Wet weather gear

[Guest]

You know what Wheels, you are soooo correct. This stuff looks quite good, as long as you could move around ok, and I see no reason why you couldn't then why would you bother with HH and the likes, unless one was into being a NOTER.

 

And yes, if this stuff is as good and way cheaper then what the hell are the likes of HH and Musto doing with all the gold we give them ?Obviously not spending too much on R&D

[Maca 4]

Does the spray on stuff make a difference? If so, which one is best?

[Guest]

I used 'Scotchguard' in a aerosol can. Made sure the gear was washed well and dried well. Then layered it on until the can was close to empty. Then let is dry well for a day or 2.

 

I gave extra attention to the shoulders top of the back and the other areas that seem to get more soggy than others.

 

Been used heavily since and is standing up real well. I'd say it's better now than when new.

[wheels 543]

I have often wondered if Scotch Guard was just silicon spray. May not be. But Silicon spray also seems to work as a repellent. Not used it on a jacket, so I am, noit sure if you would simply slide off things, so careful trying.

HH and Musto doing with all the gold we give them ?Obviously not spending too much on R&D

Firstly, yeah the stuff has just as good a movement as any other. And depending on the range, some have polar fleece inside and i have seen some that you can zip in and out the Polar fleece as a liner. The outer is not plastic. It feels like a fabric. I have also been lookin g at wet weather gear and just can not afford Musto, which untill reading the above, I thought was the best.

Anyway, to the comment 3021 made, Musto's head cheese was interviewed sometime back abouyt their garments. He said that the top of the range gear they make, the HPX stuff, they do not make a profit on. It is made as a flag to then sell the lower range of gear, which is where they make the money. Hard to imagine when the stuff is so expensive, but that's the story from the Horses mouth.

Personally, I think Gortex days are over. Great stuff when it was new, but the fabric has not been able to keep up with the demands and the expectations today. When normal everyday blokes and bloke'esses spend $3K for a wet weather set, we expect it to last. In the past, this kind of gear was reserved for the Pro racers that wore it the once for an Ocean Race and most often it was sponsored product anyway.

The other thing to be aware of is Goretex is reserved for that top of the line gear. The lower level more affordable to us gear, that is advertised as "breathable" is NOT goretex. And I think the Sneaky way many manufactures advertise their product, you can be easily led to believe it is.

[Guest]

I have often wondered if Scotch Guard was just silicon spray. May not be. But Silicon spray also seems to work as a repellent. Not used it on a jacket, so I am, noit sure if you would simply slide off things, so careful trying.

 

Yeap, a great water repellent. And it is a bit slippery so watch out for some very dodgy break dancing later in the after match drinkies. It won't be any good but should be bloody funny

[Guest]

I have used a spray on product called Stormguard made in the Uk, I have bought it from the local hardware shop in Howick, the product is KNOT silicon based, the can has enough to do the jacket as well as the trousers I have found it to be excellent.

Similar products can be found in camping stores

[splashprincess 16]

I have to give Helly Hansen a especially for their womens gear, they are the best fitting ww trousers I have ever had. And so far they have kept me pretty dry, will see how they stand up to the rain this weekend!

[Jon 360]

I have to give Helly Hansen a especially for their womens gear, they are the best fitting ww trousers I have ever had. And so far they have kept me pretty dry, will see how they stand up to the rain this weekend!

 

What boat you sailing on this weekend princess?

I hear someone else is sailing on another 930 ?

[Guest]

started way back in line7.....smock and pants, welded and watertight, more wet from sweat than anything else, used grunden fishing alaska, tried mid eighties dorlon for harbor racing, got a hold of the gucci line7 multi layered jacket and lined pants for the southern ocean and chile. next into musto red which was on a par with a watermaker prefilter for sifting seawater, 05 got into hpx for a fiji delivery and it did work still have it in fact , perhaps one of the more succesful things I've tried that actually approached best of the lot was the $20 stuff from the warehouse along with electrical tape round the cuffs and ankles,waist and loosley round the neck, seems to breath through the gaps without leaking, it's certainly cheap and if failure is a worry............................buy 2 sets

[Guest]

Nice to see a thumbs up for HH, particularly as they have supported Crew.org.nz since BS (before Squid).

[Guest]

Any one tried the SLAM stuff??

