Level 50

Everything You Need to Know About the New Level 50 Life Jackets

What They Are, Who They’re For, and When to Use Them Personal flotation devices (PFDs) have come a long way from the orange horseshoe life jackets of yesteryear. Life-saving buoyancy aids of all types have steadily grown more comfortable, specialized and effective. The latest evolution is the Level 50 standard, a new classification of U.S. […]

Wake surfer surfing in level 50 life jacket

Level 50 Buoyancy Aid Educational Materials

Campaign Resources Level 50 Flyer Educational flyer in PDF format describing the proper uses of the Level 50 buoyancy aid as outlined by the U.S.C.G. Flyer created by the National Safe Boating Council. FINAL-Level 50 FlyerDownload Level 50 Logo Level 50 logo provided by the National Safe Boating Council.

An adult in a red jacket, both wearing level 50 life jackets for kayaking, stands on a paddleboard with a child sitting in front on a calm lake, surrounded by dense green pine trees reflecting on the water.

Level 50 Life Jackets For Standup Paddleboarding

New PFDs Built for Balance and Mobility Standup paddleboarding demands balance, agility and freedom of movement. Whether paddlers are cruising a quiet harbor, exploring a mangrove shoreline or practicing fitness paddling on a lake, SUP riders constantly shift their stance and use their torsos for strong paddle strokes. Traditional life jackets can inhibit the freedom […]

A person paddles a yellow kayak through a narrow, rocky coastal inlet surrounded by tall cliffs, with the open sea visible in the background under a partly cloudy sky.

Level 50 Life Jackets For Kayaking

New PFD Standard Delivers Comfort for Everyday Paddlers Recreational kayaking is one of the most popular ways to explore calm lakes, quiet rivers and protected coastal waters. Paddlers often spend hours on the water, making comfort a key factor in whether they keep their flotation on throughout the trip. The new Level 50 PFD standard […]

A person wearing a hat and life jacket kayaks on calm water at sunset, accompanied by a black dog. The kayak is blue, and the sky is pink and orange, reflecting on the water’s surface.

Level 50 Life Jackets and Kayak Fishing

New Standard Combines Comfort, Mobility and Legal Compliance Kayak fishing requires paddling (or pedaling), close-quarters boat control and casting, all before your first strike. Anglers reach for rods, twist to fight fish and constantly adjust their position while managing gear and tackle. And if it’s not hot as blazes, you probably have extra layers under […]

A person wearing a life jacket sails a small white boat on choppy blue water, leaning out to balance as waves splash. The sky is blue with scattered clouds and distant shoreline in the background.

Level 50 Life Jackets and Dinghy Racing

A New Standard Built for Mobility Competitive dinghy sailing demands agility. Racers hike hard on the rail, scramble across cockpits during tacks and jibes, and constantly adjust their body position to keep lightweight boats balanced and moving fast. Traditional foam life jackets can sometimes restrict these movements forcing sailors to choose between comfort and safety. […]

A smiling woman in a blue life jacket stands on a boat, holding a red-and-white wakeboard, with calm water and green trees in the background under a partly cloudy sky.

Level 50 Life Jackets and Wake Sports

A New Class of Buoyancy Aids for Active Watersports Wakeboarding, waterskiing and other towed watersports demand athletic movement. Riders jump wakes, carve across the water and adjust their stance constantly. Because these sports require flexibility and balance, bulky flotation can sometimes interfere with performance. The new Level 50 standard for personal flotation devices aims to […]