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When you’re teaching your child to be in the water, safety is everything, and that’s where a swim vest is simply brilliant. In the past, swim belts and armbands were the go-to gear for staying safe, but over the last couple of years, swim vests have really taken over.
In this guide, I’ll give you a proper look into the world of swim vests. Among other things, I’ll tell you about the different types available and why they might just be a better safety choice than traditional swim belts and armbands.
I’ll also give you my recommendations on which model you should choose.
Best value swim vest 12-30 kg 
Watery swim vest for children (1-6 years) - Splashy 
Best swim vest for children 1-12 years 
Swim vest available in 4 great colours 
Konfidence Youth swim vest junior (8 to 14 years) 
Now I’ll give you a good overview of our swim vest recommendations and tell you about the best and most recommended options – so you know exactly which one to choose based on your needs.
We’ve looked at the range of swim vests and, combined with our expert reviews and customer feedback, we’ve divided the vests into different categories based on size, material, price, buoyancy, and colour. Finally, I’ve given them my own personal overall rating based on our experience.
Watery Splashy is a top model among swim vests, combining high safety, freedom of movement, and adjustable buoyancy. The removable buoyancy modules allow you to tailor the vest’s floating ability so your child gets the right support in the water.
For extra safety, the vest features a childproof safety strap between the legs, preventing it from riding up. The large armholes also provide maximum freedom of movement, allowing your child to move naturally.
The materials are carefully selected, with a 100% neoprene exterior for comfort and warmth retention, and a 100% EPE foam filling that makes the vest completely puncture-proof. With UPF 50+ sun protection, it also offers added safety on sunny days.
Based on customer reviews and our experience with the product, the vest runs a bit large in size. If you’re in doubt, we recommend choosing the smaller size. You’ll find the size guide directly on the product page.
“The vest can keep my son of 2½ and 15 kg afloat in the water without extra help. However, he is quite unstable in it, so you have to hold him with both hands. If I let go, within a few seconds he ends up in an awkward position with his mouth under water.” – (Esben M.)
“I bought this sweet swim vest for my little boy, and I am more than satisfied with both the delivery and the quality.” – (Pura Ferri)
The Watery Basic swim vest doesn’t have adjustable buoyancy like some of the other models, but it still has its clear strengths. Children generally take well to the vest, partly because it sits high on the body, providing a feeling of security and good protection – especially for those who are still getting used to the water.
Several parents also mention that the low price makes it easy to test whether their child gets on well with a swim vest, without feeling like a big investment.
Even though the vest has a fixed buoyancy element, its design still ensures a good swimming position in the water. It’s made of 100% neoprene, making it both durable and insulating, and 100% puncture-proof so it lasts a long time.
It’s also equipped with UPF 50+ sun protection, making it ideal for beach trips on sunny days. The extra-large armholes also ensure your child can move freely without irritation.
Watery Basic is a solid choice if you’re looking for a simple, safe, and affordable swim vest for a child who is still building confidence in the water.
“The Watery life vest fits perfectly and is good quality. Used multiple times in the pool for my daughter. Very happy 😊 with the product.” – (Mark Z)
“Our son put the vest on straight away and had great freedom of movement in it. We’ve already tested it at the swimming pool and are really pleased with it. It keeps his head and upper body well above the water without slipping off. Our son was still able to practice his swimming strokes. Good workmanship and quality, we can recommend it :)” – (Nanna N.)
Konfidence Original is one of the most popular swim vests in Ireland, and we completely understand why. With its high quality and wide range of great colours and patterns, it’s a vest we warmly recommend for both beginners and more experienced swimmers.
We especially like that the buoyancy can be adjusted with the removable float elements, allowing the vest to keep pace with your child’s progress in the water. At the same time, the adjustable fit ensures it can be used for several years, making it a lasting investment.
Comfort is also key for us, and Konfidence doesn’t disappoint here. It’s made of soft neoprene, which not only makes it comfortable to wear, but also helps keep your child warm in colder water. Safety has also been carefully considered with a bright yellow colour on the back, making your child easier to spot.
