More Comfortable Designs Increase Use of the Most Effective Boating Safety Product
ORLANDO, Fla., Aug. 17, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Life jacket technology has advanced dramatically since the early 1800s, when mariners first began stuffing canvas vests with blocks of wood, rows of cork, or tropical tree fibers. While the filling, fabric and fit have evolved over the last two centuries, the life jacket's primary purpose remains the same: saving lives.
kAmp44@C5:?8 E@ &]$] r@2DE vF2C5 DE2E:DE:4D[ geT @7 2== 5C@H?:?8 G:4E:>D :? 3@2E:?8 :?4:56?ED H6C6 ?@E H62C:?8 2 =:76 ;24<6E] #6D62C496CD 2E E96 &]$] r@2DE vF2C5 2?5 E96 &?:G6CD:EJ @7 |2CJ=2?5 4@?4=F565 E96 ?F>36C @7 5C@H?:?8D 4@F=5 36 C65F465 3J g_T :7 2== 3@2E6CD H@F=5 H62C =:76 ;24<6ED]k^Am
kAmQ%96 52E2 :D :?5:DAFE23=6i {:76 ;24<6ED D2G6 =:G6D[Q D2:5 y:> t>>@?D[ 6I64FE:G6 5:C64E@C @7 E96 (2E6C $A@CED u@F?52E:@? W($uX] Q(:E9 E96 G2DE=J :>AC@G65 4@>7@CE[ 4@?G6?:6?46 2?5 DEJ=6D ?@H 2G2:=23=6[ E96C6VD ?@ 6I4FD6 ?@E E@ H62C @?6]Qk^Am
kAm%96 3F=<J @C2?86 9@CD6\4@==2CD @7 J6DE6CJ62C 92G6 >@CA965 :?E@ D=66<[ 24E:G:EJ\DA64:7:4 =:76 ;24<6ED] r=@D65\46== 7@2> :? 2 4@>7@CE23=6 ?J=@? G6DE :D E96 DE2CE:?8 A@:?E 7@C E@52JVD :?96C6?E=J 3F@J2?E !usD[ H9:=6 >@C6 25G2?465 >@56=D 255 D68>6?E65 7@2> 2?5 3C62E923=6 >6D9 A2?6=D]k^Am
kAmx?7=2E23=6 =:76 ;24<6ED 2=D@ 92G6 25G2?465 3J =62AD 2?5 3@F?5D :? C646?E J62CD] %@52JVD 9:89\E649 G6CD:@?D 2C6 D6=7\:?7=2E:?8[ 2?5 >2?J 4@>6 H:E9 DEC@36 =:89ED 2?5 A@4<6ED 7@C 2 A6CD@?2= =@42E@C 3624@? W!{qX E92E 42? DF>>@? C6D4F6CD 7C@> 2?JH96C6 @? E96 A=2?6E]k^Am
kAm{:=: r@=3J[ :?5FDECJ 2?5 ?@?\AC@7:E C6=2E:@?D DA64:2=:DE 2E =:76 ;24<6E >2?F724EFC6C |FDE2?8 $FCG:G2=[ D2JD =:76 ;24<6ED E@52J 2C6 36EE6C 6?8:?66C65 E@ D2G6 2? F?4@?D4:@FD A6CD@?]Â Q|2?J 9:89 3F@J2?4J :?7=2E23=6 =:76 ;24<6ED[ DF49 2D @?6D 56D:8?65 7@C @77D9@C6 @A6? H2E6C 6?G:C@?>6?ED[ 2C6 ?@H 36EE6C 23=6 E@ <66A 2? F?4@?D4:@FD A6CD@?VD 9625 23@G6 H2E6C[Q D96 D2:5] QxEVD 2? :?5:DA6?D23=6 25G2?46>6?E]Qk^Am
kAmp ?6H 4=2DD @7 F=EC2\4@>7@CE23=6 !usD H:== C6249 E96 >2C<6E :? a_af E92?<D E@ E96 r@2DE vF2C5VD ?6H {6G6= d_ DE2?52C5[ H9:49 2==@HD 7@C =@H6C\AC@7:=6 56G:46D E@ >66E =682= 42CC:286 C6BF:C6>6?ED]k^Am
kAm$E:8 {2CDD@?[ rt~ @7 A255=:?8 2AA2C6= 2?5 =:76 ;24<6E >2?F724EFC6C {6G6= $:I[ C6A@CED DEC@?8 :?E6C6DE :? E96 =:89E6C[ D=:>>6C {d_ G6DED 96VD 563FE:?8 ?6IE J62C]k^Am
