Making PFDs has been a dream of Level Six co-founder Stig Larsson for a long time. For 2027, it finally happens, and not quietly: a complete PFD range covering whitewater, sea kayak, touring, and rec, the biggest and hardest design project in company history. Bigger, the team will tell you, than Exhaust Pro.
The design ethos was simple: build PFDs that enhance the paddling experience rather than hinder it. From the premium 70 Newton whitewater and touring builds down to the 50 Newton models, every jacket had to disappear on the body before a single feature or colourway was considered.
That baseline demanded real fits, and the industry’s shrink it and pink it habit wasn’t going to cut it. With certification packages running as high as $75,000 USD per PFD in the US alone, most brands cut corners on women’s sizing. Level Six spent the money instead: the new Halo Fit System delivers uniquely designed men’s and women’s sizes on every model in the line.
Sustainability carries through the whole range: Level Six’s own PVC-free FREEFLOW foam, developed for a premium soft feel and a far kinder production footprint, plus recycled fabrics and zero PFAS. Also worth watching: the Thompson and Mattawa, the first harmonized Level 50 PFDs certified for Canada, the US, and Europe, an entirely new category of barely-there flotation.
Available at dealers in spring 2027.