Waterproof waterproofs recommendation required

  • Thread starter Thread starter KAM
  • Start date Start date
I wear the full Musto kit, having tried cheaper makes & given up on them (although a set of XM lasted years but got lost when the dinghy overturned)I wear the base layers, mid & outer garments & I am very pleased with it all. I regularly find myself stripping some of it off as I get too hot, even in quite cold conditions. I am not one of these " run about in shorts" types either, so I do need to keep warm.
I do look after the top set & regularly hose myself down if I get salt spray but I never use any cleaning additives
Eye wateringly expensive, but work well & I like to be comfortable. There is no point in spending £100K on a boat then spending my time cold & wet.
 
I've had no problems with the Mustos I got from the Portsmouth outlet last year (and they've had more use in that time than most people would give them), but later in the years I was chatting to one of the staff in Force 4 in Poole who suggested the quality has fallen recently.

He pointed to details like the tailoring underneath the arms (articulation?) and less fleece lining in the pockets, compared with previous years and other manufacturers.

I don't think he had any ulterior motive for these remarks - they sell all brands, and I was in there looking at boots.
 
KompetentKrew said:
I've had no problems with the Mustos I got from the Portsmouth outlet last year (and they've had more use in that time than most people would give them), but later in the years I was chatting to one of the staff in Force 4 in Poole who suggested the quality has fallen recently.

He pointed to details like the tailoring underneath the arms (articulation?) and less fleece lining in the pockets, compared with previous years and other manufacturers.

I don't think he had any ulterior motive for these remarks - they sell all brands, and I was in there looking at boots.
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Less fleece is an improvement, all it does is retain damp and create mould, one reason why I ditched my southern ocean in winter stuff years ago in favour of KISS Guy Cotton.
 
A few random thoughts:

* Hang them from the hooks, not the hood or hangers. Hangers wear our the shoulders.
* Dry them ASAP.
* Why so damn many pockets? It just makes them hard to dry and they snag on stuff. I'm not Dennis the Menace, tramping around with pockets full of stuff. That's what cockpit pockets are for. Two pockets should be enough.
* No linings, ever. Hard to don if damp and hard to dry.
* Dry suits seem to last much longer with zero leaks. I wonder if that has to do with fewer pockets. Thus, if it is REALLY wet I go with the dry suit, and only use the rain coat for lighter conditions.
* Glue (Sika 291) patches work better than sewing. Stronger and no leaks.
* If it's really wet where you sail, add a hard top. I barely needed rain gear when I had my cat. Just for docking and anchoring, really.
* I use lighter, cheaper gear in the summer and shoulder seasons. Hiking stuff, mostly. It's lighter and more comfortable.
* I wear wind gear instead of foulies unless there is rain or considerable spray. Why wear it out and wind gear is more comfortable.
 
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CAPTAIN FANTASTIC said:
I have a set of Guy Cotten which are good but I don't wear them very often, only when I expect a cataclysm. I normally wear my old Splashdown which is just ok. However, last season I wore a ski-jacket; to my surprise it was really good, warm, dry, did not get sweaty and much cheaper than the yachting jackets; anyone else tried Ski jackets for sailing?
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Ski wear isn't usually waterproof - only snowproof. I wouldn't wear mine on a boat despite being very warm.
 
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