20 Best Water Skiing Life Jackets (2023 Updated)

I needed a PFD for paddleboarding. This jacket fits well and doesn’t seem to bulky for movement. It’s also a very attractive life jacket. I bought a women’s size small. I am 5’7″ with a 34 inch chest and it fits well.

I decided for this stylish vest instead of a cheaper more standard one and I’m really loving it. It fits well and is adjustable, is comfortable and I still feel fashionable. The material is soft and shapes great around my body, really glad to have it.

I additionally picked a cheaper product from a different company as a backup for a second person and the material is not half as nice, makes plasticky sounds and doesn’t have a good shape or fit. Highly recommend this one and will try similar products from O’Neill in the future.

Really comfortable / quality jacket for someone that really hates wearing one this one is great. As always Moosejaw delivered the item ahead of schedule,,, being by Chicago I must be pretty close to one of there warehouse’s.

I like the fit of this life jacket for paddle sports. I use it for canoeing and kayaking. It’s designed to tighten snuggly around the lower part around your torso and stay in place. For me the only downsides to it are lack of storage, and it is an over the head life vest.

It can be a little cumbersome to put on or off particularly if you’re wearing bulky clothing. It features two very small pockets but don’t count on putting much in them. They’re not big enough for a cell phone.

I suppose you could put some keys in them if you wanted.

As it is winter in the Jackson hole area I have yet to use on the water. But I can comment on fit. I bought L/XL and fits perfectly. Plenty of room and adjustment to fit over dry top/suit. Low profile to allow easy of getting back on sup unlike clam shell pocket on green jacket.

Completely satisfied. Would recommend for sure.

I love this PFD. It actually fits women who have a chest well, and that is not always the case with PFD’s. The pullover entry is comfortable to put on and off. Two zippered pockets are handy for many things as one can imagine.

At 1. 76 lbs it’s a perfect weight. This is a quality PFD and I’m happy to have one.

We’ve used O’Neill comp vests for skiing for years and always had great fits and longevity. This vest seems similar, but They’ve changed something in terms of fit—my husband is usually a medium in men’s brands (Arctyrex, Lululemon, Patagonia etc) and couldn’t even do up the medium, despite it being the ‘correct size’ based on the sizing chart from O’Neill.

He ended up getting an XL which fits snuggly (important for a comp vest). So, definitely size up! Otherwise, it’s a great product for slaloming or wake boarding! Love the reversible colour design! We were definitely VERY glad for Altitude’s hassle free return/exchange policy this time!.

The O’Neill Slasher Comp Vest makes me feel like a BAMF at my local cable park. Even though I’m only doing frontside 180s, I feel like my style and ability to hold my grabs has instantly improved! Plus I just look cooler now that my vest isn’t so bulky.

Size note: I normally wear a men’s medium tee shirt, but the Slasher size large fits me nice and snug. I would say these run a bit smaller than expected.

Love this thing. The black is super versatile. Great with jeans. Can also work as a sweater under a sports jacket. ,,,,Has a very cool knit. Stretches nicely. Long arms, which works well for me. ,,,,Odor free.

Dries super quick. One of my favorite pieces. ,,,,Only negative I suppose is that its a merino knit. While it doesn’t seem to pill (and I’ve had one for years), velcro (and the like) will pull some of the threads.

That doesn’t really show on the black, but I have an older orange shak – and that one shows loose threads. ,,,,Anyway, an all-in-all great piece.

This is for sure not the prettiest or the most comfortable west, but it serves it purpose well and 1/4 of the price for more traditional vests. What is the best part, except the price – you don’t get hot it in it.

I’ve tried different other vests that cover back of the body and I was sweating badly in them. Another thing I was worrying about – the size. The one I bought was intended for persons not heavier than 90 LB (the biggest they had).

I’ve decided to give it a try, because only belt is the restriction (I was not concern about covering my chest totally). So I thought, if belt is not long enough, I can always attach an extra piece. I’m almost 180 and the belt was long enough for my chest.

So if you must wear safety vest and looking for the low price – this would be your choice.

Pros: keeps you legal for relatively cheap price. Cons: if you ever need to use one, it will be uncomfortable and feel like you are wearing a neckbrace while you have stuffed a bunch of foam up your shirt and sticking out the collar.

Poor freedom of movement, bottom of life jackets sit about at the middle of your rib cage. they don’t even go down my torso halfway, and I am just 6 feet tall. These seem like kids size, so I even checled the vests themselves because I was absolutely convinced they sent me kid size.

