Kids Aboard Boating, Fishing & Watersports Magazine
For Children & Families
Posted Monday, May 21, 2007
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Printer-friendly pageRight around Memorial Day everyone gets excited about going out on the water. New fishing gear, new wakeboards, new tubes, new boats and all kinds of other cool stuff are purchased during this season in anticipation of fun times on the water. There is one sore spot, though - one thing that inevitably will bring out a whine or two from the crew, and that is putting on and wearing a life vest (PFD).
Life vest manufacturers have heard the whining and in the past few years have produced some very innovative designs. Manufacturers have specialized life vests for specific activities, ages and even body types! We reviewed a handful of different life vests for kids and our recommendations are:
General Boating and Fishing
One of the biggest complaints kids have about life vests is how bulky they are. Stearns makes all kinds of PFD's and recently introduced a line of vests called RIB. The Stearns Youth RIB Vest has thick foam but a compact profile so it doesn't seem bulky. This vest also has a couple of other features that we liked, such as high quality fabric, deep armholes for extra mobility, a hinged waist which helps keep the chest foam from riding up, and a high quality zipper.
Another complaint about life vests is that the wearer starts to feel hot & sweaty after a while. Mustang has long been a provider of all sorts of PFD's, and it is well known for it's Lil' Legends infant and child life vest (see our separate review of infant life vests). In 2007 Mustang introduced a new product called the Mustang Integrity Kids Vest which features a full mesh back panel for super ventilation and no sweatiness! This vest comes in two sizes: Child (30 - 50 lbs) and Youth (50 - 90 lbs).
In addition to the mesh back this vest has other features that we really liked. First of all, it comes in a very bright yellow - very safe and visible. Second, both sizes have a floating collar that lies flat in the back. Around the neck is a neoprene collar that totally eliminates any discomfort or abrasiveness that PFD's can have in this area. Both sizes also have a heavy duty grab strap at the top of the floating collar. The child size features an adjustable crotch strap. Third, this new vest makes it easy to get a perfect fit with adjustment buckles on the back. Fourth, this vest is packed with quality all around, from the waterproof nylon, to the mesh fabric on the back panel, to the nylon webbing. It's all high quality and built to last.
Watersports and Paddlesports
Certain sports demand certain types of vests, so its important that you not only get the right one, but that it fits well. When wakeboarding or tubing you just can't have your 8 year old wear dad or mom's vest.
For wakeboarding, waterskiing and other towing watersports, neoprene vests are the most comfortable. The soft cushy, curved & molded style of these vests are specially designed to minimize chafe, especially in the underarm area. Because towing can create a lot of bouncing, nylon vests can rub on the skin, creating a nasty underarm burn that is exacerbated by salt water. Neoprene vests prevent the chafe by using soft fabrics and the denser, molded foam. They also present a more aerodynamic form and reduce drag on the wearer. Neoprene vests are usually Type III- which means that they are for use in calm, shallow, inshore waters, however they may not be appropriate for general boating or sailing.
Hyperlite is well known manufacturer of all kinds of wakeboarding gear, including PFD's. The Hyperlite Child Indy Neo Wakeboard Vest comes also in a youth size, and features everything you want in a wakeboard or watersports vest. It's very compact, made of neoprene and is very bouyant. It's basically a scaled down version of the adult vest of the same name, except that the child's vest has both a grab strap on the collar and a crotch strap. The Youth sized Indy Neo Wakeboard Vest does not have a crotch strap. This vest was a hit with the kids who tested it, stating how comfortable it was to wear.
Extrasport is a leading innovator in the PFD industry and a favorite among sailors and kayakers. For watersports and paddlesports we recommend both the Extrasport Volks Jr. Life Vest and Mystique Jr. life vests. The Volks Jr. has very deep arm holes for a good range of arm movement, and a deep neckline for comfort. It features side adjusters which stay out of your way and ensure a snug fit. The Mystique Jr. vest is fabulous for both paddlesports and sailing. It comes in a very bright yellow with very deep armholes, neoprene shoulder straps for comfort, and a large zippered pocket.
One very important fact that needs to be mentioned about the Extrasport line of life vests is their longevity. We attribute it to the high quality materials and workmanship that go into each PFD. Having lived aboard our catamaran sailboat with our 4 children for 6 years on anchor in Miami, and cruising the US east coast from Miami to New York, we've seen first hand the fruits of Extrasport's attention to detail. The first Extrasport life vest that we bought for our oldest daughter in 1999 is still in service on our boat today, with no rips or tears and plenty of life left in it. After six years of wearing Extrasport life vests in and out of dinghys every day, subjected to the Florida sun and salt air, by four different children, we are convinced that Extrasport manufactures a superior product. After reviewing their newer lines of PFD's we see the same standards of quality and workmanship, and wholeheartedly recommend their entire line- for both kids and adults.
As John Malatak, Chief, Program Operations of the U.S. Coast Guard Office of Boating Safety, reminds us, "Everyone on a boat should be wearing a properly fitted, Coast Guard-approved life jacket. Accidents on the water happen fast. Even a strong swimmer, not to mention a child, can be overpowered in a matter of seconds. In 2005, 87 percent of victims who drowned in boating accidents were not wearing their life jacket. As the law requires that boaters have life jackets on board, the sad reality is that these victims may have lived if they had made the choice to wear those life jackets, rather than simply stow them.”
Gone are the days where we didn't have a choice but to put our kids in ugly, bulky, sweaty life vests- today parents have lots of options to outfit their kids in a life vest that they will gladly wear, and that will last several seasons.
Click here to shop around for Children's and Youth PFD's
About the authors: Curtis & Lupe Tucker are boaters, anglers and sailors who enjoy spending time on the water with their children. In addition to being a family boating advocate, Curtis Tucker is a USCG licensed Master Captain, with thousands of hours experience in towing, sailing, charters and deliveries.
