Personal Flotation Device Buying Guide: Life Jacket Safety

Reading Time: 7 minutes

You’re on the water, loving life, until someone suddenly capsizes or falls out of a boat. Will your life vest or personal flotation device — PFD save you? I learned the hard way: the wrong PFD can cost you more than money.

In 2023, the U.S. Coast Guard reported 564 recreational boating fatalities, with 75% — approximately 423 deaths due to drowning. Shockingly, 87% of those who drowned, about 368 people, weren’t wearing a Personal Flotation Device (PFD), despite most owning one. Paddlesports, like kayaking and paddleboarding, saw 183 deaths, a 5% rise from 2022, with similar trends: most victims lacked PFDs.

“Drowning is the leading cause of death in boating accidents, and life jackets could prevent over 80% of these tragedies,” says Ted Sensenbrenner of the BoatUS Foundation.

Yet, many boaters and river tubers skip them, thinking, “I’m a strong swimmer.”

Black woman whitewater kayaking in a red boat — Antoinette Lee wearing a Kokatat Hustle PFD
whitewater kayaking the Cache la Poudre River near Fort Collins, Colorado

How to choose the right lifejacket or personal flotation device (PFD)

You can’t count on the salesperson in the sporting goods store to know how to choose the right personal flotation device for you unless they are a boater or have taken specific product training. The salesperson sold me a personal flotation device (PFD) that was hugely inappropriate for a brand-new paddler. I dropped a bunch of money on an advanced whitewater kayaking PFD. Then I had to go out and buy another one that was more appropriate for a newbie whitewater kayaker, my paddlesports skill level, and raging river swimming confidence.

To ensure you’re buying the appropriate personal flotation device (PFD) or life jacket for yourself, your child, or your pet, you need to arm yourself with knowledge. Lucky for you, I’ve done the research. Since starting with whitewater kayaking eleven years ago, I’ve taught thousands of youths, adults, veterans, and seniors how to kayak and stand-up paddleboard (SUP) through the nonprofit I founded — the American Adventure Sports Club. I also taught paddlesports at Team River Runner and Diversify Whitewater, and I’m becoming an American Canoe Association (ACA) certified stand-up paddleboard instructor. So, I know lifejackets, life vests, and personal flotation devices (PFDs).

Stand-up paddleboarding is North America’s fastest-growing paddlesport, and outdoor recreation is the best form of exercise in support of the body’s major systems. However, if you’re new to paddlesports, you must know how to be safe while doing something good for your body.

Life jacket versus personal flotation device PFD

Not all PFDs are life jackets — know the difference, or risk everything.

The most crucial difference is that lifejackets are designed to turn you face up on the water, even if you’re unconscious.

Life jackets are also PFDs. But NOT ALL PFDs ARE LIFE JACKETS.

However, people commonly interchange the phrases lifejacket, life vest, and PFD.

“A life jacket is your best defense against cold-water shock,” notes Transport Canada, emphasizing their role in preventing drowning even for skilled swimmers.

The four types of personal flotation devices — PFDs

Personal flotation devices — PFDs come in four types:

1) Inherent (always buoyant).

2) Inflatable (adult-only, not for nonswimmers).

3) Hybrid (foam and inflation).

4) Special-purpose (activity-specific, like whitewater PFDs).

The U.S. Coast Guard and Transport Canada approved PFDs with performance levels from 50 to 275, indicating buoyancy and use. Level 70, equivalent to the old Type III, suits most recreational boaters and offers 15.5 pounds of flotation.

Always check the personal flotation device label for approval and activity restrictions.

Does my dog need a lifejacket or personal flotation device (PFD)?

Personal flotation devices (PFDs) are also available for pets. Although most dogs are natural swimmers, some become nervous when away from shore or in cold water. So, consider buying a PFD for your pet.

Here’s what you need to know about lifejackets and PFDs to be safer on the water

They only work if you’re wearing your lifejacket or PFD. More communities are making it a requirement to wear a lifejacket or PFD because, in an emergency, you might forget to grab it or struggle to get it on in time to keep you floating.

Your lifejacket or PFD must be the right size for your body. It shouldn’t slip above your chin or ears when someone pulls you out of the water by the lifejacket or PFD’s shoulder straps — a key technique used in whitewater rafting and motorboating rescues.

Choose the right PFD for your water sports activity, the body of water (lake, whitewater on the river, or ocean), and your swimming ability and confidence.

Learn to read the new lifejacket labels to ensure you’re choosing the appropriate device.

Hispanic woman paddleboarding — What not to do! No PFD. No shoes.

