This question gets asked more than almost any other across our counter and over the phone: "What life vest do I actually need?" The honest answer is that it depends on where you ride. Lifejacket rules in Australia aren't national — every state and territory writes its own, and they don't even use the same words for the same stretch of water. We've broken down life vests before, but always from a Queensland perspective because that's where our shop is. This guide is the version riders keep asking us for: a straight, state-by-state breakdown for the people who actually get towed behind a boat or throw a leg over a jet ski.