What is a rescue life jacket?

Rescue PFD’s are inherently superior Jackets than your standard Type 3 PFD and here is why. Structurally they are built stronger than other jackets. A ring or locking carabiner can be added to the back of the jacket through the belt and can be used as an attachment point for a tow tether or rope.

What is a rescue vest?

A river rescue PFD is any type V PFD approved for use in river and flood water rescue conditions. At its core the PFD is nearly identical to the type III counterpart, however there is a specially reinforced belt of cam webbing which goes around the mid-section.

What does 50s mean on a life jacket?

Activities. The Level 50 lifejackets are generally designed for specialised activities such as water skiing and operating personal watercraft, where there is a high probability that the wearer may impact with the water at speed.

What type of PFD is whitewater?

Type III
Within the U.S. Coast Guard rating system, whitewater boaters should wear Type III or Type V PFDs. A PFD can keep you afloat if you cannot swim.

Where do you put the whistle on a PFD?

Wearing a large whistle on a PFD gets in the way during re-entry rescues, and if you attach a whistle to the zipper pull on your PFD the whistle may catch on something and break the PFD zipper. So we recommend storing your whistle in a pocket on your PFD, and for that you want a small whistle.

Can you drown while wearing a life vest?

Eventually those mouth immersions do the same thing as having the boater’s face in the water: they eventually cause the boater to drown. It is an awful and terribly protracted way to die, but it does happen. Those are the primary reasons boaters wearing life jackets sometimes drown.

What does type 3 life jacket mean?

Type III PFDs are suitable for most paddlers where there is a chance for quick rescue. They offer freedom of movement and comfort for continuous wear. These PFDs are designed so wearers can put themselves in a face-up position, but they may have to tilt their head back to avoid being face down in water.

What PFD should I get?

Most adults in a bathing suit need seven to 12 pounds of extra flotation to keep their head out of the water. The US Coast Guard specifies a minimum of 15-½ pounds flotation in an adult PFD. If you’re a swimmer and comfortable in the water, a jacket with 16-18 pounds of design flotation should be fine for you.

What is a lash tab on a PFD?

Most life jackets have one or more lash tabs sewn onto them. While you can affix other things like strobe lights to them, the most common use is for attaching a knife sheath. The tab on knife sheaths that slips into the lash tab has a security lip to prevent the sheath from accidentally slipping out.

What should I carry in my PFD?

What do you carry in your PFD? Tools of the trade.

• A throw rope… on me.
• If you’re going to carry a rope you need to be able to cut it.
• Whistle, Fox 40 mini.
• CPR shield and gloves in a freezer bag.
• Extra carabiner.
• Sunscreen and chapstick are a must for me as well.