Vasai, Maharashtra
A child is not a small adult in the water. Children float differently, tire faster and can slip out of a jacket that would hold an adult. A child’s life jacket is sized for the child, and a few features make it safer.
Sizes
SOLAS sorts life jackets into infant, child and adult sizes by the wearer’s weight and height: see life jacket sizes by weight. Jackets listed against EN ISO 12402 state their own weight range on the label. Match the child’s weight to that range, not their age.
The features that matter
- A leg or crotch strap, so the jacket cannot slide up over the child’s head.
- A lifting loop or grab handle at the back of the collar, so an adult can pull the child out of the water.
- Head support: a collar or headrest that holds a small child’s face clear of the water.
- A bright colour and reflective tape, and a whistle the child has practised blowing.
Checking the fit
Fasten every buckle and strap, then lift the jacket by the shoulders. The child’s chin and ears must not slip through, and the jacket must not ride up over the face. If it does, tighten it or go down a size.
MM’s child sizes
The MMLJC is the child-sized MMLJ, listed with a lifting loop, buddy line and webbing-end retainer: 90 N, PFD Type I, for children up to 43 kg. MM lists the Sea Master in four tiers, each with its own ISO 12402 level: Adult Universal and Child Large at 100 N, ISO 12402-4; Child Junior and Child Infant at 50 N, ISO 12402-5, the buoyancy-aid class.
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Adult Universal | Up to 95 kg · PFD III · 100 N · ISO 12402-4 |
| Child Large | Up to 80 kg · PFD III · 100 N · ISO 12402-4 |
| Child Junior | Up to 36 kg · PFD III · 50 N · ISO 12402-5 |
| Child Infant | Up to 14 kg · PFD III · 50 N · ISO 12402-5 |
| Accessories | Life jacket light / buddy line (optional) |
MM Life Jacket Model: MMLJC
Model MMLJC
MM Life Jacket Model: Sea Master
Model SEA MASTER
MM Life Jacket Model: Sea Master Headrest
Model SEA MASTER HEADREST
Not an inflatable, and not a swimming aid
Foam jackets are the choice for children: the US Coast Guard, for one, approves inflatables only for wearers of 16 and over. And a life jacket is not a way to learn to swim; children near water need an adult watching, jacket or not. See inflatable or foam.
Figures for MM’s jackets are from its catalogue data; standards named are as stated by MM. For schools and camps, send us the numbers by size.