No, they sent “adult” size, but if you are any taller than 4 ft. , spend more and get a more functional life vest that fits right.

Nice and bright. If you ever have to use it. you want to be bright and seen. Fits my height 5’2″ and my nephew 6’1″ and fits weights 160-220lb. So great for overall majority of people (adults). would fit teenagers but would get a better vest for babies and little kids (toddlers).

Great value for price. Even if you don’t own boat. with covid you should have your own vest for water activities on the lake or incase of weather emergency with all these storms coming out of nowhere.

Ordering two more so everyone has one in my household.

I can’t say it enough, West Marine ROCKS! Very competitive prices, sale people that know the finest Boating business in the industry as none!

Boat only on rivers no body wears jackets but perfect lying around just in case!

Got to have life jackets for everyone

this unit “claims” to be adult, but I dare say at BEST it is for children, it barely gets over my head, and yes the keyhole design, is pulled apart to get into it. glad I used my CT money on it, and didn’t waste my own $, but legally have to have it to be in on a watercraft.

Im a big guy 6’3 280lbs. I was looking for life jackets worried one wouldnt fit or keep me a float. I actually bought two life jackets this one and another (more expensive vest type). I choose to wear this one.

It fits fine and I actually dont find it uncomfortable. We hit the lake with the canoe and it capsized. I am a non swimmer and this life jacket saved my life. No doubt about it. It kept my head above the water it allowed me to remain calm and let it do its job.

We were able to make our way to shore. I would recommend buying a whistle to attach to this that is it picture shows one but does not have one.

Sure this life jacket doesn’t have the bells and whistles that other fancier life jackets do, but it does the job of keeping you safe and for a fraction of the price! Honestly, given the price of this life jacket, there’s no excuse not to be safe on the waters.

The life jacket is simple in design and easy to figure out how to put on and adjust. What more could you ask for, when it comes to a piece of life saving equipment?.

I bought this vest early this summer for kayaking and jet skiing. PROS: It’s reasonably priced and delivery was fast. It’s also well-vented and not as bulky as traditional vests that buckle across the chest.

The foam placement is also good for high-backed kayak seats. CONS: Not for the girls with big girls. No matter how much I tighten it, if I paddle at a pace any faster than lackadaisical, it rides up on me and the zipper winds up right under my chin.

I’ll keep the MoveVent for jet skiing and maybe paddling on really hot days but I upgraded to an Astral Layla, which has room for the girls and is built more like a kevlar vest that a life vest. Sucker does not move.

It’s extremely comfortable. I recently had a pacemaker placed in my upper chest. My old lifejacket rubbed against the pacemaker making it uncomfortable to wear. This one doesn’t rub. I swim like a rock so a lifejacket is a necessity.

I believe you get what you pay for and this is worth the extra cost. Also received extremely good reviews.

I use this vest kayaking on lakes and rivers It is well designed for all paddling action and does not creep up my neck. I am a 5ft7in slim person the xs/s fits me perfectly > easy to adjust to light or heavy clothes layers.

It is quite puffy in the front which I thought might bug me but it is a non-issue. It looks and feels well made but I’ve only used it 10 times so don’t know how durable it will be. Happy with the purchase.

The Laval states it is a type 1 , on Laval it says large but only fits a child way too small for an adult .

Perfect for floating on my dinghy. Bring them everytime ofcoarse!

I bought this a few months ago and have been using it for PNW daysails and rows. It works as expected, materials have held up and looks pretty great. I prefer it over the stohlquist edge because it’s center-zip, has two pockets so I can keep the phone in one and the keys in the other and avoid scratches, and is a bit more streamlined on the figure.

The only minor negative is the handwarmers pockets are tight for my bigger hands when I have items in the pocket, but still appreciated.

Bought this a few summers ago. Used it for long canoes and short canoes. Used it when swimming in rapids or waterfalls a lot. Very nice and doesn’t get in the way when paddling. Has a loop in the pocket where I have tied off my camera bag and that really has helped.

And then in rapids the canoe capsized and I was swept away. The Pfd did its job. My partner has the same one and she was ok too. My camera even stayed secure. While it is comfortable and cool enough in the summer and adds a bit of warmth when needed, it also works.

But only because we were wearing them. It really did make it easier for me to swim when needed. It is a great product – when it is worn!.

Bought this vest for sea kayaking around St. Petersburg, FL waters. Comfortable with enough strap adjustments to make it snug. Full zipper allows for easy on and off while cut of body of vest has ample space for paddling arms.

