Once in a while a great piece of sailing kit comes along that you can use off the water just as easily as on it.  Zhik’s All-Weather Coat is such an item. Think sitting on deck on a cool spring or autumn day. Or standing night watch in an overnight race. Or, maybe just re-splicing and rigging your control systems on a cold off-season afternoon. It’s versatile and there’s no official temperature rating, but I’m guessing this coat really comes into its own at temps from the low 30s–maybe even a touch lower–and up, not accounting for wind chill.

The first thing you’ll notice when you pick it up is how soft the face of the outer fabric is. Clearly quality stuff. Zhik advertises the outer layer as “highly waterproof and breathable.” I think that means it will be great in fog, mist, perhaps a light sprinkle, but if it really starts coming down or waves are crashing across the foredeck you’ll want to break out the real stuff to stay dry. 

The inner layer has polyester insulation, which is not removable, but I’m not sure why you’d want to remove it anyway, so no problem there. It’s three-quarter length, so if sitting, you’re insulated from a cold deck or dinghy seat. The jacket zips well around your neck, with soft fabric against your skin, so when conditions call for it, you’re comfortably tucked in.

An oversized, insulated hood provides further protection from the elements, and there’s plenty of room for a beanie. It can also be cinched to fit more snugly around your head. Two fleece-lined side zip pockets will keep your hands warm as well as providing storage. An inside pocket has enough room for a cell phone and then some. 

One cool detail is found at the cuffs. There’s a velcro closure on the outer shell, such as you’d find on most quality foul weather gear but not necessarily on generic outerwear, and an inner stretch cuff, as on more traditional outerwear. I found this comfortable and great for keeping out moisture as well as cold rushes up the sleeve. The front zipper is conveniently two-way, and there’s a hook on the lower right-hand side–a perfect attachment point for an outboard kill switch cord the next time you’re running a dinghy or out in a coach or small race committee boat. $299.

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For 20 years now, Zhik has maintained its reputation as the go-to supplier of hiking boots and hiking straps for multiple one-designs, but especially the ILCA dinghy. Study photos and footage of any recent Olympic Games, and chances are you’ll see ILCA competitors using Zhik’s boots and hiking straps. In fact, they were used by gold medal ILCA winners in London, Rio and Tokyo. Not a bad track record. 

Zhik Double-Wide X Hiking Strap

This year, in celebrating the company’s 20th anniversary, Zhik has introduced a double-width ILCA X Hiking Strap. It’s identical to the strap a lot of us have been using just, well, wider. The strap itself is a bit less than double the width of the original (4.25” compared to 3”), but the part that really counts, the ZhikGrip II layer, is indeed twice the width, measuring just over 4” compared to the original 2”.  Not a big deal, you suggest?  Give it a shot.

As you’ll likely conclude, not only does the wider strap spread the load over a larger area of your foot by virtue of its overall width, but it also provides maximum contact area, and with a wider ZhikGrip II surface, you’ll feel locked in even more, especially if using a Zhik boot with ZhikGrip II on the top. No doubt, some will always prefer the narrower strap, and it’s still available. But what if the wider version truly means you can hike longer and get more connected with the boat? For those folks, it’s likely a no-brainer.

Unfamiliar with ZhikGrip II?  It’s a proprietary pattern of tapered, rubber studs that work to provide a mechanical connection between strap and a similarly equipped Zhik hiking boot. Think Lego bricks. Well, maybe not quite that extreme, you get the idea. 

