What Switlik does

Switlik is a family-owned safety and survival equipment manufacturer headquartered in Trenton, New Jersey, established in 1920 and continuously operated by the same family for over 100 years. The company designs and builds life rafts, constant-wear life vests, helicopter life preservers, man overboard modules, anti-exposure suits, helicopter dry suits, and customizable dry suits, serving four primary verticals: marine, aviation, military, and search & rescue. Its portfolio is anchored on FAA Technical Standard Order certifications (TSO-c13D, TSO-c13DJCABUKCAA, TSO-C70a Type II) and U.S. military National Stock Numbers (NSN 4220-01-562-5490 on the LPU-41/P HESP for the U.S. Marine Corps), with proprietary design features including a fully reversible U-shaped ISPLR, a convertible canopy system, an X-Back ergonomic vest construction, heat-sealed raft assembly, and a redundant three-layer inflation chamber.

The product portfolio combines flagship catalog SKUs sold at transparent unit prices — X-Back MOLLE at $519, X-Back Basic at $489, ISPLR from $1,699, and accessories from $30.99 to $75.99 — with contract-priced, made-to-order configurations for government and enterprise buyers. All products are built to order with lead times that vary by availability and volume, and the CPR coastal raft and OPR offshore raft are quoted on request, indicating a build-to-order manufacturing operation rather than high-volume production.

Switlik runs a hybrid go-to-market: direct e-commerce through a Shopify storefront targets SMB and individual leisure-marine and private-aviation buyers, while an authorized dealer network handles regional distribution, installation, and the 2-year TBO (vest) and 5-year service-interval (raft) recertification workflows that create recurring revenue. Marketing combines organic social (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube), content (blog/news), email newsletter, and trade-show presence (notably FDIC International), with a sales-led motion directed at enterprise and government accounts including the U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Coast Guard.

Name

Switlik

Legal name

SWITLIK SURVIVAL PRODUCTS

Website

https://switlik.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1920

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Switlik is a family-owned manufacturer (founded 1920, Trenton, NJ) of life rafts, life vests, anti-exposure suits, and helicopter dry suits serving marine, aviation, military, and search & rescue markets via direct e-commerce and a certified dealer/service network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Aviation and Marine Safety Equipment

NAICS

Search, Detection, Navigation, Guidance, Aeronautical, and Nautical System and Instrument Manufacturing (334511)

SIC

Aircraft Parts & Auxiliary Equipment, Nec (3728)

akta.pro primary industry

Life-Saving Appliances & Safety Equipment (Davit Systems, Lifeboats, Firefighting) (IMAJAIAG)

Keywords

• Aviation life vests
• Inflatable life rafts
• Marine safety equipment
• Anti-exposure suits
• Military survival gear

Headquarters

HQ city

Trenton

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Safety Equipment Sales: Direct sales of safety and survival products including life rafts, life vests, anti-exposure suits, and helicopter dry suits through e-commerce storefront and dealer network. Products are made to order with varying lead times based on availability and order volume.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Switlik manufactures life-saving safety and survival equipment including inflatable life rafts (ISPLR, CPR, OPR), constant-wear aviation life vests (X-Back MOLLE and X-Back Basic), military life preservers (LPU-41 HESP), man overboard modules (MOM-8S), anti-exposure suits, and helicopter dry suits for aviation, marine, military, and search & rescue markets. All products are made to order with FAA TSO approvals and U.S. military NSN designations, and distributed through direct e-commerce and an authorized dealer network.

