Control Jackets

When many people hear the term life jacket, the first thing that comes to mind is a bright orange Type II jacket. They're easily recognizable, and they're on most people's boats, but they are rarely worn except in an emergency. The U.S. Coast Guard Type I, Type II and Type III vests meet strict performance requirements (see flotation standards below). The Type I life jacket is intended for offshore use, and will turn an unconscious person face up. The Type II life jacket has similar performance but has less floatation and may not always turn an unconscious person face up. And finally, the Type III life jacket will not turn an unconscious person face up, but is less bulky and is intended for use where a quick rescue is likely.

Control Jackets: Type I and Type II

The Kent Offshore Type I life jacket ($44.99) and the Kent Nearshore Type II life jacket ($8.99) scored low on comfort among our testers. While the Type I was the only inherently buoyant jacket in our study that consistently turned our testers face up, its bulk made it challenging to swim and heavy after getting out of the water. The Type II jacket, while an inexpensive way to meet the Coast Guard requirements for carrying a life jacket aboard, was not comfortable enough to be worn for extended periods of time.

Control Jackets: Type III

The standard Type III life jacket is popular with the active boaters and tends to be worn more often than the bulkier Type I and Type II jackets. The Kent General Purpose Type III ($21.99) was easier to fit properly that the Type I and II jackets, although one of our testers, a non-boater, initially put the jacket on inside out and another tester misaligned the buckles. The life jacket we tested was an adult universal size, so while adjustable, it was far from a perfect fit on most testers. The Coast Guard Type III is the only life jacket in this control category that our testers would consider wearing routinely while boating.