NRS Ninja UL Certified PFD

Designed for athletic performance, the NRS Ninja PFD is the ultimate low-profile jacket for paddlers of all persuasions. We've concentrated all the flotation into a smaller surface area for unbeatable range of motion, so the Ninja stays out of your way and off your mind.
The Ninja is a Type III, low-profile life jacket designed with 16.3 pounds of flotation and carries the US Coast Guard Certification, through testing by Underwriters Laboratories (UL).

NRS Ninja PFD Review by AQ Outdoors

The NRS Ninja is a super low profile PFD designed with whitewater paddling in mind. However, it can double as a touring PFD or a PFD for those with lower seat backs as it doesn't really work great with kayaks with higher seat backs.

NRS Ninja PFD Fit and Features

It's super easy to put on and super easy to adjust. It has two straps for the body and a strap for each shoulder as well. It does have a little bit of storage in the front – just a small storage pocket. It's enough for a small cell phone in a waterproof bag or some snacks.

I've been using the Ninja for about 10 years or so now and I primarily use it as a freestyle PFD. The design allows a great range of motion, and I find there's no tripping points or resistance points when I'm freestyle paddling, which is fantastic.

I do find I'm a little bit in between the sizes. There's a small-medium, and then it goes large-extra large. There is also a double extra large.

The large-extra large fits me great. The small-medium fits me OK but there's not quite enough adjustment in it. There's a little bit of additional strap here in the large-extra large. For reference I'm 5’9, a 165 - 170 lbs.

Being in Alberta, Canada we have pretty cold Springs and cold Falls for paddling. A really nice feature of the NRS Ninja is the fleece lined hand warmer in between the two layers of foam, which is really, really nice.

Extra Considerations

I guess one of the downsides of the Ninja, if you are looking for an all-in-one PFD, is it doesn't have rescue functionality built into it. The NRS Zen is the rescue PFD version, which is not quite as low profile. They're quite different PFDs.

One other thing to be aware of for Canadian boaters is that the Ninja, as of 2022, is not Canadian Coast Guard approved. So if you were on a national park permitted trip, you could potentially run into issues there. But for regular paddling, it is US Coast Guard approved.

It's got the stamp of safety that NRS expects of all of their PFDs

NRS Ninja PFD Summary

So in summary, I think the Ninja is a fantastic whitewater boating PFD. It's super comfortable, has cozy hand warmers, really adjustable, super easy to get into. Thanks so much for checking out our review of the NRS Ninja whitewater kayak PFD!

Features

• Soft PVC-free foam panels are shaped for comfort and the floating front panel follows your movements and doubles as a handwarmer on chilly days.
• AirMesh fabric on shoulder straps and inner panels provide ventilation throughout the jacket.
• Side-entry with six adjustment points for a customizable fit.
• Redesigned front clamshell pocket features internal organization for essentials and the dual-entry zippers create a frosty-beverage-compatible pocket.
• Features a lash tab and strap garages.
• The Ninja is a great option for adults with short torsos or petite kiddos who have grown out of youth jackets' weight range.
• The Ninja is a Type III, low-profile life jacket designed with 16.3 pounds of flotation and carries the US Coast Guard Certification, through testing by Underwriters Laboratories (UL).

Specifications

Sizing

Video