Difference between Life Jacket and Pfd

You must have heard about life jackets, especially if you are involved in water sports. If you are a professional swimmer, you might not prefer wearing such things, as they put a lot of weight on you and cause problems while swimming.

However, amateurs are advised to wear life jackets so that they stay safe and don’t panic in the water. There is a lot of other important swimwear, which is recommended by trainers for the beginners.

Although you will be familiar with most of this protective gear, you might not have heard about the Personal Flotation Device (PFD), which is also used to stay safe in water and prevents you from drowning.

Even the people who know about PFDs are usually not able to tell them apart from life jackets, as both are used for the same purpose and look quite similar too. Due to this, some people use these two words interchangeably, which is wrong.

PFDs and life jackets are two different items and have quite a few dissimilarities, despite the fact that they serve the same purpose. Therefore, you should be aware of that before buying any one of these products from a sports store.

The most important feature of a life jacket, which distinguishes it from the PFDs, is its weight. It is a lot heavier and doesn’t allow one to move easily in the water. On the other hand, the PFD is not too bulky and feels a lot lighter on your body.

Due to its weight, the life jacket rolls you over in the water, so that your head pops out of the water. This way, you can breathe easily even if you are not able to control yourself. However, the PFD doesn’t keep your head out of the water, as it is lighter.

If you are involved in active water sports such as canoeing or rafting, you should prefer the PFD, as it allows you to move freely in the water. If you are wearing a life jacket, you will be unable to make swift movements and your opponents will take advantage of that in the end.

Another difference between the two is that PFDs are available in a variety of colours, whereas life jackets are mostly found in red, orange, and yellow.

Instructions

  • 1

    Life jacket

    A life jacket is swimwear that helps you keep your head out of the water, so that you can breathe comfortably.

  • 2

    PFD

    A lighter version of the life jacket is known as a PFD, which also prevents you from drowning.

    Images courtesy: safetyathome.com

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