It’s lifeguarding season, the sun’s rays are beating down hard, and you really need to complete your lifeguard look.

Our Tonga hat will ward off enough of those nasty ultraviolet rays so you’ll stay cool in your new headgear, while looking good at the same time.

Tonga Hat provides sun protection and rugged good looks for any lifeguard or wannabe.

This hat includes fine mesh brass eyelets, a floatable EVA foam insert, chinstrap and cord lock, and the side snaps allow you to choose whether you want to wear the brim up or down. Of course, if you want to get in touch with your Aussie side, we suggest wearing one side up. And, it’s 100% heavy cotton canvas, so your head will be sure to stay warm on breezy days or during those cool beach evenings. Aside from this hat’s quality material, there are other great features to consider: including that this hat is one size fits all. That means if you bring your family with you, and you forget a hat for your tyke, just give them yours. They may not be able to see which way the ocean is, but their heads will be safe from the sun.  And if you’re one of those crazy people who work where they play (yes, I’m talking to you lifeguards), you can have the word ‘Guard’ embroidered on this hat for an extra $1.00.

Oh, and don’t forget the sunglasses or else your pro look will be incomplete.

Note: This post may be common knowledge to lifeguards and other rescue pros, but everyone else should take a clue.

As a follow-up to our last post, we wanted to update you about some new CPR guidelines. To quote the article “CPR: Just Chest Compressions, Mouth-to-Mouth Not Necessary”,

After years of advocating bystander CPR, cardiopulmonary pulmonary resuscitation, the “P” or pulmonary is being dropped and chest compressions may be enough.

The article explains,

Why the change? Because when many bystanders are confronted with a medical crisis, such as somebody collapsing with their heart stopping, they are too frightened to intervene….But in a medical crisis, people who try to help make a difference and the result is patients survive. Studies have shown that bystanders who had no knowledge of CPR, were given simple instructions by 911 operators to do chest compressions and were able to save lives.

To click the rest of the article, click here.

And here’s a video that explains more: New CPR regulations exclude mouth-to-mouth.

How much is it worth to save a life?  Put more practically, how much money should be spent by public service agencies on lifesaving equipment? Whatever the answer, it is clear that rescue professionals need to use equipment that will help them do the best job they can.

If you’re a lifeguard, we have your equipment needs covered. Example: our CPR mask comes with gloves and a case.  Inside the compact, hard-shelled carrying case is a CPR mask, gloves, and wipe.  The carrying case also features a patented one-way valve with a filter.

Next time you hit the beach, make sure you have one of these on hand.  (Of course, you’ll need professional training in order to properly use this life saving concoction. )

You can’t put a price on saving someone’s life, but we want to do everything we can to help you save people by saving you money.  Price per each: just $9.25.  For orders of 12 to 36, we’re more than happy to reduce the price to $8.95.  And for anyone who orders more than 36, we offer them at $8.50.

Funny to think that one of these potentially lifesaving devices costs about as much as a couple of Fraps at Starbucks.  In case of a lifesaving emergency, one of these masks might prove invaluable, so I think your coffee can wait.

Some incredible photos we took of lifeguards on the job in Florida.

Lifeguards — The Original Watermen from Original Watermen

We admit it, we are all about STRENUOUS ACTIVITY in the water–running, swimming, or rescuing people.  But even Watermen wear out and want to go to the beach and relax on a beach towel, or take a walk with their dog along the shore. Enjoy the beach without having to worry about losing keys or cell phone with our 2 Pocket Trunk.

We always put lots of thought into designing our swimwear. For the 2-Pocket that meant two purposes: this trunk will serve you well for a good ‘ol leisurely beach stroll (with your keys and cel phone) or a swim across the bay (you might need to remove your cel phone). And after your dip, you won’t stay drenched for long.  Ultra-quick-drying fabric means you can enjoy warmth just moments after you step back into the sun. (And pocket your cel phone and keys again). Even the drawcord is quick drying, because we don’t want you to experience that aggravating moisture that can build up around your waist.

