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You should: (1) actually wear your PFD and (2) know how to use it.
You should: (1) actually wear your PFD and (2) know how to use it. (Photo: Ryan Stuart)

How to Buy, Wear, and Use a PFD Properly

It's not good enough to simply keep one with you while you're on the water. You've got to know how to work it.

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You should: (1) actually wear your PFD and (2) know how to use it.
(Photo: Ryan Stuart)

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Everyone knows that life jackets, well, save lives. But that doesn’t mean we always wear them. The Coast Guard  out of the 486 recreational boating deaths in 2016, most victims—83 percent—weren’t wearing life jackets. “A lot of people have a false sense of security,” says Mark Anderson, director of product development for , a life-jacket and watersports-gear manufacturer. “They think, I swim well or It won’t happen to me. But when the shit hits the fan, it doesn’t take long to get into trouble.”

Here’s what you need to know before strapping on a PFD.

The Different Types of PFDs

(Ryan Stuart)

The first thing to look for on a life vest or belt is a Coast Guard–approval stamp somewhere on the label. Any device sold in retail stores must be U.S. Coast Guard approved, but that’s not necessarily the case for online retailers. “There’s all sorts of things out there on Amazon,” says Anderson. “But who knows how they were tested or how well they’ll work.” The label will also list the PFD’s intended use. Most will have a type number; the five types range from the bulky keyhole life jackets on cruise ships to pool rings. Type 1 are the most buoyant and are designed for offshore conditions where rescues won’t happen fast. These PFDs will turn a person faceup, even if they’re unconscious. Type 2 devices are more recreationally focused. They’re less bulky but will still turn most people faceup (it depends on their weight). Most paddlers will want a type 3, because they’re less restrictive when you’re paddling. They’re designed to keep a swimmer upright but won’t turn them on their back. Pool rings and horseshoe buoys are examples of a type 4 PFD, and type 5 are specialty items, like the inflatable vests worn while working around water.

A new standard, developed by the U.S. Coast Guard along with Transport Canada, is just starting to show up. It looks to improve on the vague types with four icons, each with a number (50, 70, 100, and 150) describing the amount of flotation in newtons and a picture of a swimmer representing the distance from shore, the idea being: the farther from shore, the longer the rescue and the more flotation needed. Most paddlers will want a 70, which provides pl