Buoyancy Aids for sale

Welcome to Buoyancy Aid store. We have a big selection of Buoyancy Aids from top brands to suit every type of activity and budget.

Buoyancy Aids sometimes referred to as PFD’s (Personal Floatation Device) are essential for all water-sports such as dinghy sailing, canoeing, kayaking, rowing boats, snorkelling, windsurfing, surfing and as a general swimming aid.

They are different from life jackets. A buoyancy aid is designed to keep you afloat whilst carrying out your sporting activities and are designed with mobility in mind. A life jacket is designed to keep you afloat with your head above water and therefore is bulky and not suitable for certain water sports where freedom of movement is required.

Buoyancy aids come with a set of specifications detailing their sizing, weight range, and the standards they adhere to.

Buoyancy aids should detail:

• Chest Size: Usually a range either in Inches or Centimetres.
• Weight Range: Either in Kilograms or Pounds.
• Force Provided: The buoyant force provided by the buoyancy aid.

CE Approval

For a buoyancy aid to be sold in the European Union, it must be C.E. tested and approved. Canoe and Kayak buoyancy aids are usually "50 Newton Class" flotation aids (CE code 393), which means they will provide a minimum of 50N (Newtons) of buoyant force to a swimmer. Some buoyancy aids class as "100N", these provide more force, enough to flip a swimmer over onto their back, and must include a neck support. These are usually used for children or for inexperienced raft crews on white water.

In the USA, a buoyancy aid may be approved by the United States Coast Guard (although this is not a requirement). Most Canoeing and Kayaking buoyancy aids class as "Type III Flotation Aids", which means they provide a minimum of 15.5Lbs (pounds) of buoyancy, which is equivalent to ~69 Newtons of force.