The vest is available in many different colours and patterns, so there’s bound to be a version that suits your child perfectly.
The little one loves his vest and knows what it means when we pull the vest out. He floats well while still being challenged.” – (Jahn M.)
“Good swim vest that helps the child enough to make swimming easier, but not so much that they don’t have to work to keep themselves up” – (Agnete V)
“This isn’t the first swim vest I’ve bought for one of my grandchildren. Safety-wise, I’m very satisfied with the product, and the Ladybird design suits our little princess 👸 so nicely” – (Betina S)
We know how important it is to feel safe in the water – without feeling restricted. Many adults struggle with a fear of water because they never got the right support as juniors. With the Konfidence Youth swim vest, you get the security you need until you become fully confident swimming on your own.
This swim vest is specially designed for juniors aged 8 to 14 who still need extra safety, but with more freedom of movement than classic children’s models. The vest features 8 adjustable floats, allowing you to adjust the buoyancy step by step.
For optimal comfort, the vest is made from soft yet durable neoprene, providing both warmth and a great fit. 100% UV protection on covered areas also makes it ideal for both the pool and the beach. The adjustable support strap between the legs ensures a snug fit – but it’s easy to remove if you don’t need it.
Available in styles for both boys and girls – a navy blue version for boys and a pink and purple combination for girls.
– Find navy blue here.
– Find pink here.
If you’re looking for a swim vest that combines high buoyancy with adjustability, the Beco Sealife is a solid choice – especially for the price.
This vest isn’t just one of the models with the highest buoyancy; it also features removable float elements. This means you can adjust the buoyancy to your needs, for instance as your child grows more confident in the water and needs less support.
Beco Sealife comes in two sizes:
✔ Small: 1-3 years (12-18 kg)
✔ Medium: 3-6 years (18-30 kg)
If you buy the vest when your child is at the younger end of the age bracket, it can be used for several years before you need to upgrade to a larger size.
Featuring both a crotch strap for extra safety and a child-friendly design, it’s a vest that makes swim training both safer and more fun.
“Superb finish and fits well. This gives my daughter more freedom of movement in the water.” – (Rasmus S.)
“Malthe loved the vest. Now he can “swim” by himself. But unfortunately, because of the corona crisis, he hasn’t been able to go to the swimming pool. So we’re looking forward to this being over. Then the vest will quickly be put to use.” – (Marianne E.)
“Absolutely worth the extra cost over armbands because toddlers have full freedom of movement for their arms. Fits relatively large. Maximised water fun for our child.” – (Fidiamboos)
If you want to buy a swim vest, you should know that there are many different models available, all with different features when it comes to design, safety, and fit.
Here, I’ll go through the most important things you should consider before buying a swim vest:
The first thing you should consider is whether the swim vest should have a crotch strap (also known as an under-strap). A crotch strap is a strap that keeps the front and back of the vest together by going between the legs.
Examples of swim vests with and without a crotch strap:
Generally speaking, a vest with a crotch strap provides a bit of extra safety, as it can’t slip up over the head and come off.
It’s very unlikely that a swim vest would do that anyway, but with a crotch strap you can be completely sure. In addition, the strap also ensures the vest sits closer on the child so it doesn’t ride up from the shoulders and end up around their head.
A swim vest, like so much other swimming gear, shouldn’t be boring of course, and it needs to be clearly visible – so that’s why you should choose the right design and colour.
If the swim vest is going to be used in the swimming pool, the colour doesn’t really matter.
But if it’s going to be used at the beach, it’s definitely an advantage to choose a vest that’s easy to spot. In that case, red, orange, or blue are great colours, as these three are by far the easiest to spot in the water.
Examples of swim vests in high-visibility and low-visibility colours:
The choice of colour in relation to safety also applies to swim vests for adults, by the way. There’s a reason life jackets are the colours they are. That said, I’d also like to make it clear that there are no strict rules in this area. So it’s all down to your own safety preferences.
