BALTIC 150 RACE SL

The Race SL was the smallest lifejacket we tested that met our criteria. Similar in design to the larger Legend lifejacket, it has a fairly long body, with a wellpadded casing and anti-tangle back panel.

IN USE

The Race SL has chest strap adjustment buckles on both sides which pull to the rear and release forwards. A small inspection window is well labelled for checking the firing mechanism and there is a pull toggle for manual inflation as well as automatic firing. The padding was comfortable, although the inflation tube and light assembly inside the lifejacket sat over the collar bone, which could create a pressure point over time.

IN THE WATER

Unsurprisingly given the smaller 150N of buoyancy, the Race came bottom of the field in the rotation test for both Ali and Theo as it created less force to turn a body over. While on their front for this test, Ali and Theo also found that their faces were either in or very close to the water, highlighting the extra buoyancy generated by larger lifejackets. It performed better in the freeboard test, however, coming in the middle of the pack, although getting the straps good and tight beforehand were important for this. Ali found the lifejacket tended to ride up and she felt much less secure in it. Unlike the longer bladder of the other Baltic lifejackets, this had a shorter, higher bladder with more rounded lobes. The standard Baltic hood had a good support arch, but the elastic straps tended to slip off the bladder, and also let spray in.

The back panel is wide and padded which helped prevent twisted straps The Race has a more rounded bladder, making it harder to hook the hood over Adjustable buckles on either side at the front were easy to use

This is one of the few to have a metal tether loop