Inflatable Life Jackets

Inflatable Life Jackets facilitate you to swim safely and confidently. Easy to wear and comfortable. Inbuilt technology of Single-chamber bladder or double-chamber bladder enables you to stay at the current water depth.

Figure 1: With Life Jacket

Figure 2: Without Life Jacket

These Inflatable life jackets have cartridges of carbon dioxide gas sewn into them. When activated, the gas will release and inflate the jacket. It enhances safety in the water for the swimmer.

There is no set time limit on how an Inflatable Life Jacket will last. It depends on caring for the Jacket. Some simple things you can do to save the Inflatable Life Jacket are,

1. After using it, let it dry thoroughly and store it in a well-ventilated place.
2. Don’t put heavy objects on your Inflatable Life Jacket, its loose buoyancy will be damaged.
3. Safe it from sunlight, long term exposure to UV light can weaken the fabric and belts.
4. Never dry your Inflatable Life Jacket from a direct source of any heat. It can damage the outer face of the jacket.

Inflatable jackets take time to inflate when submerged in water. That’s why it’s not recommended for non-swimmers as well as children under the age of 16.

Non-swimmers have a lack of ability to swim and cannot balance in the water due to fear, anxiety, and lack of effective movement.

On the other hand, Inflatable jackets take time to release the gas and fill the chamber, which inflates the Jacket and lets a person float.

An Inflatable PFD has a CO2 Cylinder (A source of compressed gas) that inflates the chamber to full size. Extra care must be taken in order to maintain the cylinder.

• CO2 cylinder can be punctured if the manual lever is utilized to inflate the PDF. Then you must change a CO2 Cylinder.
• Check leakage in CO2 Cylinder; if so, then you should change it.
• Check the expiry date on the cylinder. If it’s expired, change it.
• After using an Inflatable Jacket, you should replace it with a new cylinder and re-arm the mechanism.

Figure 3: When Should You Replace the CO2 Cylinder in An Inflatable PFD?

To make yourself safe and confident, you need to wear an Inflatable Life Jacket before swimming in the water. But it is also necessary to wear a jacket properly. If not, it cannot protect you.

Following are the four steps you must follow before putting on a jacket.

1. Open the buckle and put a life jacket on.
2. Fasten the buckle and adjust the belt according to your suitable size.
3. On the bottom of the jacket, pull the ripcord; it inflates the jacket manually.
4. And if it is automatic, it inflates when submerged in water. But you can still use ripcord to activate gas.

Figure 4: How Do You Put on An Inflatable Life Jacket

Before swimming in the deep water, you must first try your life jacket on under controlled conditions. i.e., shallow water (A short distance from bottom to top so that you can stand with your head above the water). You can use indoor swimming pools, so it is safe if inflate jacket is damaged or you don’t know how to use it.

If your Inflatable life jacket is working properly, when you enter the water, an In-built CO2 cylinder activates via ripcord and fills the chambers. It enables the Inflatable life jacket to inflate and float you on your back. Verify that your head is self-adjusted and your mouth is above the water surface.

If it is working, use it in an open sea and enjoy.

Figure 5 How Do You Test an Inflatable Life Jacket

Once an inflatable life jacket inflates, it enables you to float if you’re unconscious. It has a collar design that keeps your face above the water and removes the risk of drowning.

It cannot save you. If you’re a non-swimmer and you don’t know how to pull a ripcord, or you don’t know how to hold yourself in water before it inflates automatically.

Yes, it reusable. Inflatable life jackets are specially designed that they can be deflated easily after inflation of life jackets. If special care is taken, it can be used for many years.

Remember that only the jacket is reusable; other equipment such as Cylinder, Bobbin, and green indicative on the life jacket needed to be changed as per requirement.

As well as Inflatable life jacket requires frequent inspection and maintenance to work properly.

Automatic Inflatable Jackets have an In-built water-soluble capsule in bobbins attached to the inflation unit; its mechanism enters the CO2 Cylinder and releases the gas when entre in the water.

You don’t need to pull the ripcord to release the gas. Rather it inflates automatically when water touches the jacket and enables you to float. But in case if self-inflating doesn’t work, you can pull the ripcord to release the gas which fills the chambers.

If you are going to lose consciousness in the water, having the auto inflatable life jacket can save your life.

No, it depends on the type of inflatable life jackets. If it works manually, you need to release the gas via the ripcord or through an oral inflation tube. And if it is automatic. Gas release to chambers when submerged in water.

Inflatable life jackets are only recommended for adults or age more than 16. That’s why it’s only available in adult size.

Figure 6 How Old You Must Be Legally Wear an Inflatable Life Jacket

Inflatable life jackets are less bulky. That’s why high demand. Best jackets are high performance and comfortable in warm weather. So, you can select Inflatable life jackets according to your size and choice.

