There are a lot of options out there when it comes to choosing the correct life jackets for adults. But finding the right life vest for you can be difficult.
If you are looking for durable and comfortable great fishing life vests, Then keep reading because we will look at 4 Great fishing life jackets for adults and give our thoughts on why you need to wear a life vest.
The best fishing life jackets for adults are lightweight, highly buoyant, safe, and easy to use—all in a stylish package. So if you want to feel like you know what you are doing when catching fish, you will find our top picks below.
Whether you need to get a life jacket for yourself or someone else, the basics are the same. They must be safe for you to wear, easy to put on and take off, and they have to work for your specific needs and preferences. Here are some things you should know about life vests.
Things You Need to Know About Life Jackets
If you are not wearing a life jacket when you fall overboard it won’t help you. So the greatest life jacket for adults is the one you wear.
You need to have an appropriate life jacket for every individual on your boat, both aduts and children.
All life vests have to be US Coast Guard aprroved and easily attainable.
Size is important. Don’t get one that is too small. Make sure it fits and is adjustable.
Since we are talking about life jackets for adults you should make sure that it has at least 12 pounds buoyancy. It only takes between 7 and 12 pounds buoyancy for adults so I want to make sure mine has minimum 12 pounds.
Which Life Jacket Is the Best For Your Need
Life Jackets are also call personal flotation devices, PFD for short. This make sense since a life jacket or vest is designed for one person to use. We will just stick to using the term life jackets for our article. Here are the five types of jackets.
Type I – A very bulky and works best for big lake or ocean voyages. Type I has the most buoyance over 20 pounds and is desgned to turn a person over on their back. These are good for those who are unconscious in the water.
Type II – Offers at least 15.5 pounds buoyancy is is also designed to turn you face up in the water. These are alittle less bulky than Type I.
Type III – This life jacket is much smaller and lighter than the above two. They are more comfortable and are designed to be used more in watersports activities such as fishing, skiing and kayaking. This would be my choice for a great fishing life jacket and they are the ones we review below. They also have a buoyancy rating of 15.5 pounds.
Type IV – These flotation devices are the ones you see hanging around a swimming pool and are designed to be held on too in order to stay afloat. These are designed to be thrown to a person who is already in the water.
Type V – Type V designed and approved for restricted uses and are not intended to be kept on your boat for regular boating activites. Make sure you check the label.
4 Adult Life Jackets for Fishing or Kayaking
Check out these four great life jackets for the sports enthusiast. They all have great reviews and lots of them.
ONYX A/M-24 Automatic/Manual Inflatable Life Jacket, Green
ONYX A/M-24 USCG approved – However only when worn (by someone at least 16 yrs old and over 80 lbs). This means that if the USCG pulls you over for an inspection, and they require a life vest for each passenger on board, this type of vest will only count as a personal floatation device if it was being worn BEFORE (and while) being stopped for inspection. So if it is laying in your lap when you get pulled over, it does NOT count as a life jacket for adults (you have to have a conventional vest also on board). If you have it properly strapped onto your chest when pulled over, it DOES count as one of your life vests. Sometimes the USCG can be a little Strange, but I spent four years in the US Navy so I understand that.
Guide Gear 33 Automatic Manual Inflatable PFD Life Vest for Adults, Kayaking, Fishing, Swimming, Sailing Safety Vests, Men and Women
Guide Gear 33 Automatic/Manual Inflatable Life Jacket. The Guide Gear inflatable PFD life jacket safety vest for adults is great for use during fishing, water sports, canoeing, sailing, kayaking and more. An automatic PFD for men and women that inflates automatically upon immersion. The CO2 canister triggers the moment you are submerged. It never inflates until necessary. 2-way backup inflation is triggered by pulling an activation cord or by blowing into the included tube.
Key Features:
Please Note: The CO2 cylinder that powers the auto-inflate feature on this Vest is designed for single use only. Once activated, the cylinder must be re-armed/replaced with a compatible CO2 re-arming kit.
U.S. Coast Guard-approved Type III
Inflates automatically upon immersion
Backup trigger from a pull cord or oral inflation tube
Halkey Roberts Pro 1F V9500 inflation system
33-gram CO2 cylinder provides 35 lbs. of buoyancy
D-ring for boat shut-off lanyard attachment
3D mesh gusset in the collar for comfort
Outside zippered pocket with clip for keys
For users 16 years and up, chest size 30-56″
Bluestorm Gear Atmos 40 Automatic/Manual Inflatable PFD Life Jacket for Adults | US Coast Guard Approved
Bluestorm has an 85-year hallmark of safety. Experts in on-the-water protection since 1935, it is this knowledge, experience and expertise that you can count on when things get nasty out there.
This top-of-the-line personal flotation device has the most advanced fit and design available today. It’s built with high-tech neoprene to provide maximum comfort and a more secure fit than ever before. The new ergonomic collar and three-dimensional mesh design keeps you warm and dry, while the easy-access zipper front pocket is perfect for storing your most-used gear, such as sunblock, pliers, or licenses. Made for the ultimate performance and comfort. A Tradition of Safety.
BLUESTORM Gear Cirrus26 Inflatable PFD Adult Life Jackets | USCG Approved Automatic Life Vest Manual Override Convertibility
BLUESTORM Gear Cirrus26. US COAST GUARD APPROVED TYPE V w/ TYPE III PERFORMANCE** PERSONAL FLOTATION DEVICE (PFD) inflates automatically upon water immersion via replaceable CO2 cylinder (includes 1 cylinder with purchase). Automatic operation can be disabled with manual override cap or manually with a pull of the ‘jerk to inflate’ cord.
24g CO2 CYLINDER PROVIDES 26 POUNDS OF BUOYANCY giving you nearly twice the flotation power of traditional foam lifejackets.
LIGHTWEIGHT, COOL and COMFORTABLE design offers all-day wear without even realizing you have it on.
SLIMLINE CHASSIS DESIGN places the adjustable 1” circling strap and buckle lower on your ribcage, preventing the vest from riding up on your body. The mesh back strap yoke provides a natural drape that pulls the vest away from your neckline and prevents annoying rubbing and irritation.
ADDITIONAL FEATURES INCLUDE internal spare CO2 cylinder pocket, engine kill switch D-Ring attachment point and adjusts to fit 30” to 56” chest size.
Always Make Sure You Have Your Life Jackets On or at the Very Least Handy to Grab.
When using these Type III sports life jackets you shoud always wear them while running your boat from one fishing spot to the next. My boat has an automatic shut off so if I flip out of my boat at high speeds it automatically shuts off. Some of these life jackets have an automatic inflate when you hit the water. So wear your vest and hook up your lanyard for the auto shut off and play it safe. By the way do you need a Decent Kayak?
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