Correctly fit helmet and life jacket
Author: Marieke Vogt, Team Leader at SOURCE TO SEA
Life jacket and helmet are essential safety equipment in white water. But even the best helmet and the best life jacket won't help if they are not used properly. We summarize here what you have to pay attention to and how you can adjust your helmet and life jacket.
Customize life jacket
The point of your life jacket is that it must fit tightly enough so that it can't slip out of place when you're swimming. Above all, it must not slip upwards. Of course you should still be able to breathe, after all you are doing sport! Different life jacket models have different adjustment options. We show you here as an example the Palm FXr life jacket, which we use for years for our courses.
Adjust chest strap
The black chest strap is firstly used to attach a cowtail to save kayaks. Secondly, you need it if you want to secure yourself, for example, if it requires a jumper safety as a safety. It is threaded differently for different applications:
The chest strap should not be too long, so that you do not get caught on it. When you buy a new life jacket, the chest strap is often very long. Fit the vest and then cut it (preferably with a rope cutter) so that it only protrudes about two hands width over the plastic buckle. You don't have a rope cutter? No problem, we do. Just let us know and we'll be happy to take it to the course/camp!
Customize helmet
A helmet only protects if it is properly adjusted.
This blog post explains how to customize your helmet and life jacket. If you're wondering why all this should be, just give us a call (+43 512 546710) or join our safety education! Also if you have questions about your specific life jacket or helmet model, please feel free to contact us!