Before selecting a jacket, you must ensure that the material and quality of a product are as per standard because it’s life-saving gear.

You can choose Life Jacket as per your activity in the water, such as snorkeling, scuba diving, kayaking, boating, surfing, wakeboarding, SUP, flyboarding, and fishing. But remember, inflatable life jackets are not recommended for every activity in water.

Figure 7: What Are the Best Inflatable Life Jackets for Adults?

Before buying a life jacket, you must check the stamp of approval of RINA, CCS, CE, EC. Life jackets are available in a variety of shapes and sizes, so you can select them as per size. Your life jacket must fit you. It’s not all about the “one size fits all kind” of gear.

But all in one, before selecting a life jacket, you must determine your activity. Either it’s swimming in the open sea or an indoor swimming pool. Or if you want to participate in other sport activity at sea. Different Life Jackets work separately.

A select jacket according to your activity is essential. Because the open sea is unpredictable; so, prepare yourself before any unpredictable hit. Because Life jackets can save your life.

Figure 8: What Should You Look for When Buying A Life Jacket?

Inflatable Life Jackets are not suitable for wear anytime, anywhere. There are some activities where you cannot wear inflatable jackets, i.e., worn on PWC or water-skiing or kayaking or high-speed boating.

But other than that, you can use it in the open sea or swimming pool. You can wear Inflatable Life Jacket while underway on an open boat. AN inflatable PFD is a device that can save you from drowning and keeps you afloat.

Figure 9: When Can You Wear an Inflatable PFD?

The cylinder comes in a variety of sizes. You need to buy CO2 Cylinder according to the size of your Inflatable Life Jacket.

Inflatable life Jackets are available in four sizes;

• 75N Life jacket requires a 16g of CO2 size Cylinder
• 100N Life jacket requires a 24g of CO2 size Cylinder
• 150N Life jacket requires a 33g of CO2 size Cylinder
• 275N Life jacket requires a 55g of CO2 size Cylinder

Figure 10: will any size of CO2 cylinder work in your inflatable life jacket?

Inflatable life jackets can be recharge by placing the CO2 cylinder. CO2 cylinder activates the jacket before wearing a jacket. You must re-arm the mechanism and replace the CO2 cylinder if it is insufficient. After placing the CO2 cylinder, pull the ripcord to release gas that fills the chambers.

The inflatable life jacket doesn’t expire technically. But material within the vest can lose the ability to maintain buoyancy due to long-time use in water. So, make sure to store your inflatable life jacket in a dry and cool area.

But other equipment with life jackets gets expire over time; CO2 cylinder and bobbin equipment need to change when they expired.

When you are done with swimming and have little enjoyment in the water, now it’s time to repack the Inflatable Life Jacket.

Here are a few easy steps you must follow to protect the life-saving product;

• Leave the Inflated jacket for a few hours, so it dries completely.
• Deflate the jacket by removing a black cap on the oral inflation tube and pressed the air chamber to remove the air from inside of the inflated jacket. Once the life jacket is fully deflated, return the black cap on the oral inflation tube.
• Replace the CO2 cartridge and re-arm the bobbin inside the jacket.
• Fold the side with a CO2 cartridge in half. But ensure that the ripcord is not trapped under the airbag. It must be positioned to hang out of the bottom of the jacket.
• Fold the outer edge and inner edge of the air chamber one by one.
• Cover folded side of the airbag with an outer jacket and Velcro the side closed.
• Repeat steps for the other sides of the jacket.
• Now fold the remaining portion of the air chamber over itself. Tuck it into the jacket and Velcro the jacket closed.

Now it’s packed for reuse. You can Safe it in a dry and cool area.

Before wearing an Inflatable Life jacket, you must verify the legal requirements for using an Inflatable Life Jacket.

Following are the legal requirements for using Inflatable Life Jackets.

• The Inflatable life jacket must be approved by USCG or NA, CCS, CE, EC.
• The Inflatable life jacket must be the appropriate size for the wearer.
• The Inflatable life jacket must have a full cylinder and a green status indicator.
• The inflatable life jacket must be in good condition, including the air bladder, the oral inflation tube, ripcord, bobbin, and CO2 cylinder.
• The Inflatable life jacket must be worn onboard per person.
• The Inflatable Life Jackets are only for adults. It’s banned to use under the age of 16.

Yes, it’s approved by USCG. You can check on the jacket label (the first six digits of a number assigned by the USCG to approved equipment).

An Inflatable life jacket is a life-saving product for water activities. So, compromise on quality and standard can cause you in a dangerous situation. That’s why certificates are needed to guarantee that the product is manufactured under a high standard.

Xingdun has received all the certificates, which shows that we have never compromise on quality. It means that our Inflatable life jackets are safe to use.

Yes, they are safe if wearing properly. An inflatable life vest is easy to wear before inflation and less warmly, so you can wear it in hot weather.

