The best life jacket overall

The Astral BlueJacket Kayak Life Vest provides excellent flotation support without hampering the free movement of your arms or torso.

If you have ever paddled a kayak or canoe while wearing a big, bulky life jacket, you know it's not much fun. The thick collar gets pressed against your chin with each stroke and the torso twisting motion necessary for paddling is limited by the shape and size of the vest. Waterskiing, casting with a fishing rod, and other such activities are also a lot less enjoyable when you're wearing one of those classic clunky orange life vests.

But with the Astral BlueJacket Kayak Life Vest, your arms are free to move without being encumbered at all. And thanks to the flexible foam used in the vest, your torso can twist and bend and move freely as well. Even as you move around while kayaking, fishing, tubing, and so forth, the BlueJacket will stay firmly in place on your body thanks to its multiple adjustment points that allow for a customized fit.

If you work up a thirst during all that activity, a built-in hydration sleeve can store a water bladder, while several pouches can be used to stash snacks, your keys, or a phone or camera, provided you have one seriously reliable waterproof case.

I use one of these vests when I kayak and canoe, but I'm not biased, I'm merely convinced by the excellence.

A gear tester from Outside loved the freedom of motion allowed by the "oversized armholes" and independent foam panels, and also appreciated all the "storage space" the BlueJacket offers.

Pros: Excellent freedom of motion, built-in hydration pocket, multiple adjustment points

Cons: Quite expensive

Buy an Astral BlueJacket Kayak Life Vest PFD on Amazon for $224.95-$235