Water Sports

​A lot of people don't like wearing life jackets, as they find the things to be bulky and cumbersome. If you're such a person, then you might be interested in the Wingman, as it's claimed to be the world's thinnest.

The latest player in the man trailer segment, the Reacha sports utility trailer can be pulled by hand or by bike and uses a modular design to better adjust to your needs. It also breaks down into a shoulder bag for easy carry and storage.

While the SipaBoard self-inflating jet board is certainly a cool water toy, not everyone wants motor power or the added expense of a jet drive. SipaBoards' latest design keeps the integrated self-inflation system but loses the jet drive.

Traditional PFDs are an important part of water safety, but they can be entirely uncomfortable to wear in or out of the water, especially during activity. To improve comfort, startup Aegis Lifeshirt integrates inflatable protection into the shirt you're wearing anyway.

The Jet Blade is a unique kind of personal watercraft that features three skis, a tilting front suspension system similar to that of a Piaggio MP3, and a 650cc engine. It aims to put the "ski" back into "jet ski" by offering a smooth and agile ride.

The year in water toys kicked off in a big way at Boot Düsseldorf 2014 in January and it ran strong the year through. In fact, we'd say the past year saw reveals and market launches of some of the coolest water toys in recent history.

Polish architecture firm MFRMGR recently unveiled plans to renovate an offshore WWII era watch tower into a water sports hub and research center.

U-Boat Worx describes its latest submersible as a "subsea-Ferrari". Like many Ferraris, the company's new HP Sport Sub 2 seats two and comes in eye-catching red, but unlike most Ferraris, it can carry a pilot and passenger to a depth of 100 m (330 ft) beneath the waves for up to six hours.

Though Rotterdam isn't generally associated with surfing, a new aquatic attraction due to be completed in June 2015 could well change that. Set to be located in the city's Steigersgracht Canal, the RiF010 project will feature a wave pool that boasts a 1.5 m (4.9 ft) high wave every 7.5 seconds.

Hitting the beach or lake on top of a paddleboard has been all the rage over the past few years, and some enthusiasts have set out to make it better. The latest innovation comes to the paddle, integrating a small sail into its handle to give boarders a little wind power on the water.

Three years after introducing the Flyboard, Frank Zapata has put a new spin on the idea, revealing the Hoverboard by ZR. This new extreme-sport lives up to its futuristic namesake and offers riders an experience that sits somewhere between surfing and flyboarding.

No matter how good a swimmer you consider yourself, you'll never have the fluid, natural grace of a dolphin. The Nautboard from Aquanaut International claims to close the gap, allowing you to swoop smoothly up and down underwater like a true creature of the sea.