REASONS TO BUY
Accommodating sizing
Large armholes
Great price
Lightweight
REASONS TO AVOID
No pockets
Top strap hard to tighten
Torso length too big for smaller paddlers
Stohlquist Fit Review
A super adjustable, surprisingly comfortable option that's simple and easy to wear
The Stohlquist Fit is one of few universally sized PFDs that actually manages to be comfortable for a wide range of sizes.
Credit: Maggie Brandenburg
RELATED: Best Life Jackets of 2024
Our Verdict
The Stohlquist Fit is a noticeably high-value product, offering decent fit and mobility for a bargain price. This is a great bet if you want to get out on the water without denting your bank account. The jacket is adjustable for a wide range of sizes, though some smaller users found the torso a bit long when sitting down in a kayak. The Fit has no extra features — don't expect pockets, reflective trim, or attachment points — but it is a functional and highly affordable option for getting out on the water safely and is suitable for a wide range of watersport activities. Our review of life jackets shows how it stacks up versus competing products.
Compare to Similar Products
 This Product
Stohlquist Fit | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awards |  Great Value for a Universal Vest | Best Bang for Your (Paddling) Buck | |||
| Price | $45 List $44.99 at Amazon | $70.93 at REI Compare at 3 sellers | $45 List $51.11 at Amazon | $35 List $23.99 at Amazon | $30 List $15.84 at Amazon |
Overall Score  |
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| Star Rating | |||||
| Bottom Line | Surprisingly comfortable, this super adjustable high mobility jacket is straightforward and functional | A comfortable, easy to wear paddle jacket with a high value | This is a nice feeling life jacket that adjusts easily and is flexible, but the armholes are too small for rigorous paddling | While it isn't fancy, this life vest is solidly functional and will accommodate a fairly wide range of sizes | A cheap jacket that is wearable but not the most comfortable |
| Rating Categories | Stohlquist Fit | NRS Vapor | O'Neill Superlite USCG | Stearns Adult Classic | Onyx General Purpose |
| Fit (30%) | |||||
| Comfort and Mobility (25%) | |||||
| Quality of Construction (20%) | |||||
| Features and Versatility (15%) | |||||
| Flotation (10%) | |||||
| Specs | Stohlquist Fit | NRS Vapor | O'Neill Superlite USCG | Stearns Adult Classic | Onyx General Purpose |
| Intended User | Unisex | Unisex | Men's/Unisex | Unisex | Unisex |
| Manufacturers Stated Intended Use | Paddling, general boating | Paddling | Waterskiing, wakeboarding, and powered watercraft | Recreational | General Purpose |
| Entry Style | Front clip | Pull over; side entry,1 side clip | Front clip | Front clip | Front clip |
| Wear Type | Vest | Vest | Vest | Vest | Vest |
| Sizes Available | Youth (50-90 lbs) Youth L/Adult XS (75-125 lbs, 27-33" chest) Universal (30-52") Adult XL (48-60") |
XS/M (30-42") L/XL (42-52") XL/XXL (50-56") |
S (33-36") M (37-40") L (41-44") XL - 3XL Women's |
Universal (30-52") Oversized (52-62") |
Universal Oversize |
| Size We Tested | Universal (30-52") | XS/M (30-42") | M (37-40") | Universal (30-52") | Universal |
| Measured Weight | 13 oz | 28 oz | 19 oz | 16 oz | 15 oz |
| Foam Type | PE foam | Ultra soft foam | PE foam | PE foam | Not specified |
| Main Material | 200D nylon shell | 400D nylon shell, 200D nylon liner | Coated polyester | 200D nylon | Nylon oxford fabric |
| Claimed Designed Buoyancy | 16 to 18 lb | 16.3 lb | No rating provided | No rating provided | 15.5 lb minimum |
| USCG Classification | Type III | Type III | Type III | Type III | Type III |
Show full specification details ▼Hide full specification details ▲
Our Analysis and Test Results
The Stohlquist Fit is a unisex, USCG-approved Type III flotation jacket. We tested the adult universal size, designed to provide between 16-18 pounds of flotation to users at least 90 pounds with chest sizes 30-52 inches. Three torso straps provide adjustability designed to suit various body shapes and sizes. The Fit life vest does not have any special frills but is intended to be an affordable jacket for a wide range of water-based activities, including personal watercraft use, paddle sports, and for use on towables.
Performance Comparison
This life jacket isn't fancy, but it's comfortable and affordable and fits the bill for basic watersports.
Credit: Sara James
Fit
The three torso straps on the Stohlquist Fit offer a very wide range of adjustability, enabling users of significantly different body sizes to alter the jacket to provide a secure fit around their body. In addition to the universal size we tested, which is designed for 30-52 inch chests, Stohlquist makes this model in Youth (50-90 pounds), Youth L/Adult XS (75-125 pounds, 27-33 inch chest), and Adult XL (48-60 inches).
