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Updated on: January 14, 2024
If you’re in the market for a new life jacket for kayaking, you’re in the right place. We’ve narrowed down and reviewed the top 15 life vests for kayaking available to buy now.
A life jacket ensures your safety as you drift across the water in your kayak, but don’t disregard the importance of your comfort. A bulky kayak life jacket will poke you as you lean back in your kayak seat, and you need large armholes in the life jacket so your arms are freely mobile to paddle.
We’ll review the qualities needed as well as our recommendations for the best kayak life jacket.
A personal flotation device is necessary for your safety on the water, and finding a kayak life jacket that protects you while providing comfort for a long day cruising the water is the ultimate goal.
We’ve reviewed the evidence and narrowed down our list of favorite kayak life vests. Additional details and features will be examined below.
Top 15 Best Kayak Life Jackets
The Onyx MoveVent Dynamic is a great kayak life vest because it is lightweight and designed for freedom of movement so it won’t interfere with your paddling. It has lash tabs to attach your knife and an expandable pocket with mesh drainage.
The high mesh back means you’re not leaning back against bulky material when you sit in your kayak. It will keep you cool on a hot day and keep you afloat if you get wet.
The Stohlquist Edge has everything needed in a kayak personal flotation device. It allows for freedom of movement with a low neck and large armholes, and the mesh sides allow for breathability. It is USCG approved for safety and is a great kayak life vest that also adapts for use in other water sports.
Similar to the Onyx MoveVent Dynamic life vest listed above, the MoveVent Curve allows for freedom of movement with open sides and breathable mesh on all sides. The mesh back extends high enough to prevent bulky padding in your kayak seat. The main difference between the Dynamic and Curve is that the Curve does not have the included pocket and whistle.
The NRS Vapor is a great kayak life vest with a side entry design that makes it easy to put on and off quickly, and it has storage compartments and a lash tab to attach extra gear such as a knife or light. The personal flotation device is designed with open space to allow for freedom of arm movement.
The Stohlquist Women’s Flo is a kayak life vest designed specifically for women. It conforms to fit with adjustable straps and includes built-in inner cups for support. It has an open breathable design with mesh on each side that extends high up the back for kayaking comfort.
The Chinook is a kayak vest predominantly for fishing and has a multitude of storage compartments in various sizes. You can keep lures, leaders, and all your other bits and pieces right at your fingertips. It has a comfortable, breathable design perfect for a full day of fishing.
The Astral V-Eight PFD is designed for kayaking but can be used for multiple water sports. The mesh back and breathable design helps you sweat less on a hot day and provide more comfort when seated in your kayak. It contains storage compartments and attachment points for small gear.
The Mustang MIT is an inflatable kayak life vest that has pros and cons. It has an open design and doesn’t feel like you’re wearing a life vest, but when you hit the water and pull the cord, you’re floating as well as most foam kayak vests.
It will keep you cool on a hot day, but it’s not the best option for non-swimmers or in high risk activities where you could become unconscious and be unable to inflate it manually. An inflatable life vest works well for good swimmers in low risk activities.
The Astral Ronny Fisher PFD is a high-end kayak life vest designed for fishermen, but it can be used for kayaking and general recreation. It has a front zipper closure with multiple pockets to hold extra lures or hooks and attachment points for your pliers.
The Stearns Adult Classic life jacket is comfortable and lightweight and comes with a great price tag. It is a USCG Type II vest that works for general recreational use and most any water sports. It is cheap enough to keep as an extra life vest on board for your boating friends.
The O’Neill Men’s Superlite is an inexpensive life jacket that is reliable and perfect for any water sport including, boating, skiing, kayaking, or simply floating with friends. With four adjustable straps to buckle around your chest, it ensures a snug fit for safety. Generous armholes provide more mobility than others, and it comes with a great price tag.
The Onyx A/ M-24 inflatable life vest is lightweight and comfortable. It inflates automatically upon immersion in the water, or you can manually pull a handle for instant inflation.
It is not recommended for weak or non-swimmers or for users under age sixteen because it is not inherently buoyant unless inflated. It has a breathable design making it less bulky and hot on a sunny day and makes a nice option for kayaking when risk of injury is low.
The Stohlquist Rocker is a kayak life vest with a unique design. The foam wraps around the chest, and the low neck and open arm holes allow ease of movement. It has pockets and a lash tab to keep tools at your fingertips. It cinches to fit in multiple areas with adjustable straps to allow for a snug fit.
The Coleman Comfort Series is a great budget option for a kayak life vest. It has an open design to allow for easy mobility to paddle, and the mesh back and shoulders prevent you from overheating on a hot day. The reflective tape makes you visible in low light, and pockets allow you to keep tools within reach.