kAmQ(6 ;FDE C6=62D65 @FC a_af 42E2=@8[ 2?5 xV> 2>2K65 3J E96 6IEC6>6=J A@D:E:G6 C6DA@?D6 2?5 9:89 =6G6= @7 :?E6C6DE :? {d_ AC@5F4ED[Q D2:5 {2CDD@?] Qx 9@A6 E9:D EC2?D=2E6D :?E@ >@C6 A255=6CD 2?5 3@2E6CD H62C:?8 !usD]Qk^Am
kAm{6? }6=D@?[ D6?:@C 5:C64E@C @7 D2=6D 7@C p3D@=FE6 ~FE5@@C 2?5 z6?E $276EJ !C@5F4ED[ 2?@E96C =625:?8 =:76 ;24<6E 4@>A2?J[ F?56CD4@C6D E96 :>A@CE2?46 @7 4@>7@CE] Qx>AC@G65 >2E6C:2=D 2?5 56D:8? >2<6 =:76 ;24<6ED >@C6 4@>7@CE23=6 E92? 6G6C] %92EVD 4C:E:42=[ 3642FD6 E96 =:76 ;24<6E J@FVC6 ?@E H62C:?8 42?VE D2G6 J@F[Q }6=D@? D2:5]k^Am
kAms6DA:E6 >2;@C 25G2?46>6?ED :? 4@>7@CE[ >2E6C:2=D 2?5 56D:8?[ 2 &]$] r@2DE vF2C5 DEF5J 7@F?5 =:76 ;24<6E H62C C2E6D 7@C 2== 3@2E6CD 92G6 :?4C62D65 @?=J a]gT D:?46 `hhh] #62D@?D 4:E65 7@C ?@E H62C:?8 2 =:76 ;24<6E :?4=F565 5:D4@>7@CE[ 6DA64:2==J :? H2C> H62E96Cj =24< @7 65F42E:@?j 2=4@9@= 4@?DF>AE:@? =625:?8 E@ :>A2:C65 ;F58>6?Ej 2?5 E96 >:DE2<6? 36=:67 E92E 3@2E6CD H9@ 42? DH:> 5@?VE ?665 E@ H62C 2 =:76 ;24<6E]k^Am
kAm%@ 96=A 3@2E @A6C2E@CD @G6C4@>6 @3;64E:@?D E@ H62C:?8 =:76 ;24<6ED[ E96 ($u @776CD 7:G6 E:ADik^Am
kAmkDEC@?8m`] $E2E6 E96 #F=6 2E E96 s@4<k^DEC@?8mk^Am
kAmtIA=2:? E92E H62C:?8 2 =:76 ;24<6E :D E96 Q42AE2:?VD CF=6Q 7@C 2==] xEVD =:<6 E96 CF=6 7@C H62C:?8 2 D62E36=E :? 2 42Ci ?@ @?6 =62G6D E96 5@4< F?E:= 6G6CJ@?6 :D D276=J 3F4<=65 :?]k^Am
kAmkDEC@?8ma] {625 3J tI2>A=6k^DEC@?8mk^Am
kAm%96 62D:6DE H2J E@ 86E A2DD6?86CD E@ 4@>A=J :D 7@C E96 42AE2:? E@ H62C @?6] r2AE2:?D H9@ >@56= D276 3692G:@C 4C62E6 E96 ?@C> 7@C 2== @?3@2C5]k^Am
kAmkDEC@?8mb] x?G6DE :? r@>7@CE23=6 v62Ck^DEC@?8mk^Am
kAm$>2CE 3@2E @H?6CD :?G6DE :? >@56C?[ >@C6 4@>7@CE23=6 2?5 DEJ=:D9 r@2DE vF2C5\2AAC@G65 =:76 ;24<6ED 7@C E96>D6=G6D 2?5 E96:C 8F6DED]k^Am
kAmkDEC@?8mc] t?DFC6 2 !C@A6C u:Ek^DEC@?8mk^Am
kAmp A@@C=J 7:EE:?8 =:76 ;24<6E :D ?@E ;FDE F?4@>7@CE23=6j :EVD 2=D@ =6DD 67764E:G6] p=H2JD 6?DFC6 3F4<=6D 2?5 K:AD 2C6 72DE6?65 2?5 DEC2AD 25;FDE65] pD @?6 3@2E6C AFED :E[ E96 =:76 ;24<6E D9@F=5 Q766= =:<6 E96 9F8 @7 2 D>2== 49:=5]Q %6DE E96 7:E 3J =:7E:?8 E96 ;24<6E 3J E96 D9@F=56CD 2?5 6?DFC:?8 :E 5@6D?VE D=:A A2DE E96 H62C6CVD 62CD]k^Am
kAmkDEC@?8md] tIA=2:? E96 (9Jk^DEC@?8mk^Am
