Life Jackets

A young woman in a level 50 life jacket holds a wakesurf board while standing on a red boat by a calm lake, with trees and hills in the background under a cloudy sky.

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.

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 […]

Video: Life Jacket Safety from Freedom Boat Club

At freedom Boat Club, we want you to be safe on the water. This video discusses the type of jacket to use for water sports, in Florida.

Video: Paddling Shorts Ep. 1 // Life Jackets

Paddling experts Kate and Paul Kuthe describe how to choose and adjust the most important piece of boating gear — your life jacket.

Video: Paddling Shorts Ep. 2 // What to Wear

Paddling experts Kate and Paul Kuthe help you dress for paddling success.

Video: Paddling Shorts Ep. 3 // Essential Paddling Gear

Paddling experts Kate and Paul Kuthe run through a short list of essential paddling gear, starting with a life jacket.

Video: Life Jackets and Seat Belts, It’s Your Choice

This creative video contrasts the societal norms of seat belt usage in cars against life jacket wear rates in boats but, it doesn’t matter which mode of transportation, once you’ve realized that you’re about to be in an accident, there’s no time to buckle up in a car or a boat. Watch how these two scenarios unfold.

Video: Super Hero Life Jacket

Life jackets save lives. Boaters should be reminded that accidents are not predictable and therefore a life jacket should be worn at all times while boating. Watch this humorous interaction between a father and a son while choosing their favorite life jacket before a day on the water.

Video: New Life Jacket Labels Explained

This informative video explains the Coast Guard’s new life jacket labeling system showing boaters exactly what the new label’s icons mean and how to choose a new life jacket.

Video: Properly Sizing Children’s Life Jacket

This creative animated video reminds boaters of how important it is to have a child’s life jacket fit properly. The U. S. Coast Guard approved video shows examples of life jackets that are too big and how they may slip off the child during an emergency.

Video: Life Jacket Proper Fit

Watch this informative video to learn how important a properly fitting a life jacket truly is. Improperly fitting life jackets can be dangerous so, in this video, you’ll also learn the critical steps to determining a properly fitting life jacket.

Video: Corey Kraut Life Jacket Message

This important reminder to always wear a life jacket while participating in water sports is a tribute to wakeboarder Corey Kraut who died while doing what he loved best, wakeboarding. Watch as friend and colleague Greg Nelson explains what happened and how to avoid a similar dreadful mistake.

Video: What NOT to Forget When Leaving the Boat

This instructional video reminds boaters, when they are ready to leave the boat, for any reason, of the single most important item. Watch and take the advice from long time boater and four-time wakeboarding World champion, Shaun Murray.

Video: Salty Jefferson, The Life Jacket Legend

Every paddler has heard the tales of ol’ Salty, or at least versions of them. In this case: Always Wear a U.S. Coast Guard-Approved Life Jacket.