buoyancy aid such as the Zhik P2 PDF 50N Lightweight Buoyancy Aid are made to help you stay afloat whilst treading water.

Essentially, if you’re not kicking and/or paddling, it can't assure you'll be kept above the surface. This is due to the fact buoyancy aids only has 50N (newtons) of integral buoyancy instead of the required 150N required to fully support the weight of an adult.

Additionally, if a device such as a buoyancy aid can’t be guaranteed to turn over an unconscious body, it cannot be regarded as a ‘life saving’ mechanism.

Buoyancy aids are often used when using SUP’s on lakes and rivers alongside often being used dinghy sailing and kayaking too.

You can shop our full select of Buoyancy Aids here or read more on how to choose the right buoyancy aid.

 

Life Jackets

 

Life jackets such as the Crewsaver Crewfit 180N Pro Automatic are purposely designed to keep your airways clear of any water, even if you happen to be unconscious or badly injured.

To be considered ‘life-saving’ the lifejacket must have 150N and a proper collar to support your neck.

When inflated, either manually or automatically, lifejackets can turn your body over and bring your face above the water, thus allowing you to breathe without ingesting water.

Additionally, a lifejacket can come with a sprayhood, which will prevent sea spray from hitting your face, and being swallowed. 

Life jackets are must haves when you are sailing in deeper waters and we have a huge selection you can find here.

Children can't use inflatable life jackets, as they're too young to operate them. Read our full guide to choosing the best kids life jacket to kit your kids out safely.

 

Impact vests

 

An impact vest is a type of PFD, designed for use if the activity involves hitting the water at speed.

As the name suggests, impact vests provide protection against impacts to the torso area, thus lessening the risk of injury and bruising.

Impact vests are ideal for adrenaline watersports, such as wakeboarding and kitesurfing.

Leaders in the Impact Vest market, we have a huge range of Mystic Impact Vests, these are considered the market leaders. Alongside these we have the great O'Neill Slasher Kite Impact Vest which also offers ideal protection for adventure sports.

 

The differences between buoyancy aids, life jackets, and impact vests

 

A buoyancy aid is commonly worn in calm waters, such as for kayaking/canoeing and dinghy sailing.

Essentially, if you’re going to be out of the water more than you’ll be in the water, and still manage to see the shoreline, then a buoyancy aid is the most appropriate piece of safety kit.

Swap your buoyancy aid for an impact vest when the activity involves harsher, more rapid contact with water. If you could be getting bashed about a lot in the water, opt for an impact vest.

Trust me, your ribs will thank you.

Life jackets are needed when you’re out on the open ocean and don’t intend to be in the water.

If you’re on a yacht, speedboat or cruise liner then you should have access to a life jacket.

It’s important to note that life jackets, like buoyancy aids, come in different shapes and sizes. So, you should test your life jacket or buoyancy aid in a controlled environment to see whether it fits perfectly.

 

Still not sure? Consider the below:

 

Buoyancy Aid vs Life Jacket

 

A buoyancy aid will aid you in staying afloat, but you need to be awake, aware, and helping along.

A life jacket will save your life when you end up in the water when you didn’t intend to be. So the difference between a buoyancy aid and a life jacket is whether you intend to get into the water, and how strong those waters are.

 

Life Jacket vs Impact Vest

 

These two aren’t interchangeable. They both protect you from harm - just different types of harm.

An impact vest has a little bit of buoyancy but is mainly there to protect you from impact in watersports, such as wakeboarding, where you can hit the water hard.

A life jacket has the opposite: a lot of flotation, but no protection against impact. So the difference between an impact vest and a life jacket is about what you are doing on the water.

 

Impact Vest vs Buoyancy Aid

 

Between these two it all depends on the watersports you’ll be taking on.

If you’re in or mainly on calmer waters, a buoyancy vest will suit you better. If the water is not calm or you’re going at speed yourself, the impact vest is your best friend.

The difference between an impact vest and a buoyancy aid is about the chance that you’ll be hit hard, or hit something else hard. The bigger the impact, the more you’ll need that impact vest.

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If you have any queries when it comes to purchasing a life jacket, buoyancy aid or impact vest, then feel free to give us a call on 0044 1702 295678.

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