New design and construction standards for recreational life rafts are prompting us to look at these devices in a new light. In our last test ("Life Rafts Revisited," January 2003), the Winslow Ocean Rescue was our favorite, and the Viking RescYou Pro earned Best Buy honors. However, in March 2005, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) released its specifications for two types of recreational life rafts—coastal and offshore—including minimum fabric breaking strength and tear strength. These are the manufacturing standards that life-raft makers are strongly encouraged to meet. …