Lifejackets, buoyancy aids and impact vests are designed to help keep you afloat should you enter the water. Each type offers distinct characteristics, and the most appropriate choice will depend on the nature of your activity.

Wearing a personal flotation device could save your life. The RYA recommends always wearing a lifejacket, buoyancy aid or impact vest unless you are certain you don’t need to. Ensure that it is the right size, properly fitted and in good condition.

This information is designed to help you choose, use and look after lifejackets, buoyancy aids and impact vests. It explains buoyancy levels, relevant safety standards, and provides guidance on maintenance and servicing.

Lifejacket, buoyancy aid or impact vest?

When determining the most appropriate option for your activity, you should consider the likelihood of entering the water, as well as additional factors such as operating offshore, boating in reduced visibility or at night, and the prevailing conditions.

In our Sailability safety guidance we provide further information on choosing a personal floatation device if you’re not able to actively participate in your own recovery.

Buoyancy levels and safety standards

ISO and CE/EN standards

All new lifejackets and buoyancy aids sold in the UK or Europe must comply with ISO 12402, the current International Organisation for Standardization (ISO) standard for personal flotation devices. Some products may also carry a CE mark, indicating compliance with earlier European standards EN 393–399. These standards set requirements for buoyancy, performance, materials and testing.

Inherent vs. inflatable buoyancy

Buoyancy aids that comply with ISO 12402‑5 or EN 393 are inherently buoyant (e.g. foam). They are not inflatable and require no activation before use. This makes them suitable for activities where frequent immersion is expected.

ISO 12404-3 (EN396) and ISO 12404-2 (EN399) lifejackets rely on inflatable buoyancy and are intended for use in coastal and offshore waters.

Impact buoyancy aids or impact vests

Impact vests and impact buoyancy aids should provide a minimum of 50 Newtons of inherent buoyancy, conforming to ISO 12402‑5 or EN 393.

Impact vests for personal watercraft should have a zip and multiple buckles to keep the vest secure if the zip bursts open during high-speed impact. They may include a strongpoint for attaching a kill cord. If not, the safest place to attach it, when operating a personal watercraft, is around one of the webbing belts.

Children’s buoyancy aids

Children’s buoyancy aids follow the same standards as adults' but are produced in smaller sizes with buoyancy appropriate to a child’s weight.

Quick reference guide – buoyancy levels

This table provides an overview of buoyancy levels and standards, but you should always follow the manufacturer’s guidance on buoyancy level, size and fit where provided.

Buying and looking after a lifejacket

Buying a lifejacket

Lifejackets can be automatically or manually inflating. Manual lifejackets are inflated by pulling a cord which pushes a firing pin into a CO2 bottle. Automatic lifejackets are either water or pressure activated.

• Make sure that the lifejacket offers at least 150N buoyancy and that it conforms to ISO 12402-3 or EN396 standards
• Look for features such as crotch straps, whistle and retroreflective material (for reflecting a light beam back to its source)
• Some lifejackets also come with a hood (to protect your face and airway from spray) and a light - others might have attachment points to fit these as an option
• If you want to be able to attach a safety line to your lifejacket, look for one with an integrated safety line attachment point – often called a D ring or soft D ring
• If you’re planning on using a personal locator beacon (PLB) or another device, check with the manufacturer or authorised service centre that it can be fitted within the lifejacket without interfering with its operation

Fitting your lifejacket

Your lifejacket should fit snugly, over the top of clothing that you are wearing. The waist strap should be comfortably tight and the crotch straps semi-tight:

• The lifejacket collar should sit comfortably around your neck
• Make sure the straps are free of twists and tangles before securing the clips
• Tighten the straps so that the lifejacket fits snugly
• Attach and tighten the crotch straps so that they are semi-tight but so that you can still move comfortably - loose or dangling crotch straps can get caught
• Remember to adjust your lifejacket if you add or remove layers

Checking your lifejacket’s condition

Lifejackets should be checked regularly for damage or wear. They should also be serviced and replaced in accordance with manufacturer’s guidelines.

Throughout the season:

• Check your lifejacket for signs of damage to the bladder cover, webbing straps, stitching, clips and buckles
• Make sure any parts with an expiry are in date – e.g. firing mechanism, safety light
• Check screw-in CO₂ bottles to make sure that they haven’t worked loose (a common cause of lifejacket failure) – many lifejackets have indicators showing the condition of bottle and trigger mechanisms
• Check CO₂ bottles for corrosion – a heavily corroded bottle should always be replaced
• Consider having a spare lifejacket and/or rearming kit in case your lifejacket accidentally inflates. Re-pack lifejackets carefully according to the manufacturer’s instructions once they have been rearmed

Servicing your lifejacket

RNLI lifejacket clinics have found that 30% of lifejackets brought in for inspection would not have worked in an emergency.

Regular servicing will help make sure that your lifejacket works when you need it. RYA, RNLI and MCA all advise servicing your lifejacket at the manufacturer recommended interval by an approved service station.

For many professional and commercially used lifejackets, annual servicing is a legal requirement.

Buying and looking after a buoyancy aid

Buoyancy aids are available in different styles, often aimed at different activities. A buoyancy aid needs to be a snug fit to work properly. It’s worth trying on different brands and styles to make sure you get one that fits well and offers the right level of buoyancy for you.

• Make sure the buoyancy aid offers sufficient buoyancy for your weight
• Buoyancy aids typically have shoulder straps and waist belts for adjusting fit
• Ensure correct fit and comfort

When buying a children’s buoyancy aid, always select the correct size – don’t size up to allow a child to grow into it. If a buoyancy aid is too loose, they could slip out. 

Fitting your buoyancy aid

A good way to test buoyancy aid fit is to adjust any straps and then try lifting the buoyancy aid from the shoulders. If it lifts more than 50mm (2 inches) it is too big or not properly adjusted. If you are using a buoyancy aid for dinghy sailing, check that it doesn’t ride up when sitting down.

Many children’s models include adjustable crotch straps to prevent the buoyancy aid riding up. These should always be fastened properly and not left loose or undone.

Checking your buoyancy aid’s condition

To make sure your buoyancy aid is in good condition:

• Check there are no rips in the fabric
• Make sure none of the webbing straps are frayed
• Check zips work and that buckles aren’t broken
• Check the foam feels in good condition – make sure that no bits of foam have broken off and that the foam hasn’t become compressed

Find out about

• Safe speed and proper look out
• Personal watercraft safety