How to fit one
- 1Pick the right one — USCG-approved, rated for your weight and activity; child-size for kids under 12.
- 2Inspect it — no rips, tears, broken buckles, or waterlogged foam; replace if it fails.
- 3Put it on and tighten — over your on-water clothes; fasten the bottom waist strap first, then work upward; zip and buckle all; snug but breathable ("a warm hug").
- 4Do the shoulder-pull test — arms overhead, a helper pulls up on the shoulders; too big if it rides up over chin, ears, or face — size down.
- 5Fasten kids' extra straps — crotch/leg strap done up and adjusted.
- 6Wear it the whole time on the water — on your body, buckled, every time.
- 7Water-test when learning — confirm your chin stays above the surface and it doesn't ride up.
When to use it
- Every boating activity — canoeing, kayaking, rowing, sailing, rafting.
- Any time near or on the water where a fall-in is possible.
- Teaching fit — a badly-fitted or unworn jacket is nearly as dangerous as none.
Common mistakes & safety
- Worn, not stored — 87% of 2024 boating/paddling drowning victims weren't wearing one. A life jacket on the seat saves no one; it must be on your body and buckled before you leave the dock.
- Too big is dangerous. An oversized jacket rides up over the face in the water and can slip off — the shoulder-pull test catches it. Snug is safe.
- Children need child-size jackets and the crotch strap. An adult jacket or a "grow-into" size can slip over a child's head in the water — never do it.
- Inspect before every use. Waterlogged foam, broken buckles, and tears make a jacket fail when you need it.
- Everyone, every time. Safety Afloat requires a properly fitted USCG-approved jacket on everyone — no exceptions for "good swimmers."
Going deeper
- On your body, buckled, before you leave the dock. The stat says it all — the jacket you're wearing is the one that saves you.
- The shoulder-pull test is the quick check. Arms up, someone pulls the shoulders — rides up over your face? Too big.
- Kids: snug, crotch strap, child-size. Three rules that keep a child's jacket from becoming a floating hoop they slip out of.
Official source
How to properly fit a life jacket — Washington State Parks →Safety Afloat requires a properly fitted, U.S. Coast Guard–approved life jacket worn by everyone. Confirm PFD types against current USCG guidance.