Impact Vests

Impact Vests vs Life Vests

An impact vest is built to protect your upper body when you hit the water hard — the kind of impact that comes off a failed wakeboard trick, a high-speed slalom fall or a wakesurf wipeout. Foam padding across the ribs, back and chest absorbs the blow, and the snug cut stops water forcing into the body on a fast fall. They're popular with wakeboarders and wakesurfers who fall often while learning tricks. The key thing to understand: an impact vest is not an approved life jacket. It has slight buoyancy from the foam, but it isn't a certified personal flotation device and doesn't meet the legal life-vest requirement for towed watersports in Australia on its own. For towed sports you're legally required to wear an approved vest, so choose an L50S life vest to comply. Wear an impact vest for protection and freedom of movement where an approved vest isn't legally required. Fit is everything with an impact vest. It needs to be snug — snugger than you might expect — so it stays put and the padding sits where it should. A loose impact vest shifts on impact and does less. Size by chest measurement, and do up both the zip and any side adjustment. Impact vests come in mens and womens cuts from Ronix, Radar and Connelly. Care is the same as any neoprene gear: rinse in fresh water after use, hand wash, never machine wash, and store out of direct sun. Browse the full impact vest range online or visit the Brisbane store, where we'll help you get the fit right.