Check release tablet and gas cartridges
Inflatable life jackets have a release tablet and a gas cartridge. In contact with water, the tablet will make a hole in the gas cartridge, and then the life jacket will be filled with air. To make sure that the life jacket works, you should check this mechanism at least once a year.
Make sure the gas cartridge is seated correctly and has not unscrewed. If you have a precise kitchen scale, you can weigh the cartridge and check that it weighs as much as it is stated to weigh. If everything is in order, screw the cartridge back tightly again. Gas cartridges can unscrew over time. Therefore, check that the cartridge is screwed in every time before use.
Check that the release tablet is not broken, expired, or has been exposed to moisture. The tablet must be replaced at regular intervals. How often the tablets need to be changed varies between different life jackets - follow the instructions provided by the manufacturer. Manufacturers usually recommend changing the tablet annually.
Make sure the life jacket retains air
An inflatable life jacket that does not retain air is not of much help. Before you start the season, it is therefore a good idea to check that the vest is just as intact. Open the cover and use a bicycle pump or similar to inflate the vest. Do not use your own breathing. It creates moisture inside the life jacket.
An inflated life jacket should retain air for 24 hours. Once the test is over, deflate it completely before folding it and into the cover.