Product overview

Switlik is a family-owned safety and survival equipment manufacturer established in 1920, producing aviation, marine, and military safety products. The product portfolio centers on life-saving equipment including life vests (X-Back MOLLE, X-Back Basic), life rafts (ISPLR, CPR, OPR), life preservers (LPU-41 HESP), and man overboard modules (MOM-8S). The company has expanded into protective garments with Helicopter Dry Suits and Custom Dry Suits launched in 2025. Accessories include MOLLE-compatible pouches and emergency breathing system components. All products are made to order with varying lead times.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• X-Back MOLLE Aviation Life Vest Helicopter air crew life vest featuring the signature Switlik X-Back ergonomic design for seated comfort, with a laser-cut MOLLE system for accessory customization. TSO-C13D and UK CAA approved, weighing 2.70 lbs with FR Nylon cover, priced at $519.00.
• X-Back Basic Constant-Wear Life Vest Constant-wear life vest with the same fit and adjustment as the X-Back MOLLE but with two permanently attached all-in-one pockets instead of MOLLE loops. TSO-C13D approved, weighing 2.45 lbs and providing over 35 lbs of buoyancy, priced at $489.00 with a 2-year TBO recommendation.
• ISPLR Inflatable Single Place Life Raft Military-designed inflatable single place life raft with a fully reversible U-shaped design allowing quick entry from either side, a low-slung floor, three-layer inflation chamber, and optional vacuum packaging. Weighs 5.4 to 6.2 lbs with 180 lbs buoyancy, priced from $1,699.00 with a 5-year service interval on hermetically sealed versions.
• CPR Coastal Passage Raft Lightweight high-performance life raft with a convertible canopy system, large water ballast bags, and heat-sealed construction. TSO-C70a Type II approved, commercial version adopted by the U.S. Coast Guard, with a 5-year service interval and air charge inflation system. Contact sales for pricing.
• OPR Offshore Passage Raft High-quality lightweight offshore life raft with a convertible canopy system, optional Toroidal Stability Device, and heat-sealed construction. Provides 1,350 lbs of inflated buoyancy and 24 sq. ft. of floor area, available in soft valise (51 lbs) or poly hard case (70 lbs), sold for the leisure marine market.
• LPU-41 HESP Inflatable Life Preserver U.S. Marine Corps yoke-style helicopter passenger transport life preserver designed for compatibility with combat gear and Assault Amphibious Vehicles. Features two independent high-visibility yellow flotation chambers providing 65 lbs of buoyancy with FR Nomex cover in tan, NSN 4220-01-562-5490.
• MOM-8S Man Overboard Module Lightweight and compact man overboard survival module for emergency situations at sea, designed for rapid deployment and personal flotation in marine emergencies.
• MOLLE Life Vest Accessories Individual accessories compatible with the Switlik X-Back Air Crew Life Vest including All-in-one Pockets ($54.99), HEEDS/HABD holsters ($52.99 to $74.99), adjustable leg loops ($49.99), back strap ($30.99), smart phone pocket ($41.99), buddy clip, and CA-EBS holsters.
• Switlik Custom Suits Customizable dry suit product line launched in 2025 allowing customers to choose fabric type and color options and customize collars, pockets, reflective elements, and overcuffs to fit marine, aviation, or military use cases.
• Anti-Exposure Suits Anti-exposure garments designed for marine, aviation, and military applications to protect personnel in emergency water situations, providing thermal insulation and waterproof protection.
• Helicopter Dry Suits Dry suits specifically designed for helicopter air crews providing waterproof protection and thermal insulation for maritime and over-water operations.
• Military Anti-Exposure Suits Military-grade anti-exposure suits designed for combat and tactical operations in water emergency scenarios, providing thermal protection and flotation for personnel in extreme conditions.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100+ year operational history
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Mustang Survival: Mustang Survival produces inflatable life jackets, immersion suits, and marine safety products for military, coast guard, and commercial marine users, directly comparable to Switlik's vest and dry suit offerings.
• Crewsaver: Crewsaver makes lifejackets, life rafts, and personal safety equipment for commercial marine, offshore, and leisure boating markets, competing with Switlik in the marine survival segment.
• Plastimo: Plastimo produces life rafts, life jackets, and personal safety equipment primarily for the European leisure and commercial marine markets, comparable to Switlik's OPR and CPR raft offerings.
• Revere Survival (brand of Survitec): Revere Survival supplies life rafts and safety equipment for the leisure and commercial marine market, a directly comparable product line to Switlik's OPR and CPR life rafts.
• Stearns (part of Coleman Company / Newell Brands): Stearns manufactures personal flotation devices and marine safety products for recreational and commercial use, overlapping with Switlik's marine market life vest offerings.
• Avon Protection: Avon Protection designs and manufactures respiratory and personal protection equipment including maritime life jackets and military survival gear, overlapping with Switlik's military and marine safety portfolio.
• EAM Worldwide: EAM Worldwide manufactures aviation life vests, rafts, and survival kits for commercial airlines and business aviation, overlapping with Switlik's TSO-approved aviation life vest and raft lines.
• Zodiac Nautic (survival equipment line): Zodiac Nautic produces inflatable boats and associated marine safety equipment including life rafts, comparable to Switlik's inflatable life raft technology and customer base.
• Survitec Group: Survitec is a global leader in survival technology, manufacturing life rafts, life jackets, immersion suits, and evacuation systems for marine, aviation, and military markets, directly competing with Switlik across its core product categories.

Broad incumbents

• BAE Systems (Survival & Safety Systems): BAE Systems is a large defense prime with a survival and safety equipment portfolio serving military and aerospace customers, overlapping with Switlik's military life preserver and aviation safety products but at significantly broader scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC8v5ZWh5m1ccB-IGmSjhh9Q/videos
• Facebookfacebook.com/SwitlikParachuteCompany
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/switlik-survival
• Instagraminstagram.com/switliksurvival
• Xx.com/switliksurvival

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Switlik