NP Surf Rise Side Zip Impact Vest

I was looking around for a product like this after a close call and finally found it. I surf on the North shore of Oahu and wiped out on a nice size wave. My surf leash snapped and I started swimming for my board. While trying to retrieve my board, I pretty much faced everything that I could encounter that session- strong winds, a strong current, a very high tide (usually half way in to shore, I can touch the bottom, but this particular day, I had to swim almost all the way to shore to touch the bottom) a strong rip that took me for a ride away from the shoreline for couple of minutes before releasing me. I finally reached the shoreline with no sign of my board. I finally found my board that was located in the next bay! At this point I had realized that I came really close to not surviving this surf session!After surfing for over 40 years, I had told myself to look for something that I could use that wasn't combersome, was comfortable and something that would keep me safe! I finally found it! This suit is very comfortable, well padded, and floats me very well. With this suit, I can still duck dive with a board. Sizing- I'm a retired firefighter, 5'11", 190 lbs., size 34 waist, and ordered a size "L" that fits me perfectly! (Vest is snug when dry, fits perfectly when wet!) This suit allows me to surf longer due to the excellent amount of padding in the chest area and excellent cut at the arms area for full movement of both arms while paddling, with no rubbing or chafing at all! This impact suit now gives me the peace of mind that I needed! Thank you for a great product, NP!

This is a very well designed and low profile impact vest that provides sufficient buoyancy to make a difference in big surf. Living in Hawaii, I was looking for an impact vest that would help me pop up a little faster when pulled under by 10 - 15 foot waves. I've seen other paddlesurfers in the lineup wear the Patagonia vest, but that one looked way too bulky for me. That's why I decided to go with the NP Surf Rise which is significantly more streamlined. Even though the padding isn't as bulky as the Patagonia vest, it still provides very good buoyancy in the water. One last thing, the vest fits snug and does not restrict your paddling motion at all. It is hardly noticeable and keeps you warm in the water.

I bought this specifically for surfing and because I have a years old Xyphoid Process injury which causes my Xyphoid bone to protrude. This makes surfing beyond a single full day, next to impossible. After six straight hours of paddling, the pain from the Xyphoiid/Chest injury is beyond description; it's really *that* bad. I need at least seven days of recovery before surfing again as the chest irritation/pain is too much.So on a whim, needing some sort of chest protection, I tried this vest. I'm 160lbs, muscular build and 5'10" tall. Pretty average, very athletic build, maybe 13% body fat. And so I tried the medium....At first, the fit was just a wee bit too snug ... nothing extreme but certainly on the tighter side. One thing I can say though ... the chest padding *completely* removed my injury from the equation ... the padding is such that the Xyphoid process area of my chest never even touches the deck when paddling (YES!!!!)....Realizing I didn't need the side and back pads, I cut small openings on the inside of the vest and removed all of these. Removing these side and back pads gave me just the amount of room I needed and now the vest fits absolutely perfect and it only has the pads in the front.It's seriously changed my surfing game in regards to this horrible Xyphoid injury of mine. So a hundred dollar vest versus a $7000 Xyphoidechtomy? No brainer ....Nice product.

It's held up very well over the last season. Very to to have when learning to foil. I appreciate the slight flotation and the fact that it does not impede movement. Does not impact body dragging much either which can sometimes be a problem with lifepreserver-type flotation. Would have been nice if it had a pocket for storage of small item like keys or granola bar.

Fits great for me, as soon as it's on me, I forget I am wearing it. I don't feel it at all when I ride, which makes it perfectly ideal.Help for floating even if not a flotation device and gives a great protection for chocks, including the sides.I highly recommend it!

I love this vest I use it as back up floatation when surf gets big in case my leash breaks I have a little assistance to swim,. also im able to dive under to avoid the breaks and whitewater,it has just the right amount of float. all my friends have ordered one from Amazon also.

I saw some good reviews on this product that were for surfing. I also surf North Shore , Hawaii and I really like this vest . It just gives a comfort to know it will aid in getting to the surface after a wipe out and it gives some protection from a board or fins that may hit you in turbulence. I acclimated quickly to paddling with it but it may affect duck diving a little bit. If you surf...you might consider trying this vest as another piece of equipment for safety. Keep charging 🤙

This is a great vest for sports requiring a waist or seat harness. I use it for kite surfing and have taken multiple falls with no issues. The plastic zipper is also a plus as the salt content in our water is pretty high and ate my last Impact Vest's hardware.