How do lifejackets and personal flotation devices (PFDs) work?

Lifejackets, life vests, personal flotation devices, or PFDs provide buoyancy when you can no longer keep yourself afloat due to fatigue, injury, or cold. Or if you’re a weak swimmer or nonswimmer.

Lifejackets are available in a wide variety of shapes, colors, and sizes. Many are thin and flexible. Some are built into fishing vests, ice fishing coats, or hunting jackets. My IceArmor by Clam ice fishing jacket and pants have built-in flotation.

Antoinette Lee host of the New Normal Big Life Podcast ice fishing wearing IceArmor by Clam — Antoinette Lee ice fishing wearing IceArmor by Clam jacket and pants

Keep reading until the end for examples of the appropriate life vest for stand-up paddleboarding, whitewater kayaking, and kayak fishing for beginners to pros, as well as what I like about the devices I recommend. And download your free personal flotation device (PFD) buying guide.

Adult-size life jackets may not work for children, but you can buy child-size life jackets.

Kids can’t choose safety — parents must.

Proper fit is critical for children. Federal law mandates that kids under 13 wear a U.S. Coast Guard-approved PFD on boats.

“A child’s PFD should fit snugly, not slipping over their chin,” says American Canoe Association kayaking instructor Michaela Jones.

Always test your foam-filled lifejacket each year for buoyancy.

Waterlogged, faded, or damaged life jackets should be thrown away. Inflatable life jackets should be maintained according to the manufacturer’s instructions to ensure they will inflate during an emergency.

Lifejacket buoyancy is measured in Newtons. Most adults only need 7 to 12 pounds of buoyancy, or 31 to 53 Newtons, to keep their heads above water.

Lifejackets and PFDs are separated into four broad categories based on weight

Adult: over 88 pounds.

Youth: over 55 pounds and less than or equal to 88 pounds.

Child: over 33 pounds and less than or equal to 55 pounds.

Infant: less than or equal to 33 pounds.

Consider this when selecting a PFD for humans based on a performance level.

Level 50: This is best used by competent swimmers near shore or land or who have help, and a way to be rescued is close by.

Level 70: This is best used when help is close by and you’re near shore.

Level 100: This is intended for use when waiting for a rescue. It’s not designed for use in rough water.

Level 150: This is intended for use in bad weather and slightly rough conditions. It will turn an unconscious person face up.

Level 275: This is intended primarily for offshore use under extreme conditions.

Antoinette’s favorite personal flotation devices (PFD)s by sport

Here are my favorite PVC-free or free of ozone-depleting materials, life vests, and PFDs, as well as the sports they’re ideal for. This information can help you make good choices when buying or renting a PFD. The brand my family trusts most is Kokatat.

Kokatat Hustle: I wear my Hustle life vest for whitewater kayaking. It’s certified for use in the U.S. and Canada. It has some great features, like this clamshell pocket with a two-way zipper for organizing my essentials, a side entry with three adjustable straps, adjustable shoulder straps, and a lash tab for easy access to my rescue knife.

Black woman with a stand up paddleboard — Antoinette Lee wearing a yellow Kokatat Hustle PFD

Kokatat Leviathan: The Kokatat Leviathan is my go to kayak fishing life vest. It has an incredible 14 pockets and multiple fixture options. I can carry lures, tools, and other essentials like lip balm, a fishing license, and snacks on the water.

The Leviathan feels great when I’m kayak fishing on my Badfisher inflatable SUP rigged for kayak fishing.

The Leviathan feels comfortable against my kayaking chair. The fleece-lined hand warmer pockets feel luxurious on chilly days or after submerging my hands into cold Northwoods water even in the summer. The Leviathan is certified for wear in the U.S. and Canada.

Antoinette Lee host of the New Normal Big Life Podcast kayak fishing — Antoinette Lee wearing a Kokatat Leviathan PFD

Kokatat Wkndr: I love the Kokatat Weekender (Wkndr) for casually hanging out on my stand-up paddleboard on the lake. It has a great front entry and zipper, and the PVC, Gaia, foam, and PE panels that wrap around my body offer a comfortable fit. I can use an efficient paddle stroke without it pinching my biceps or underarms. It also has luxurious handwarmer pockets and so many options for storing my essentials in the zippered pockets.

Antoinette Lee host New Normal Big Life Podcast wearing a Kokatat WKNDR PFD — Antoinette Lee wearing a Kokatat WKNDR PFD

Choose your life jacket or PFD carefully because your life or that of someone you love depends on it.

Next, I’ll tell you how to keep your lunch, electronics, camping gear, and other items dry on the water and in the rain with a dry bag.

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