Is the Upvest the best Inflatable surf vest in the world?

The all-new for 2019 '4 Pull UP Vest' in Black, Cyan or Camouflage (Yellow now sold out) is based on the original 2 Pull design with the addition of a further 2 pulls for those who prefer the knowledge that they have that extra time out on the water should it be required.

This vest has all the elements that made its predecessor Quicksilver Airlift vest so popular:

1. Big front and back bladder,

2. 4 cartridges

3. Mouth inflation

4. Quick dump deflation cord

5. Straps to stay snug

However, the Upvest brings some killer new additions that really take this vest a whole leap further:

How is the Upvest different from Quiksilver’s Highline Airlift Vest or Patagonia’s Personal Surf Inflation?

The Upvest has new features that none of the other inflatable vests for big wave surfing offers:

1. It’s not made from neoprene but from fabric similar to Rugby jerseys. This results in a; lightweight, extremely durable vest. You can move freely and because it barely absorbs water, it stays lightweight.

2. You can print on it. The manufacturer offers a custom model in which you can develop your own design and get a fully custom vest, in the look that you design. This makes it a great option for sponsors, team riders, or special events.

3. You can choose the size of the Co2 cartridge thread: 3/8” or 1/2”. This is great because it’s hard to find the Co2 canisters as it is and since the USA mostly uses 3/8” and Europe uses 1/2” it can be hard to find the right canister for the traveling surfer. Having the option to choose the cartridge thread is a great benefit for the traveling surfer.

How it works:

The inflation system is controlled by pulling one of the control tabs situated of the chest; this activates the connected Co2 cylinders and thus inflates the lung. There is an oral inflation tube located high on the chest on the right-hand side that can be accessed by the wearer and buoyancy can be added without activating the Co2 supply. There is a dump valve tab located on the left-hand side above the hip that can be used to regulate the vests buoyancy and the dump valve also acts as an overfill pressure release should both cylinders be accidentally activated simultaneously.

Technical details:

The outer vest is manufactured in the United Kingdom from a four-way stretch material that is unique to the water sports safety world, manufactured for use in the incredibly tough world of full-contact field sports.

The most important element the inflation system is again manufactured in the United Kingdom by our specialist manufacturing partner SeaSafe who has over half a century of experience in design and production of life vests and other safety at sea products.

The inflatable lung that gives the Blue Soup UP Vest its buoyancy has been specially designed to give the maximum amount of lift (for those technically minded over 100 Newtons worth) and to keep the wearer afloat in a head back position. The lung design has been thoroughly tested and can withstand pressures over and above the industry standard (20-22 psi), in fact, we have tested the production lung and it exceeded the industry standard by 6 psi!

Choose your thread:

Depending on where in the world you are Surfing,  SUP’ing, or on the water we are aware that there are sometimes difficulties sourcing Co2 refills for your Blue Soup UP or SUP Vest (as the cylinders are available with different thread sizes 1/2” or 3/8”). So with this in mind, the team at Blue Soup has decided to give you the customer the option to chose which size works best for where you. So when you order you’re UP or SUP Vest make sure you check the box that indicates the size thread you would like on your inflation head.

How to order a Big Wave Surfing Inflation Upvest?

You are ordering your UP Vest on the understanding that it can take up to 6 weeks to produce to order in the UK. We always endeavor to beat this timescale and will keep you updated with tracking orders. 

Please Note that your UP Vest is not delivered with Co2 cylinders due to restrictions in some countries with shipping. We recommend you purchase your cylinders from a reputable supplier in your area.

Sizing Guide

Fit is a personal preference, and as the UP Vest can be worn on its own or over a wetsuit or impact vest, we recommend that you refer to the sizing chart and take the following guidelines into account. 

If you intend wearing the UP Vest over a wetsuit or impact vest, you may want to go up a size, but depending on the environment and the size and power of the surf, you may wish the UP Vest to be super tight; this is a personal preference.  

If on receiving your UP Vest it really doesn't fit, we can exchange the outer vest only if you send it back to us. (Please note - we will supply the exchange vest for free, but you will be responsible for paying any charge for postage and packing from your destination back to us).  

 Chest Measurement  (in inches)

Size Chest Measurement (in inches)

S/M_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 38" to 40"

M/L _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 40" to 42"

L/XL _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _42" to 44" 

XL/2XL _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 44" to 46"

Other big wave inflation vest