Australia is surrounded by water from all four corners. Three seas and two oceans envelop it. This means a lot of water supply and the risk of calamities. However, people also get to enjoy the best water sport activities in the country. Tourists primarily travel to Australia to have a good time on the beach and try new adventure water sports.
But, there are many drowning cases reported every year simply because of people’s carelessness. Water is pretty unpredictable, and it is dangerous to take it for granted. Even if you are an excellent swimmer, you never know when the force of water increases. Therefore, life jackets or personal floatation devices are necessary whenever surrounded by large water bodies like a sea or an ocean. Whether riding a speedboat, jet ski or performing some water sport activities, you must always wear a life jacket to prevent yourself from drowning.
Why is a life jacket essential?
A life jacket is an absolute necessity for anyone indulging in a water sport activity. You must also be wise enough to choose a life jacket that does not restrict your movement while doing an activity. But it must also not be entirely loose so that it slips away from your body.
Research shows that it is easier for lifeguards to save people with a life jacket. So, if you want to save your life and don’t want to look like a fool, you must buy a life jacket for each member of your family. You should be happy to know that you get life jackets for kids, elders, adults and pets as well.
Guide to Pick a Suitable Life Jacket
1. Always buy the perfect size
When buying a life jacket, do not focus on your body weight. A standard life jacket is made for adults, keeping in mind a common height of more than 5 feet and weighing more than 40 kilos. All body types float on water irrespective of the difference in weight. The size of the life jacket should be such that it does not restrict your movement, and at the same time, it should not be too loose to let your body out easily.
2. Its operational type
A life jacket can either be manual or automatic in its operation. In a manual operating life jacket, the user needs to pull a cord that triggers a firing pin and hits the CO2 bottle to inflate the jacket. On the other hand, the automatic water life jacket gets inflated when triggered by cold water shock. A bobbin holds the pin, but when it comes in contact with water, it quickly dilutes and helps extend the jacket.
3. The different levels of a life jacket
A life jacket has categories in different levels depending on the purpose and use. It starts from level 100 to level 275. So, if you are swimming or doing an activity in calm water, you can go for a lower level jacket. But if you are close to offshore waters and have extremely critical conditions, you should choose a high-level jacket.
After realising how much a life jacket could mean for your precious life, there should be no doubt about buying it. Please remember the points mentioned above while buying life jackets for your next water sport activity. You can enjoy adventure sports without putting your life at stake.
