APPLEY BRIDGE, UK — October 6, 2025
This week, Northern Diver’s Quality Assurance Team conducted routine tensile load strength testing on a recent production batch of our widely used R-Vests—essential equipment for commercial divers seeking performance, versatility, and safety in a single unit.

The R-Vest, also known in the industry as a "recovery vest," is a CE-certified Category III PPE item and is rigorously tested to ensure compliance with EN 15333-1:2008, in accordance with the PPE Regulation (EU) 2016/425. As a Category III product—intended for high-risk applications such as commercial diving—each production batch of R-Vests undergoes sample tensile testing designed to push components to their maximum rated capacity.

Breaking Point: 1000kg.
Samples from the batch were tested to a 1000kg lifting weight and breaking strain using the two shoulder straps and then two crotch straps, reaffirming the R-Vest’s compliance not only with European PPE regulations but also with industry guidelines from the Association of Diving Contractors International (ADCI) and the International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA).
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“These aren’t tests we take lightly,” said a spokesperson from Northern Diver's Quality Team. “The R-Vest is a lifeline, quite literally. Our batch testing ensures that our products live up to the performance and safety standards divers rely on.” Because this type of testing involves taking samples to their performance limits, only a few units per batch are tested and are not made available for sale. Instead, the tested items are retained internally by the Quality Department as reference pieces, preserving the integrity of the quality assurance process.

The All-in-One Design of the Northern Diver R-Vest has been engineered to streamline diver preparation and improve operational efficiency. Instead of juggling multiple separate pieces of equipment, divers can don the body-hugging one-piece jacket in minutes.

The R-Vest integrates:
- A recovery harness cylinder attachment
- A quick-release weight belt
- Tool attachment points

This consolidation not only saves time but also reduces the potential for equipment misconfiguration. Its front and rear D-ring lifting points, each rated to a 1000kg breaking strength, provide robust anchoring for diver recovery, emergency extractions, or even controlled water entry using davit systems or tag lines.
Designed by Divers, for Divers. Northern Diver’s commitment to continual product refinement and rigorous batch testing reflects the brand’s focus on real-world diver safety. As commercial diving operations evolve, the tools and protective equipment used must keep pace. Northern Diver’s R-Vest is a prime example of engineering innovation meeting industry regulation, ensuring divers remain safe, streamlined, and ready for the job at hand.

For more information on the Northern Diver R-Vest, visit ndiver-commercial/r-vest