Like the original strap, the X model is padded and has an internally stitched, laminated “PE” board that keeps it stiff, pre-drilled mounting holes at the forward end and an attachment loop at the other. The aft end is tapered to centralize the hiking force around the rear webbing loop and so there are no sharp edges. Basically plug and play, although we did find it helped to drill out the front holes a bit to enable the bolts to fit through more easily.  $79.00

Zhik 360 Hiking Boot

I’ve been using the Zhik 470 model boot for years, and along with occasionally dabbling with competing brands, all those boots all had a relatively smooth surface where the top of the boot contacts the hiking strap. When used with the ubiquitous Zhik strap they’ve all worked well–at least that’s what I thought. Then I checked out the Zhik 360, which has a layer of ZhikGrip II–the same material used on the bottom of Zhik hiking straps–on the top of the boot. Combine the ILCA X strap with the 360, and it’s tough to imagine being any more locked into the boat. No more excuses on that front.  

Made of molded neoprene, the boot has the standard supportive ankle strap and side lacing. There’s a small hidden pocket for excess lace–unobtrusive enough that Zhik has included a small tab labeled “lace pocket” to point you in the right direction. In case you’re wondering, it’s under the rectangular plastic strap loop. That makes it easier to access than having the pocket in the ankle strap, as found on some models. The ankle strap’s velcro closure features a locking tab which we found made it nearly impossible to accidentally open the strap. It also means you’ll probably have to take off your gloves to peel it open, but by the time you’re ready to do that you’re ashore and the gloves are already off. The rubber sole provides great grip when pushing off the cockpit floor or sides, and the height of the sole cradles your foot,  providing more stability in the boat when not hiking. $229.96. 

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Love the sun, but hate what it can do to our skin, especially areas that are continually exposed, such as ears, face, etc?  Here’s a nifty new Zhik product that helps keep us out where we love to be. While the Zhik Motion top does a great job of wicking moisture away from your body and cutting wind chill, the real draw is how it combats the sun’s rays, especially around the head and face, which is accomplished by a hood and balaclava. The hood is form fitting, meaning it stays put. 

While I was a bit skeptical about the balaclava function, it hangs just off your face so as not to obstruct breathing but keeps the lower portion of your face well out of the sun.  A big bonus.  When not in use, it comfortably rests below your chin.  Similarly, when you pull the hood off, you’ll hardly know it’s bunched up around your neck.  

Offering UFP 50-plus protection, the Zhik Motion top is breathable, fast drying and also functions as a great base layer.  If you’re thinking it’s your typical regatta shirt but with a hood, you’ll be surprised by this.  It’s much heavier and has a soft “peached finish,” which means that toward the end of the manufacturing process it’s received a light sanding. You can really feel the difference between this and a typical sun-blocking top. It’s not waterproof, which isn’t the intent, but it does shed small amounts of spray. And its four-way stretch helps ensure you’ll not only be protected from the sun but comfortable while out there. 

Available in men’s sizes from S to XXL, and women’s sizes from XS to XL. Black or Platinum at $99.99 

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There are times when a rash guard is not enough, and a spray top or wetsuit top is too much. Such times require a hybrid approach like the new ZSkin Top, constructed with an ultra-thin, slick neoprene layer on the torso and water-repellent, breathable XWR four-way stretch fabric on sleeves and neck.

I spent some time dinghy sailing with this on a cloudy, breezy day when the air and water temps were hovering just above 65, which was probably pressing the top’s lower design limits. At first, I was skeptical about how well the stretch fabric would keep my arms warm, especially with a lot of spray. I brought my dinghy top along just in case, but I never needed it. My arms were certainly not as warm as my torso, which was nice and toasty, but that was fine, probably because I was actively trimming and steering. Maybe a full day on the water in those conditions, and I might have wanted a spray top over it, but for a few hours in those lower temps, it was fine.

What I particularly liked about it—and what it was designed for—was how little, if at all, it restricted arm movement. That’s why the ZSkin top is also being marketed to paddlers and surfers. It’s like wearing a rash guard, but warmer. And it’s much more aerodynamic than a dinghy top. If you end up in the water, you’ll come out much warmer and potentially take on less water than you might with a dinghy top.

