"After months of design and engineering, getting a prototype approved takes at least half a year and costs between $30,000 and $50,000 USD in certifications, according to Wagner. To be certified in both Canada and the U.S. under the new harmonized standard, PFDs are tested by Underwriters Laboratories (UL). By the time a new PFD model hits the shelves, its predecessors have been burned, soaked, overloaded and inspected in dozens of different tests."
The Brutal Science Behind Life Jacket Testing
Inside the load tests, buoyancy tanks and trial by fire required for safety certification
paddlingmag.com
