About
About SaltProofLab
SaltProofLabhelps saltwater anglers, kayak anglers, boaters and paddlers choose gear with the reasons attached. Salt water wears gear out fast, so we cover the things you replace as much as the things you buy once: sun shirts and sunscreen, dry bags, deck boots, reel oil and anti-corrosion spray alongside life jackets and beacons. Every pick comes with its proof: the label, standard or approval behind it, a check of the CPSC and FDA recall records, and the specs and seller behind the listing. The “lab” in our name means research and verification, not a testing facility.
We do not test products hands-on.Our guides are built from published certifications and standards, regulator data, brand specifications, and verified Amazon listings, and every guide says so. Product cards are marked “From the listing · not tested”. If we ever test a product ourselves, the page will say exactly what we did.
How we research
Labels, standards and approvals
A protection or safety claim on this site names its source: the UPF on the garment's label, the SPF and water-resistance time on the sunscreen's Drug Facts, the IP code on a case, the U.S. Coast Guard approval on a life jacket. We quote a claim as the label or the maker states it, and if a listing claims more than its label supports ("waterproof" with no IP code or maker rating, "sweatproof" sunscreen), we say so.
Recalls
Before a product goes on a list we search CPSC and FDA recall records for it and its maker, and we recheck listed products regularly.
The label and the listing
Sizes, buoyancy, materials and ingredients come from the brand, the label or the listing, and are labelled as the listing's claims.
The seller
We link only to listings sold by Amazon.com or the brand's own store. A product only resellers carry becomes a search link, not a recommendation to buy from them.
The price
Prices come from Amazon, are refreshed twice a day, carry the time they were read, and disappear once they are more than 24 hours old. We never write prices into our own text.
The sources we rely on
- UPF labeling: ASTM D6603 and AATCC TM183
ASTM D6603 sets how UV-protective fabric is labeled in the U.S., using the AATCC TM183 transmittance test. We quote a garment's UPF only as its label or maker states it.
- Skin Cancer Foundation Seal of Recommendation
The foundation's seal for sunscreens and sun-protective fabrics that meet its criteria. We say a product carries the seal only when the foundation or the maker shows it.
- FDA sunscreen rules (21 CFR 201.327)
What a sunscreen label may claim: "broad spectrum", SPF, and "water resistant (40 minutes)" or "(80 minutes)". "Waterproof", "sweatproof" and "sunblock" are not allowed, and we read Drug Facts panels against these rules.
- IEC 60529 ingress protection (IP) codes
The standard behind ratings such as IPX7 and IP68 on phone cases and electronics. A case is "waterproof" on this site only with its IP code or the maker's own stated rating, quoted as written.
- U.S. Coast Guard life jacket approval and labels
Life jackets for boating must be Coast Guard approved, and the newer labels show a performance level and icons instead of the old Type I to V. We read the label, including any wear requirement for inflatables.
- U.S. Coast Guard recreational boating statistics
The Coast Guard's yearly accident report: how boaters drown, whether they wore a life jacket, and where accidents happen. We use it to rank what matters in safety guides.
- U.S. Coast Guard engine cut-off switch rule
Since April 1, 2021, the operator of a boat under 26 feet with 3 or more horsepower and a cut-off switch installed must use the switch link when on plane or above displacement speed. Lanyard and wireless cut-off picks cite it.
- NOAA SARSAT beacon registration
A U.S.-coded 406 MHz beacon, personal locator beacon or EPIRB, must be registered with NOAA by law and re-registered every two years, so rescuers know whose beacon is calling. Beacon guides link the registration page.
- NOAA Fisheries: the DESCEND Act
Anglers fishing for reef fish in Gulf federal waters must carry a venting tool or descending device rigged and ready. Descending-device picks cite NOAA's definitions.
- U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC)
Recalls of coolers, tools, dive, paddle and other consumer gear; the main source for our recall checker.
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration recalls
Sunscreen recalls, including benzene contamination and products that fail their labeled SPF, from FDA announcements and its Enforcement Report; the second source for our recall checker.
Ratings
We do not give star ratings to products we have not tested. A guide explains who each pick suits and why, and the Amazon star average, where we mention it, is labelled as Amazon's.
What gets a product cut
- An open recall on the product, or an unresolved pattern of safety complaints.
- A life jacket sold for boating that carries no U.S. Coast Guard approval, or one whose label limits (age, weight, activity) do not fit the use we would suggest it for.
- Sunscreen labeled "waterproof", "sweatproof" or "sunblock", terms FDA rules do not allow, or water-resistance claims beyond 40 or 80 minutes.
- A UPF, IP or slip-resistance figure that appears only in a listing and nowhere the maker stands behind it.
- No seller we can confirm, or a listing that swaps from one product to another under the same reviews.
Not safety or medical advice
SaltProofLab is a buying guide, not a boating-safety course or a medical resource. Safety and sun-protection information here summarizes public guidance from the organizations above and links to it. Wear a Coast Guard-approved life jacket that fits, check the marine forecast before you go, and take a boating safety course for the water you fish. Ask a doctor or pharmacist about sunscreen if you have a skin condition.
Affiliate disclosure
SaltProofLab is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. When you buy through a link on this site, we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.
Commissions do not influence what we recommend. We do not accept payment or free products for coverage, and brands do not see our articles before they are published.
Amazon prices and images
Prices and product photos on this site come from Amazon through its Creators API. Each price is stamped with the date and time it was read, and prices and photos more than 24 hours old are removed from the page.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.com at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
Corrections policy
We correct errors rather than quietly deleting them. If a fact, a standard, a price or a link is wrong, email us and we will check it against the source within two business days. Corrections are made in the article and its Updated date changes. A new CPSC or FDA recall on a listed product is added to the article as soon as we see it.
Contact
Spotted an error, a recall we missed, or a price that has changed? Email hello@saltprooflab.com and we will look into it.