The Stohlquist Men’s Trekker is a kayak life vest that allows for freedom of movement and contains ample storage space and attachment points to keep your knife or other tools close by. It is lightweight, comfortable, and durable and perfect for a long kayak float down the river.
Obviously, a kayak life jacket should keep you afloat, but what other features should you consider? In addition to the safety features, we’ll review the different styles of kayak life jackets, the materials, correct sizing, and other potential features.
There are different style options when buying a life vest: the traditional style foam vest or inflatable PFD options. We’ll review the differences to help you determine which type works for you.
While an inflatable life jacket is not appropriate for high-impact water sports, it is a great kayak life vest option. They can be manually inflated with the pull of a cord or automatically inflate when they get wet.
Inflatable life vests tend to be more comfortable with less bulk, and the open design keeps you cool on a hot day. They provide plenty of freedom to move your arms while you paddle.
An inflatable life jacket is usually less buoyant than foam alternatives and requires inflation before it can protect you from drowning. If you happen to be in a kayak accident and can’t get the vest inflated before hitting the water, this is an issue.
Inflatable life vests are not recommended for kids under 16 years of age or for non-swimmers, but it is a nice option for a strong swimmer on a regular kayak cruise.
Paddle vests are filled with foam for buoyancy and can be used for other water sports in addition to kayaking. They are designed to keep you afloat the minute you the hit water.
Paddle vests will often have additional features such as attachment points for tools and pockets to store small valuables. They can be designed with large armholes for freedom of movement but tend to be much bulkier than inflatable options.
They can keep you warm on a cool day kayaking, but also make you hot when the sun is beating down.
A kayak life jacket should be crafted with materials that ensure adequate buoyancy. Most life vests are made from PVC, neoprene, or nylon and are sun, flame, and chemical resistant. Newer materials might include Gaia and Kapok, which are environmentally friendly.
Durable materials like neoprene and nylon will resist hard surfaces and saltwater damage and provide many years of use. Neoprene will also prevent chafing at contact points to make your life jacket more comfortable.
Ensuring that your life vest is the appropriate size will keep you safe on the water. A life jacket should be snug so you cannot easily slip out of the vest in the event of a fall. Refer to a life jacket sizing chart or manufacturer’s recommendations to ensure the appropriate life vest size but to get the best fit, try it on before purchase.
Some life vests will have built in storage capacity which comes in handy when fishing to have pockets to hold your favorite lures or spare bobber. D-rings come attached to some life vests so you can clip your pliers for easy reach. Lash tabs are attachment points for knives or whistles.
A life vest with pockets allows you to keep your sunglasses, sunscreen, keys, or cell phone close at hand.
A PFD’s buoyancy is the force required to keep someone’s head above water. Many things factor into buoyancy such as body weight, body fat ratio, and the water conditions.
The heavier the person, the more buoyant a life vest needs to be. If you’re kayaking in high winds or rough water, you will also require increased buoyancy. A life vest will have a buoyancy rating to refer to when purchasing.
When kayaking, you want a life vest with large armholes for freedom of movement and one that is comfortable sitting in a kayak seat for a long day. Ensure the life vest is not too bulky to cause a sore back.
Some life vests come in bright colors or reflective tape to make you visible in low light situations. This feature can increase your safety in the case of a water rescue.
Before you kayak down the river or enjoy kayak fishing on a lake, find the best kayak life vest to keep you safe. A coast guard approved life vest means it’s been tested to ensure your safety. Review other important features such as the materials, sizing, buoyancy, and added features like pockets or D-rings.
The best kayak life vest is one you hardly know you’re wearing, so it doesn’t interfere with your kayak adventure.
State laws vary, so it’s essential to check your local regulations before kayaking. Federal rules state that riders younger than 13 must wear a fitting life jacket, while adults must have a life jacket on board for every passenger - but not necessarily wear it.
In general terms, the best life jacket for kayaking would be comfortable to wear for prolonged sitting and gives you the freedom to move your arms when paddling.
The Onyx MoveVent Dynamic is our pick because it has a snug fit with open sides for freedom to move as you paddle. It has pockets for small valuables and includes a safety whistle for emergencies.
Inflatable life jackets work by using a carbon dioxide tank to fill the vest. The life jacket itself does not expire, but the CO2 tanks typically expire after 1-3 years. Check the tank’s expiration date before venturing out onto the water.
The best answer is to wear a life jacket at any age to ensure your safety. Accidents happen to even the best swimmers and a life jacket ensures you stay afloat until rescued.
Legally, the age depends on local and federal regulations. Federal requirements state boaters under 13 years of age should be wearing a life jacket at all times, but adults simply need to have a life jacket accessible.
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