A check valve assembly including: a valve body; a guide vane poppet, the guide vane poppet comprising: an elongate central core having a first core end, a second core end, and an outer core surface extending between the first core end and the second core end, wherein the first core end defines a poppet-side sealing surface configured to form a fluid seal with a corresponding body-side sealing surface of the valve body of the check valve assembly, wherein the elongate central core defines a recess that extends from the second core end toward the first core end and the elongate central core further includes at least one pressure-relief opening extending from the recess and to the outer core surface, wherein the at least one pressure-relief opening is sized to decrease a pressure drop across the poppet during fluid flow through the check valve assembly; an elongate outer skirt having a first skirt end, a second skirt end, an outer skirt surface, and an inner skirt surface, wherein the outer skirt surface and the inner skirt surface extend between the first skirt end and the second skirt end; and at least one guide vane radially extending between the outer core surface and the inner skirt surface, wherein the at least one guide vane is configured to retain elongate outer skirt in a generally fixed spatial relationship with respect to elongate central core, wherein the at least one guide vane is shaped to direct fluid flow within an annular region that extends between the outer core surface and the inner skirt surface; wherein the elongate outer skirt is configured to slidingly engage an inner surface of the valve body of the check valve assembly; characterized in that, the guide vane poppet includes a unitary poppet body that defines the elongate central core, the elongated outer skirt, and the at least one guide vane. a valve body; a guide vane poppet, the guide vane poppet comprising: an elongate central core having a first core end, a second core end, and an outer core surface extending between the first core end and the second core end, wherein the first core end defines a poppet-side sealing surface configured to form a fluid seal with a corresponding body-side sealing surface of the valve body of the check valve assembly, wherein the elongate central core defines a recess that extends from the second core end toward the first core end and the elongate central core further includes at least one pressure-relief opening extending from the recess and to the outer core surface, wherein the at least one pressure-relief opening is sized to decrease a pressure drop across the poppet during fluid flow through the check valve assembly; an elongate outer skirt having a first skirt end, a second skirt end, an outer skirt surface, and an inner skirt surface, wherein the outer skirt surface and the inner skirt surface extend between the first skirt end and the second skirt end; and at least one guide vane radially extending between the outer core surface and the inner skirt surface, wherein the at least one guide vane is configured to retain elongate outer skirt in a generally fixed spatial relationship with respect to elongate central core, wherein the at least one guide vane is shaped to direct fluid flow within an annular region that extends between the outer core surface and the inner skirt surface; wherein the elongate outer skirt is configured to slidingly engage an inner surface of the valve body of the check valve assembly; characterized in that, the guide vane poppet includes a unitary poppet body that defines the elongate central core, the elongated outer skirt, and the at least one guide vane. an elongate central core having a first core end, a second core end, and an outer core surface extending between the first core end and the second core end, wherein the first core end defines a poppet-side sealing surface configured to form a fluid seal with a corresponding body-side sealing surface of the valve body of the check valve assembly, wherein the elongate central core defines a recess that extends from the second core end toward the first core end and the elongate central core further includes at least one pressure-relief opening extending from the recess and to the outer core surface, wherein the at least one pressure-relief opening is sized to decrease a pressure drop across the poppet during fluid flow through the check valve assembly; an elongate outer skirt having a first skirt end, a second skirt end, an outer skirt surface, and an inner skirt surface, wherein the outer skirt surface and the inner skirt surface extend between the first skirt end and the second skirt end; and at least one guide vane radially extending between the outer core surface and the inner skirt surface, wherein the at least one guide vane is configured to retain elongate outer skirt in a generally fixed spatial relationship with respect to elongate central core, wherein the at least one guide vane is shaped to direct fluid flow within an annular region that extends between the outer core surface and the inner skirt surface; wherein the elongate outer skirt is configured to slidingly engage an inner surface of the valve body of the check valve assembly; characterized in that, the guide vane poppet includes a unitary poppet body that defines the elongate central core, the elongated outer skirt, and the at least one guide vane.