Life Jackets

Life Jacket

Life jackets and buoyancy aids are indispensable pieces of safety equipment that should be worn at all times, whether you're crossing the Atlantic or windsurfing off the South Coast. However, life jackets and buoyancy aids serve very different purposes, so it's important to purchase the correct floatation device.

Life Jackets:

The primary purpose of a life jacket is to keep an individual's head above water, so their airways are kept clear, should they fall overboard.

Life jackets contain a cylinder which will inflates the life jacket when a casualty falls overboard. There are of course a range of cylinder options available, with the most common type of life jacket being the automatic life jacket, which automatically inflates upon contact with the water. This ensures that even if the casualty is unconscious, the life jacket will inflate. For those operating in confined spaces, a manual life jacket may be the best option, as this will only inflate when you manually pull the toggle. It's worth noting that all automatic life jackets have a manual pull toggle as a backup. After a life jacket has been inflated, you will need to purchase a life jacket re arming kit to replace the cylinder.

Life jacket accessories, such as life jacket lights and life jacket spray hoods can also be added to upgrade an existing life jacket and tailor it to the individual requirements of a user. If your life jacket has a harness, you can also purchase a safety line which will provide you with a secure tether to your boat, helping to prevent a man overboard situation.

We wouldn't want anyone to miss out on the fun, which is why we stock life jackets for the whole family. From baby life jackets suitable for the youngest of sailors, to kids life jackets and adult life jackets, our excellent range is only sourced from the industry's most trusted brands. So whether you're looking for a Spinlock life jacket designed and manufactured in the United Kingdom, Crewsaver life jacket backed by over 50 years of design and innovation, or Seago life jacket, meticulously designed and crafted to push the boundaries of safety at sea - you can be assured that any life jackets for sale purchased from Pirates Cave will be to the highest standard.

If you want to bring your four legged friend with you, we supply dog life jackets too! We've written a guide looking at the best dog life jackets, which you can read by visiting our blog.

Buoyancy Aids:

Unlike life jackets, buoyancy aids do not contain a cylinder and instead rely on their foam interior to aid the user in the water - hence the term 'buoyancy aid'. Buoyancy aids are designed for watersports where you may be in and out of the water, whether that be kayak buoyancy aids, sailing buoyancy aids or SUP buoyancy aids.

To keep children more protected, you'll find that unlike adult buoyancy aids, many childrens buoyancy aids contain a layer of foam around the back of the neck which helps keep their head propped up in the water. We go further into detail on the subject of life jackets vs buoyancy aids in our blog post - Life Jackets v Buoyancy Aids - What's the difference?

Why shop with Pirates Cave Chandlery?

We're dedicated marine specialists, having supplied a leading range of safety equipment for over 30 years.

We're here to answer any questions you may have; whether you're looking for a new junior life jacket, or are unsure about which elasticated safety line is most suitable for your requirements, our dedicated team are on hand to help, as ultimately, your safety is our biggest priority. Call us on 01634 295 233, email customerservices@piratescave.co.uk, or visit us in-store at our Rochester store (one of the UK's largest chandleries!).

We aim to make the whole process of ordering online as simple and easy as possible, which is why we ship all our orders out on a fast, fully tracked service that's delivered the very next working day (subject to stock availability). If you wish to obtain the latest stock information, do not hesitate to contact us.

Useful Links:

Blog: The Ultimate Life Jacket Guide.
Blog: Choosing The Right Life Jacket: Automatic v Manual.
Blog: What Life Jacket Buoyancy Do I Need?
Blog: What Size Life Jacket Do I Need?
Blog: Are Self Inflating Life Jackets Reusable?
Blog: Do I Need A Life Jacket Or Buoyancy Aid For Kayaking?
Blog: Paddle Board Life Jacket Buyers Guide.