Mens small fits womens medium frame.

I have been looking for a neoprene vest for a very long time and there seemed to be no one who had one large enough for me. I found this and it looks, feels and works great! It is not like others that I have purchased or tried on claiming to be 3XL only to find out that they wouldn’t fit a 200lb person let alone me! These are true to size! I am already recommending it to my X-large friends! Great product.

High price point jackets are amazing, but not always amazing on your budget. This lower to mid level jacket fits the budget and the body. With the gusset in the back it allows to go around larger sized individuals like myself and have the freedom to move as you carve up the wake or are out for a ski.

I found the arm holes large enouh to not get chaffed. The price of this jacket pacts a ton of features at it’s price.

This gloss is stunning! It marries full coverage pigment with a lush, high-shine finish. I am wearing Hot Flash in the photo; it looks lovely on my deeper skin tone and is often a great option for holiday parties or events when I’m looking for something more impactful than a traditional red lip.

Love these!.

Fabric is amazing, not to bulky, but the only thing I would say that slightly confused me was that everyone was saying this jacket ran small in size so I ordered a size bigger, and it ended up being to big, but fit my brother perfectly.

So I would tell you to order true to size otherwise it might be loose on you. The assault vest I have does run a little snug, but still pretty true to size. So dont listen to all the people saying runs small, I think they just think they are smaller then they are lol.

I want to start by saying I’m not a child, just a really tiny adult. I have not been able to find a PFD that I can cinch down tight enough to actually be secure, let alone comfortable. There are very few XS PFD’s out there and the ones I tried were either still too large or ridiculously padded with restricted shoulder mobility.

This youth size is absolutely perfect, and I am safely under its weight limit at 85 lbs. The label that came with the vest says it fits a 26″- 29″ chest, but I’m 31″ and I even tightened it some. I was in a T-shirt when I tried it on, so I’d have room to loosen it if I used it in colder weather over a jacket.

I love that it fastens with buckles instead of a zipper so I can tighten or loosen individually. It also has complete shoulder freedom, which is a must since I am a kayaker. I do wish it had a bit more pocket space and and a lash tab to attach my knife, but being a kids vest, I understand why it doesn’t.

I’m still able to secure a knife on one of the straps. I’m just thrilled I finally found a PFD that actually fits me comfortably.

My daughter is below the weight range for this PFD but it still fits great and she can actually sit in it comfortably and “paddle”. This is the only PDF I’ve found that allows the little paddlers to sit comfortably and bend over while playing on the shore.

Mine came with leg straps so I don’t need to worry about it riding up too high when she swims.

This is the second one we have bought. Both our children now have them. The kids love how comfortable they are and wear them all day long without complaining. Plenty of buoyancy. At the low end of the weight range we have found the included leg straps to be crucial.

The leg straps seem like an afterthought, are not intuitive, and are not designed well but they do work. On the newest otter I have also noticed that the lowest strap (probably the most important one) keeps loosening up.

It is possible that my daughter is fidgeting it when I’m not looking.

I purchased this because of the camo pattern and price. I intended to use it while waterfowl hunting from a kayak, I’m a 5′ 10″ 190 lb male with ~42 chest and don’t have an oversized belly. During the first use I noticed the bottom strap is not connected on the sides which caused the strap to constantly go under the vest and push it awkwardly up, this also caused the straps to annoyingly rub on my sides.

Later that day I sewed the straps to the side seams which took care of the rubbing issue. During the second use the vest still rode up annoyingly while sitting. This is fairly normal for this type of vest, luckily there’s a metal ring attached to the bottom of the vest: I used a carabiner to connect the vest to my belt loop and significantly reduced ride up (mostly on the one side with the ring).

Also during the second use, I noticed there was no way to reduce the gap at the chest as the top strap is located about mid vest (upper belly area). Another buckle in the chest area would greatly help in preventing the top from spreading open.

As far as it’s main purpose, keeping you afloat, there’s not much to say: it’s a typical cheap life jacket where the shoulder straps push up to your ears while in the water, but by golly it will keep you afloat and prevent you from drowning.

All in all I recommend this life jacket, most of you will probably be on real duck boats where you have plenty of room and most of these issues won’t matter. This is also one of the few camo options, especially in its price range and it serves it’s purpose.

The few complaints I have are nit picky and solvable with a few easy modifications.

