Health · England
Choosing flotation equipment
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Different equipment does different jobs.
Ask for help choosing what is right for you.
Explain your activity
Tell the teacher or provider what you will do.
Explain what help you need.
Learning aids
Floats, noodles and armbands can help during lessons.
They are not lifesaving equipment.
Inflatable toys
Do not take inflatable toys into open water.
Wind can carry them away.
Buoyancy aids
A buoyancy aid helps you float.
It does not turn an unconscious person face-up.
Lifejackets
Lifejackets have different designs and limits.
Ask which type suits you and the activity.
Check the fit
Ask someone qualified to check the size and fastenings.
Follow the instructions for every strap.
Look after equipment
Check for damage before use.
Follow the maker’s instructions for checks and servicing.
Tow floats
A tow float helps people see a swimmer.
Do not assume it is lifesaving equipment.
Keep your safety plan
Equipment does not replace supervision or prevent every drowning.
Agree how to call for help.
For a water emergency, call 999.
What you can do next
Ask for equipment advice and an agreed safety plan.
Read RNLI flotation equipment guidance Web pageThis link opens another website.
It may use harder words.
More useful links
- RNLI: lifejackets and buoyancy aids Web page
Choose equipment for the activity, understand its limits and maintain it.
- RYA: lifejackets and buoyancy aids Web page
Fit, operation, condition and manufacturer instructions.
- Swim England: adult swimming aids Web page
Examples of teaching aids for swimming lessons, not lifesaving devices.
- RNLI: Float to Live Web page
Learn the survival skill separately from choosing equipment.
These links open other websites.
They may use harder words.
Flotation equipment: swimming aids, buoyancy aids and lifejackets
Understand different flotation equipment, its limits and how to get help choosing and using it.
Adults · England · Plan access and safety around individual needs
Start with the activity and the person
Ask the swimming teacher, activity provider or a knowledgeable specialist supplier what equipment is suitable. Explain swimming ability, the activity, clothing and any support needs affecting movement or using the equipment. A familiar product name or an online picture cannot establish suitability. The person should be involved in choosing equipment they can use comfortably and safely.
Swimming lesson aids and toys
Floats, noodles, kickboards and armbands may help with supported learning or practice. They are not lifesaving devices and do not make a non-swimmer safe without appropriate supervision. A teacher should explain how and when to use them. Inflatable rings and airbeds can drift away in wind; keep inflatable toys out of open water.
What a buoyancy aid does
A buoyancy aid provides extra support to float. A level-50 aid is generally intended for swimmers in sheltered water where help is nearby and the wearer can help with their own rescue. It is not designed to turn an unconscious person face-up. It may be suitable for some water sports, but must not be treated as equivalent to a lifejacket.
What a lifejacket does
Lifejackets are designed to provide greater survival support, but performance differs between types. Do not assume every model will always turn every wearer face-up; clothing, fit and conditions matter. Some contain foam; others inflate automatically or need the wearer to activate them. Ask which design fits the activity and the person’s ability to use it, including if they become unconscious.
Fit, fastenings and individual support
Use the manufacturer’s size and weight guidance and have the fit checked. Follow instructions for straps, buckles and any required crotch straps. Do not leave them loose or alter the product yourself. Explain any sensory, posture or movement needs to the provider. Arrange an appropriate supervised familiarisation session rather than testing unfamiliar equipment alone in open water.
Check condition and maintenance
Inspect equipment before use for damage and follow the manufacturer’s checking, servicing and replacement schedule. Inflatable lifejackets need correctly maintained inflation components as well as intact fabric and fastenings. Ask a competent service provider if you are unsure. A second-hand item or borrowed jacket still needs the correct fit, suitability and reliable condition.
Tow floats have limits
A brightly coloured tow float helps others see an open-water swimmer and may provide something to hold. It is not a replacement for a suitable lifejacket, swimming ability or supervision. Do not rely on a tow float as lifesaving equipment unless it is specifically tested for that purpose and used exactly as instructed. Follow the venue’s equipment rules.
Keep skills and an emergency plan
Equipment is one part of a safe activity plan. Agree supervision and how to call for help. RNLI Float to Live teaches a survival response if you get into difficulty; it is a skill, not a product. Practise with appropriate supervision. For a water emergency call 999, asking for the Coastguard at the coast or Fire and Rescue inland.
Words you could use
“Please explain which equipment suits me and this activity, check the fit, and show me and my supporter how to use it.”
More useful links
- RNLI: lifejackets and buoyancy aids Web page
Choose equipment for the activity, understand its limits and maintain it.
- RYA: lifejackets and buoyancy aids Web page
Fit, operation, condition and manufacturer instructions.
- Swim England: adult swimming aids Web page
Examples of teaching aids for swimming lessons, not lifesaving devices.
- RNLI: Float to Live Web page
Learn the survival skill separately from choosing equipment.
These links open other websites.
They may use harder words.
Where the information comes from
Links checked 9 November 2026.
These links open other websites.
They may use harder words.
- RNLI: lifejackets and buoyancy aids Web page
Differences between buoyancy levels, lifejacket performance and the importance of suitable fit.
- RYA: lifejackets and buoyancy aids Web page
Activity-specific selection, activation, fastenings, checks and servicing.
- Swim England: adult swimming aids Web page
Floats and noodles as aids for adult learning and practice.
- Swim England: Adult Swimming Framework Web page
Individual assessment and supervised learning at a suitable pace.
- RLSS UK: beach safety Web page
Keep inflatable toys out of open water.
- RLSS UK: safer open-water swimming Web page
Tow-float limitations and following venue equipment requirements.
- RNLI: Float to Live Web page
Floating as a survival skill and practising safely.
- RLSS UK: summer water safety Web page
Calling the appropriate emergency service for inland or coastal water.