Buoyancy is naturally the main reason to wear a swim vest. But too much buoyancy can also make it harder to actually swim in it. So it really does matter how much buoyancy the vest provides.
Of course, vests come with different levels of buoyancy. But when it comes to flotation, these are the two you should take a closer look at:
Swim vests with the most and least buoyancy:
The great thing about the Beco swim vest, which offers the most buoyancy, is that you can remove individual foam floats if the vest’s buoyancy restricts your child’s swimming.
Or as your child gets better at swimming and needs a bit more of a challenge.
We strongly recommend choosing a model with removable floats, as this gives you (and your child) the best flexibility to adjust the vest as they learn.
This might seem obvious to many. That’s why it’s often overlooked when shopping for a swim vest.
However, it’s crucial to make sure the swim vest you buy is CE approved. If it is, you can be confident it has undergone strict testing procedures to guarantee safety.
So, what does CE approval mean? It’s the EU’s certification scheme, proving that manufacturers meet all applicable EU legal standards.
It’s your guarantee that you’re not getting a cheap knock-off that hasn’t been safety tested under current EU regulations. You can read more about the mark on the safety authority’s website here.
If you end up buying a vest without this approval, you have no real way of knowing how safe it actually is.
At the same time, CE approval also ensures that no materials harmful to humans, such as phthalates, have been used in the vest.
So always look for the CE approval mark when buying a swim vest. That way, you’ll know for sure that it meets the strictest safety standards.
First and foremost, your child needs to be old enough to move naturally in the water, which most kids can do from around 1 year of age. However, it’s worth noting that most manufacturers start their sizes from 1 year old, but with a minimum weight of 11 kg.
From there, sizes simply go up until you reach adult swim vests. Around the age of 8, there are slightly fewer options to choose from, but models are still made in the larger children’s sizes.
In recent years, swim vests have become the most popular choice for many – and it’s what we recommend to everyone as well. But why have they become so popular when there are so many swim belts and armbands on the market that have worked fine for so many years?
Basically, a swim vest, a swim belt, and a pair of armbands all do the same thing: they help with buoyancy, making your child much safer in the water.
And yes, both swim belts and armbands have done a great job for years.
However, if you’re out on a boat, swim belts or armbands aren’t required – lifejackets are. And broadly speaking, swim vests and lifejackets are quite similar. (It’s important to note, though, that a swim vest CANNOT replace or be used as a lifejacket)
The design of a swim vest makes it much safer. It offers significantly better buoyancy than both belts and armbands. Plus, the neoprene (which swim vests are primarily made from) helps keep them a little bit warmer.
On top of that, the vast majority of vests are made in bright colours that are easy to spot, so if you lose sight of your child for a brief moment at the beach, it’s far easier to spot them again. The vest also covers a large part of the upper body, naturally protecting the skin underneath from the sun.
Most importantly, though: a swim vest gives your child the best position in the water for learning to swim, which is why it’s called a “swim” vest. While armbands and swim belts keep your child upright in the water, a swim vest encourages a more natural swimming posture.
What’s more, many swim vests feature removable buoyancy elements, meaning you can gradually reduce the support as their swimming improves.
This makes a swim vest the best tool for learning to swim safely and properly.
If you’re still leaning towards the two more traditional options, we recommend checking out Watery, where you’ll find a great selection right here:
Once you’ve invested in a swim vest for your child or perhaps yourself, you’ll naturally want it to last as long as possible. Fortunately, it doesn’t take much effort to keep it in top shape.
Below, I’ll share three great tips on how to easily extend its lifespan as much as possible.
Nowadays, there are plenty of places to buy a swim vest—both online, in high street shops and at the little beachside stalls you often find when holidaying abroad.
To ensure proper quality and safety approvals, you’re always best off sticking to specialist retailers here at home.
At Watery.ie – which Vandklar is part of – you’ll only find swim vests that comply with current safety standards such as CE and EN.