I bought this vest online and when I received it, it was way too small. The tag said it was an adult large vest that should fit chests the size of 30- 52 inches. That was totally incorrect. I have a 44 inch chest and it did not come close to fitting.

I returned it to the store and tried on the XL and it was still too small. So I got a refund. The manufacturer should be told that these sizes were not meant for adults. My 11 year grandson could not fit into this vest.

Good vest at a reasonable price. Bought two for duck hunting. Like the camo. With the length of the straps I could get it to fit fine.

I purchase 2 of these (the shark and the crab-super adorable) for my grandson that just turned 2 on 6/30/19. I was a bit apprehensive at first because it stated that it was for children 30-50 pounds and he is 29 pounds.

I’ve purchased other floating devices such as the zippered vests with the chin cushion and they were cumbersome and he just kept flipping over. The Stearns puddle jumper worked perfectly from the second he put it on.

Immediately he was jumping into the pool even in the deep end and swimming totally by himself. My daughter was thrilled that she now doesn’t have to hold him anymore and doesn’t have to worry about him falling into the pool.

I usually don’t write reviews but today I actually went out of my way to get to this page and share because I know how frustrated I was trying to find a perfect flotation device. It’s made very well and it’s soft and cushiony (other similar looking floaties I’ve seen are made of have cheap plastic with rough edges) I’m also happy that I purchased the extra one to keep on hand.

My grandson did not want to take it off when it was time to go inside.

The jacket has adjustable buckle which is really great to allow parents to adjust it to their child wearing around the body for not being tight and being loose and it hold my child`s body securely. My child loves the bright colors and design and the product seems made in a good quality of material.

The paddles fit perfectly and help my child to float and able to swim longer distance back and forth. The life jacket is very light weight and very comfortable to wear as I see my child swimming confidently and not being afraid in the water by all herself.

I am very happy I got an opportunity to try this product for my child. I may purchase another one when we need one. I definitely recommend this product! I received this product in exchange for my unbiased opinion and my statement here is based upon of my child experience and how the product works.

I bought my 3 year old son this in a different color in store, it was the last one. Came home and when he was about to go into the pool the arm wings one was reaching down to his wrist. It was uneven, maybe some kid tried it on in the store and stretched it out without unbuckling it to take it of.

Obviously I threw out the barcode and I was uncomfortable with him going to the pool with it. I took it back to Walmart with the receipt, no barcode and they never replaced it! Not even a refund. I call cooperate that was no help.

My local Walmart gave me such a hard time. I called puddle jumper no answer, I emailed up to now 6 months I never got a response. For the safety of my child I had to purchase another one and suck with the defective puddle jumper 13 dollars wasted.

I love the vest but my issue was with sizing. The description says 55-75lbs. My two kids 4-6years old and 45. 5-47. 5 inches tall and are 57-59lbs so I thought it would fit both with no problem as they are on the lower end of the weight range listed.

It fit my son who is my older but smaller child snuggly, (like a life vest should fit not to ride up their back/neck when they are in the water). It did not fit my daughter at all. We could barely zip and and the poor child couldn’t breathe in it.

She’s only 2 lbs more then my son, again on the lower end of the listed weight range. It came down to chest size. He’s 25 inch chest and she’s broader 26-27 inch chest. We ended up returning hers for the Youth Large which is 64+ lbs.

that fit her well. I wish OBrien would include chest size ranges in addition to weight for kids, it would make it a lot easier to buy and less returns/exchanges when buying online. If your child is broader I would suggest the Youth large not small.

The jackets are pretty comfortable according to my kids, the v-back design help the comfort and they love the colors.

I bought two of these, one for my 6 year old and one for my 3 year old. I was kind of skeptical considering they both would need the same size but I went through with the purchase. They shipped right away and were delivered in less than a week.

When I tried the vests on the girls I thought that maybe they would be too tight but I tried them on over their clothes, not their swimsuits. The next day I put them on over their swimsuits and they fit perfectly.

My 6 year old who cannot swim, was comfortable in the pool by herself with the vest because she couldn’t sink. My 3 year old would’ve been able to float freely but she was scared. The vests are USCG approved which was very important to me because those are the only ones allowed at our theme parks and they are the only ones I trust.

Overall this was a great purchase and I’m so glad I bought them!.

We bought this life vest for our grandson. We have purchased many life vests for our family over the years and I can say with confidence, for a baby, this is the most comfortable that I have ever seen.

It is highly protective, but not overly bulky. It is also soft, not scratchy. I will be looking for another one as our grandson grows.

