Is Your Childs Swim Vest Safe This Summer?

With the influx of cheap children’s swim vest hitting the market this summer. BAMRA (Buoyancy Aid Manufacturers and Retailers Association) have come up with some easy checks on what to look for to make sure that your child’s swim vests is safe this summer.

Conspicuity

Look for:  Bright and colourful Swim Vests that can be seen against Blue, White and Grey backgrounds. Ask yourself could it be seen from a distance in open water like a lake, river or Sea.

Avoid: Swim Vests that use Blues, Dark Greens, Black, Brown and or White as their main colour.

Check The Seller

Look for: Established brands based in the UK or the EU as they are more likely to ensure safety and compliance regulations are followed. Double check brands via google to check websites for conformity.

Avoid: Cheap Chinese sellers, in our experience China based sellers produce cheap and non-compliant products and when caught simply shut down and open again in another name continuing to sell unsafe products. Avoid marketplaces like of Temu and Shein for non-compliant products.

 Check The Size & Age Ranges

Look for: Age ranges: 2-3 years 15-19kgs, 3-6 years 19-30kgs, Between 6 to 12 years 30-60kgs. Make sure to check size guides for chest size and weight as this is more important than age range.

Avoid: Swim Vests aged 1-2 years/11-19kgs should be approached with caution, in our communication with testing bodies, no swim vest type product has/would be able to pass for this weight and size category.

(EN13138 states that age and weight ranges for Swim Vests should be as marked as follows: 1-2 years 11-19kgs, 2-3 years 15-19kgs, 3-6 years 19-30kgs, Between 6 to 12 years 30-60kgs)

All advice given is related to products that were produced after April 2022 which must conform to EN 13138-1:2021+AC:2022.  Swim Vests that were produced before April 2022 may vary.

If you have any concerns about your Swim Vest or would like to report any non-compliant Swim Vests please contact BAMRA at office@bamra.org