I tend to teeter between being able to buy off the rack and having to special order my clothes; it's just the reality when you're 6 feet, 5 inches tall. When the summer kicked off and I was in need of a new life jacket, my first stop was to the Big & Tall section at Bart's Water Sports. The Indiana-based company has a nice selection of life jackets that are 3 inches longer than other jackets, which was exactly what I was looking for.
In the end I went with a Connelly Big/Tall Men's NEO life jacket with oversized armholes. The Men's NEO is a value-priced vest ($79.99) ranging from 2XL to 5XL and includes a traditional front zip closure for easy entry/exit with two adjustable belts for fine tuning the fit.
Bart's was founded in 1972 by Bart Culver and this marine retailer is your one-stop shop for watersports equipment and accessories. You don't have to be a big guy like me to find the right life jacket here either, as the selection of all-sized life jackets is amazing. However, it is nice to know they've got me covered too.
Gear 94
Style 19/20
Function 47/50
Comfort 10/10
Design 9/10
Price 9/10
www.barts.com