My kids are about 54 and 60 pounds, so within the range and too big for the next size down. But they are very skinny. These worked well as far as keeping them afloat and heads out of the water. The kids were able to swim around in them in the ocean without worry of going under.

I noticed that on the tightest cinch down, the jackets did move up closer to their chins than I believe it is designed for. The inside information states Chest Size: 25-29 inches (64-74 cm) if that is helpful.

After the fact, I measured and my kids are 24 inch and 27 inch chests. Both had the jacket ride up. It dried nicely when hung outside for a while. One use so far, so no mildew or smell. Altogether happy with the purchase – hopefully my kids grow soon!.

I like it because something is better than nothing (although I personally think they are all the same, unless you get a professional grade one that the USCG wears); although this (like all the others) have a label that says it’s USCG approved.

Anyway, for those that are complaining about it being too tight, they straps are adjustable, and it’s not supposed to be loose fitting. It’s meant to fit snugly, and you’re not meant to have something loose on you to save your life when you’re drowning.

This was for my toddler son, who is 2 and wears a 2T. This isn’t as good as the infant ones that keeps them floating on their backs in case they go into the water face-down. but still better than nothing.

Does the job for my 35 lb 2 yr old. No real complaint other than the description says it zips and there is definitely no zipper. Not a deal breaker but shouldn’t be in the product details.

My 52lb son just outgrew his Child (30-50lb) PFD. it was way too tight when zipping it. The next size up in PFD’s is a Youth(55-95lb) We tried the Youth size but it was dangerously loose and would easily pull up over his head.

There has always been a lack of options for kids who didn’t fit into the Child PFD’s but were too small for the Youth size. This is the first time I’ve seen options for kids that fall in between these sizes.

We purchased this Youth Small(55-75lb) PFD and it fit great! Although, I have purchased NRS leg straps to attach to this for added safety. This vest is also available in Youth Large(64-88lb) but not from Target.

When it’s time to upgrade though, I believe our next PFD will be the NRS Big Water V. This is used primarily for kayaking and I would recommend.

Runs way too small. I bought a small, which says it fits chests up to 36 inches For reference, I’m usually a 34B and a small in tops/pants. Fit snug around the chest, but can’t imagine it would fit anyone with a bigger bust.

The waist is beyond tight on this life jacket. I’d be able to tolerate the snug chest if it wasn’t for the waist squeezing so hard that stomach would start to hurt. Save yourself the trouble and size up for this product.

It’s also bulkier than most jackets I’ve worn but it does do the job of floating.

Super comfortable. Had to +1 my normal size. Glad I was able to try them on first. Price is what it is. Doesn’t look like it will fall apart like some name brands do. There’s no pocket. There’s no D ring.

I bought this a few days before a trip ro Lake Havasu. At the end of the day it fit good and did its job. Kept me alive. Only knocked down a start due to price. Basically all other retailers had them cheaper, I just don’t like shopping and didnt want to do anymore that day.

It’s what I get for waiting till last minute. But if you have the money then why not.

It is great that it fits BIG sizes around. There isn’t any additional length. Doesn’t even reach bellybutton. It looks ridiculous, but does the job i purchased it for. It keeps me afloat.

Bought 3 of these in xs for my 10 yo, s/m for me, and l/Xl for my husband. Measured before buying. The xs one is too tight in the chest for my son but also a bit long. He is an average build do I think the sizing is a bit off on that one.

The larger sizes fit as advertised.

Good life jacket but Bass Pro needs to figure out how to allow shipment of their product to Cabela’s. They say they are one company (Bass Pro & Cabela’s) but no way to have a Bass Pro online product shipped to Cabela’s.

I live in Wichita Ks and the nearest Bass Pro is 200 miles away in Kansas City. You would thank that Bass Pro could figure out how to provided better customer service by allowing for Bass Pro online purchase to be shipped to Cabela’s store so us customer don’t have to pay for shipment because we could pick product up a Cabela’s store that is just down the street.

This is a great product!!! I am a 3XL and this vest is 2XL-4XL. perfectly adjustable! This was just something I decided I needed to have in my gear arsenal for water activities or a flood! My dog has one.

so should I! Thanks Cabela’s!!!.

I just purchased two, one for myself in size lg/xlg and one for my husband in size s/m. The large fits really good and has ling adjustible straps, the s/m fit on my husband is a little snug with short straps, so he can not adjust to make more roomy.

Seems like it should be marked just a small only and sizing should have made a separate medium. The pattern is quite nice.