20 Best Wakesurf Life Jacket (2022 Updated)

We’ve used O’Neill comp vests for skiing for years and always had great fits and longevity. This vest seems similar, but They’ve changed something in terms of fit—my husband is usually a medium in men’s brands (Arctyrex, Lululemon, Patagonia etc) and couldn’t even do up the medium, despite it being the ‘correct size’ based on the sizing chart from O’Neill.

He ended up getting an XL which fits snuggly (important for a comp vest). So, definitely size up! Otherwise, it’s a great product for slaloming or wake boarding! Love the reversible colour design! We were definitely VERY glad for Altitude’s hassle free return/exchange policy this time!.

The O’Neill Slasher Comp Vest makes me feel like a BAMF at my local cable park. Even though I’m only doing frontside 180s, I feel like my style and ability to hold my grabs has instantly improved! Plus I just look cooler now that my vest isn’t so bulky.

Size note: I normally wear a men’s medium tee shirt, but the Slasher size large fits me nice and snug. I would say these run a bit smaller than expected.

I love this vest! It looks killer and fits like a glove. I use it for slalom skiing. It has great buoyancy but isn’t bulky. I’m 6’2″ and 205 lbs. I ordered an XL and it fits perfect.

I bought this vest early this summer for kayaking and jet skiing. PROS: It’s reasonably priced and delivery was fast. It’s also well-vented and not as bulky as traditional vests that buckle across the chest.

The foam placement is also good for high-backed kayak seats. CONS: Not for the girls with big girls. No matter how much I tighten it, if I paddle at a pace any faster than lackadaisical, it rides up on me and the zipper winds up right under my chin.

I’ll keep the MoveVent for jet skiing and maybe paddling on really hot days but I upgraded to an Astral Layla, which has room for the girls and is built more like a kevlar vest that a life vest. Sucker does not move.

It’s extremely comfortable. I recently had a pacemaker placed in my upper chest. My old lifejacket rubbed against the pacemaker making it uncomfortable to wear. This one doesn’t rub. I swim like a rock so a lifejacket is a necessity.

I believe you get what you pay for and this is worth the extra cost. Also received extremely good reviews.

It’s comfortable, moderately lightweight so it doesn’t put much pressure on your shoulders. It’s adjustable to accommodate most adult sizes. The stitching looks high quality. It’s fairly breathable.

This is a great rescue vest. I’ve had mine for a few seasons of commercial guiding now and it still holds up. Pros: Extraordinarily comfortable. Lots of internal pockets for storing sunscreen, carabiners, rescue gear etc.

The fuzzy lined main pouch pocket is great especially on cold days. The best part is the side entry – compared to the Astral Greenjacket, the Zen is really easy to take on and off. Cons: Some of the zipper pull tabs have failed, and some of the internal pocket zippers have become stuck.

I’ve had this jacket for a while now and desert rivers tend to chew through gear quicker than other places with all the silt and sun, so this seems like pretty normal wear. Don’t forget to lube your zippers if you raft in silty rivers like the Colorado/Green.

The biggest con, and the reason this jacket only received four stars, is the knife placement. The only option for the holster is smack-dab in the center of the fattest part of the jacket. This jacket is pretty fat to begin with, like most rescue vests with clamshell pockets, and the knife sticks out quite a bit.

Carrying things, getting back into the boat, squeezing though small spaces – all of these things are made more difficult through the knife placement. I’ve ripped off a few knives from them getting caught because the handle sticks out so much.

Suggestions to mitigate this problem: place the knife horizontally on the patch of fabric to the wearer’s left of the safety strap buckle, below the clamshell pocket. This will keep the profile slim and keep the front of the jacket clean and crisp.

OR, if you must keep the knife on the clamshell, give the wearer the option to place it horizontally, to prevent the handle from catching on the OS line when you are launching yourself back into the boat.

Overall, great jacket, especially for guiding, just please please figure out a better knife placement, and it would be the perfect PFD.

I waited for this pfd to come back in stock for over a year (because I really wanted the pink!) and it was well worth the wait! I am a kayak tour guide in southeast Georgia and am on the water for many hours a week all year round.

Therefore, I wanted something very low-profile to allow for full maneuverability while paddling, as well as getting guests in/out of kayaks and during occasional rescues. I have had a few other “low-profile” pfd, but nothing comes close to the Ninja.

Even well-fitted “low-profile” pfds still seemed to creep up to my neck or restrict my arm movements. The Ninja is different and just perfect – I put it on and am able to perform all my tasks unencumbered.

