When should you replace a lifejacket?

• A. It's torn
• B. It's stretched beyond limit
• C. It's faded
• D. It's lost overboard

Answer: (A)

Lifejackets must stay intact to provide buoyancy and keep you afloat. A tear allows water to seep in and can damage the foam inside, reducing buoyant support and the jacket’s ability to keep you face-up in the water. That compromised performance is why a torn lifejacket should be replaced immediately.

Fading or slight stretching doesn’t reliably indicate the jacket will fail in a rescue, although these signs mean you should inspect and consider replacement due to aging or wear. If a lifejacket is lost overboard, you obviously don’t have it to rely on, so you’d replace it with another one, but the immediate safety concern that calls for replacement right away is physical damage like a tear.