A Life jacket (also known as a PFD -Personal Floatation Device) is a mandatory requirement when kayaking in most waters around Australia - there are some states where the legislation does not mandate it but we recommend you always paddle with a Life jacket . The Life jacket  you choose to wear can be a type 1, 2 or 3 (now Level 100, 50 & 50S).

Studies show that wearing a Life jacket  can increase your chances of survival greatly. The Life jacket  alone is not going to save your life. A great understanding of weather interpretation, wearing the correct clothing, a good understanding of the basic essential strokes, self and assisted rescues is the key to enjoying water sports safely.

• Always wear your life jacket
• Let someone know before you go
• Be aware of your own limitations / capabilities and those of your paddle buddy and the limitations of your kayak. Practise getting back on /in you craft.
• Always check the weather forecast (from the BOM) and know how to interpret it for the on-water conditions of the area you are paddling
• Carry your phone in a waterproof case (Aquapac)
• Undertake training with a qualified instructor

Level 50 (Type 2) - This life jacket will provide less buoyancy than a Type 1 (Level 100) but is sufficient to keep your head above water. Like a Type 1 (Level 100) they are manufactured in high visibility colours such as yellow, orange and red. 

Level 50S (Type 3) - The Life jacket Type 3 (Level 50S) has similar buoyancy to a Type 2 Life Jacket but are manufactured in a wide variety of colours that are not necessarily highly visible and may lack reflective strips. We recommend a Life jacket  Type 2 for the best combination of comfort, visibility and buoyancy on the water.

For more, please see our Life Jacket page on our east Coast Kayaking website.

Additional safety equipment we recommended to attach to your Life Jacket:

• Whistle (Fox 40)
• Safety knife
• rescueME PLB1
• Hydration system (Camelback Crux) or similar- or secure to floor of the cockpit, keeping the weight low
• Silva handheld compass
• Aquapac Phone Case to keep your phone safe!
• VHF Marine Radio

TIP: Many life jackets have attachment points inside their pockets - use these instead of having lanyards around your neck or outside your life jacket (a tangle/choke hazard if you capsize). The exception to this is your phone in its Aquapac - attach (lark's-foot) to your life jacket strap and tuck in between your body and the cushioning of your life jacket so if you are doing a cowboy or heel hook re-entry the phone wiil not be crushed between you and the kayak.

Check out our YouTube video for more information:

We are sometimes asked to compare PFD's for size & lightness. Here is a list so far - these are more intended for short paddles, recreational or ski paddling or pack rafting rather than touring when you want to carry more safety gear in your Life jacket .