kAm|2?J 3@2E6CD H9@ 2G@:5 =:76 ;24<6ED 4=2:> E@ 36 QDEC@?8 DH:>>6CD]Q %96 42AE2:? D9@F=5 6IA=2:? E92E 6G6? ~=J>A:4 DH:>>6CD 42? 36 <?@4<65 F?4@?D4:@FD @C DF776C 4@=5\H2E6C D9@4< FA@? DF556? :>>6CD:@?] p55:E:@?2==J[ :? 2? 6>6C86?4J[ 3@2E6CD >2J ?@E 92G6 E:>6 E@ 7:?5 2?5 AFE @? E96:C =:76 ;24<6E]k^Am
kAmu@C >@C6 :?7@C>2E:@? 23@FE =:76 ;24<6E 56D:8? 2?5 FD286[ G:6H E9:D ($u G:56@i k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^6586]AC?6HDH:C6]4@>^4^=:?<^nEl_U2>Aj=l6?U2>Aj@lcfdbdfa\`U2>Aj9l`g_bc`afhgU2>AjFl9EEADTbpTauTauHHH]H2E6CDA@CED7@F?52E:@?]4@>Tau>65:2TauG:56@\=:76\;24<6E\AC@A6C\7:ETauU2>Aj2l9EEADTbpTauTauHHH]H2E6CDA@CED7@F?52E:@?]4@>Tau>65:2TauG:56@\=:76\;24<6E\AC@A6C\7:ETauQ E2C86ElQ03=2?<Q C6=lQ?@7@==@HQm9EEADi^^HHH]H2E6CDA@CED7@F?52E:@?]4@>^>65:2^G:56@\=:76\;24<6E\AC@A6C\7:E^k^2m]k^Am
kAmkDEC@?8mp3@FE E96 (2E6C $A@CED u@F?52E:@? W($uXk^DEC@?8mk^Am
kAm%96 (2E6C $A@CED u@F?52E:@? W($uX :D 2 ?@?AC@7:E @C82?:K2E:@? 565:42E65 E@ AC@>@E:?8 3@2E:?8 D276EJ :? E96 &?:E65 $E2E6D] q@2E:?8 D276EJ 4@?E6?E :? E9:D AC6DD C6=62D6 :D AC@5F465 F?56C 2 8C2?E 7C@> E96 $A@CE u:D9 #6DE@C2E:@? 2?5 q@2E:?8 %CFDE uF?5 25>:?:DE6C65 3J E96 &]$] r@2DE vF2C5] u@C >@C6 :?7@C>2E:@?[ A=62D6 G:D:E k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^6586]AC?6HDH:C6]4@>^4^=:?<^nEl_U2>Aj=l6?U2>Aj@lcfdbdfa\`U2>Aj9lhbab__bgeU2>AjFl9EEADTbpTauTauHHH]H2E6CDA@CED7@F?52E:@?]4@>TauU2>Aj2lH2E6CDA@CED7@F?52E:@?]4@>Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<Q C6=lQ?@7@==@HQmH2E6CDA@CED7@F?52E:@?]4@>k^2m]k^Am
kA :5lQ!&#{Qmk:>8 E:E=6lQr:D:@?Q H:5E9lQ`aQ 96:89ElQ`aQ 2=ElQr:D:@?Q DC4lQ9EEADi^^6586]AC?6HDH:C6]4@>^4^:>8^72G:4@?]A?8nD?l!wafcfgU2>AjD5la_ae\_g\`fQ ^m ':6H @C:8:?2= 4@?E6?E E@ 5@H?=@25 >F=E:>65:2ik2 :5lQ!#}&#{Q C6=lQ?@7@==@HQ 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]AC?6HDH:C6]4@>^?6HD\C6=62D6D^H2E6C\DA@CED\7@F?52E:@?\2AA=2F5D\25G2?46>6?ED\:?\=:76\;24<6E\E649?@=@8J\56D:8?\2?5\4@>7@CE\b_agdagcb]9E>=Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<Qm9EEADi^^HHH]AC?6HDH:C6]4@>^?6HD\C6=62D6D^H2E6C\DA@CED\7@F?52E:@?\2AA=2F5D\25G2?46>6?ED\:?\=:76\;24<6E\E649?@=@8J\56D:8?\2?5\4@>7@CE\b_agdagcb]9E>=k^2mk^Am
kAm$~&#rt (2E6C $A@CED u@F?52E:@?k^Am
kAmk:>8 2=ElQQ DC4lQ9EEADi^^CE]AC?6HDH:C6]4@>^CE]8:7n}6HDxE6>x5l!wafcfgU2>Aj%C2?D>:DD:@?0x5la_ae_g`f_gac!#0}t($0&$!#00000!wafcfgU2>Ajs2E6x5la_ae_g`fQ DEJ=6lQ3@C56Ci_AIj H:5E9i`AIj 96:89Ei`AIjQ ^mk^Am
