Find the best sailing jacket for your next voyage

→ How do you choose the best offshore jacket for sailing?

Choosing the best sailing jacket depends above all on your sailing program and how you intend to use it. The best sailing jacket is the one that will protect you from bad weather at sea, such as sea moisture and spray, while adapting to your sailing schedule.

Your sailing jacket acts as a barrier against the elements, protecting you from harsh weather conditions offshore. That's why it's important to choose the right garment for your use on the water. An ocean-going sailing jacket is used for offshore sailing. It has to perform extremely well, since it will be exposed to the worst conditions at sea.

We recommend that you buy a sailing jacket with at least a 3-layer membrane, and materials that are both waterproof and breathable, such as Gore-Tex® from Musto or Helly Tech® fabric from Helly Hansen.

An inshore sailing jacket is worn for day trips or weekend regattas. It's lighter than an offshore jacket because it has fewer textile layers. The fabrics used, generally 2-layer coated, must also be breathable and waterproof, but don't necessarily require the same level of technical expertise as for an offshore sailing program.

The budget is lower, and brands such as Slam, Gill and Helly Hansen offer high-quality sailing jackets at affordable prices. Your boat jacket is the last bastion between you and the elements. From professional skippers to yachtsmen, all sailors know that the pleasure of a successful navigation depends to a large extent on the quality of the equipment you take on board.

Choosing a watch jacket or marine foulies will prevent you from suffering from the cold and bad weather while sailing: heavy weather, strong winds, temperatures, sea spray, heavy seas...

→ Best sailing jacket: 3 criteria for choosing the right one

Poor conditions at sea can quickly spoil a cruise or an overnight watch. That's why it's imperative to be well equipped. To ensure optimum comfort and protection, the quality of a sailing jacket is based on 3 essential features.

A sailing jacket must be both waterproof and breathable to provide effective protection against the elements while ensuring the sailor's comfort, preventing water penetration, preventing hypothermia and regulating temperature by wicking away perspiration.

Technical textiles keep you dry while allowing perspiration to escape, allowing the body to breathe. Thanks to a combination of materials, water vapor can escape, avoiding the condensation effect under the jacket. These materials also provide the windproofing characteristic of technical textiles. Two types of membrane are used to manufacture sailing jackets.

Coated or water-repellent membranes, in which a protective layer is applied to the surface of a textile to make it waterproof and breathable. This process is generally used on coastal watches or deck jackets, which are less subject to harsh conditions. For top-of-the-range coatings, Gore-Tex® is more commonly found on offshore watches. The Helly Tech© membrane has also become a benchmark for waterproofing, as has the Kara jacket Guy Cotten for example.

→ How to care for a sailing jacket?

To best preserve your women's saling jacket or man's jacket, rinse with fresh water and hand wash with soap. For drying, avoid storing in direct sunlight. Drying on a hanger in the open air is recommended.

Also, avoid storing your sailing jacket in a place where the temperature exceeds 30 degrees (like the trunk of a car in summer, for example). Overexposure to heat can damage the membrane of your sailing jacket.

For machine washing, choose a gentle program at 30 degrees maximum and a detergent suitable for technical garments. Dry-cleaning and tumble-drying are absolutely forbidden, as they can alter the coating or membrane of your jacket. boat jacket

→ Which watch dungarees to match with my sailing jacket?

Just as you would choose a boat jacket for navigation, the choice of your watch dungarees will depend on your sailing program. The number of textile layers on a pair of dungarees is equivalent to that of a jacket.

Consider waxed pants or waterproof pants (more expensive) for occasional sea outings. For multi-day cruises in rough seas, or if you sail regularly, opt for 2-layer overalls. Choose 3-layer overalls for ocean sailing in heavy weather. This will give you the best possible protection in terms of waterproofing and breathability.

You'll find 2 different cuts in our catalog. The classic cut, with adjustable straps for occasional wear, and the "Long John" version, with an upper body bib and elasticized straps. The latter is more comfortable and more snugly fitted, especially for intensive use or regattas.

For women, dropseat technology, found at Helly Hansen, Gill and Musto, enables the integration of a watertight zip at the lower back to facilitate trips to the toilet. The Skagen Offshore, MPX and OS2 models in particular feature this technology.

Choosing a sailing jacket for comfort

Whether you're sailing or anywhere else, your activity should always be a pleasure. The comfort provided by your equipment is therefore a step not to be neglected. Many of us have made the mistake of prioritizing price over quality, and end up with soggy clothes that are impossible to dry at sea.

To avoid this pitfall, our guide sailing jacket reveals the best value for money: the essential oilskin, the ancestor of today's sailing jacket , made from coated canvas. Please note, however, that a foulies jacket is neither warm nor breathable, but will keep you dry in all circumstances, just like the Isoder Guy Cotten foulies jacket.

Today's most technologically advanced materials, such as Gore-Tex®, make it possible to combine lightness and performance. Lightness is a real guarantee of comfort. Some sailing jackets also feature elastic inserts at strategic points, guaranteeing superior freedom of movement.

→ Regatta or racing sailing jacket?

For light sailing, dinghy sailing or racing, a jacket is preferable to a "Race" type sailing jacket (with a more fitted cut), for the quest for performance and comfort. Both are devoid of superfluous accessories to enhance your agility and avoid any risk of snagging on board.

We strongly recommend the purchase of a jacket if you play the role of number 1 in competition. Seams are kept to a minimum to improve watertightness and give you greater mobility on deck.

Some sailing-jacket models are also available in a regatta version for offshore racing. The range Aegir Race Helly Hansen is a perfect example. Lighter and more fitted, they offer total freedom of movement, while withstanding the hazards of working on deck.

→ What to wear under a sailing jacket?

To get the most out of your sailing jacket, it's essential to pair it with complementary equipment. Like many other outdoor sports, a 3-layer system will be recommended for your sea outings. You'll need to choose breathable, insulating clothing made from fast-drying synthetic fibers.

A first layer of warm, breathable synthetic fabric in contact with the skin forms the basis of your equipment.

A fleece or softshell mid-layer protects you from the cold, lets perspiration escape and dries quickly. It's the last link before the outer layer. The combination of a fleece and a softshell jacket, plus a technical underlayer, will give you excellent thermal performance.

→ Best sailing jacket: how does it differ from a ski jacket?

Since this question is regularly asked by our customers, you should know that some mountain jackets have the same characteristics as the best sailing jacket, except that they are not treated against hydrolysis (alteration of any membrane or coated textile by the action of salt combined with humidity), abrasion and salt attack.

If you use a ski jacket for your sea activities, you run the risk of premature aging, or delamination, of your garment. We therefore recommend that you buy a sailing jacket on our site to ensure you choose a model suited to your program at sea.

And for smaller budgets, don't hesitate to consult our section Sailing jacket clearance to find the best watches at the best price on the Internet!

Back to menu