What to look for when buying a modern lifejacket
by Grant Pellew on 25 Jul 2016
Spinlock Deckvest Spinlock
There is no doubt that modern lifejacket design has changed considerably and one of the biggest drivers of this change has been due to personal ownership. Rather than crew relying on lifejackets being on-board a boat, they want to own their own lifejacket as part of their kit bag. Customers are now happy to spend what is required to get the features they want in a lifejacket and as result there are some great new lifejackets to choose from with a whole range of new features.
One the best changes in modern lifejackets is the fit and adjustment, being more comfortable to wear for long periods and something that you might now put on sooner and keep on for longer. Secondly they look like a piece of sports equipment rather than piece of safety equipment, with better fabrics, colours and design to be more appealing to wear. The Spinlock Deckvest was one of the first lifejackets to really look at the fit and adjustment of a lifejacket, how they need to perform for a wearer, making them more enjoyable to wear.
James Hall from Spinlock comments “When Spinlock first took a look at the lifejacket sector in 2000, we couldn’t believe how poor the equipment really was, with most being made to be as cheap as possible and a result something that sailors didn’t want to wear. At the same time, kit such as foul weather gear was getting more and more technical. We could see straight away that the market was ready for a new technical lifejacket that was appealing to put on. Firstly we made the comfortable to wear, borrowing technology and design from the backpack industry and secondly we made them more appealing to wear, with fabrics, colours and detailing”.
A harness is a feature for anyone venturing offshore along with crotch straps and the Spinlock Deckvest being a premium lifejacket offers this and other great extras such as a mesh pocket for radio, PLB etc, a rescue knife for cutting a safety line if trapped and being dragged along behind the boat and an attachment point for a useful ‘pack’ for storing essentials like a torch or safety line.
On the inside, if you a looking for a coastal or offshore lifejacket then look for a fitted Light and sprayhood, both are proven essentials to prolong survival and aid location. With the Deckvest 5D the Sprayhood is integral, so fits really neatly in the cover, and as well as the unique Pylon Lifejacket Light, again integrated into the lifejacket. The revolutionary LumeOn light is fitted to the bladder which are tiny LED which illuminate the whole lifejacket bladder to further aid location. “The LumeOn Light is super clever, James Hall continues, they are tiny, weight nothing and yet the effect of illuminating the whole bladder means instantly become a larger body to identify in the water”.
Full details on the Deckvest Lifejacket and other lifejackets in the range can be found at www.spinlock.co.uk/en-au
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