Lifejacket for a 2 year old

[Chris]

Can anyone recommend a make / type of jacket for a young'un?

Chris

[vince]

I personaly wouldnt recommend an automatic roll up type, in fact i dont know if you can get them that small. The type we use is the day-glo orange bouyancy aids that have the crotch strap, and more importantly, the large collar at the back. This helps support the back of the head out of the water. This design also makes sure the child is flipped onto the back if they are unconsious. The extra flotation foam in the front does this. Hope this helps.
Something like this....http://www.force4.co.uk/ProductDetai...e-398c902c72e2

[Poly]

Originally Posted by vince

I personaly wouldnt recommend an automatic roll up type, in fact i dont know if you can get them that small.

I think they start about 3yrs old - but I wouldn't recommend them even at that age. No auto inflation system is 100% reliable. For an adult the fall backs are manual gas inflation and oral inflation but neither of those are likely to be much use with a pre-school non-swimmer just falling into very cold water.

So I agree that fixed foam, full life jacket with collar is the only way to go. Our little-un has one of these

http://www.hellyhansen-shop.com/tmpl...hop-en-Article

Its quite bulky but I think they all are - or they really just looked like bouyancy aids with collars. He has never complained (and he would) about comfort etc.

I think it was reviewed in PBO alongside some others a wee while ago and scored OK (but not the best). IIRC their main criticism of it was the small area of reflective tape. Since we don't go out in the dark - and certainly not with Ben I felt this was a relatively low priority for me. I was more concerned that it felt nice and secure, and was comforable.

[vince]

Some even have a handle on them so you can move the tike really quickly, (cos kids can sometimes get in the way, or is that just mine..... ) and also for putting on board/ rescue etc.

[ian parkes]

My kids had the little crewsaver foam non infaltable life jacket . Big collar crotch strap and more foam at the front so they float on thier back .
It lasted a couple of years as its quite adjustable .

[Poly]

Originally Posted by vince

Some even have a handle on them so you can move the tike really quickly, (cos kids can sometimes get in the way, or is that just mine..... ) and also for putting on board/ rescue etc.

mine has that - its not obvious in the pic I posted. I do it every time i put it on him to check it is nice and secure.

[spence]

We bought a Pokermon lifejacket for our daughter when she was 2 and it was fine. It was the buoyant type with a big collar to right them quickly, crotch strap and most importantly a big loop behind the collar. Never had to test it for real but it was the best / best value I could find last year.

[MikeCC]

Chris,

One of these is the sort of thing you need. Auto-inflation ones are a bit much at that age - maybe from 4-5 upwards.

Mike

[Chris]

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...4904&rd=1&rd=1

Just bought one of these off ebay.

Chris

[Poly]

Originally Posted by Chris1573

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...4904&rd=1&rd=1

Just bought one of these off ebay.

Chris

good - make sure you use the crotch straps - i think they are even more important with babies/toddlers than adults.