XM Ocean Oilies

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WoodyP

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I would be grateful for the experience of the falorum before spending a little or a lottle.
Any Good? Value for money?
At C.£300 for a full suit against Musto at £800, how much less do you get for your money, and are they a compromise too far or are they fine for all practical purposes. Any body got them, and do they do what they say on the tin?
Remember, this is my money your spending /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 
We have three sets on our boat. I would say they are more than adequate. One of the reasons I got them was that alot of instructers at the local dinghy club used the trousers because they found them hard wearing. That includes jumping in and out of ribs all day doing rescue work more abuse than the average sailor would give them. So far after 2 years we are happy enough with them. However I did have the loan of some top of the range Musto Gear a few years back and it was excellant. Too good in fact as I was on the foredeck of a racing boat overheating. It was very cossetting. At least there is more than just a brand name to justify the extra cost .In summary if I was to actually cross an ocean I might spend the extra cash but for coastal sailing with the ocassional sea crossing the XM will do me just fine.

Mike
 
I used to use my years old gortex mountain gear. It's far thinner, and more lightweight, and packs into a fraction of the space of sailing gear. Totally waterproof and windproof as you'd expect of gear to be used on tops of mountains. Got fed up of being asked if they were up to the job, so bought some XM gear to wear on other peoples boats, and wear mountaineering gear on own boat
 
The Skipper on the boat I crewed for this week wore them, and didnt seem any dryer or warmer than I was in my Lidl specials! Incidently, my Lidl jacket was warmer and more comfortable than my Henry LLoyd Offshore suit,
Try lots on and see what feels best, pockets can be very difficult to get into on some suits, esp. under a lifejacket, so try them out
 
When we bought our new kit just after xmas we were told to buy the best we could afford (we intended on getting XM kit). Having tried lots on we decided on Musto Offshore with a Musto Goretex midlayer - lots more expensive but they are fantastic (I have spent all day on a RIB in -1C in just thermals and the midlayer and been plenty warm enough)

I would therefore say buy the best you can afford - they will last a long time and serve you well.

(Sorry if this doesn't help!!)

Jonny
 
Had some Ocean Henrys for 3 years. Really were the DB's but £800 worth. Sold them cos in a year of madness bought a powerboat and didn't need such mega protection. Saw sense and had to decide what to buy for use on the yacht for x channel etc. Saw the XM's and couldn't see a lot of difference between them and the Henry Mustos. Used them today for the first time and have already spotted two things that annoy me. No hand warmer pockets in the jacket .... maybe trivial but they were REALLY nice in the Henrys, and more importantly found the jacket less well padded around the neck area. HATE having the material chafing my chin! Having said that they kept me warm and there is no reason to suspect that they won't keep me dry. Mine are the T8000 Ocean Technology and cost just £280 here

Providing you wear the right sort of layers underneath (not cotton!) I think the XMs take some beating.
 
I have Musto Ocean and the Admiral has XM Ocean. She bought hers more recently than mine. My Mustos are starting to get a bit sad now - from abrasion and mud (East Coast anchoring with no windlass) as much as wind and spray.

I will replace mine this year or maybe next with XM. I think I would rather have a new set of XM Ocean every 5 years than a new set of Musto every 10.
 
I've used XM Ocean every couple of weekend for the last 2 years on our dive rib. (obviously just when at the helm /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif) Even on the coldest, wettest of days, just with a thin layer of thermals have stayed warm and dry!! How are they wearing......still just like new! Would definitely reccomend them! Recently bought a set of XM Offshore for 'er indoors, she really likes them!
Value for money, I'd say so and so does this month's MBM
 
Have you been to Spindrift on the Manor Trading Estate at Benfleet? They have lots of oilies at very good prices. Sometimes they have Musto suits that have used for a week as part of a Musto sponsored do and then they are resold for a fraction of the price. All in good nick - a new set soon become secondhand once you have worn them! They have other makes too. It's worth giving them a ring. 01268 754180
 
[ QUOTE ]
Have you been to Spindrift on the Manor Trading Estate at Benfleet?

[/ QUOTE ]

Thanks. [joke] Just don't tell anyone else.[/joke]
 
I tried them on recently but found the jacket uncomfortable and bought Musto MPX Goretex Coastal instead. I found very little difference in the offshore Jacket. (Higher collar and two chest hand warmer pockets) and The Marine Superstore are doing them for 41% off!

I've been out several times in freezing temps, and have been warm as toast. Great kit.
 
When we bought our XM Offshore oilies, 4 or 5 years at SIBS, the very helpful staff at the XM stand helped us get the right size jacket/trouser combination. They then pointed out the material the suit were made of, sent us off to the Musto stand to discover, the very same material at over twice the price!

Things may have changed but the XM suits had more features than the Musto, and I could not see where the extra cost was. The XM suits have worked very well, keeping us warm and dry on wet cold nights.

I would buy again.
 
Another vote for Lidl specials, if and when they get them in again very good value for money.
Steer well clear of cheap olies made by company a called Century, did not last the season before they started to leak.
personlly I would not pay swindelry prices for Musto and HL gear, but outlet and online shops selling last years fashions might have a bargain.
 
I found them fine until caught in strong head winds big seas and horizontal spray off Cap da la Hague.

Getting the tides wrong meant I spent 16hrs on the helm with a terrified SWMBO.

It was overnight in July and while not particularly cold the effect of being soaking wet I realised I was too cold but could not leave the helm as SWMBO would never go on a boat again.

The effect of horizontal spray, possible high humidity left me wet and cold.

I decided that the material was not able to wick away the moisture adequately. As being cold affects your judgement and while I hope I don't ever cock up the tide estimations again I decided I would never risk our health again and went out and bought both of us Musto Ocean.

I still have the XM's and lend them to crew but when used they always seem damper on the inside than Mustos for a given set of conditions. I decided you get what you pay but suspect you are paying over the odds for Gortex for sea use (different due to salt crystals). As I am pleased with Gill skiwear I have just bought a set of Gill Key West's to evaluate. Can't pass any constructive comments yet though on Gill's
 
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