Flotation & Backpacks

The purpose of flotation is to keep your head above the water if you take an unplanned swim. Three types of flotation are popular among skaters, so pick one, two or all three:
1. Wear a drysuit, which has built-in flotation.
2. Wear a PFD (personal flotation device) - see two options on the right.
3. Wear a backpack containing a full set of dry clothes sealed in an airtight plastic bag or ‘dry bag’ for buoyancy.
Backpacks
The long-standing tradition in Sweden is to wear a backpack designed specifically for ice skating, thereby making a PFD or drysuit unnecessary. A skating backpack such as the Lundhags Gero 35 has the following features:
1. It’s large enough to hold food, water, a puffy down parka to wear during your lunch break on the ice, and a dry bag containing a complete change of clothes. This dry bag (or plastic trash bag) serves as your flotation if you go swimming.
2. An outside mesh pocket that’s deep enough to hold your throw bag (Nordic lifeline). Your throw bag needs to be easy to reach in an emergency.
3. A leg strap or crotch strap that secures the backpack low down on your body so it will support you with its buoyancy if you take a swim. In contrast, a backpack that’s not secured at the bottom could be worse than useless if it floats up over your head and forces your head underwater.