Stearns Kids Puddle Jumper Deluxe Life Jacket Review

Kids like the fun design of the Stearns Puddle Jumper life jacket, and you'll appreciate the security and confidence of high-quality construction and safety. The Puddle Jumper fits children weighing 30-50 pounds. It's made of woven polyester, so it's softer and less chafing than nylon life jackets. The Puddle Jumper fits comfortably over the child's chest, with arm pieces that offer excellent stability and free range of motion in the water. The Puddle Jumper is Coast Guard approved as a Type III personal flotation device (PFD).
Details
Brand: Stearns
Model: 2000003924
Released on: 2010-01-01
Number of items: 1
Dimensions: 5.00" h x 13.00" w x 16.00" l, .70 pounds
For children 30-50 lbs.
Woven polyester construction -- softer, less chafing
Superior stability & confidence
Fun design kids love!
Coast Guard approved
Reviews

Last year, we almost lost a grandchild. She had been wearing the popular water wings. The parent was distracted just for a minute. That is all it takes; a second, a minute. She pulled off the wings and jumped right in. We were lucky - there were people trained in CPR in the area and she was revived. This year, we are smart. We bought these wonderful puddle jumpers. Not only is it coast guard approved as a life jacket, but it is not removable by the child wearing it.

We purchased five different life jackets for the 20 month old twins. The traditional styled ones rode up at the shoulders. The Swimways Power Swimr System was difficult to get on and did nothing to keep the babies' heads above water. Nor did the Speedo UV 50.

We put the Stearns Kids Puddle Jumper on the first baby and she jumped into the pool for the first time in her life and paddled happily around for hours (see photo). The second twin took a little longer learning how to stay upright and she didn't want to take it off.

I dinged it a star, though, because it's so tight in the arms that it is hard to get on and off. It's easier if you get both the jacket and their arms wet first. However, neither twin complained once they got it on and there were no marks on their arms afterwards.

I bought this for my can't-swim-but-loves-to-jump-into-the-pool 2-year-old. I need him to be safe around our yard. I was attracted by the USCG rating and the reviews.

My son is a skinny little dude, barely 30 pounds, and there is only about an inch of the belt hanging out when we cinch it around him. I don't know how a 50-lb kid would ever be able to snap the belt around him. My son was able to pull his (dry) arms right out of the sleeves when we put it on. I don't think that he would be able to slither out of the other part, but that was a disturbing revelation.







Still, something is better than nothing, so we proceeded to the pool. My son quickly got the hang of it and was able to flip back to his tummy every time he inadvertently bobbed onto his back. This PFD does NOT (and does not claim to) keep your child's head out of the water. He must be able to do that himself. The chest part of this rode up to my son's armpits/chin whenever he was floating (as opposed to standing or sitting on the step). It didn't seem to bother him but it seemed uncomfortable to me. He kicked about with confidence. I suppose if his arms were longer, he'd have been able to "swim" "normally", but I don't know how he could do a freestyle stroke with those sleeves on. His arms never slipped out while he was in the pool. The belt across his back stayed snug while he was in the water and didn't loosen up as he played.

This vest really gave him confidence and freedom in the pool. He loved the turtle design and I loved that I could tow him all over the pool without tiring myself out by having to hold all his weight. He eschewed pool toys and wanted merely to paddle around the pool and explore the skimmer and chlorine tablet floater. When we got out, the vest slipped off without a lot of pulling, even though (or maybe because) he wears a rash guard in the pool.

So, overall, it's great for us, but I'm not sure it would work for a much larger kid.See all 189 customer reviews...

You can buy Best Price Stearns KidssQuote Puddle Jumper Deluxe Life Jacket at Best Price Now Store

Share:


About the Author

bestpricehunter

Best Price Now Store Best Cheap Baby Store