A little more about that fabric. we didn’t just use plain ol’ nylon like our competitors; we used 2-ply Supplex Nylon.  Supplex, by Dupont, is windproof and breathable, soft but strong, stain resistant, and lightweight.  Think you can find a trunk made from regular nylon that’s as good as ours? Go ahead and try. Don’t say we didn’t warn you.

We like lifeguards, we are lifeguards, and we know what lifeguards like: protecting beaches and people who enjoy those beaches.  Okay, sometimes we have to do mundane office work that other beach goers and original watermen don’t see. But we consider those things job hazards.

At Original Watermen, we want to make it easier to save lives, so we offer rescue patrol cans. Pricing starts at it’s $61.00.  If you order anywhere from 10 to 19, we’ll give each one to you for $57.00.  And if you want 20 or more, we’ll let you have them for $53.00 each.

So, not every woman looks good in the same color. We recognize that, so we carry the TYR Solid Reversible Diamondback—a reversible swimsuit that comes in multiple colors. We want everyone to have a choice as to what looks best on them, because you know better than we do.

This modest, versatile, one-piece reversible swimsuit is great because women can choose which side they want to show on the outside. For those female lifeguards who want to wear this for work and pleasure, we can embroider the word ‘Guard’ on either side (additional $1.00). That way, if you need to rescue someone from the water, but you have a bon fire to go to, you can do a Wonder Woman spinning act. Okay, so it’s not that easy to turn this swimsuit inside out, but you understand what we mean.

Aside from just what color you’d look good in, TYR thought of everything when they made this swimsuit, including your safety. That’s why this swimsuit includes lining on both sides with binding trim made from Lycra. That makes this swimsuit resistant to chlorine, sun, and salt, while ensuring to reduce transparency.

There’s so much more we could tell you about this swimsuit, but we want you to check it out for yourself. We’re sure you’ll find a color combination that looks great on you.

THEY SAY: Men want things simple and straightforward, women want options.

OUR EVAL: Do women want options? We think so. Especially when you’re shopping. Especially when it comes to how you’re going to look when you go to the beach.

Hey, we hear you. (Of course we do; we have quite a few women on staff!). Several of our styles come with different choices for material and embroidery as well as color and size. Case in point: we make the X-Back available in Lycra or Polyester ($2.00 extra for polyester). We understand women want options that allow them to look good and feel comfortable no matter what kind of conditions they are working or playing in.

Now about the things that you’ll always want the same. The X-Back consists of a soft outer shell and silky smooth inner shell, designed so that it eliminates transparency when wet. The design of the inner shell will ensure women stay comfortable all day.

And if that isn’t enough, we stitched the leg opening to ensure superior comfort and fit. That includes a flat lock stitch for strength and recovery stretch. This swim suit is most versatile in our collection.

OK, OK, back to options. For those women who want more choices, this swim wear is available in four different colors (red, navy, royal, black) and it ranges from sizes 26 to 42. All those choices make the X-Back a great choice for any woman who wants to choose.

When you think of something that’s classic, you probably think of vintage cars or a good joke. We think of our Pro Trunk. And just like Coke, sometimes classic is better.

Why go with something classic, as opposed to something with a more modern design? Modern boardshorts are designed to look good when skateboarding, going to school, or just hanging out on the weekend. We designed this beach wear with lifeguards and original watermen in mind.

For starters, we gave it a lower cut to ensure easy mobility when running across the sand or into the water. We eliminated pockets to keep everything lighter and faster.

Along with designing these shorts for easy mobility, we thought about safety and comfort. The hem is a tad shorter at the knee than normal boardshorts to eliminate restriction. Superfino Polyester Microfiber fabric makes the Pro breathable and comfy while providing a lot more sun protection than most poly/ nylon suits. Your skin will be grateful during those long hours under the sun.

As a final touch, we offer the Pro at the unbeatable price of $25.50 (or as low as $19 if you order in quantity), because we think your comfort and safety are worth it.

This picture captures the balance in the watermen life between fearless adventure and carefree relaxing.