Important Info For Wyomingites About Having Proper Life Jackets

Wyoming has a large number of water-based activities for your enjoyment.

• Boating
• Fishing
• Canoeing
• Paddleboarding
• Kayaking
• Skiing
• Tubing

When on the water, it's crucial that everyone has a life jacket and that the jacket is the proper size for the person wearing it.

The Wyoming Game and Fish Department's website has excellent information about the mandatory safety equipment you'll need on your boats, including the proper number of floatation safety devices.

It's important to note that kids under 12 need to wear their life jackets any time the watercraft is underway. That means the life jacket needs to be on and secure if the boat is moving.

Choosing the proper life jacket is essential because it will not work like it's supposed to if it is too large or too small.

Knowing the size you'll need is pretty easy when getting a life jacket for a kid. Sizes are based on weight ranges. Knowing their weight, you can look at the size chart and pick the proper size. On average, a child will go through about three different life jackets before hitting the adult sizes.

Sizing gets trickier when looking for a properly fitting adult life jacket. Life jackets aren't sized like T-shirts. They're sized by chest size. Wrap the tape around the largest part of the chest using a soft tape measure.

Watch this video from O'Brien Watersports to learn more about the best way to choose a proper life jacket.