Bungee Safety Buoy

The Orca Bungee Safety Buoy is a high-visibility orange tow float for open-water swimmers. It sits on an adjustable strap at your waist, keeps you visible even from a long distance or on cloudy days, and carries a watertight compartment for keys, gels or a bottle. An elastic bungee cord prevents the uncomfortable tugging caused by waves, and a safety whistle is built into the buckle.

What it is

A bright orange marker that rides on the surface with you while you swim. It does two jobs at once: its high-visibility orange lets you be seen even from a long distance or on cloudy days, and its watertight compartment gives you somewhere to store the things you would otherwise leave on the sand. The elastic bungee cord prevents the uncomfortable tugging caused by waves.

Who it's for

Swimmers who train outside the flags or away from a pool: dawn squads heading around the headland at Burleigh, lake swimmers at Hinze Dam or Lake Kurwongbah, triathletes putting in open-water kilometres before a race, and anyone swimming a point-to-point who wants their car key to come along. If you only ever swim between the flags at a patrolled beach, you may not need one. It is a visibility and storage aid, not a lifejacket, so swim within your ability and with a buddy where you can.

Key details

• High-visibility orange body, easy to spot from a distance and on overcast days.
• Watertight compartment with a clip closure for keys, gels, a bar or a water bottle.
• Elastic bungee cord that prevents pulling from the waves.
• Safety whistle integrated into the waist buckle.
• Adjustable strap that adapts to the shape of your body so the buoy does not bother you.
• Construction: PVC with a nylon component, 70 % PVC and 30 % polyamide.

Looking after it

Rinse the float and the leash in fresh water after every salt or lake swim, open the compartment so it dries inside, and let it air dry out of direct sun before you store it. Keep sharp items such as keys in a small pouch inside the compartment so they cannot rub through the PVC over time.