Life Jacket Sizing Chart

Life Jackets

Life jackets - as the name suggests - protect your life by not allowing you to drown, so they're fairly important to get right! They are designed to turn an unconscious person face-up in the water so breathing is possible. The main differences when it comes to life jackets are the materials in which they're made of and the size of the vest. 

Life jackets are sorted into these categories: infant, youth, teen, and adult. Specifics can be found for each product, as each company may have different measurements for each category. Adult is further split into men's and women's, and generally follow the same sizing guides, which are outlined in the chart. A life jacket shouldn't fit too loosely or too tightly. It should fit snug - very snug the first time you put it on. There should not be enough room to move the vest around, in fact it should be almost difficult to zip the zipper up. This chart is a guide made by O'Brien for jackets and vests. 

 

Personal Floatation Devices

Personal Floatation Devices (PFDs) are more comfortable to wear and are designed to keep a person afloat but are NOT designed to turn an unconscious person face up in the water. Do remember inflatable PFDs are approved for certain uses only. For example, inflatable PFDs are not approved for use on Personal Water Crafts, for towed watersports or for use on sailboards.