Astral Ringo Life Jacket PFD for Whitewater, Sea, Tour, and Stand Up Paddle Boarding, Basalt Black, Medium/Large

You ordered this for my son who is 5’9 and 130 pounds. We got him the large. we have to strap it all the way down. but otherwise it fits him well. It’s yellow and black and it’s vibrant. We also love it it has pockets!

SO happy to find an all black PFD! Fits well, without being bulky. Great for rafting and float trips.

Looks good. Fit Good. Works great.

I started kayaking recently and needed a quality PFD. Knowing nothing about PFDs and what brands are good for kayaking, I started researching and reading a billion reviews on various paddling sites, etc. Astral, of course, was frequently mentioned as a top contender. I eventually settled on the Ringo and I have not been disappointed.Sizing was a bit of a guessing game because that is not anywhere nearly as simple as sizing guides on PDFs would have you believe. But I guessed pretty well on the first try.I'm 5' 6" tall. Wear a mens large shirt, as a rule. Chest is 41". My waist (not pant size) is about 40". Pant size is a 38. I weigh 160 lbs. NOT an athletic build, unless couch surfing is a sport. I bought the medium/large.At first I thought it was too small and almost returned it, but I felt like the next size up was going to be huge. I don't tend to buy things with the idea that I will lose weight and get into them, but I am going in the shrinking direction, so I decided to keep it, not really knowing how tight PFDs are supposed to be.Well, turns out that cinching them down on yourself, just short of squeezing yourself in half, is about right. Shouldn't be too tight and restrict breathing, hurt you, or cut off circulation. But it has to be tight enough not to pop off over your head or into your face when you hit the water.I do find that this tends to ride up a little when paddling, partly because my seat back pushes it up. It does not have back panel that is cut away or thin for kayak seats. (Some do.) So it is bulky in the back. That said, it is definitely not too big, and if I get it cinched down well on the sides, it pretty much stays put.The quality is great. I have zero complaints. It's totally worth the price tag.My one real piece of advice to people not well-versed in PFDs, in hindsight, is to go into a store and get some professional advice about fit. Try some on. Get some feedback. Think about what you want to wear the PFD over. I'm not sure this one is going to go over a wetsuit or a dry suit, for example. Summer time, it's great.But I really like Astral products so far. I bought two of their dog floatation vests and they are AWESOME. My dogs bob like corks in them, so if they go over the side of the kayak, they are well supported and the great buoyancy helps get them back into the kayak. Highly recommend their dog life jackets.If I need other PFDs for various conditions, my first stop will be Astral again.