Glossary
Inflatable life jacket
A compact life jacket that fills with gas when needed. Not for children, weak swimmers or non-swimmers.
An inflatable life jacket is a compact life jacket, often worn like a belt pack or a thin vest, that fills with gas from a cylinder when it is needed; some fill automatically when they hit the water. The U.S. Coast Guard (opens in a new tab) says inflatables may be more comfortable to wear, which can make adults more likely to keep them on.
They are not for everyone:
- the Coast Guard says inflatable life jackets are not appropriate for weak swimmers or non-swimmers;
- its FAQ (opens in a new tab) says they are generally intended for people over 80 pounds, and the wearer must be over 16 to count toward carriage rules;
- New York State Parks says they are not suitable for non-swimmers, water-skiers, youths under 16 or personal watercraft riders (NY State Parks (opens in a new tab)).
They also need care. The Coast Guard says an inflatable must have a full cylinder and all status indicators green, or it is not serviceable and does not meet the carriage requirement. Follow the maker's maintenance instructions. See inflatable life jackets and how to choose a life jacket.
What you can do today: if you own an inflatable, check that its cylinder is full and its indicator is green.