Which life vest is best for kayaking or paddleboarding?

Paddle-specific vests like the Onyx MoveVent use high-back, ventilated foam panels designed to clear a kayak seat and stay cool, which is why verified-purchase paddlers rate it so highly. For paddleboarding, many reviewers prefer a low-profile inflatable belt pack such as the Onyx M-16 because it stays out of the way of a paddle stroke, though belt packs require you to manually deploy and pull the vest over your head.