O'Neill Wake Waterski Men's Superlite USCG Vest

I was looking for a snorkeling vest for myself and my husband. I am not the best swimmer and usually need a break when I am snorkeling for a few hours at a time. Obviously, that isn't so easy to do in the middle of the ocean, hence the life vest. I got one for my husband because he wanted to be able to stop with me and keep an eye on me to make sure I'm okay.Initially I was worried that since this isn't specifically a snorkeling vest, it may be hard to maneuver in. My fear were alleviated the minute I got into the water. You CAN use this as a snorkeling vest as well as for other water activities, saving yourself some money. The vest is very light and barely feels like you have it on. My husband initially felt it was a little short. It ends maybe 2-3 inches under your navel. However, it is not short. It is made that way so you can sit in it comfortably when you go kayaking and canoeing. The vest has an easy tab to help you pull it down if it rides up, but neither my husband or I had a problem with it riding up. The buckles on this belt can be loosened or tightened, fitting different builds. I got my husband the size Medium. It was a perfect fit on him. He is 5'10" and 180lbs. I got the size Small and I am 5'5" and 125lbs.I only have two complaints about this vest. One is that it only comes in dark or dull colors, so someone would have a hard time spotting you in this vest in an emergency. The second complaint is that because of the shape and the filling, it can easily fill a large portion of your suitcase even though it only weighs 1lb.Overall, I would recommend this vest TO ADULTS for any and all water sports. I wouldn't recommend it for young kids, only because if I had a kid, I would want to outfit them in neon pink so that I can spot them a mile away. It's a good, sturdy vest. It did a lot of travelling with us and it's still holding up great!

I bought this vest for open water SUP boarding. The vest is well made, great looking and 'low profile' compared to other types of vests. This is a type III vest, so while the proper size will keep you afloat - this level of vest will NOT keep you afloat with your head tilted back (out of the water) if you are unconscious. If this is a concern, you should be looking at a level I type vest. Other than the aforementioned concern, this vest is great for complying with USCG regs for personal floatations devices (PFDs).Additionally, I read other reviews about ordering the vest a size larger, so I did that too to be safe. However, I could have gone with my actual size without a problem. The larger size isn't a big problem, it just means the front panels will overlap when buckling it closed. It also works out we'll, as my sons are larger than me and they can wear this too without a problem.Overall, I will buy this kind again, if I need another vest - it's that good!

I am completely satisfied with the vest. It functions just as it's suppose to and looks nice. That being said, I bought the large after reading a review suggesting to go up a size that you would normally wear. I completely disagree. I am a perfect model for a medium sized person. All my clothes are medium, and fit perfectly with my modestly muscular build. I should have went with my instinct and purchased the medium size vest. I have nothing against the quality of the vest, I just got burned by a misleading review. I can get a tight and "ok" fit if I tighten the vest to the absolute limit. But I'd still prefer the proper size. And if you're thinking oh it can't be that bad, you're wrong. It'll be obviously too big.

Bought XL after reading reviews, checking sizing chart on companies website because couldn't find one on amazon site. It was WAY WAY WAY too big for a 5'9, 230 lb man who has a 37'' chest and wears a 36" pant (he is very muscular and usually has a hard time fitting his chest/arms/thighs). This was so big, I think a medium may actually fit him if it were extended most of the way or a L probably tightened all the way or maybe half way. There is no way he could water ski or wake board otherwise. He looked like a little kid in an adults life jacket. However, the look, feel, material, etc... are EXCELLENT! He LOVE the look and did everything he could to make it fit but there was no way.

Bought this to wear while kayaking. Wanted something comfortable so I could wear it while paddling. Should you tip over and become separated from your boat, having a vest in the boat doesn't help you. This was comfortable and I'm very happy with my choice. Would recommend ordering one size up. I ordered in my regular shirt size and had to exchange it for a larger size. Had to pay return shipping since Amazon says it wasn't there fault the size was wrong. Perhaps not, but a size chart might have helped me order the correct size. I could get it on and closed but it was very snug and I wanted some flexibility for comfort. As others have said, the top color shown in the photo is a light gray or silver. The actual color as stated in the product description is gunmetal, a darker gray.

This is a well made and comfortable product. When ordering, the straps go around both you and the vest. Sizes are given based upon the length of the straps so you need to order a vest that has the longest length a few inches bigger than your body measurement. A layer of foam around you makes you a lot bigger.Lack of a zipper is a huge plus when ordering on line. The fit is flexible. With a zipper, the fit would have to be precise.A good looking product at a very good price. I have not been in the water with it, but it feels like there is enough foam there to give good floatation.My only complaint is that I wish it came in some brighter colors that would be easier to spot in the water.