Best Waterproofs - HL, Musto, Gill, ANO ?

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BlueSkyNick

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My waterproofs are now porous, as proven in recent rain.

I know I could get them re-proofed but am not convinced they will be as good as new - although I am prepared to be told otherwise.

In contemplating replacements, I can't see any significant difference between one manufacturer and another. I am not into the Ocean gear, thinking more about £200 for a jacket, and they all seem to sell the same thing apart from little design details.

Which manufacturer is deemed to be the best?
 
I tried several sets on at the boat show. Some were more comfortable than others. Musto salopettes had no pockets which I didn't like. I settled for HLs but I think it's a personal thing - they should all do the job. My son is very pleased with his Gills.
 
If ever Lidl do their sailing gear again, snap it up. I got the offshore jacket and salopettes, both together for 139 Euro in total. The quality seemed very good, loads of features, including double storm cuffs etc. (I've just discovered an attached black balaclava in a secret compartment in the lining!).

I thought mine were perfect until a full day of very heavy rain when I found I small leak at the knee. I unpicked the hem to fold back the linings and expose the inner waterproof surface and found a crease in one of the seam tapes, which left some stitching exposed. Sealed that with urethane seam sealer and re-hemmed - Bob's your uncle.

I wondered about eventual leaks in the jacket but then found a zip in the lining which gives access to the outer shell, allowing one to apply the seam sealer. These will do me a good while and are a considerable saving over HPX's
 
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Neil said:
If ever Lidl do their sailing gear again, snap it up.
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I'll second that. We bought a Lidl jacket as a backup/visitors jacket. I didn't even look at it for months but I tried it one day and was most impressed. I wear it all the time now and hardly ever use my Gill jacket. Incredible value for money.

Another tip. Don't buy an expensive branded first/inner layer. Wait until Lidl or Aldi have a cycling promotion on and get a cyclists inner layer. A fraction of the price and they work very well indeed.
 
OR4751 said:
Guy Cotten
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Absolutely! And when you factor in VFM, they're stand-alone.

My GC X trapper overtrousers are about 12 years old, done sterling service through numerous poultry farm pressure-washing clean-downs, and are still totally waterproof.

You never see professional sea-goers (fishermen, etc) in anything else. Unless you're doing a lot of physical stuff - which I don't do when sailing, personally - why go for breathable? Breathable just means "not waterproof".
 
16 years ago I horrified myself by splashing out a ton of money on t op of the range Henri Lloyd goretex oilies. The financial pain was offset by the fleece and deck jacket freebies thrown in

The oilies and freebies are still going strong and I will replace the fleece when the elbows wear through which is the only bit that looks like it might wear out



Doubt the oilies will wear out any time soon but if I do replace them I will only be looking at one make
 
Our XM foul weather gear is now about 15 years old. When we bought it at SIBS, it was pointed out, and did check, that the material used was exactly the same as the Musto gear twice the price. My jacket is staring to get a little porous now, so I will be looking for something shortly. Sadly XM now only do yellow in the bullet proof off shore gear, dont think I need that.
 
I got mine from Compass the online/catalouge people. Sixty eight quid the lot. Even stayed bone dry yesterday in the torrent that lasted most of the morning.......
 
moodyNick said:
My waterproofs are now porous, as proven in recent rain.

I know I could get them re-proofed but am not convinced they will be as good as new - although I am prepared to be told otherwise.
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How many time have you reproofed them?

I try to do my sailing, motorcycling and other outdoor kit at least every other year.

Goretex and similar simply don't work when covered in salt & road crud.

I don't have a tumble-dryer, so do the non-detergent wash, then reproof thing - it seems to work - for a while. I've noticed that my newest Craghopper trousers were quite water-repellant, so might treat those too - similar with fleeces.
 
mcframe said:
How many time have you reproofed them?

I try to do my sailing, motorcycling and other outdoor kit at least every other year.

Goretex and similar simply don't work when covered in salt & road crud.

I don't have a tumble-dryer, so do the non-detergent wash, then reproof thing - it seems to work - for a while. I've noticed that my newest Craghopper trousers were quite water-repellant, so might treat those too - similar with fleeces.
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I think we need to differentiate between the silicone proofing which will bead water on the outer surface, and repairs to the waterproof membrane on the inner surface. Leaky kit will be temporarily improved by silicone reproofing, but to make good, one must attend to the breaches in the inner membrane. Urethane sealers work very well but needs must one have access to the inner surface of the outer shell. Breathable gear is lined - this lining must be bypassed in some way. You also need to know where the leak is.
 
Try washing the gear on a low temperature with only fabric conditioner. You will be surprised how effective that is. Trail, the outdoor magazine did a test on the reproofing chemicals about 18 months and found that simple fabric conditioner was as effective on its own.

As others have highlighted, Gore Tex does not like salt water so needs to be flushed clean regularly for it to remain porous but hot temperatures can fuse the fabrics as well.

Unfortunately there will be a point, simply down to the abrasive nature of mouldings, cordage etc that regardless of the costs of the kit we buy, it will wear out...
 
Old gear!!

Not necessarily useful, but I am still using the first set of plastic oilskins put on trial by the Royal Navy in 1947 when doing a simulated Russian convoy. Gave them a good successful trial and then "forgot" to hand them in.
Black tousers, and smock. The smock had a hood with drawstring round face and a good peak. There was also a drawstring round neck.
In 1950, when on solo watch aboard a 50 sq metre windfall (no guardrails and no life-jackets) fell overboard during the night just south of the Nab Tower, the oilskins, reinforced by a towel and tight drawstring at the neck kept me afloat and upright. Although unconscious, I was picked up off Southsea beach by the Royal Engineers Rowing Club coxed four out for an early row,
Spent 6 weeks in Haslar hospital with pneumonia and pleurisy (we did not know about hypothermia in those days) but am immensely grateful to the anonymous designers and makers. I still use the oilskins, they are a bit heavy and inflexible by modern standards, but they are still good and dry. Perhaps they should go to a yachting museum (is there one?) as I am now too old and blind to sail any more excpet in boats belonging to kind and tolerant old mates.
 
moodyNick said:
Which manufacturer is deemed to be the best?
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Are any of them manufacturers or do they simply import variants on the same basic designs from China? I suspect the latter.

My old XMs ( definitely Chinese) lasted 15 year. Have replaced the keks with XM and the jacket with Gill Atlantic on sale at half price. They work, but then so would the other brands.
 
i've got various different brands but they all eventually let go. The worst thing i find are sallopettes. Always go in the annoying i've wet myself crotch area. Must say of all i've tried Guy Cotten gets my vote.
 
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