The Mustang Type III is the only youth life jacket PS tested that featured a quick-grab strap on the vest’s collar.

Mustang, Stearns, and Sospenders have top-quality youth size vests that provide buoyancy well beyond the regulations, but they are expensive.

Parents with young kids will do whatever it takes to shield them from the dangers inherent in the boating world. We think one of the easiest and most effective things a parent can do to protect their child from the No. 1 on-the-water hazard, drowning, is to make sure their youngster wears a personal flotation device.

Most states have laws that require children to wear life jackets. Depending on the state, the laws may apply to children of certain ages, boats of certain sizes, or other criteria. To learn about…