The ultimate lifejacket test

Lifejacket test MBM tests 12 lifejackets and discovers that life-saving accessories - light, sprayhood and a crotch strap - should not be optional extras... Baltic Ultimate 1 Baltic Ultimate 1 Pros: The Ultimate had a good fleece-lined collar, improving comfort, and a status window indicating whether or not the jacket is properly armed. Cons: The waist belt buckle was more fiddly than some of the other models on test. Basic Ultimate 1 inflated In the water: The Baltic's sprayhood was among the best, offering very good wave protection and excellent visibility. Reflective tapes were well positioned, as was the light. Contact: Baltic Lifejackets UK Crewsaver Crewfit 150 Plus Crewsaver Crewfit 150 Plus Pros: The sprayhood is in a pouch on the belt, which keeps it out of the way until needed. Cons: The waist belt doubles back through the buckle, so adjusting it was difficult and the double crotch strap takes longer to secure than a single strap. Crewsaver Crewfit 150 Plus inflated In the water: Once deployed, the sprayhood was secured by passing elastic strips around the bottom of the bladder but some waves still managed to sneak under it. The manual light needs activating once in the water, and this is just one more thing to worry about. Contact: Crewsaver Kru Professional Kru Professional Pros: The single crotch strap fastened to a plastic buckle is securely sewn onto the waist belt and adjusted easily. Cons: On test we noticed how high up the waist belt was sited and it uses the more fiddly letterbox-style buckle. The optional light costs extra. Kru Professional afloat In the water: After inflation, the sprayhood remained stowed in a pouch and when we tried to use it there was nothing obvious to which it could be attached. The reflective tapes were quite narrow and not easily visible from ahead. Contact: Ocean Safety Kru Sport Pro Kru Sport Pro Pros: The back and sides of the jacket are netting, improving comfort, with a zip at the front and easily adjusted straps on either side. The single crotch strap attaches to a plastic buckle on the front. Its also the only jacket without external metal parts, so it shouldnt rust or damage woodwork or gelcoat. Cons: The reflective strips aren't very well positioned and the strip across the hood obscures vision slightly. Kru Sport Pro inflated In the water: The sprayhood remains stowed on inflation and when you want to use it, simply tug a couple of tabs sited of either side of the head, pull the hood down and it secures easily under the bladder. An optional light is positioned high on the jacket, improving visibility. Contact: Ocean Safety Plastimo Pilot Plastimo Pilot Pros: The four reflective tapes are well positioned and the sprayhood also has good reflective tapes. Cons: The Pilot lacks a fleece-lined neck and waist belt adjustment uses a time-consuming letterbox-style fastener. Plastimo Pilot inflated In the water: The hood secured under the bladder and worked well at keeping out the waves but without buying the optional light your chances of rescue at night are reduced. Contact: Navimo Seasafe Marina Seasafe Mariner Pros: The coverage of a coat with a built-in 150N lifejacket, discreet panels reveal the firing mechanism, manual inflation tube and a whistle. Cons: Can put pressure on the chest if not fitted properly and a sprayhood and light cost extra. Seasafe Marina inflated In the water: Once inflated, the Mariner placed a lot of pressure on the chest and lungs. Like the Trekker, this jacket also needs more reflective tape. Contact: SeaSafe Systems Seasafe Trekker Gilet Seasafe Trekker Gilet Pros: The waist belt has a letterbox-type buckle and the manufacturer advised that it didnt need to be fist-tight like a normal lifejacket. Cons: The jacket didnt have enough reflective tape visible, just a couple of flashes on the shoulders. Seasafe Trekker Gilet inflated In the water: At present there is no sprayhood or light option and the non-adjustable crotch strap means the jacket rides up under the chin, which isnt very comfortable. A good concept but this jacket needs more attention to survival detail to be a real alternative. Contact: SeaSafe Systems Secumar Ultra AX Plus Secumar Ultra AX Plus Pros: The Secumar Ultra AX Plus has a status window, which clearly indicates whether the lifejacket is properly armed. Comfortable and easy to adjust. The user can change between automatic and manual operation. Cons: The light was positioned next to the left ear and so wasnt visible if you were approaching the victim from the right. Secumar Ultra AX Plus inflated In the water: The sprayhood deployed and fitted easily and securely around the bottom of the bladder and its long reflective stripe significantly improved the lifejackets visability. Contact: Secumar Spinlock Deckvest Spinlock Deckvest Pros: Cool, minimalist design and the simple waist and thigh adjusters means this jacket feels very secure once fitted. Cons: More reflective tape is needed on the front of the Deckvest. Spinlock Deckvest inflated In the water: The sprayhood deploys on inflation and secures around the bottom of the bladder but waves still managed to squeeze in between the tubes. The thigh straps can be pushed down to the knees and tightened to bring the knees up to the chest, if necessary, which helps to conserve warmth. Contact: Spinlock Typhoon Racer Typhoon Racer Pros: Typhoons Racer lifejacket features a fleece-lined neck to prevent chafing and the innovative design provides good head support once inflated. Cons: The Racer has a letterbox-type belt buckle, which isnt the easiest to fit and adjust and the attachment for the single crotch strap could easily be lost. Need to buy in an optional light and sprayhood. Typhoon Racer inflated In the water: The Racer has an interesting interlocking bladder design, which keeps the chin up and head back, but the tester very nearly ended up with the manual inflation valve up his nose. The optional sprayhood deployed on inflation and was easily secured below the bladder and worked well. Contact: Typhoon International Viking Conquest Viking Conquest Pros: Excellent sprayhood and the reflective stripes are a good width. Cons: The Conquest also has the letterbox-style waist belt fastening, which isnt the quickest to fit or the easiest to adjust. Viking Conquest inflated In the water: The sprayhood stowed tidily behind the head, deployed easily and, like the Baltic, featured a ring support that held the hood off the face. It secured around the bottom of the bladder and offered excellent visibility. This lifejacket offers great value for money. Contact: Viking XM Quickfit XM Quickfit Pros: Budget price. Cons: No fleece neck lining, a fiddly letterbox-style fastener and the optional crotch strap attachment could become lost if you unclip the buckle before unfastening the waist belt. XM Quickfit inflated In the water: On inflation the service label flopped over the lifejackets reflective strip, essentially halving its night visibility. However, if properly packed the label should be tucked beneath the gas bottle and cause no obstruction. The Quickfit had an optional light and a sprayhood in a belt pouch, so deployment took longer and the odd wave still sneaked below the hood and into the face. Contact: Navimo

The ultimate lifejacket test

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