Lifejackets in the popular 150 Newton class work well, as the test in YACHT 18/2019 showed. However, they do have one flaw: as soon as a sailor is unconscious and wearing oilskins, they are no longer reliably turned inverted. Models in the 275 Newton class have around twice as much buoyancy and promise to solve the problem.
Every sailor who wears oilskins should consider a maxi-sized waistcoat. Because as soon as the clothing is permanently waterproof, there is also a risk that the air trapped in the jacket and trousers cannot escape, or at least not quickly. The tricky thing is the additional buoyancy. Although this is distributed over the entire body, blisters form on the shoulders, back and buttocks.
These buoyancy rings have a similar or even greater volume than lifejackets in the 150 Newton class, especially when wearing loose-fitting clothing. The sailor is effectively wearing a second lifejacket on their back. However, safety against fainting is only guaranteed if the lifejacket can work against the air cushions and turn a person floating motionless face down in the water onto their back without support from the swell.
Accordingly, we carried out the comparison in oilskins and sailing shoes. And this is how the different models fared:
Marinepool 300 N Pro 3 D ISO
Adjustable chest strap, metal buckles on both sides, wide back section, self-stowing strap ends. Waistcoat sits well on the shoulders, belt is easy to unfasten. However, the bladder sits askew, cartridge side twisted inwards. The head remains under water. Only a firm grip from the outside can correct the bladder. Spraycap keeps slipping off.
Besto Automatic Pro 300 N
Adjustable chest strap with plastic buckle. Lightweight waistcoat that is easy to wear. However, the belt is difficult to
adjust. Short buoyancy compensator, head remains under water, presses on cheekbones. Lift strap is very small.
California Titanium 275 ISO
Adjustable chest strap, metal buckles on both sides, wide back section, self-stowing strap ends. Waistcoat sits well on the shoulders. Belt is easy to unfasten. However, the bladder is twisted on the cartridge side. After correction, the buoyancy is in a good position.
Spinlock Deckvest 5D
Adjustable chest strap with small, easy-grip metal double buckle on both sides and opening aid, the back section is adjustable. Very comfortable to wear, the harness is very easy to adjust. The buoyancy sits a little high, presses slightly into the mouth with corners, but can be corrected and then sits well. The Spinlock Deckvest 5D is therefore the test winner! e.g. available here .
Crewsaver Ergofit 290 N Extreme
Adjustable, heavily padded chest strap. Metal double buckles attached to the back section with opening aid. Very comfortable to wear. Belt is easy to adjust. The very long buoyancy compensator generates a lot of torque. Comparatively comfortable position, good spray cap with stirrup. e.g. available here .
Hurrican EVO 290
Adjustable chest harness with double metal buckle on one side without opening aid. Comfortable harness, easy to adjust. But: the head remains in the water, the buoyancy presses heavily on the ear, it feels as if it is sliding upwards. There is a wave channel, the spray cap does not close the channel. The status of the tablet cannot be seen through the small window.
Kadematic 275 AL-F
Adjustable chest strap with plastic buckle. Conventional, somewhat neck-heavy cut. The harness is easy to adjust. The buoyancy slides far upwards, the mouth is in the water before turning.
KRU Sport Pro 275 ADV
Adjustable wide chest strap, metal buckles on both sides with opening aid on the back. Comfortable harness, somewhat complicated fastening. However, it is easy to adjust. The buoyancy slides up a little, but sits well. The light is positioned far down and is covered by the spray cap. The head sinks into the buoyancy, but remains powerless. The spraycap does not sit very high despite the stirrup.
Baltic Legend 305
Adjustable chest strap with plastic buckle, wide back section. Very long cut waistcoat that sits well on the shoulders. The belt adjustment is acceptable. Very long buoyancy compensator, fits well, very good swimming position.
Plastimo Pilot 290A
Adjustable chest strap, large metal double buckle on one side with opening aid. Relatively conventional cut, the weight is on the shoulders. Good harness adjustment. The buoyancy compensator fits well, the spray cap is very easy to put on and closes well. The Plastimo Pilot 290A is the clear price-performance winner!
Compass Profi Soft ISO 300 N
Adjustable chest strap with plastic buckle, narrow back strap. Relatively conventional cut, somewhat neck-heavy. Difficult to adjust the harness. The head is above water the whole time, rotation is initiated. The cover does not open fully, the waistcoat does not turn on subsequent attempts. No indicator for the cartridge.
Compass lifejacket 300 N
Adjustable chest strap with double metal buckle on both sides without opening aid, fixed back section. Comfortable harness. Closure is very small, but easy to adjust. The sides of the buoyancy compensator interlock and close very well, no wave tunnel. Very simple but functional spray cap. e.g. available here .
Secumar Scout
Adjustable chest strap. Single-sided metal double buckle with opening aid, fixed back section. Good weight distribution and good wearing comfort. Easy to adjust. Sits comfortably, rotates very quickly. The spray cap is easy to put on and offers plenty of space. Most expensive waistcoat in the test. e.g. available here .
AWN Security L 275 N
Adjustable chest strap with plastic buckle. Relatively conventional cut, somewhat neck-heavy. Difficult to adjust the harness. The buoyancy bladder slides up a little, but does not choke very much. The automatic system shows that the cartridge is correctly seated, the fill level is not detected.
SVB X-Advanced 300
Adjustable chest strap, metal buckles on both sides, wide back section, self-stowing strap ends. The waistcoat sits well on the shoulders, the belt is easy to unfasten. The buoyancy is twisted on the cartridge side.
The detailed test with all evaluation criteria and test conditions can be found in the PDF download.
