Manera Open Sea Impact Vest

The Manera Open Sea Impact Vest is an offshore-focused impact vest built for wing foiling and downwind runs. Part of Manera's protection lineup, the Open Sea is designed to combine meaningful impact protection with the storage and safety tools that longer sessions away from shore demand. It uses 30 mm of foam — double the thickness found in Manera's other vests — wrapped in a cut-resistant jersey chosen to reduce the risk of lacerations from kite lines, foil edges, and other sharp hazards encountered on the water.

The vest ships with a built-in flashlight, a kite knife, and multiple attachment points for additional accessories. Large mesh pockets provide room for essentials during extended sessions, while an adjustable waist strap secures the fit and doubles as a wing-hook attachment point. The overall design prioritizes keeping the torso protected without restricting upper-body mobility.

• Foam thickness: 30 mm
• Shell material: Cut-resistant jersey
• Included accessories: Flashlight, kite knife
• Pockets: Large mesh front pockets
• Waist strap: Adjustable, wing-hook compatible
• Available sizes: XS, S, M, L, XL, XXL
• Available colors: Black, Carrot

The Open Sea is aimed at intermediate to advanced riders who regularly venture offshore — particularly wing foilers running open-ocean downwinders where a capsize could mean contact with a foil or prolonged time in the water before recovery. The 30 mm foam provides noticeably more cushioning than a standard thin-profile impact vest, making it a practical choice for riders who prioritize protection over minimal bulk.

Because it includes a flashlight, knife, and generous pocket space, the Open Sea suits riders who treat safety gear as essential rather than optional. The wing-hook-compatible waist strap also makes it functional for wing foilers who want a single garment that handles both impact protection and rigging convenience. Riders focused purely on kiteboarding with a harness may find the thicker foam less compatible with that setup and should look at harness-specific alternatives.

Within Manera's current protection range, the Open Sea sits at the top end for foam thickness. The Vagabond vest and the React vest both use 15 mm foam — half the Open Sea's padding — and are lighter-profile options. The React is specifically shaped to accommodate a kite harness, with foam panels removed around the harness zone, making it the better pick for dedicated kiteboarders. The Vagabond occupies a middle ground as a versatile vest with reflective prints and a whistle but less bulk than the Open Sea.

Manera also offers a separate Offshore Vest, which is a non-impact storage vest inspired by trail-running packs — designed to carry water, a phone, and a VHF radio rather than absorb impacts. Riders who want both impact protection and offshore storage in one garment will find the Open Sea fills that gap. At its current retail price of $249, the Open Sea is competitively positioned against offshore-oriented impact vests from brands like Mystic and ION that offer similar foam-plus-storage concepts.