Going on and near the water, we always want to keep safe and afloat most of the time. This comes true for non-swimmers and for them; the most appropriate solution to deal with this is to have the best life vest for non swimmers. Wearing it can keep you safe over and on the water even if harsh elements are present around.
| LIFE VEST FOR NON SWIMMERS | BRAND | EXPERT RATING | CHECK PRICE |
|---|---|---|---|
 | O’Neill Wetsuits USCG Life Vest |  | Check Price |
 | Scuba Choice Snorkel Life Vest | | Check Price |
 | Typhoon Sports Hi-Viz Snorkel Life Vest | | Check Price |
 | Promate Life Jacket Vest | | Check Price |
 | Kent ONYX USCG Approved Life Vest | | Check Price |
As we go along, I listed here 5 of the life vests I found really helpful for non-swimmers. Check which one suits your preference!
What to Look for When Buying Life Vests for Non-Swimmers?
Well, if you really desire to have and buy your own life vest, you may find that looking for one is actually difficult. That’s why it is very important to understand that there are some important things to consider especially when you are opting for the best non-swimmer life vest. Check below for those features before jumping into your buying decision.
Size
A life vest is a product that can be worn on the body, so keep in mind that any wearable product highly requires the consideration of its size. Basically, you will use the life vest for swimming. And you don’t want to have a devastating swimming experience because you have either too short or too large a life vest. Doing that is a waste of money and also will make you uncomfortable in the water.
Wearing a short life vest can snugly fit within the body and rub on it. That will generally result in chafing of the skin and eventually irritate you. Meanwhile, a long vest may restrict the movements of your arms. Aside from that, it may cover up your face when become inflated.
So, an important key here is to go after a perfect size life vest. In order to land on a perfect fit life vest, make sure that you know your weight and the size of your chest.
Fit
Another thing to consider when you want to buy a life vest for non-swimmers is its fit on the body. Always keep in mind that buying for right size life vest won’t give you the perfect fit. A perfectly fit life vest is a very essential factor for non-swimmers. Inappropriate fitting of a life vest may result in slipping it out from the body.
Whereas, the right fitting of the life vest for non-swimmers will generally contribute to comfort, safety, and overall look. So, in order to have a good fit, primarily ensure that you are getting the correct chest sizing. Afterwards, it is also important that the life vest comes with a strap either an adjustable or not adjustable one.
The adjustable strap is an essential feature to adjust the vest appropriately depending on your body size. With this, buckles and straps that are in adjustable feature can be tweaked based on your requirement.
Material
Generally, the material is the one that gives quality to the life vest. That’s why it is one of the most important features in buying the best life jacket for non swimmers. In order for you to identify if the life vest is of good quality, check the materials if they come from neoprene, nylon, polyester, or polyethylene.
The waterproof feature of the life vest should be highly credited to the nylon and polyester material. Moreover, these materials have a lightweight property and offer durability. Meanwhile, polyethylene is highly comfortable and reliable. It is responsible for giving stretch to the vest and also used commonly as foam.
Neoprene, on the other hand, features firmness and natural stretch. Due to that, it generally avoids the occurrence of tears and punctures. So far, neoprene tends to be the best material for a life vest during swimming.
Comfort
Obviously, it is very important to wear a very comfortable life vest, especially for non-swimmers. Most of the time, non-swimmers must have to wear a life vest. It is actually advisable not to open the vest when you are still on the water. So, the only time to open it or take it off is when you are out of the water.
The comfort of the life vest highly depends on the foam in it. Polyethylene is the common material used as foam as it provides good comfort. Neoprene also gives comfort even with the absence of foam. Moreover, check for the presence of the armhole if they are essential or not. Armholes with bigger dimensions generally guarantee mobility. The smaller armholes may rub and chafe the skin. It will generally lead to discomfort.
5 Best Life Vests for Non Swimmers
OUR TOP PICK
O’Neill Wetsuits USCG Life Vest
Product Name: O’Neill Wetsuits USCG Life Vest
Product Description: Due to its sturdiness, O’Neill Wetsuits USCG Life Vest is the best life vest for non-swimmers. The neoprene and polyester’s mesh materials that it is made of basically help in resisting punctures and tears. Aside from that, wearing this exceptional life vest, non-swimmers may feel highly comfortable because of its natural stretch.There is foam in the form of an enclosed cell of PVC marine which maintains the floating of the vest over rough water. Moreover, the front zipper closure accompanied by two quick-release buckles encloses the body securely. With that, non-swimmers will definitely feel a great sense of safety.
Summary
Opting for this excellent life vest for non-swimmers could never be a problem. You could choose from different color mixes and various available sizes. Since it is also approved by the US Coast Guard, O’Neill Wetsuits USCG Life Vest is the best one offering a good quality life vest.
Pros
Sturdy outer cover
Highly comfortable
Approved by the USCG
Cons
- Can fit too tight
RUNNER-UP: Scuba Choice Snorkel Life Vest
If you are a non-swimmer and also consider a little bit of tightness in the budget, this Scuba Choice Snorkel Life Vest is the right one for you. This life vest suitable for non-swimmers, Scuba Choice perfectly fits people with a weight range of 100lbs to 200lbs. The neon yellow color is highly visible making it really helpful in spotting and finding wearer during an emergency.
As you will have to check the left part of the life vest, you will see an oral inflator. This serves as a gateway for inflating and deflating the vest in a quick manner. Moreover, the waist and crotch strap can be adjusted to refrain the vest from taking off the body.
