Life jackets are sometimes called life vests or personal flotation devices. Each of these names communicates how important the item is when it comes to canoe accessories and items you need for kayaking. These little jackets can literally save your life and provide you with flotation when you experience a water emergency. Anyone who is concerned with kayak rigging and performing their water recreation safely needs to invest the time and money it takes to get a safe life jacket. Every year there are outdoor enthusiasts who drown while on the water. Though their lives could have been saved for a small investment, they die a senseless death. This is because they did not bother to put on a life jacket. Common excuses include the water not being very deep, their trip being relatively short, or the jacket being too uncomfortable. Some even believe that if they are experienced enough with the water craft, there is no need for a life vest. It is a shame all of their experience never showed them how important the life vest really is.

There is no telling what will happen while you are on the water. No matter how often you have been out and about, the cold, big waves and strong currents can always give you a run for your money. Even if you consider yourself an expert swimmer, you are still at risk. Swimming in a pool or even the ocean is much different than swimming after you have been tossed from a watercraft. You need to view every trip onto the lake or river a risk. No matter how fun it might be, there is still risk involved. You need to do what you can to decrease this risk.

Adult water crafters have two quality choices: foam panel vests or inflatable vests. The form panel vests might come with wide or narrow panels. This has little bearing on the vest’s effectiveness, as long as it fits properly. You should be comfortable in your vest for long periods of time, so feeling uncomfortable is never an excuse not to wear one. You should be able to wear it snugly over a wetsuit or a regular shirt. You should also test it in the water to make sure the fit stays snug. Floating on your back is the safest way to navigate the rapids when you are outside of a boat, so make sure this is also possible when testing your vest.

Things to look for when testing a vest include whether it creates chafing as you paddle and whether it rides up to your nick or head when you jump in the water. When a vest rides up, it forces you face down into the water, which is obviously not what you want. When buying a vest, ask if you can exchange it for another model if it does not work right.

If you prefer an inflatable vest, it needs to be a Coast Guard approved model. A lot of people make these choices because they do not have to worry about the bulk of the vest unless absolutely necessary. They are not the best choice for whitewater paddlers or for children. They do work well on open waters that are long and spacious. They are very buoyant and can even turn someone who is unconscious upright in the water. If you take a nasty bump to the head during a water craft accident, you can rest assured you will float face up when wearing this sort of vest.

Author Bio: Stewart Wrighter has recently found several items for a camping trip by searching for the term canoe accessories on the internet. He ordered kayak rigging kit for his daughter’s kayak.

Category: Recreation
Keywords: Canoe accessories,Kayak Rigging