Here\u2019s how a Personal Locator Beacon works<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nGreat if you plan on paddling in the wilderness <\/strong>or in sparsely populated regions. Many have an \u201cSOS\u201d button that alerts nearby emergency personnel when pressed. <\/p>\n\n\n\nLook for one with a reliable GPS to help you find your way, and if available get a subscription that allows you to text or email updates to someone back home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
PFD Specifications And Types<\/h2>\n\n\n\nFlotation<\/h3>\n\n\n\n More commonly referred to as buoyancy, flotation refers to the amount of force in pounds needed to keep a person\u2019s head above water. As a rule of thumb, most adults need between 7 and 12 pounds of force to stay above the surface. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The amount of flotation should be listed on the tag of your PFD. Rest assured, any quality PFD will provide at least 12 pounds of flotation, but this can be useful when comparing individual models. For example, heavy-duty Type I PFDs can have 30+ pounds of flotation while Type III PFDs are usually around 15 pounds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Type I<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nThe most buoyant of the five types and suited for all water conditions. Their bulk makes them uncomfortable for everyday use and leaves them best suited for rough, isolated ocean conditions<\/strong> where rescue can take time.<\/p>\n\n\n\nType II<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nSimilar to Type I in that they are meant for isolated and rough conditions. Slimmer and more comfortable to wear, they\u2019re preferred by trans-ocean sailors<\/strong> that need more range of motion than a Type I can offer.<\/p>\n\n\n\nType III<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nFor inshore or nearshore use, they allow freedom of movement while still keeping the wearer buoyant. These are the best PFDs for paddlers<\/strong>. Many are engineered to remain attached for high-speed impact with the water. <\/p>\n\n\n\nType IV<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nThe classic life ring you see at the swimming pool or on the back of the boat. Type IVs are not meant to be worn<\/strong> but thrown to a person who has fallen overboard. In addition to the life ring they can also be a specially designed cushion or buoy. <\/p>\n\n\n\nType V<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nA specialized category, Type V\u2019s list the specific activity <\/strong>the PFD has been designed for on the label. They will also list if they identify as a Type I, II, or III.<\/p>\n\n\n\nHow to Choose a PFD – Final Thoughts<\/h2>\n\n\n\n As mentioned earlier, 85% of deaths among paddlers are due to a poorly-fitted or nonexistent PFD.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
With this article, my goal is to help you choose the right PFD for your needs<\/strong> so that you can not only wear a proper PFD, but also educate others who might not be as informed as you are.<\/p>\n\n\n\nSadly, many paddlers choose not to wear their lifejacket because it\u2019s too uncomfortable. By applying the tips you learned in this article, you\u2019ll be able to choose a life jacket that doesn\u2019t hinder your movements while saving your life in case of an emergency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I hope you found this article useful, and if you have a favorite brand or style, let me know in the comments below! <\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"You don\u2019t want to risk your life by taking unnecessary risks, and you\u2019re absolutely right. 134 paddlers died in the USA in 2018, 86% of them found without a proper PFD. In this article, we\u2019ll make sure you don\u2019t become another statistic by choosing a poorly fitted PFD. To help you choose a lifejacket, we\u2019ll […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1197,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"none","_seopress_titles_title":"How To Choose A PFD Or Life Jacket \u2212 Don\u2019t Be A Statistic","_seopress_titles_desc":"Here\u2019s how to choose a PFD or life jacket that fits. Let\u2019s make sure you and your loved ones don\u2019t become a statistic.","_seopress_robots_index":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[7,4],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.happinesswithout.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1144"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.happinesswithout.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.happinesswithout.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.happinesswithout.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.happinesswithout.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1144"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.happinesswithout.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1144\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5806,"href":"https:\/\/www.happinesswithout.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1144\/revisions\/5806"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.happinesswithout.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1197"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.happinesswithout.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1144"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.happinesswithout.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1144"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.happinesswithout.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1144"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}