A self-inflating automatic life jacket could be one of the most important devices that could save you from drowning. Yes, as the name itself suggests, a self-inflating automatic life jacket is designed to save its user from drowning. A life jacket is one of the most important safety equipment that a person should be wearing while braving, rowing, kayaking, or travelling on water.
Most of the countries as the United States of America, the United Kingdom, etc have rules that strictly state that any boat that is used for recreational activity or adventurous activity should carry an adequate number of life jackets for the travellers. In the beginning, the life jackets were designed in such a way that the user will have to inflate the life jacket physically. However, today there are life jacket’s that are designed to inflate automatically without any physical help.
Top 5 Best Self Inflating Automatic Life Jacket
If you are looking for a self-inflating life jacket, then, you should know that there are more than 100 different models available on the market and it is not easy to pick the best product without any help. To make easier for you,
#1. Onyx A/M-24 Deluxe Automatic Inflatable Life Jacket
Onyx A/M-24 Deluxe Automatic/Manual inflatable life jacket as the name itself suggests comes designed to be inflated automatically or normally under the right circumstances. This life jacket is certified by the U.S Coast Guard and is one of the best life jackets for men available today.
Pros –
- Type V jacket
- Comes with utility pockets
- Waterproof pockets to hold the camera and other gears
- Comes with an option to select between automatic and manual inflation modes
- Heavy-duty 420 denier nylon Ripstop
- Comes with stretchable flex at the back for maximum comfort
- Fleece-lined pockets for carrying sunglasses
- Padded air mesh at the back to offer additional comfort to the user
Cons –
- This product is comparatively bulkier than other self-inflating automatic life jackets available on the market today
#2. Onyx A/M-24 Automatic/Manual Inflatable PFD Life Jacket
Onyx A/M-24 Automatic/Manual inflatable life jacket is one of the best life jackets available on the market today. This life jacket, unlike the above-mentioned product, comes designed to be automatically inflated if the jacket is immersed in water.
Pros –
- Like the above-listed life jacket, this life jacket also comes with U.S Coast Guard certification, this product also comes with the same
- Automatically inflates when immersed in water
- This product can also be inflated if the product is jerked in the right way
- This life jacket is lightweight and comes in designed to be low profile
- This life jacket is designed to offer maximum comfort and safety to the user
- Easy to put on and take off
- The product comes with a feature that allows the user to inflate the life jacket manually or automatically
Cons –
- This product is designed for one-time use only, the product does not come with an option to replace the CO2 cartridge
#3. Mustang Survival Corp Auto Activation PFD
Are you looking for a self-inflating automatic life jacket that comes at a reasonable price and with the highest quality? Then Mustang Survival Crop M.I.T 100 is the best option for you.
Pros –
- Comes with high-quality automatic inflation feature that can automatically inflate the life jacket
- The entire product is designed to be lightweight
- 500 denier Cordura outer shell that protects the life jacket from high impacts
- This product comes with reflective tapes incorporated that make the life jacket stand out
- Comes incorporated with safety whistle
- Designed to offer a maximum of 100N buoyancy
- This product comes with a hydrostatic automatic inflation feature that automatically inflates the life jacket if immersed in water
Cons –
- Unlike the above-mentioned 2 products, this product does not come with an option to select from manual or automatic inflation feature
#4. Mustang Survival Elite Inflatable PFD
This life jacket comes from the top brand Mustang and it is one of the best life jackets available on the market today. This product comes designed to be lightweight and to be aerodynamic at the same time.
Pros –
- This life jacket comes designed to be lightweight
- One of the notable things about this product is that it comes designed in such a way that it can withstand drag at high speed
- Product is designed to offer optimum mobility
- Suitable for users with wide shoulders
- Designed in a way that it eliminates the possibility of neck fatigue
- The product comes made of high quality that is used to manufacture body armour
- Comes with a mesh liner that increases the breathability of the product
- This product is designed to offer a maximum buoyancy of 28 lbs
Cons –
- This product does not offer the user an option to inflate the life jacket manually or automatically
#5. Slimline Advanced Inflatable PFD, Automatic
Slimline is one of the best life jackets manufacturing brands in the world today; this life jacket from Slimline comes designed for people with 20 to 56 inches of chest size. This product comes designed with a maximum buoyancy of 26 lbs and the product is approved for use for people with an age above 16-years.
Pros –
- This life jacket comes with high-quality neoprene collar
- Comes incorporated with 300D polyester cover
- The manufacturer has incorporated reflective piping into the product for maximum safety
- This product is designed for people with an age above 16-years
- The inflator incorporated into this product is USCG type iii approved
Cons –
- This life jacket is comparatively expensive than other life jackets
Buying Guide To Choose Best Self-Inflating Automatic Life Jacket
The basic purpose of a life jacket is to protect and save a user from drowning under any circumstance. However, not all self-inflating automatic life jacket comes designed to serve the same purpose. The factors listed below will help you select the best product from the market today.
- Type of activity – You should know the basic fact that not all self-inflating automatic life jackets come designed to protect the user from drowning under all circumstances.
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- In-water activities – Life jackets are designed to save the life of a user from drowning while kayaking, windsurfing, dinghy sailing, and while travelling on a boat. To serve this purpose a traditional foam life jacket with normal buoyancy is more than enough.
- High-speed fall or activity – If you need a life jacket to wear while high-speed, fall or activity then a traditional activity cannot serve the purpose. A traditional life jacket is not designed to pressure exerted by a high-speed fall or activity. Therefore, it is very important that check the product specification and then make sure the life jacket you purchase is designed to withstand high-speed impact with the water.
- Jacket buoyancy – Not life jackets come designed in the same way and with the same buoyancy. You might think that every life jacket comes with the same buoyancy and there is no need to check the buoyancy, this is not true. If the buoyancy of the jacket is low and if the weight of the user is high, then the life jacket can prove worthless and inefficient. Therefore, check the buoyancy of the life jacket and then purchase an appropriate life jacket.
- Type of automatic inflation technique – There are two types of life jacket automatic inflation techniques, which could be incorporated into a self-inflating automatic life jacket.
- Normal automatic inflator incorporated life jacket is designed to inflate as soon as the jacket is exposed to water. However, in the beginning, several accidental inflations were reported as life jacket inflated due to humidity or water spray. But, today these self-inflating automatic life jackets are engineered only to inflate only when actually required.
- Hydrostatic automatic inflator – This type of life jacket inflates only if the jacket is submerged in the water. Yes, the automatic inflator is turned on based on the water pressure.
Based on the factors mentioned above, check the product specification carefully and purchase a self-inflating automatic life jacket accordingly.
A life jacket serves the basic and most important purpose of protecting and saving a user from drowning under any circumstance. As you have seen above there are different types of jackets and different factors to consider while purchasing the product. All the products listed above were selected based on these factors and you should consider purchasing it and you will not regret it.