If you are new to the Jet-Ski scene then welcome to an elite club of fun times on the water. No matter where you live there are some basic jet-skiing apparel and accessories that you need to wear to be comfortable and safe. Now I’m not talking about full-on racing gear but everyday items that will make you safe and comfortable on the water at speed.
The first time I took my Sea-doo GTI out I quickly realized I was not prepared for the extreme speeds, bumps, turns and excitement my personal watercraft could provide. But also I was uncomfortable due to not riding with the correct jet-ski apparel.
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What to wear while jet skiing
Now I am a big fan of being safe, so obviously, a life jacket was in order. Check. But what about the rest of my body. Riding a Sea-doo, Yamaha or Kawasaki PWC will really push your body to its limits
After a 2 hour PWC ride which included high-speed turns, cruising, and pulling an airhead towable tube my whole body was hurting. My hands started to hurt, my feet were sore, and my eyes were watering.
So it was off to the Jet-Ski dealer to part with my hard-earned cash, and wow they should call it the stealer-ship. But they were cool about recommending some products. I walked away with some water boots, jet-ski gloves, and some cool floating sunglasses.
Once I was back on the water it was fun times but I had to think about my family as they also needed some personal watercraft riding gear. The full kit of sunglasses, gloves, life jackets, and booties was required.
Often I find my passenger jumping off the back of the jet-ski into the shallow river water. The last thing I needed was for them to jump on a sharp stick or rock.
Now I’m not a professional jet-ski racer but I do like to have fun so here are the following apparel that I like to wear while jet skiing.
Jet-ski gloves fingerless
I like to have my fingers free while riding the Sea-Doo. For those of you in colder climates then the full fingered jetski racing gloves may be useful. What I find is that my palms get sore after a while without gloves on. This is because I am holding on so tightly and when the handle grips are wet it gets slippery.
These Neo-Sport gloves solve this problem and provide excellent grip and comfort. I also use them while wakeboarding and waterskiing, it’s my one glove to do all.
- These gloves use a high-quality neoprene spandex outer shell to provide increased warmth, while a soft Amara palm and half fingers allow for easier hand and finger movements.
- Extremely comfortable fit that does wonders for extra grip.
- Multi-Sport use is perfect for all water sports such as bike riding, paddle boarding, Jet-Skiing, and kayaking as it dries fast.
- The vented padded synthetic palm helps protects palms and lower fingers from abrasion and helps with water drainage.
Best jet ski life jackets – Obrien
Best jet ski life jackets – Obrien
Obrien makes some excellent water sports equipment, from life vests to wakeboards, and best of all some quality 2 and 3 person towable tubes. So I was excited to try out their new Neo vest which comes in 4 different colors, black, yellow, red, and blue.
It’s important to buy a quality live jacket when riding a jet ski. There are basically 2 types of life jackets like the cheap and nasty which are made out of plastic foams, such as polyvinyl chloride and polyethylene. Then there are the water sport comfort models that use soft Neoprene as the flotation device. These life vests are 10x more comfortable and will last you a lifetime if cared for properly than cheaper foam jackets.
O’Brien Traditional Neo Life Men’s Vest Specs
- Neoprene outer shell for a comfortable fit
- Easy zip closure and 2 belts for security and tighter fitting.
- The vest does not inhibit movement
- USCG Approved
- A range of 4 different colors to suit your style.
NEO VEST SIZE CHART
These life vests do run a little tight or small, so I recommend going for the next size up. Always measure your chest and you will get the perfect jacket. Plus we all grow or put on weight every season. This way it will last longer.
| Adult Vest Size | Chest Size Between |
|---|---|
| Adult XS | 28″ – 32″ |
| Adult SM | 32″– 36″ |
| Adult MD | 36″ – 40″ |
| Adult LG | 40″ – 44″ |
| Adult XL | 44″ – 48″ |
| Adult 2XL | 48″ – 52″ |
| Adult 3XL | 52″ – 56″ |
| Teen | 28″ – 32″ |
| Kids Vest Size | Weight |
| Youth | 50 – 90 lbs. |
| Child | 30 – 50 lbs. |
| Infant | Up to 30 lbs. |
It’s better to have a tight-fitting life vest as they will expand slightly when they get wet. The two chest straps can also do up tighter for those with oddly shaped bodies.
How to store your Lifejackets
Keeping your life jackets hanging up will let them air dry out and stop them from going moldy. We like to hang all of the life vests in the garage on the side of one wall. I ended up making a rack out of some left-over house timber and a few large rubber-lined bike hooks.
The timber rail was anchored into the wall and then the bike hooks were screwed into the timber. This way there was less drilling into my garage wall.
The best I have found is Aveeno Protect and Hydrate Lotion Sunscreen. This is a broad spectrum SPF 70 for your whole body. It's made with soothing natural oats to help moisturize, and hydrate your skin while protecting it from wind and sunburn.
Remember to be safe, look out for other watercraft and swimmers, and ride to your ability. Maybe I will see you out in the water one day.
I am a qualified Industrial Electrician for the past 20 years and I love to share my knowledge on home repair jobs.
I love fast toys like Motorcycles, Cars, Jetskis, and Boats so writing about them is easy.
To keeps costs down I do all my own mods, repairs, and servicing. These skills I want to share with everyone. DIY is a skill everyone can learn.
My brother has just purchased a jet ski and would like to make sure that he is prepared on what to wear and how to take care of it before he takes it out this weekend. Your information that he will need to wear a life jacket that lets him move freely is really helpful. I think it would also be good for him to look into how to safely operate a jetski and find a jetski repair shop in case it stops working properly.