But before using, you must check to ensure the safety of yourself; the CO2 cylinder, bobbin, ripcord, and lungs chamber, are they working properly or not? If so, then you can wear it confidently. Because now it’s safe.

Before purchasing Inflatable Life Vest, you must verify that either is coast guard approved or not for your wanted activity in water. The approval label can be seen on the bottom of the jacket.

Figure 11 Are Inflatable Life Vest Safe

There are primarily two types of inflatable life jackets: Manual and Automatic.

Manual Inflatable life jackets work manually. You need to pull a ripcord to activate the CO2 cartridge to cause the jacket to inflate.

An automatic Inflatable life jacket is a self-inflating life vest and auto inflates the chambers when it is submerged in water. But it takes time to activate the CO2 cartridge. That’s why it’s not recommended for non-swimmers.

You can select it as per your ability to pull a ripcord in an emergency situation because an automatic inflatable life jacket can work if you’re unconscious and keeps you afloat.

Self-Inflating jackets are Automatic Inflatable Jackets. As the name suggests, it inflates itself when submerged in water. It has an In-built water-soluble capsule in bobbins attached to the inflation unit; its mechanism enters the CO2 Cylinder and releases the gas when entre in the water. It inflates the jacket and enables you to float.

If you are going to lose consciousness in the water, having the auto inflatable life jacket can save your life.

Yes, Self-Inflating or Automatic Inflatable jackets are reusable. Self- Inflatable life jackets are specially designed that they can be deflated easily after inflation of life jackets.  Remember that after using your Automatic Inflatable life jacket, replace it with a new cylinder, bobbin, green indicative on the life jacket, then you can reuse the life jacket again.

If you want a thrill in the wild and open sea, then it’s recommended for you to wear a type1 of a life jacket.  Type1 jackets are strong, and well-built jacket keeps you safe in any accidental situation. These jackets are bulky and difficult to wear.

However, these are a secure option when it comes to getting thrilled. These jackets are most commonly used in commercial/sports activities.

You can use these jackets in the following conditions such as:

Fishing offshore or racing activities or speed boating/cruising in rough weather conditions.

These life jackets are designed for rough and open water, where rescue takes time. It provides buoyancy which is good for floatation and keeps the unconscious person face-up in the water till rescue comes.

The United States Coast Guard (USCG) has classified life jackets into five categories. You can select the life jacket type as per your requirement and activity in the sea. In a nutshell, you need a life jacket that perfectly fits you and fulfills your need, and saves you from drowning.

Let’s discuss the Inflatable life jacket type one by one. So, you can select it as per your need.

• Type I, or OFFSHORE LIFE JACKET:
  If you’re the person who wants to touch high waves or a lover of rough sea, then Type1 PFD is only for you.It provides the most buoyancy for flotation and keeps you safe in any unexpected event. No worry. If a rescue is late, its adjustable design helps a person face-up in the water.
• Type II, or NEAR-SHORE BUOYANCY VEST:
  It’s meant for calm inland water. Where rescue team can reach timely, it’s more comfortable than type 1 but less buoyant. It is not recommended for a rough sea. In the case of falling, it can turn unconscious wearer face-up in the water. It’s only suitable for fishing and Inland cruising in calm water.
• Type III, or FLOTATION AID:
  Type III life jackets are ideal for daily users, i.e., Sailors, cargo workers, and other crew members. If rescue reaches easily, these are perfect for daily users. Its unique and slim design helps the workers to move around the work. It is more comfortable than type I and types II.These life jackets are not effective for an unconscious person as they cannot hold a face upward.
• Type IV PFD, or THROWABLE DEVICE:
  They are throwable devices for a conscious person whether or not they are wearing any other floatation device. This type of device is not suitable for an unconscious person or in rough water.Type IV PFDs are available in many designs. These designs are ring buoy, horseshoe, and floatable cushions. It’s not designed to be worn. Rather it is designed to be thrown to a person in the water. These PFDs are only helpful in an area where help and rescue are nearby.
• Type V PFD, or Special Use Device:
  The type V device is one or for a specific purpose only. These types of devices come with labels that define the activity they are meant for, i.e., kayaking, canoeing, water surfing, etc.

No, you shouldn’t, because it’s not made for high-impact activities. Such as kayaking. High waves can inflate chambers while kayaking.

Figure 12 Should you wear an inflatable life jacket while kayaking.

You cannot purchase it from anywhere, as it’s a life-saving product, therefore, you must purchase it from a professional manufacturer. Xingdun is a LIFE JACKET Manufacturer & Factory in China.

We are working since 2005 and specialized in manufacturing life jackets. Our products are approved by CE, CCS, EC, RINA. Different designs and jackets are available to boost your business.

You can shop now from Xingdun Life Jacket Manufacturer to save your life and swim confidently.