It’s also very high quality and sturdy. I would highly recommend the Ninja to anyone who paddles a lot, or is just looking to retain as much movement as possible while on the water. :).

I’ve always had good luck with NRS Gear, so I hate to throw shade on this product. I cannot get this PFD to fit/sit properly. If you are rafting or standing on a SUP, I’m sure it will fit fine. But sitting in a kayak with a spray skit, this PFD rides up until the front of the vest touches your neck.

The shoulder straps end up being cinched to their max and no matter how tight I pull the side straps the PFD migrates up my body until the straps are in my arm pits and the front is touching my Adams apple.

I’ve tried loosening and getting it to sit properly, but then it’s loose and still doesn’t fit properly. IMO it becomes a safety factor on moving water. The fit and finish on this PFD is great as will all NRS gear, but regarding the fit this one isn’t for me, I’ll only be using this on my SUP.

I have an athletic build and selected the correct size L/XL. No matter how I cinch this PFD, it rides up and is very uncomfortable. in 25 years, I’ve never had a proper paddling PFD fit like this one.

I like the fit of this life jacket for paddle sports. I use it for canoeing and kayaking. It’s designed to tighten snuggly around the lower part around your torso and stay in place. For me the only downsides to it are lack of storage, and it is an over the head life vest.

It can be a little cumbersome to put on or off particularly if you’re wearing bulky clothing. It features two very small pockets but don’t count on putting much in them. They’re not big enough for a cell phone.

I suppose you could put some keys in them if you wanted.

As it is winter in the Jackson hole area I have yet to use on the water. But I can comment on fit. I bought L/XL and fits perfectly. Plenty of room and adjustment to fit over dry top/suit. Low profile to allow easy of getting back on sup unlike clam shell pocket on green jacket.

Completely satisfied. Would recommend for sure.

I love this PFD. It actually fits women who have a chest well, and that is not always the case with PFD’s. The pullover entry is comfortable to put on and off. Two zippered pockets are handy for many things as one can imagine.

At 1. 76 lbs it’s a perfect weight. This is a quality PFD and I’m happy to have one.

These vests are good for the price. I don’t go kayaking a ton so I don’t want to spend $100 on a vest, but I do like to have my own equipment. These vests will keep you floating, which should be your #1 concern.

The zipper works fine (unlike other cheap vests), and they are very adjustable. The foam they use is pretty thick, so you will not mistake this for an expensive low-profile PFD. However, the foam thickness stays out of the way of your arms so you can still paddle.

If you have a really exaggerated stroke you might bump the front of the vest with your paddle, but I haven’t had a problem. The foam on the back rides high up so it won’t interfere with your seating arrangement.

If you are in doubt about which size you need then I suggest you go smaller. I’m 5′ 9″ 150 lbs, have a 37″ chest and wear the XS/S just fine. I was on the fence about getting the M/L but I’m happy I sized down.

My sister is 5′ 8″ and 130 lbs (I’m guessing, but she’s pretty muscular so I don’t think she weighs less) and also wears the XS/S with no problems. There is extra room in the straps for a bigger person to wear a smaller size, but there is a limit to how much you can tighten down the larger sizes.

This universal paddle vest is so easy to adjust to just the right fit. No more puzzling over sizes. The zipper and straps are sturdy and work smoothly. The bottom strap can be tightened to help keep the vest from riding up.

Pretty red color with a handy pocket. Not too bulky. Quality item and the price was extremely reasonable. Highly recommend, can’t wait to try it out!.

It fits well. The small adjusts to fit a 100 to a 200 pound person. The medium/large adjusts down to fit me, a 130 pound person. I haven’t tried it on anyone bigger than 200 pounds. The lack of padding on the lower back and the big arm holes make it ideal for paddling.

Everything was great. Fast delivery and good product. I know I should have paid more attention before ordering, but not sure why the company would put hyperlite logo so big on front. I love the look except for that.

I thought it was a tag and then when I received realized it is part of the vest.

We bought this PFD in two sizes to keep on our boat for wake surfing/boarding, kneeboards,etc. Items arrived quickly. We are pleased with the quality of these. They are a great choice for the price. In my opinion they are a better buy than the more expensive options based on price and quality.

High quality without the high cost. Truly a great selection across the site and this is the budget friendly option that tops anything out there. Impressed with the attention to detail and quick shipping.

Great CGA impact vest keeps us legal and safe in style.

Ordered a small for my friend. She weights maybe 120 or 130 and is 5’4″ to 5’5″. She likes the Georgia Bulldogs team so we wanted a red and black one for her. It floats great and is comfy. it is a little tight in the chest so she could do a size up maybe.

