Whether you are kitesurfing or wakeboarding, the best impact vests offer an extra layer of protection to improve your performance. Impact vests are created with foam padding to help protect your rib cage and spine during impact.
Thanks to the foam padding, impact vests effectively absorb and dissipate the shock during impact. Yet, this is not all they offer. These protective jackets provide warmth when you are on the water whilst increasing your buoyancy as well thanks to their specially designed linings.
So below, we’ve compiled the list of the 8 best impact vests for this year – take your best pick so you can enjoy your water sports adventure with better protection and comfort.
OUR TOP PICK
Mystic Stone Timo Kapl Wake Vest
- Stand Out Features - Why We Love It
- Best for wakeboarding and kitesurfing
- Convenient front zipper lock fit with YKK design
- Durable and highly insulative neoprene fabrication
- Clash foam enhances shock absorption during impact
- Designed to fit both men and women
Material: Neoprene, foam
Size: L
EDITORS CHOICE
Slingshot Impact Wake Vest
- Stand Out Features - Why We Love It
- Best for wakeboarding and kite surfing
- Designed as a mild floatation device
- 360 degrees drop tail skirt and single waist buckle for full waist coverage
- Custom panel segmentation enhances maneuverability
- Front zipper design allows for easy entry and removal
Material: Neoprene, foam
Size: S -XL
BEST VALUE
Connelly Reverb Neo Impact Wake Vest
- Stand Out Features - Why We Love It
- Best for wakeboarding and kitesurfing
- X-shaped rear panels and contoured armholes for easy mobility
- Glideskin upper panels for increased moisture wicking
- 4-way stretch neoprene for a comfortable fit
- No straps or buckles to interrupt your performance
Material: Neoprene
Size: S – XL
- Stand Out Features - Why We Love It
- Best for wakeboarding and kitesurfing
- Nitrile butadiene rubber for increased spine protection
- Warm carbon Flaremesh lining for optimum insulation and quick drying performance
- Easy-to-operate YKK front zipper closure
- Knitflex lining and M-Flex neoprene material provide a 4-way stretch fit
Material: Neoprene
Size: S – XL
- Stand Out Features - Why We Love It
- Best for kitesurfing, kiting, and wakeboarding
- Fox fleece lining for enhanced insulation and quick drying properties
- Nitrile butadiene rubber for spine protection
- Clash foam effectively dissipates shock from impact
Material: Neoprene, foam
Size: M – XL
O’Neill Men’s Slasher Comp Impact Vest
- Stand Out Features - Why We Love It
- Best for waterskiing, wakeboarding, and kitesurfing
- Snug fit design for optimal performance
- Segment foam core and anatomical flex points for unrestricted movement
- Ultra lightweight design for increased buoyancy
Material: Nylon foam
Size: XS – XXL
NP Surf Rise Impact Vest
- Stand Out Features - Why We Love It
- Best for kitesurfing and wakeboarding
- A harness can be worn over it
- Dura flex neoprene for added flexibility, durability, and floatation
- Anatomical fit for optimum mobility and comfort
Material: Neoprene
Size: XS – S
- Stand Out Features - Why We Love It
- Best for wakeboarding and kitesurfing
- Perforated foam and breathable material for increased air circulation and moisture wicking
- Strategically cut design for proper fit
- Stretch mesh for extra ventilation and flex
Material: Polyester
Size: XS – 4Xl/5XL
How To Choose An Impact Vest – Buying Guide
Protection
When choosing the best wake impact vest, you want to go for one that offers optimal protection – after all, that’s the main point. Look out for features such as clash foam that fully absorb shock from impact as well as insulative linings such as the fox fleece lining of the Mystic The Dom Wake Impact Vest to help keep you warm on the water.
Durability
The best wake impact vests must be durable. You can gauge the durability by looking at factors such as the material – neoprene and nylon are amongst the best. Alternatively, you can go through real-life customer reviews from reliable site sources to give you a better understanding of the quality and durability of the impact vest you intend to purchase.
Weight
Weight is an important factor to look at when choosing the best wake impact vest. You want the vest to be lightweight for guaranteed comfort and mobility to enhance your performance on the water. However, you don’t want it to be too light that it fails to keep you warm.
You might also like: How To Wakeboard: Wakeboarding For Beginners
FAQs
Q: What Is An Impact Vest?
An impact vest is a jacket that absorbs shock from impact. Impact vests are typically designed for use when you are engaged in water sports. Some impact vests are even designed to double as floatation devices, buoyancy aids, and life jackets.
Q: Where Can I Use An Impact Vest?
An impact vest is intended to be used for a variety of water-based sports. These include kitesurfing, windsurfing, wakeboarding, wake surfing, and kiting. When engaged in these sports, some impact vests allow you to use them as buoyancy aids and floatation devices as well.
Globo Surf Overview
The impact vest reviews offer an excellent guide on how to choose the best wake impact vests. Using a good quality vest on the water doesn’t only protect you during accidents, but improves your overall performance and comfort. So, take your pick of the best impact vest from the list above to begin enjoying watersports with extra protection.
More Watergear Tow Sports Guides:
- How To Jump On A Wakeboard?
- Can You Wakeboard Without A Tower?
- How To Wakesurf: 10 Beginner Tips And Tricks
- How To Install Wakeboard Tower
- How to Setup and Weight Your Boat for Wakesurfing