The ZSkin is designed to fit snugly and for relatively athletic builds. My sense is that it runs a bit on the small side. At 5′10″ and 175 pounds, I could just get into a size large. The good news is that, once on, I was warm, could easily move my arms and hardly knew it was there. $189.99

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Zhik Sea Boots

I wore these boots for three days straight and hardly noticed I was wearing them. They fit well around my foot, with no slop, and the soft, breathable uppers were extremely comfortable. One of the foredeck crew aboard Stripes also had a pair, and he especially liked how the tread ran up on the sides of the boot. He said it’s useful when on a wet foredeck, on his knees or trying to get a good footing on a sloping deck. Loops on the each boot’s neoprene liner makes it easy to pull them on. The rubber sole is soft and pliable, giving a great grip.

How easily can they be removed in the water? I visited my neighbor’s pool, to find out before the race, and even while wearing thick wool socks, it took about 10 seconds per boot. As with other boots of this style, don’t tighten the top of the gaiter too much. Tighten them just enough to hold the gaiter up, as any water that gets in there runs down the outside of the neoprene and then out through the perforated neoprene. You’ll still need to loosen them to get the boots off.

Bottom Line: Neoprene uppers that keep the boot lightweight. Pull loops are designed to make quick work of putting these on when you’re below and all hands are needed on deck. $299

This jacket has great styling, and it’s a sharp looking, durable jacket for coastal sailing. There are three pockets—one on each side plus an inside chest pocket for small items, such as an iPhone. The jacket is lightweight, but has no liner so layering is a must. Its waterproof rubber cuffs are great assets, but they’re a little challenging to get to and snug, unless you roll up the outer shell.

The only issue I had with this jacket is one I’ve run into with other jackets—there’s comfortable fleece collar liner everywhere except the section by your chin. After three days of continuous wear, I ended up with chafe marks and minor discomfort in that area. Another good upgrade, especially for colder situations would be fleece-lined side pockets.

Bottom Line: A lightweight, unlined, breathable jacket—warmth hinges on the base layers. Its key features are a fleece-lined collar and double wrist closures. $295

The Race Trousers were pretty typical of most bibs available today. I appreciated the two-way zipper and large inner flap that made relieving myself over the long race a non-issue. Unlike other bibs I have worn, I never had to deal with the shoulder straps sliding down off my shoulders. Two front pockets gave me all the storage space I needed, and Velcro cuffs allowed them to slide smoothly into the boot gaiters.

Bottom Line: Like the jacket, very light with a full front zipper that not only zips up but down, as well as the waist clincher straps that take a little pressure off the shoulder straps. $379

When I first tried these out, they fit pretty snug, even though they were the correct size for someone of my height and weight. How comfortable they would be over the long haul? Not an issue. I wore them from Saturday afternoon straight through to Monday afternoon—almost 48 hours straight—and almost forgot I was wearing them—seemed just like a second skin. And they certainly added to my overall warmth. A front fly opening in the pants would make them even better.

Bottom Line: These base layers are advertised as “hyper wicking,” which would be perfect in cold, damp situations.Top: $109. Pants: $109

The jacket is considerably thicker than the pants: It has the usual set of outside pockets, plus a pair of inside pockets on both sides—convenient whether you’re left-handed or right-handed. It was great under the foul weather gear or just on its own in chilly conditions. The pants are light enough to wear under a pair of sailing shorts, providing long-pants warmth. Early on, I wondered how much the fleece pants and Hydrobase pants would restrict movement, but once again, I was pleasantly surprised. They worked well together. Again, with the pants, my only suggestion would be a front fly opening.

Bottom Line: This is the stuff of critical mid-layer protection, worn over the Hydrobase set. Jacket: $149. Pants: $99

There’s nothing worse than having your gear scattered about when you’re trying to find something. The Regatta bag has 50L of storage space that will fit any gear you need to stow in it. It’s easy to carry with both shoulder and backpack straps, and is extremely durable and waterproof.

Bottom Line: This bag has big, easy-to-access pockets, plus it’s waterproof. $179

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