After she breaks it in it will be a bit looser. She is roughly 32 size I believe or 34.

I was looking for a quality product for my granddaughter at a reasonable price. I respect the name Connelly. I received the product in the time frame I was told. After opening the package I looked over the vest and it looks good and seems to be built very well.

Bought this lifejacket for son in law, and he wears a large lifejacket. this one didn’t fit me, so I know it won’t fit him. He normally wears mine in the boat. I tried to return, or exchange, and the option just disappeared and I can’t get to an exchange page.

Very difficult resolving this. I know there is a phone number, but I don’t have the time to hangout on the phone all day.

I bought 7 different life jackets from Evo to use for wing foiling. They were all CGA certified. This one was the most comfortable and the cheapest, so it was the one I kept. I’ve used it often enough now to say that I’m satisfied.

The material is comfortable next to bare skin, construction quality seems decent. I’d recommend it.

Super comfortable. Had to +1 my normal size. Glad I was able to try them on first. Price is what it is. Doesn’t look like it will fall apart like some name brands do. There’s no pocket. There’s no D ring.

I bought this a few days before a trip ro Lake Havasu. At the end of the day it fit good and did its job. Kept me alive. Only knocked down a start due to price. Basically all other retailers had them cheaper, I just don’t like shopping and didnt want to do anymore that day.

It’s what I get for waiting till last minute. But if you have the money then why not.

Wholesale Marine has been a life saver for us! We needed life jackets and we ordered and they were delivered in 4 days time. That is quick service! The life vest (s) are all great product. Thick and thin where its needed.

We look forward to using them!.

Hard to find 4 buckle vest anymore for skiing. Local sporting goods stores only have 3 buckle vests. Nice wide buckles and straps. When you are slalom skiing and pulling through the wake at speed and go tumbling it’s night to know you have a strong 4 buckle vest to keep you afloat.

Great jacket have one f these on other boat and always liked it. Found it here so ordered it for other boat. Great fit. Fast service.

it fits way too small! Im size medium 36 chest and 33 waist. I ordered the Mystic Star Impact Wake Vest Medium size and it was way too small. I also got the foil vest for my hubby but that one didn’t have pads around the waist , just around chest area and the fit was also way too small.

so i’m returning both. Size up!.

I hadn’t replaced my neoprene vest in 20 years as it’s a fave of mine. Love the color on this & vest is comfortable but noticed it did ride up on my shoulders when I was in the water. Lightweight, etc.

but was a little disappointed when it rode up. It is a good fit but may just be the way the impact vests are. 🤷‍♀️.

Absolutely love this vest! Color is beautiful, fits fantastic and makes me feel like a million bucks when I’m riding. Took me 3 different vests to find the perfect one and this is it. 5’6 170lb and L is a perfect fit.

High price point jackets are amazing, but not always amazing on your budget. This lower to mid level jacket fits the budget and the body. With the gusset in the back it allows to go around larger sized individuals like myself and have the freedom to move as you carve up the wake or are out for a ski.

I found the arm holes large enouh to not get chaffed. The price of this jacket pacts a ton of features at it’s price.

We use these vests while riding our jetski’s on the lake. I wear it for hours and don’t have any discomfort. Definitely keeps me floating when I jump in. Didn’t rise up into my neck either. Price point also made purchasing feel like a good value.

Thank you Hyperlite and Peter Glenn.

Great jacket! Soft and very stylish

I bought this for jet skiing and wakeboarding. Fits nice, looks good (my opinion), and provides impact protection. Evo came through in the clutch since all my local shops were sold out.

Just an extra wakeboard vest for when I have guest on the boat. I wanted something nice so I bought this.

Looks awesome and fits great. I’ve tried countless store brand life vest and these nice ones are well worth the extra money.

I adore this life jacket, it is comfortable, secure, and there are no straps sticking out that could get hung up on anything. it has good lift in the water, and nice big armholes to allow full movement.

the cropped design means it doesn’t interfere with my trapeze harness while sailing hobies, and it is very adjustable. I wear it cinched down when sailing my laser and loosened up over my trapeze harness (the Zhik T2, which is also wonderful!) to sail my cat.

the front pocket is quite secure and low profile, but useful for storing my phone (in its waterproof case). I got the blue and it is bright and cheerful!.

Bought these for our SB20 race team. The design is great, as it allows free movement of the arms and is comfortable with the neoprene shoulder straps. Good reverse zip doesn’t come undone and front pocket is handy for small items.

Very well designed and a good fit. The pocket could have been bigger and a key clip would have been a good idea.

