Bluestorm Inflatable Life Jackets for Paddling

Enjoy your experience on the water in one of Bluestorm Gear’s paddling life jackets. With high-end safety features, our life-saving inflatable PFDs are meant to keep you safe and comfortable.

 

What should I consider when choosing a life jacket for paddling?

Whether canoeing, kayaking, or paddleboarding, a lot can go wrong on the water, so it’s vital to ensure your safety should the worst occur. Determining the best paddling life jacket for your sport of choice will go a long way in keeping you safe while boosting performance and comfort. 

Here is what to look for when choosing a life jacket for paddling:

• Water conditions can change often—sometimes drastically enough to make you lose your balance or even flip your boat. No matter the scenario, having the right paddling life jacket will help keep you safe.
• Lightweight paddling life jackets are perfect for comfort and are there to protect you should disaster strike.
• Choosing a PFD with a slim profile made of premium lightweight materials will prevent rubbing and tightness from irritating your skin.

• Paddling life jackets include D-ring kill switches, ensuring you always have control of your watercraft.

What water activities require paddling?

Many water activities require some form of paddling, with some being more intense than others. Knowing you’re equipped with the best PFD for the job will increase performance, giving you additional utility to head out on the water while wearing a life jacket for paddling. 

Water activities that involve paddling include:

• Canoeing
• Kayaking
• Paddling boarding
• Row boating

Should you wear a life jacket when paddleboarding?

You should wear a life jacket while paddleboarding for a variety of reasons. If you fall off while paddleboarding, for example, your board may quickly drift away from you. If conditions are bad on the water, you may not be able to catch the board unless you’re hooked to it with a leash. The PFD you wear may be what keeps you afloat while you recover your board.

Further, the U.S. Coast Guard classifies stand-up paddleboards as vessels. This means you are required to wear a U.S. Coast Guard-approved PFD while operating a paddleboard if you are 12 years of age or older.

What makes Bluestorm PFDs the best inflatable life jackets for paddling?

Bluestorm Gear boasts paddling life jackets that are among the best available. Not only does wearing one count for satisfying your vessel’s life jacket inventory, they keep you safe and comfortable while offering additional utility to help enhance your experience on the water.

What Bluestorm inflatable life jackets are the best for paddling?

The Cirrus 26 and Stratus 35 from Bluestorm Gear are both excellent paddling life jackets.

The Cirrus 26 is perfect for facing inland water conditions while paddling. It has a slim profile, is designed to fit longer torsos, and has 26 lbs of buoyancy. It’s adjustable to fit a 30-56” chest size and has an ultra-slim chassis made of lightweight material.

The Cirrus 26 is a Type V inflatable PFD but performs like a Type III model, inflating automatically once immersed in water. It also gives you the option of switching off the automatic inflation mode if you think you might frequently come into contact with the water and don’t want the vest to inflate unnecessarily.

The Stratus 35 has 35 pounds of buoyancy and is a Type II inflatable life jacket that is an excellent choice for paddling. Type II is a key designation as it means the life jacket was designed to help keep you safe when rescue may not be imminent. This PFD, which is engineered to turn most wearers face up when impacting the water, has an easy-access zippered front pocket and is so comfortable it can be worn all day long. You may even forget you’ve been wearing it, as its design is shorter and wider than the Cirrus 26 due to its inflation chamber being sewn into the shell.