2 Man Coastal Life Rafts Compared
We compare the SOS Marine 2 man coastal life raft to the Revere Coastal Compact 2 two person life raft. In this 2 man coastal life raft comparison we show specifications and photos of the two life rafts side by side so key differences are easy to see. For aviation application, click to the coastal aviation life raft for two persons.
Common Features
- 2–man rating
- Coastal use only
- Under 20 lbs weight
- Easy to stow
- Water ballast pockets
- High-vis yellow
- About US $1,000
- Reusable
2 Man Coastal Life Raft Specifications
| Criteria | Revere Coastal Compact 2 | SOS Marine 2 Man Coastal Life Raft |
|---|---|---|
| Top photo |  |  |
| Bottom photo |  |  |
| Rating | 2 person coastal use | 2 person coastal use |
| Occupants photo |  |  |
| Packed size L″ x W″ x H″ (mm) | 19½″ x 10″ x 5″ (495 x 254 x 127) | 20″ x 14″ x 4½″ (500 x 350 x 110) |
| Inflated size L″ x W″ x H″ (mm) | 58″ x 58″ x 9″ (1473 x 1473 x 228) | 63″ x 63″ x 10″ (1600 x 1600 x 254) |
| Interior area, ft2 (m2) | 8.7 (0.81) | 10.3 (0.96) |
| Weight, lbs. (kg) | 14.5 (6.6) | 16 (7.8) |
| Container | yellow valise | orange-red valise |
| Valise Photo |  |  |
| Auto-inflation | no – must pull lanyard | yes |
| Inflation gas | 460 gram CO2 cylinder | 520 gram CO2 cylinder (included) (buy spare or replacement, or buy complete recharge kit) |
| Ballast pocket displacement, lbs (kg) of seawater | Claimed: 2 x 200 (91), total 400 (181) Measured: 2 x 143 (65), total 286 (130) (see note)♦ | Claimed 3 x 100 (45), total 300 (136) Measured: 3 x 93 (42), total 280 (127) (see note)‡ |
| Price (US $) | Click to buy $999.99 | Click to buy $ |
| Boarding accessibility | footstrap | additional boarding float and webbing ladder |
| Boarding access photo |  |  |
| Self-igniting lights (strobe) | one, not SOLAS rated | two, SOLAS rated (buy spare or replacement) |
| Strobe photo |  |  |
| SOLAS light-reflective tape | none† | yes, 117 inches2 (.075 m2) |
| Insulated thermal floor | no | yes |
| Large light reflective surface | no | floor |
| Sea anchor / drogue L″ x W″ x H″ (mm) | 15″ x 12″ x 6″ (400 x 300 x 150) | 47″ by 23 ½″ x 3″ (1200 x 600 x 76) (view  Our drogue vs. theirs |
| Safety knife | yes | yes, with floating handle (view)  Life raft floating safety knife |
| Air pump | yes | yes |
| Bailer | no | yes |
| Righting strap | no | yes |
| Dry bag | no | yes |
| Painter & Rescue ring | yes | yes |
| Pressure relief valve | yes | yes |
| Optional items (available for extra fee) | ||
| Canopy | none |  Optional life raft canopy |
| Mini-flare kit | no | yes♣ |
| Signaling mirror | no | yes♣ |
| Survival water pouch | no | yes♣ |
| Thermal reflective aids (space blankets) | no | yes♣ |
| Notes: | ♦Revere claims the Coastal Compact 2 has double 200 lb. ballast bags; our weighing test suggests otherwise, at least on the Coastal Compact 2 †Larger models do have some light reflective tape, but the Revere Coastal Compact 2 man raft has none | ‡SOS Marine claims the 2 man coastal life raft provides 300 lb. of ballast; our weighing test shows nearly so ♣These items can be purchased as a kit, survival aid extrasfor the coastal life raft |
Boarding
The Revere Coastal Compact 2 life raft comes with a single webbing footstrap to help you board. Better yet, the SOS Marine 2 man coastal life raft has both a boarding float and webbing ladder to facilitate entry from the water. The SOS Marine raft boarding float, outboard of the flotation tube, helps support the entering survivor to minimize submerging the flotation tube which can swamp the raft as someone boards.
Photos
Showing Revere Coastal Compact 2 Person Life Raft and SOS Marine 2 Man Coastal Life Raft.
Is the SOS 2 man life raft USCG approved ?
Only commercial-use coastal life rafts require USCG approval for carriage on commercial vessels (typically operating ). The price of such life rafts begins at three times the price of this life raft. A coastal life raft such as this is intended for use in areas where you are not more than a day from rescue. In other words, this is the life raft for the 90% of people who do 90% of their boating within sight of the coast.
Are these rafts approved for use in Canada, non coastal use, but still require SOLAS and DOT approval for commercial needs.
Hi Tom, these rafts do not have any approvals anywhere. They are designed / manufactured to be affordable to the wide boating public rather than the more expensive US Coast Guard or similar approved versions. I have sold some to Canadian corporations who need to fulfill some type of employment safety requirement associated with the oil industry, not sure if that helps or not. The manufacturing quality is held to ISO standards.