Product Features
- Perfectly fits adults weighing 100lbs to 200lbs
- With detachable straps that prevent the vest from taking-off when inflated
- Available in neon yellow color for safety visibility
- Easily inflates even through manual or oral inflation method
Typhoon Sports Hi-Viz Snorkel Life Vest
Another great life vest for non swimmers, the Typhoon Sports Hi-Viz Snorkel Life Vest also comes in neon yellow color which provides high visibility. A 420 Denier Nylon material made off this excellent life vest for non-swimmers. One of the best features of this life vest is the manual inflation that it highlights providing for a speedy inflating and deflating process. Thanks to the oral inflator valve that it has.
Although the vest has no foam, it can still provide great comfort because of the air-filled inside it. Moreover, it has a crotch strap which guarantees that the life vest doesn’t slip especially on rough waters. There is also a zippered pocket located in the middle of the life vest. This is generally helpful in securing some of your personal belongings such as a phone that you may need during your water adventure.
Product Features
- Perfectly fits adults weighing 80lbs to 180lbs and up
- With 420 Denier Nylon material
- Available in neon yellow color for high visibility
- Composed of locking oral inflator valve
- With zippered pocket
Promate Life Jacket Vest
If want to have one of the best life vest jacket for people that cannot swimm that boasts an over-the-neck horse type of collar, then this Promate Life Jacket Vest is the perfect one for you. Because of that style, you can wear and take off this life jacket with great ease. You will find an oral inflation tube at the front panel of the life vest. This basically permits for the vest’s speedy inflation and properly controls buoyancy.
Adjustable waist and crotch straps are also visible on this Promate Life Jacket Vest to highly guarantee a snugly fit over the body. Moreover, wearing this life vest also offers a great sense of safety because you are very sure that this vest won’t easily slip out of the body.
Product Features
- Made with 90% Nylon and 10% TPU Coating materials
- With buckle closure and straps over the waist and crotch for maintaining the security of the vest
- Highly inflatable for added buoyancy
- Composed of oral inflation tube to achieve speedy inflation
Kent ONYX USCG Approved Life Vest
A strong life vest, Kent ONYX USCG Approved Life Vest is made of heavy-duty nylon material. This generally helps in preventing leaks and punctures that may arise from the harsh elements of the rough waters. The color of the fabric comes in an orange shade which basically enhances the visibility of this device in the water. Because of that, Kent ONYX USCG Approved Life Vest is the best non-swimmer life vest.
Another feature that it boasts is its very lightweight due to the absence of foam or CO2 cylinder material. That way, this exceptional life vest is highly adjustable and very comfortable to wear. It generally highly premium quality making it approved by the US Coast Guard under Type II Life Vest. The design is highly applicable for inland water and areas near the shore or rescues are usually done.
The design is actually minimally bulky that is responsible for enhancing comfort and buoyancy. Because of that feature, this exceptional life vest makes unconscious swimmers face-up, especially over calm water. Generally, it is available in kids and adult sizes in which the adult universal size is perfect for those weighing 90lbs and above.
Product Features
- Minimum buoyancy property
- Highlights less bulk and excellent comfort
- Perfect for use over calm, inland places
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LIFE JACKET AND LIFE VEST?
A: Well, the differences between the life jacket and a life vest lie in the fact that life jackets entail numbers of turning-around capacity. Moreover, you can usually wear life jackets in different recreational activities involving boating because they are less bulky, smaller in size, and more comfortable to wear. Life vest, on the other hand, is lesser in terms of buoyancy.
Q: CAN YOU SWIM WITH A LIFE VEST?
A: Yes, you can actually swim while wearing a life vest. In fact, it is highly recommendable to wear a life vest every time you are on or near the water especially when you are a non-swimmer in order to save your life. Do this every time you do the following activities like swimming, wading, boating, and fishing.
Q: WHY DO SWIMMERS WEAR LIFE VEST?
A: If you are a non-swimmer and you want to learn swimming, wearing a life vest is required. Moreover, a life vest is also necessary for individuals engaging in swimming activities on the oceans, rivers, or lakes. These bodies of water are generally dangerous because of harsh elements like waves and rapid currents. So, a life vest is a device that can protect you from danger and keep you safe.
Q: SHOULD I WEAR A SNORKELING VEST?
A: Basically, a snorkelling vest helps you to keep afloat and enjoy the water more. The snorkelling vest is generally good for longer activities that’s why it is much better for a long excursion. The snorkelling vest’s main function is to afloat the snorkelers during times when their strength for swimming disappears.
Q: WILL SNORKEL VEST KEEP ME AFLOAT?
A: The snorkel vest is very helpful in case the swimmer is unconscious. Since it is a little bit inflated, this type of vest can make the swimmers switch on their back and keep the face out of the water. The snorkel vest also has a buoyancy property over the chest part and on the head. This maintains the swimmer to be afloat for survival purposes.
Final Thoughts
The best life vest for non-swimmers generally helps in maintaining the individuals to be safe and afloat over the water. Most models available in the market come with quick inflating and deflating feature due to the presence of an oral inflator. However, there are also other important features to consider when you want to buy your own life vest. These primarily include the size, proper fit, material, comfort, and other features that may come with it.
What do you think of the life vests we reviewed here? Is there any other life vest that you may recommend that is not included in the list?