Took my 1.5-year-old son out on the Trinity River this weekend and he did not enjoy wearing his life jacket. I'm talking almost instant tears and just a general fussiness the majority of the trip. I was curious if anyone here had any tips for this or any brands they recommended.

We currently have this one by Stohlquist:

Stohlquist PFD - Infants' | REI Co-op

He's nearing 30lbs (probably around 27ish at his last dr appt) a few months ago, so it will be time for a new one soon.

I'm hoping as gets a little bit older and can start to communicate better we can explain that it's a necessity of going boating/fishing ("you want to go - you have to wear this" - but that doesn't do too much at his current age). But I also want to keep taking him out before then to hopefully keep him interested and excited about this stuff.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

They make a child size of that same one for 30-50lbs.

https://www.rei.com/product/255496/stohlquist-child-pfd

We used those as they grew out of the infant size.

If he didn't like the infant style of these, he's going to HATE any other brands with head support (a necessity at this age). This brand is by far the most comfortable in this style.

He loves the boat - it's kept at my parents house in their shop. He says "boat" non-stop when we're near it and wants to run around the inside of it, circling the console, hitting the switch for the horn, turning the steering wheel etc. And he was having a great morning right up until the jacket was put on.

That said, it probably wouldn't be a bad idea to have him put it on anytime he gets in the boat at the house to help build some association.

My in-laws have a pool so we could also get some more practice wearing it there.

Good to know - I guess we just need to get in some more practice time with him wearing it to get him more comfortable with it.

grem had some good ideas
also, was it hot out? for kiddos those life jackets can get awfully hot quickly. make sure they are cool and/or wet

I take my grandkids every year to pick out their life jacket . He may be a little young for that. There's no denying that jackets must be miserable to wear in summer heat. We stop the boat and let them jump in to keep cool.

It definitely was a warmer day - I'm sure that was working against us as well.

The HyperLite ones CostCo carries have been great. Dunno about using it with a 1.5 YO or if they make one like that but, 3+ it's a good one.

My kids like the neoprene life jackets like the one body glove makes.

RethinkTheWeekend said:

---

My kids like the neoprene life jackets like the one body glove makes.

---

+1. First one was similar to the OPs, kid absolutely hated it. Wore a cousin's neoprene one and was never really a problem so we got a new one. I think a lot of kids just hate that texture.

I think the one that you have linked pushes the kids heads up too far for them to be comfortable. Both of my kids wear the standard super basic Bass Pro Shops life jackets and never complain.

My kids all absolutely hate the head support ones too so we went with the BodyGloves ones and the Costco ones also but mine are all over 30 pounds now.

Another idea might be to let him decorate it or whatever so it's "his" life jacket. Let him put some stickers or something on it. This seemed to help with my kids, on a weekend that we're taking the boat out they all load up their own lifejackets and fishing poles. For some reason feeling ownership of the item makes them like it more rather than us handing it to them once we're on the boat.

Or maybe you have a special boat "treat" that he knows he'll get if he keeps it on and doesn't complain. We've been freezing some kids yogurt things and giving them to the kids as popsicles on the boat.

bobinator said:

---

My kids all absolutely hate the head support ones too so we went with the BodyGloves ones and the Costco ones also but mine are all over 30 pounds now.

Another idea might be to let him decorate it or whatever so it's "his" life jacket. Let him put some stickers or something on it. Or maybe you have a special boat "treat" that he knows he'll get if he keeps it on and doesn't complain. We've been freezing some kids yogurt things and giving them to the kids as popsicles on the boat.

---

Hang a boat emergency whistle on the jacket. He'll on your ears but makes wearing jacket more tolerable. I'm damn near legally deaf so it works for me. My grands are 7,5,5,3, so been thru it.

I mean, is there no more, "wear it, or get out of the boat?" anymore?

I didn't have a choice, no matter how hot it was or how uncomfortable a kids life jacket was back in the early 90s; if I wanted to fish offshore I knew that stupid thing had to be on.

That works once they're about 3 or 4 but not this young.

Only issue is you have to be ready to actually follow through on it.

Mine are currently 2, 2, and 4, for the record.

OnlyForNow said:

---

I mean, is there no more, "wear it, or get out of the boat?" anymore?

I didn't have a choice, no matter how hot it was or how uncomfortable a kids life jacket was back in the early 90s; if I wanted to fish offshore I knew that stupid thing had to be on.

---

I don't think that works on the 1.5 year old just crying and making your trip miserable...

right. wasn't thinking about them being 1.5

see above.