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How do you know when to replace your life jacket?
I've had mine for about 10 years and it appears to be in good condition. No visible damage and I can still read all the printed information inside the back.
It's still comfortable to wear and if it were any other piece of gear, I wouldn't even be thinking about a replacement with the way it functions for me day-to-day.
But, it's a life jacket and it's 10 years old. Do these things have expiration dates? What's the best practice?
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Jump in the lake see if it floats you adequately. The closed cell foam does deteriorate over time but there are too many variables to really put a date on it.
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While an old jacket may keep you afloat initially, if the flotation material is degraded, it will slowly absorb water and after a while you'll find you're floating lower in the water than when you first went in.
Likewise, after having "floated-around" for a while, if the flotation material has "taken-on" water .. you'll notice the jacket is noticeably heavy, "squishy" and slow to dry off!
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