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Onyx Inflatable Life Jacket: Impulse A/M-33

Editor's Report by Eric Colby

Onyx Inflatable Life Jacket

The A/M stands for automatic or manual only and when it comes to features on this life jacket, they are just the beginning.

The Onyx Impulse A/M-33 All Clear Inflatable Life Jacket is designed to provide comfort, safety and peace of mind for wearers. It converts from automatic to manual-only and has multiple adjustment points to accommodate wearers of various sizes.

Comfort Focused

For starters, to improve comfort for the wearer, the neck is lined with soft neoprene foam. The front zipper is mounted low on the life jacket for a low-profile fit and the V-shaped back is designed for comfort and faster donning. The body belt is 1.5” (3.81 cm) wide so it will stay put and not be too intrusive. Extended sizing fits a chest up to 65” (165.1 cm).

Contact areas are made out of an air mesh and there are locks to manage excess webbing when a thinner person wears it. For inflation, the Secure Pull clips to the jacket and allows for quick release when pulled. The Quickburst zipper opens upon inflation and is easy to repack.

The feeling of relief a wearer gets when she falls overboard and the life jacket automatically inflates is priceless.

The Impulse A/M-33 can also be purchased with a sailing harness.

On the outside, the Impulse A/M-33 has a protective cover made of 400 denier nylon oxford and 500 denier Cordura. A hanging loop makes it easy to dry and for added safety, a marine whistle comes with the jacket.

Defender carries the full line of Onyx inflatable lifejackets, which you can view here.

Accessories to consider include the below re-arming kit with a new 33-gram CO2 cartridge and a water-soluble bobbin.