Life Jacket for Young kids

[Klinger]

All,

I have a 3 month old son and am wanting to get him a life jacket so once the boat goes in the water he can come with. Realistically, it will probably be May or June before we spend a bunch of time in the boat, so he would be 5 months old by then.

 

What life jackets have you tried and liked for young kids?? I have had friends with small kids come over before and some of the life jackets I have seen for kids seemed awful for the kid. If you have recommendations of ones that work well, I'm all ears!

 

Thanks,

Kevin

 

[Fine409]

We were just in that stage last year with our first child. A lot is going to depend on the kids size/proportions - our lil chunky guy didn't have much of a neck so it made things a little more difficult to find a comfortable vest. This one worked best for us but your mileage may vary.

LINK

 

[Guppy73]

Best money can buy - tough to put a price on the kiddo. Worth every penny!

 

LINK

 

We had the same "neck" issue to start, but as my girl got older it fit better and better.... Get them used to wearing it around the house so as to establish a comfort factor - ie: don't put it on for the first time on the boat to avoid a potential meltdown and ruining the boat ride!

[Klinger]

@Guppy73, Is that one a neoprene material??

[Guppy73]

Not neoprene.... Now that my daughter is older & in the water more frequently (down the 'poon waterslide or on the tube) we have two life jackets. She wears the Mustang while boating and a neoprene vest style for water sports as an adult is always on the tube with her. We just wanted the 'best' boat life jacket for a worst case scenario - a fall overboard, boat sinking, etc..... We boat both in salt and fresh water so sometimes a few miles from shore or other boats.

 

[Horton]

[Orlando76]

We used essentially the same vest Horton posted only says OBrien. Seems ok. At Around 6 months or so I tested the jacket hardcore and his face always ended upright. Keep in mind at 6 months you can do "infant survival" swim lessons, DO IT. The trick is keeping mom interested in the boat post-partum because mine sure lost all interest.

[dchristman]

My grandson wearing the same Mustang vest his mother did 25 years ago - he's happy in it!

 

 

 

 

[bigskieridaho]

I have 2 young girls. Hate to say it, but safety is your priority, and comfort is theirs. My youngest still hates hers with the neck float and she is so small she still has to wear it at 3 years old:( who knows, yours may be be fine. We have tried 3 with the same result. I think the one now is oneill.

[blagrata]

@Klinger The vest to get for an infant is the Salus Bijoux Baby Vest. salusmarine.com/?products=bijoux-baby-vest.

 

This has to be the most comfortable out there for an infant. We used it for both of our infants. The only caveat is that it is not USCG approved... but that's only because it's made in Canada... and the coast guard can't approve something that's rated for something less than 30 lbs.. or something like that. It received awards in Canada. It is perfectly safe and designed for an infant.... no useless padding in the back.

[Sxr_nathan]

We had a Salus life jacket for our kids when they were little and they defiantly seemed comfortable in it. They also liked swimming in it once they got older. We did not have the one that @blagrata mentioned but I would buy that one if we were in that position again.

[Monkstr6100]

once they get a little bigger these work AMAZING! Otherwise while my girls were TINY we just used some really nice neopreme vests. It may go without say, but I do see a lot and warn a lot of people about, DO NOT leave your kid strapped into the car seat while in the boat! I assume that car seat will sink like a rock if, God forbid, the boat crashes or it just ends up overboard. Hope this helps.

 

[Orlando76]

Child safety can be argued both ways. When our son was ~5 months and less and the vest was a bit big, I did in fact put him in the carrier, strapped and buckled. Wedged it in front of pylon and then tied a short rope around it and myself/driver. I felt that was safest. Again you can argue it both ways.

 

Another thing, tie a led strobe light to the vest. I fastened one from my old cave diving days. Last summer a mom and dad and 3 children all in vest from 9months to 6 flipped their boat at night when they struck a power pole in middle of inter coastal. The two older children were fine but the infant was trapped under the boat, in an air pocket. The dad couldn't find her because they lost their lights when the boat flipped. USCG rescued her safely an hour later. It could be noon on a sunny day and I have my sons strobe on.

[xrated]

This is just my opinion and my rule for my kids. Clearly others don't feel the same. Oddly my wife and I were just talking about this yesterday as someone just went through thin ice in a UTV and was strapped in in 8' of water, should have known better but stupid hurts.

 

The topic of car seats came up, and again just me but I don't think even with a rope or a life jacket or whatever, that those are designed to float like a mini boat.

 

Under a year or dang near a year, they simply did not go in the boat. Entirely too many variables outside of my control and too many things that could go wrong. Even with a vest. They were limited to shallow water and being held on the dock. They have an entire life to be in a boat and one summer is not that much in the scheme of life.

 

Now that is my rule for me on a big enough body of public water. Maybe others are making a rule for themselves on a private little ski pond.

 

 

That said I never bought or will buy something that isn't soft like neoprene. Bugs the kids face way less than nylon, etc.

[bigskieridaho]

@xrated One of my girls started boating at 4 weeks and the other at 6. You are saying there are too many factors out of your control in a boat? Then you probably shouldn't put them in a car, or walk them down the sidewalk, or........ Just my $.02.

[xrated]

@bigskieridaho to each their own. My kids were all riding on my dirtbike rather early in life. Water was just one thing where I decided it wasn't worth it.