A protective vest having a body with arm holes defined between shoulder regions and a waist region of the protective vest, the protective vest comprising: a front portion (120, 121) made from a fabric material having an outer surface and an inner lining surface, the front portion (120, 121) having a left side and a right side; a rear portion made from a fabric material having an outer surface and an inner lining surface, the rear portion having a fist side and a second side and wherein the rear portion is coupled to the front portion (120, 121) at the shoulder regions and wherein the left side and the right side are connectable to the first side and the second side to define the waist region of the protective vest; a length adjustable waistband having first and second ends, the first end securely coupled to the first side of the rear portion and the second end securely coupled to the second side of the rear portion, the waistband further including a primary snap-lock release buckle assembly having a male component and a female component into which the male component selectively positively but releasably engages, wherein the primary snap-lock release buckle assembly foreshortens the length of the length adjustable waistband when the male component is positively secured into the female component; a release cable having a local end and a remote end, the local end terminated in the male component and the remote end of the release cable connected to a floatation bladder, wherein the release cable is arranged such that, when tensioned, the male component disengages from the female component to allow the male component (5 92b) to be withdrawn and separated from the female component to cause extension of the length of the length adjustable waistband; a floatation bladder coupled to at least one of the inner lining surfaces; and wherein the release cable coupled between the rear portion of the vest and the male component of the primary snap-lock release buckle assembly is increasingly brought under tension upon inflation of the floatation bladder such that the male component disengages with inflation of the floatation bladder to increase automatically the length of the length adjustable waistband and to cause separation of the front portion (120, 121) from the rear portion about the waist region. a front portion (120, 121) made from a fabric material having an outer surface and an inner lining surface, the front portion (120, 121) having a left side and a right side; a rear portion made from a fabric material having an outer surface and an inner lining surface, the rear portion having a fist side and a second side and wherein the rear portion is coupled to the front portion (120, 121) at the shoulder regions and wherein the left side and the right side are connectable to the first side and the second side to define the waist region of the protective vest; a length adjustable waistband having first and second ends, the first end securely coupled to the first side of the rear portion and the second end securely coupled to the second side of the rear portion, the waistband further including a primary snap-lock release buckle assembly having a male component and a female component into which the male component selectively positively but releasably engages, wherein the primary snap-lock release buckle assembly foreshortens the length of the length adjustable waistband when the male component is positively secured into the female component; a release cable having a local end and a remote end, the local end terminated in the male component and the remote end of the release cable connected to a floatation bladder, wherein the release cable is arranged such that, when tensioned, the male component disengages from the female component to allow the male component (5 92b) to be withdrawn and separated from the female component to cause extension of the length of the length adjustable waistband; a floatation bladder coupled to at least one of the inner lining surfaces; and wherein the release cable coupled between the rear portion of the vest and the male component of the primary snap-lock release buckle assembly is increasingly brought under tension upon inflation of the floatation bladder such that the male component disengages with inflation of the floatation bladder to increase automatically the length of the length adjustable waistband and to cause separation of the front portion (120, 121) from the rear portion about the waist region.