The Fit lacks adjustability in the shoulder straps, which resulted in it sticking up by some people's ears, especially when swimming. Also, unlike many other jackets that can be adjusted from the sides, the Fit has its adjustment points positioned on the front of the jacket. This creates an awkward angle and only a little range of motion from which you can tighten the jacket. The top strap is particularly difficult to tighten for smaller paddlers. When wearing the Fit, it is much easier to just ask a friend to tighten the jacket for you.
Kayakers did not complain about under arm chaffing when wearing the Fit.
Credit: Sara James
Comfort and Mobility
The Fit was more comfortable than we had anticipated. With help from a friend, you can get a good fit on the torso adjustment straps, securing the panels comfortably to your body. The thinner panels comfortably wrap around the lower truck with no sharp edges. There are also plenty of loops for you to tuck any excess strap behind, helping to avoid the discomfort of flapping straps. The wide arm openings provide a fantastic range of movement. For larger paddlers, this PFD was particularly comfortable compared to some other models we tested due to the lack of a zipper and stellar adjustability.
The length of the torso and lack of adjustability on the shoulder straps means some paddlers ended up with the top of the life jacket sticking up into their ears. This is particularly bothersome when sitting down in a kayak, floating, or swimming in the water. The Stolquist Fit is not the most comfortable jacket to swim long distances in either. The jacket doesn't do a great job of moving with you and feels bulky when swimming any distance.
The adjustable sides easily expand to accommodate paddlers with a larger waist.
Credit: Cheyenne Summer
Quality of Construction
This PFD does not have the highest level of construction we've seen from Stohlquist. This is definitely one of their most basic offerings. When wearing this jacket directly against the skin, you can feel all the seams that line it. We have read quite a few reports of this jacket fraying at these seam lines. In addition, the nylon shell outlining is not as durable as some of the ripstop materials on other jackets. If you were to scrape past a sharp tree, you might rip this material.
That being said, during multiple rounds of testing, we have had no issues with this life jacket fraying, tearing, or breaking in any way. The buckles all function as you would expect, though they do seem slightly cheaper than buckles on many of the other jackets we tested.
A straightforward life vest designed to simply get you out on the water safely.
Credit: Sara James
Features and Versatility
The Fit is designed to be suitable for a wide range of activities, including personal watercraft use, paddle sports, towables, and general boating. However, the long torso does not make it great for sitting inside a kayak for long distances, especially if you are wearing a spray skirt.
This is a minimalistic jacket with none of the bells or whistles offered by some of the more expensive options. There are no zippers, pockets, reflective trim, or attachment points, and there is just a simple hanging loop on the back. The Fit's key is its simplicity and value. If you are looking for more features, you will likely have to spend a bit more money.
Although we are impressed with how well the body of the jacket can be fitted to the torso of different sizes users, the lack of shoulder adjustability brought the Fit's score down in this metric.
Credit: Sara James
Flotation
The Fit is reported to provide between 16-18 pounds of flotation. During our in-house flotation testing, this PFD was one of the top scorers out of all the jackets reviewed. The flotation is evenly distributed between the front and back panels, with some wrapping around the sides. Keep in mind, though, that this jacket is not designed to turn an unconscious person upright in the water.
Some people find that the nonadjustable shoulder straps feel a bit awkward when floating in the water as the shoulders of the jacket are prone to float up above the users' ears.
It is hard to get a tight close on the top buckle, this is best done with the assistance of a friend.
Credit: Cheyenne Summer
Should You Buy the Stohlquist Fit?
This product stands out for its value. Coming in at less than half the price of some of our higher-scoring jackets, this jacket is enough to get you out on the water safely for an afternoon of fun. Its wide range of adjustability also adds to its value, as it can be adapted to fit different users. If you are expecting to be on the water frequently or for multiple seasons, it may be worth considering investing in a model with more durability, a better fit, and more features. But if your needs are simple and occasional, this is a great choice.
The Stohlquist is is more adjustable than we expected and delivers adequate performance and an affordable price.
Credit: Sara James
What Other Life Jackets Should You Consider?
If you expect to wear your PFD frequently, particularly for activities involving lots of movement, consider a more fitted life jacket such as the Astral YTV 2.0 or NRS Ninja. With larger armholes and a more pro-movement cut, these jackets offer extra freedom of movement and are popular with kayakers and sailors. If you expect to be in sheltered, calm waters, an inflatable waist belt PFD such as the NRS Zephyr may meet your needs more comfortably.
—Sara James
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