Anyone who wants to buy sailing clothing voluntarily enters the jungle, so to speak, of the many models offered by manufacturers. Of course, there are very different priorities to be set: Someone who flies to the Caribbean needs different equipment than someone who wants to visit the Norwegian fjords in spring. Dinghy sailors, on the other hand, are equipped differently than those who need the right clothing for harbor days in St. Looking for Tropez. Nevertheless, it is worthwhile to pay attention to a few things when buying sailing clothes. So here are my tips:
Sniff
First of all, weatherproof clothing is suitable for the first excursions into this sport, as it may be from skiing or motorcycle clothing. When sailing, on the one hand, you need fair-weather clothes that protect, in particular, against the strong reflection of the sun (from the atmosphere and reflected from the water surface) (light cotton shirts with collars, hat, simple canvass canvas shoes with light non-slip rubber soles, sunglasses with security tape from the optician) as well as a jacket, trousers, rubber boots and a cap against bad weather, plus a thick sweater, long underpants and, if necessary, a pair of shoes. Nice warm insoles. Jacket and pants must be waterproof even under stress – nothing is worse than the feeling of suffering from incontinence. Thin sog. Water-repellent' windbreakers, as cyclists love them, are not suitable for the load i.D.R. Not grown and quickly become leaky. At
Rubber boots not suitable for gardening, as they leave black stripes on white boat hulls and are not very non-slip. Sailing boots are useful so that the water that just rolls off your pants does not run blithely into your shoes; very uncomfortable! They have a kind of herringbone pattern in the light rubber sole, so that a good grip is given even on dewy decks. For example, from Gotop for a well spent 38 euros.
Sailing gloves are indispensable! They are available with 5 fingertips cut off (Gotop 10 Euro) or with three full fingers, so that 'half-naked' thumbs and index fingers can open and close knots. Which are preferable is a matter of taste. Hotly disputed among insiders. The sailing gloves are absolutely necessary – anyone who has ever had a sheet rush through the palm of his hand knows that burns at this point rule out manual work of any kind for the rest of his life. The most important thing is a sufficiently rough surface in the area of the palm of the hand. Some manufacturers therefore offer Kevlar-reinforced gloves, which have a particularly rough inner surface – for example Gill 20 euros, worth it. Buy gloves tight, because wet leather stretches quickly. Who is in autumn or spring on the way, should put over it conventional winter / ski gloves because of the warmth. Especially snowboard gloves are suitable, because they hardly store moisture and are very rough. The ultimate tip are however quite simple cotton gloves from the hardware store, which are covered with a latex layer. Originally intended for people who handle chemicals, these things offer the best grip I've ever seen for barely 5 €, keep water out to some extent and keep you reasonably warm: what more could you want??? Top
Fun with sailing
With these we can go sailing for the first weekend. But what if, contrary to expectations, you enjoy the sport and want to indulge in the feeling of feeling the wind in your hands more often?? Gloves and sailing boots we continue to use. Now we buy a sailing jacket. A matching pair of pants. Is there anything to keep in mind?? But surely! First, a painful principle: Each additionally invested € is worthwhile according to experience. It is really fun to stand in the Schietwedder with the collar pulled up, all around all hell is going on, and you yourself are wrapped up warm and dry. Conversely, sailing is no fun at all if the (cheapest) material leaks, making you wet, cold and sick… Second principle: Buy only clothing that bears the stamp breathable bears. Sailing clothes you wear for hours and under constant movement, d.H. You sweat, and not too little. This moisture wants to get out somewhere, and if it can't, it settles in the coolest place: on the inside of the outerwear. In other words: With the time one swims in the own juice. Breathable clothing lets out water vapor without letting in moisture. This works ideally if you follow the 3Layer principle (s.U.).
If you prefer sailing dinghies, like me, you should go for short jackets (blousons), because they offer more freedom of movement. Yacht sailors, on the other hand, swear by long-cut jackets. At this point again the urgent hint: You should invest a little bit more than necessary for the cheapest jacket – the material becomes more and more stable and that pays off in heavy weather and disgusting work in front of the ship. The same goes for pants. Overalls are dead chic, but impractical, especially when you 'have to go'. They are also hardly ever offered. Pants should be well sealed, especially in the crotch, preferably without seams, which should otherwise be taped on the inside. Always buy one size larger, so that nothing pinches even when sitting down. Tip: Get dressed and go cross-legged. If nothing pinches: buy, otherwise hands off. Beauty is here for once not the first priority, but wearing comfort and tightness!
Zip or not zip: that is the question here
Some people buy expensive jackets that have a fleece inside to zip in. I don't know anyone who zips in or out of fleece all the time. Either the thing is zipped in, then they freeze in a T-shirt in the restaurant, or not, then the things look less socially acceptable. So I rather buy a jacket without fleece. Buy me a fancy one.
Which brings us to the 3Layer Principle Are. If you want to do everything right, don't wear fabrics that retain moisture, i.E. Wool or even cotton – get rid of undershirts and T-shirts that soak up sweat and don't pass it on! Instead you should wear functional underwear made of 100% synthetics, where the body moisture diffuses through the material. Over that, a warm fleece, which also simply lets moisture through, which can then leak out through the breathable outerwear. The cheapest way to get them is in the fall at well-known coffee distributors as ski underwear, but also from all sailing, skiing and trekking clothing manufacturers.
And what please is a southwester?
This is a kind of hat made of canvas, which does not look very special, but is very useful. Unlike the hood, it leaves the ears free, and that is absolutely necessary when it comes to communication between fellow sailors, especially in the storm. Southwestern also has two construction models: one is simply round, the other elongated. The former keep the water out all around to let it run purposefully into the collar, the more elongated ones extend so far back that the water runs down the back of the jacket. Z.B. From ProRainer for just under 20 euros.
And where is the best place to buy sailing clothes? Where there is the widest range and you can try things on for size: At one of the three big water sports fairs in Düsseldorf, Hamburg and Friedrichshafen. Most manufacturers are represented with samples. Many sellers have the whole program for trying on. Who wants to save money, comes on the first day, because discontinued models from the previous year are then still available in almost all sizes at significantly reduced prices. You can find a small material test here. So, have fun choosing and may the next sailing season be even better than the last one.