A flotation-hydration system to be worn by a user, particularly in a water borne environment, includes a vest assembly dimensioned to at least partially surround the user's upper torso while donned by the user in an operative manner. The vest assembly comprises a plurality of panels securely attached to one another, and a flotation assembly comprising at least one flotation member having a buoyant material of construction disposed in one of the panels of the vest assembly. A hydration support assembly is disposed substantially within the vest assembly and includes a chamber support unit, wherein the chamber support unit is dimensioned and configured to receive a hydration chamber in a supported relation therein. A dispensing tube is routed from the hydration chamber to the front of the vest assembly, for ready access by the user, through a dispensing tube retention channel.

A wetsuit is provided which comprises (a) a first central region comprising a first material and having a first thickness; and (b) a second lateral region comprising a second material and having a second thickness. The buoyancy per unit area of the first region is greater than the buoyancy per unit area of the second region.

A composite fabric comprises perforated expanded low density polyethylene foam that is mechanically attached to two opposing facing layers, at least one of which outer facing layers is a non-woven material. The mechanical attachment of the perforated expanded low density polyethylene foam layer to the outer facing layers may be through stitching or quilting; through adhesive; or through thermal bonding. The composite fabric provides a textile with exceptional buoyancy, cold-resistant and water-resistant properties and which can be easily handled by conventional textile manufacturing processes.

A wetsuit (101) is provided which comprises (a) a first central region (125, 127) comprising a first material and having a first thickness; and (b) a second lateral region comprising a second material and having a second thickness. The buoyancy per unit area of the first region is greater than the buoyancy per unit area of the second region.

The present invention relates to a buoyant swimsuit, and more specifically to a swimsuit, for which the top and bottom portions form a single piece, provided with: a zipper on the front top portion of the swimsuit, moving vertically up and down, so as to facilitate putting on the swimsuit; and buoyancy-generating buoyant member on either side of the zipper on the front top portion of the swimsuit, a part of the back top portion of the swimsuit, and parts of the leg portions on front and back bottom portions of the swimsuit, wherein the buoyant member is formed by sewing a first fabric and a second fabric together, foam being interposed therebetween, and the first fabric and second fabric are made of neoprene. The swimsuit according to the present invention is highly buoyant but does not hinder the movement of a swimmer and is easy to put on, and thus has the benefit of facilitating beginning swimmers or young children in learning to swim. Furthermore, the present invention has the benefit of preventing drowning accidents of poor swimmers such as young children or the disabled.

A system to provide at least partial ultraviolet protection and at least partial buoyancy is provided. The system may include a suit and a flotation vest. The suit may have an integrated first connector and may be configured to at least partially cover a user's torso region and a portion of the user's appendages. The flotation vest may have at least one mating connector to detachably connect the suit and the vest when the integrated first connector and the mating connector are engaged with one another.

The present invention provides a system for the supporting and the containment of a person, which system comprises an inflatable exoskeleton structure, and an inflatable containment structure for said person. The exoskeleton structure is substantially soft and flexible when in the non-inflated condition and is easily worn by the user, and once worn it can be inflated for submersion in water to provide the required buoyancy support to the user. When the inflatable containment structure is in the deflated condition it is completely collapsed and may be contained in a bag or backpack, and when it is in the fully inflated condition it can accommodate and support the injured person therein in a blocked manner by containment means of said person in said containment structure.

A garment to protect against drowning is described includes an item of clothing, an inflatable lung and an inflator. The item of clothing includes a front face intended to cover the abdomen of a user, and a rear face intended to cover the back of the user. The inflatable lung has two abdominal floats connected to each other by a neck portion. The inflator is used to inflate the inflatable lung and is configured to inflate the inflatable lung automatically when the inflator is in contact with water. The front face of the item of clothing includes a receptacle shaped to receive the abdominal floats of the inflatable lung. The receptacle opening out via two openings arranged to allow the inflatable lung to be detachably joined to the item of clothing by insertion of each abdominal float into the receptacle via the respective opening.

A combined pair of hip waders and life vest device is disclosed. The device includes a buoyant upper body cover portion to cover the upper body of a user and includes a right frontal member and a left frontal member. The right frontal member, the left frontal member, and a back member include floatation devices which include detachable buoyant materials for providing buoyancy to a wearer in water. A right shoulder strap and a left shoulder strap extend from the top edges of the right frontal member and the left frontal member, respectively, to the top edge of the back member. A lower body cover portion functions as hip waders and extends below the upper body cover section. The lower body cover section or portion includes a left leg hip wader and a right leg hip wader.

A submarine escape cold weather survival suit includes a facial hood or dome pneumatically connected to a principal body cavity and additional pneumatically connected extensions to fit body extremities and a coverable cranial opening. The structure of the suit includes a layered structure of mechanically interconnected suits within suits. A composite of tear-proof and insulation material forms an internal suit or first envelope that is surrounded by a waterproof suit and then by a tear resistant suit. An optional pneumatic tube may be used.