Expert talk: the key to a comfortable watersports life vest

Imagine yourself laying in warm water with the sun high in the sky and your new Jobe Shade wakesurfer underneath your feet, ready to be pulled in standing position by the boat to catch your first waves. The last thing you want to worry for at that moment is being held back in your performance by your life vest. That’s why we designed Jobe PerfectFit life vests, so you can focus on what you do best: having fun on the water! Here’s the secret on how we do this and how you know you’ve selected the right vest for your body.

What is the right size for my body?

While performing watersports you’ll want some degree of freedom of movement in order to enjoy the ride. Traditionally, the amount of split foam panels in a vest positively correlates to the freedom of movement, which is at the same time more comfortable.

At Jobe we believe every vest should be comfortable. That’s why we created Perfectfit: every size is the right fit for your body, so it’s no longer uncomfortable because it’s too big or small. But when is a vest too big or small?

Some vests have a shorter fit (like Neoprene vest men and women), which means you have more freedom of movement around the hips, so it makes it easier to sit for example. But to achieve the same buoyancy, the shorter vests have foam panels that are slightly thicker. This is the exact right trade-off between comfort and safety, which we found after doing a lot of research and testing. At the other hand, Unify vests have a slightly longer fit. This means thinner foam and at the same time they also have more split foam panels, which increases their comfort level again. For that reason you still have full freedom of movement around the hips.

All Perfectfit vests have an optimal level of foam thickness for their size and model. The next step is to find your perfect size.

How do I know my size is the right one?

You can now easily find your perfect size in our extended size ranges. Follow 3 easy steps: measure your chest width at the widest point, your waist width at the narrowest point and your height from head to feet.

Once you’ve got the measures right, check out the size table (which is to be found on every vest product page) to find your perfect fit size.

How should my vest feel on my body?

A vest should feel tight but still comfortable. Especially a neoprene vest should have a tight fit when you first wear it. Neoprene is flexible and has a lot of stretch. After you’ve worn it several times, it will adjust according to your body.

See you on the water!