[Atom Ant 0]

I have a Henry Lloyd Jacket and Slam farmer john style trou. Both probably around Coastal level & bloody good to be fair. After I'd owned them around 3 years I bought some waterproofing in the form of an aerosol can from my local hardware. Emptied the can on both and a week later went into the Simrad 100 (the first one round Waiheke where it rained so hard that you were breathing water). Stayed warm and dry. I still have them and they're still good. My old pair (>10 years old now) are Dorlon Inshore and they're still going strong. I keep them for unprepared guests. Same trick a spray can of waterproofing and they're good for another couple of seasons.

[Guest]

Which 'spray stuff' did or do you use AA?

 

I used a ScotchGuard and it worked bloody well and seems to be still going fine but it there better.

[wheels 543]

I assume "Slam" is still expensive though??

[G Force 0]

Just been to the "Slam" store at Westhaven on Sat ,a set will cost you $700.00. Looked very well made , I was tempted but 6 months ago bought a set of Gill which are great.(looking for a second set for the wife)

I had a good look at diferent brands and prices as always you get what you pay for , the $500 musto set looked good too but was a lighter material , might not last as long ?

[Guest]

Just been to the "Slam" store at Westhaven on Sat ,a set will cost you $700.00. Looked very well made , I was tempted but 6 months ago bought a set of Gill which are great.(looking for a second set for the wife)

I had a good look at diferent brands and prices as always you get what you pay for , the $500 musto set looked good too but was a lighter material , might not last as long ?

 

 

good old ware whare kit starting to make sense about now aint it ?

[Atom Ant 0]

Which 'spray stuff' did or do you use AA?

 

Uhm... well... I can't remember actually. It was a blue can I think! May have been the same stuff that you use on tents.

[Jon 360]

Which 'spray stuff' did or do you use AA?

 

Uhm... well... I can't remember actually. It was a blue can I think! May have been the same stuff that you use on tents.

 

I've used a product that you pour into the last rinse in the washing machine which coats it then it is heat activated, as in you dry it in the dryer to activate the water proofing

As to what it called, can't remember and chucked out the empty container

That industrial gear is looking better all the time though, maybe a good set for offshore and then you could buy a industrial set every year and still be winning.

[MrWolf 0]

This is all rather depressing stuff about the quality of purpose built marine gear. I know you have to keep Gortex clean...maybe thats why you guys are having problems. I am still waiting to hear any good things about the Musto MPX gear. Is it really that bad?

 

If its all crappy I may as well try and re waterproof my 15 year old Henri Lloyd gear...or buy a good gortex mountain jacket.

 

I have MPX trousers and HPX smock

about 1 year old and am very happy with it.

Made in Poland.

 

The reason I went Musto was very simple. (Was tempted to go Slam, Gill or HH)

 

There are a couple of Pro sailors at work, plus my Bro did Round the World plus some friends do heaps offshore.

Most of these guys had been given free gear over the past few years, some good, some bad, none of these guys had to buy wet weather gear but...........

 

They nearly all did buy a set of their own gear and chose Musto.

I asked if they had to buy one brand which would they choose,

They all told me Musto without exception.

[DrWatson 374]

They used to be bretherens, but now just christians.

The new os2 gear has the 2 way zip, always frustrating having to get undressed to have a pee.

I wonder about the technology re marine wet weather gear, motorcycle w.w. stuff generally costs less than marine w.w. clothes, lasts much much longer and copes with 100 + kmh winds and rain on a regular basis.

BMW w.w. gear costs lots but I know of them replacing a 15 year old suit damaged in a crash.

 

When I was motorcycling, I found the only thing that kept me warmer than frozen was my wetsuit. All the wet weather gear I tried either leaked outright or leaked soon after. I was commuting Hamiltron to AKL for two years. Two winters of Waikato fog. I gave up trying to stay dry and went for staying warm.

Then quit, sold the bike, moved to AKL and got more into sailing

 

I think one issue with the bike stuff is that the armor and padding make it cumbersome and dangerous on deck. Great if you fall on a winch, but you're far more likely to. Another thing is that I don't know how well it holds up to salt. How many of us can actually say we wash and care for our gear 110%, washing with fresh water to get the salt out etc. I know i don't.

 

I went for buying a cheap Gill fromm burnsco when it was on special. Bright yellow and now covered in outboard grease from hauling the 5 horse in and out of the cabin, it's still good. It was less than $300, so when its buggered I'll just replace it. Coupled with my Macpac bib pants from my mountain gear (wouldn't recommend them now as the company seems to have gone to sh!t), it's actually not a bad setup. In the middle of winter worn over my wetsuit, I'm usually warmish, and dryish, although not completely comfortable... but that's a wetsuit thing.