Vest is comfortable. Snug and a little harder to zip, but once on it felt comfortable and not too tight, especially once in the water. I followed the size chart when picking the size. Love that it’s not a crazy color or pattern for those of us that like neutrals!.

Perfect vest for my 14 year old, for wakesurfing. Not too puffy, not too long… Snug and comfy. Color also fits the website’s image. Just waiting for a new color next year to get one for myself !!!

Awesome jacket as to expect from Follow. Only used a couple of times but so far good fit and great quality.

Was expecting a soft, flexible neoprene vest for waterskiing. This is more of a hard shell life jacket that doesn’t work for waterskiing at all. Too rigid and inflexible. Rides up and does not allow freedom of movement.

OK for general boating but not for any serious watersports.

Connelly is one of my Go to Vest we use surfing and other Water Sports. After someone borrowed out Jackets off the boat on week go straight to Evo for Replacement. They fit well and float well while wearing in the Water.

My Wife and Son Also have New Connelly Vest.

I love my new life jacket!! It fits perfect! I think the price was perfect! I’m very happy with my purchase!

My main concern in buying this vest was would it fit me? I’m >300 lbs and with a hoodie or jacket on I wasn’t sure this would adjust to fit. Well it does. Moving the straps to the very end and it was actually loose and needed tightening.

The inflatable part that’s tucked inside is plastic and was a little stiff and lumpy, but I think if I opened the pouches and repacked it better it would resolve that problem. And after wearing it for a little while you hardly even notice it’s there.

It is comfortable and it doesn’t bind or stress anywhere. If you’re a big guy like me (my suits are 58 long) this should fit you. Also, it came with an additional CO2 cylinder so if it should ever inflate (God forbid, you buy these hoping to NEVER need it) you can repack it with a new cylinder.

Never had to use it (thank god) but I like having it around. I use this model kayaking as well as in my small boat. I like being ablate set it up as manual so getting it wet is no longer an issue. Prior, I had a similar unit that was only automatic.

It said manual as well but when I bought it I found that meant it had a blow up tube!. One rainy day it got wet and inflated. Cost me a bunch of money to rearm as another day when it was in storage it somehow also went off.

I recently flipped over in a kayak wearing layered clothing. Once I got wet, the strap lifted up under my armpit due to the wet clothing. As a result the inflated portion rose as well and my mouth ended up at the base of the vest.

Wearing layered clothing makes it difficult to effectively secure the strap.

I actually don’t mind wearing this life jacket, lol, so that should say everything you need to know. JK. I, knock on wood, have not had to test the auto inflate mechanism, but it also hasn’t auto inflated from getting splashed either.

I’ve heard some concerns about the D-loops being made from fabric, and not metal, which for some may be a legitimate concern, but I don’t race and i’m not crossing oceans, I just like the extra security because I solo a 22′ in large inland Lakes which do get rough, so the extra security is nice when I need it.

I cannot believe how WM can get away selling such a poorly designed life jacket at this price. No attachment points for a whistle or a light inside the sleave or even outside. One would need to add those using a sewing machine.

Inflator unit does not fit into the sleeve once armed and the velcro is under such tension that it keeps opening. The window does not show the color because of misalignement. This design is more than a decade behind nowadays’ safety standards for life vests.

At over $200 you cannot include a $3 whistle? Come on, West Marine, you should be doing better than that!.

I wear this life jacket every time I go out. We mostly boat on snore waterways , occasionally open ocean. I forget I have it on. After two years of use I decided it was time to change he cartridge. Before replacing the cartridge I jumped into the water to see if it really was self inflating.

It sure is, within 30-40 seconds it was fully inflated and kept my head well above the water. I only have two of these vests , I plan to get more for my guests. Replacing the cartridge was easy too. I used a permanent marker to record the date of the cartridge change m the inside of the lining.

This is an awesome USCGA jacket, it is not extra bulky and looks great. The black is a clean look.

Worked great for my teenage son who is 6ft and 160 lbs, tall and skinny. Definitely more of a medium than large. I tried it on and I’m a medium 5’6 female. It was too big in the shoulders for me but he is broad and fit well.

I purchased it because other reviews said was more of a medium. We had tried on other brands at other stores and my son is a true Men’s medium. Hope this helps.

The item is made well, looks great, but A dual size Medium/Large is really a medium. At the largest adjustment I felt like I was in a straight jacket. tight around the chest. My wife also thought it was restraining.

If you like a real snug fit this is a great item. I had to return them both. I was a little leary about exchangeing for the XL/XXL so I ordered a different product.

Well made jackets, but I had to return them due to the fact that I had hoped the they would work for kayaking. They are well made jackets, just not for Kayaking!