LifeJacket Skin Protection – sun protection range review
I chanced upon the LifeJacket brand at one of the Maverick trail races in Purbeck. I purchased the Daily Repair moisturiser, liked it a lot and got chatting with Jono, one of the founders. He kindly sent me the full range of products to try and we took them out on the water in Poole […]
Overboard 20L Classic Waterproof Backpack review
The Overboard 20L Classic Waterproof Backpack is a dry bag based rucksack, designed primarily for water sports and outdoor activities. Overboard have been making dry bags for some time now, and the rest of the outdoor sport industry seems to have caught up and are all now offering a roll-top rucksack, making the best use […]
Typhoon PS330 Xtreme Drysuit review
Having sea kayaked for 6 years and tried out various methods for keeping dry during the cooler seasons, I finally bit the bullet and decided to invest in a full drysuit. Two piece drysuits are fine if you’re with other paddlers and can get assured rescue quickly if you happen to capsize but, for me, […]
Helly Hansen Hydropower 4 Shoes Review
At first glance, the Helly Hansen Hydropower 4 shoes look like I remember my football boots looking when I was at school. All black and long, with a perforated leather look top. This is entirely planned as many of the current footwear fashion trends follow this look but, paired with white soles, update it enough […]
Helly Hansen Skagen 2 Pant review
Helly Hansen’s mid range salopettes, the Skagen 2, are designed with coastal sailing in mind and are of a lighter weight than their ocean range but are still hardwearing and more than enough for most coastal sailors. The Skagen 2’s use Helly Hansen’s Helly Tech® performance fabric which is waterproof, windproof and breathable yet still […]
Helly Hansen JR Drysuit review
James Gosson is a 10 year old up and coming Optimist dinghy sailor that has been shaking up the Welsh Championships in 2017 Helly Hansen kindly gave him a HH JR Drysuit to try out. Here’s his first review… Having only worn wet suits, I was really looking forward to trying a drysuit out and […]
REVIEW – Chatham Bounce Deck Shoe
The Bounce deck shoe is part of Chatham’s new Sole Spring range which uses tri-density 3mm memory foam for maximum comfort. Which sounds great but how do they feel? The first thing to notice is the weight. They’re light, very light. They’re also very comfortable. The lack of weight makes for less rubbing and movement […]
REVIEW – Helly Hansen Crew Jacket
The Helly Hansen Crew Jacket is a great multi-purpose jacket. A solid performer for when the weather turns a bit chilly. Its 2-ply construction with DWR treatment ensures it stays waterproof and windproof whilst remaining breathable. The jacket is hip length and has the usual draw cord toggles at the hem which enable you to […]
REVIEW – Helly Hansen HH 5.5M Sailing Shoe
The HH 5.5M blend the performance of a sailing shoe with urban styling and would look just as at home pavement pounding in central London as they would on deck, broad reaching out of Lymington.
REVIEW- Gill Race Sailing Shorts
Having had the full summer and autumn to test these shorts, we thought it high time to report back on them. The Gill Race Sailing Shorts are designed for sport and keel boat racing in warmer conditions, however we tested them canoeing during the Welsh summer and on the Solent during the autumn and found […]
REVIEW – Helly Hansen Salt Power Jacket
The Helly Hansen Salt Power jacket is a no nonsense breathable waterproof jacket aimed at the powerboat market but equally at home on dry land. It’s a great looking jacket and is cut well to allow freedom of movement without becoming bulky. The design is based upon Helly Hansen’s marine stripe design for the […]
REVIEW – Helly Hansen HP HT Shorts
The HP HT shorts are aimed at the warm weather boaters and would suit everyone from the yachtsman to the dinghy sailor or kayaker.
REVIEW – Baltic 5600 buoyancy aid
Baltic have teamed up with The Rough Water Gear Company to produce a slimline buoyancy aid primarily aimed at the surfski market but equally suited to kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding or sailing in general. The Baltic 5600 is narrower across the chest and back than a traditional buoyancy aid and this allows for much greater upper […]
REVIEW: Helly Hansen Warm Freeze 1/2 Zip Top
The Warm Freeze 1/2 zip top builds on Helly Hansen’s renowned Lifa® series of clothing that has a proven track record going back some 46 years.
REVIEW: Gill Thermal Dinghy Top
The Thermal Dinghy Top from Gill is aimed at winter water users and provides warmth and protection from spray and waves.
REVIEW: Chatham Docksider II G2 Hand-Stitched Deck Shoes
The Docksider II G2 Hand-Stitched are from Chatham’s G2 range which come with a two year guarantee.
REVIEW: Helly Hansen Blackline Full Wetsuit
Having worn wetsuits for various sports over the years, the one thing that strikes me about all of them is that they tend to be uncomfortable and constrictive until in the water. This is fine in sports such as diving or caving when that happens quite quickly, but very different for something like dinghy […]
REVIEW: PlainSailing.com yacht charter website
PlainSailing.com is a new website that was founded by 2 brothers frustrated at the difficult and often lengthy process of chartering a yacht online. They set out to create something quick and simple to use without all of the usual paperwork and rigmarole normally associated with yacht charter. We decided to take a look and […]
REVIEW: Helly Hansen HP QD Shorts
Helly Hansen have managed to come up with probably the most versatile shorts I’ve ever owned. The Hydro Power (HP) shorts are quick drying (QD) and are aimed at the high end sailing and dinghy market but they excel at so much more. Having worn them almost constantly for a season now, I can state […]
REVIEW: WaveTrax Marine Logbook App
WaveTrax is a marine logbook for the iPhone and iPad. It uses the device’s GPS to make automatic log entries and track your journey. I found setting up the app for a journey is simple. You can enter details for the skipper, crew and vessel; choose the mode of travel (sailing, motoring or motor sailing) […]
REVIEW: Chatham Aqua Go Mist G2 Performance Sailing Shoes
Billed as the next evolution in the history of the boat shoe; Chatham’s new Aqua Go Mist G2 is the result of years of design, research and technology. Designed for use in and around water, it features a midsole with direct drainage holes that will empty the shoe of water within 10 seconds. In practice, […]
REVIEW: Helly Hansen Ægir Ocean Dry Top
It’s a word I use rarely, or lightly, but the new Helly Hansen Ægir Ocean Pro Dry Top is phenomenal. From the ground up it’s designed for one purpose; to keep someone safe at sea and it fulfils that remit and then some. Picking up the jacket for the first time, you can feel how […]
REVIEW: Chatham Finn Waterproof Boots
The Chatham Finn waterproof sailing boot was launched last year to compliment the already popular Cruz II sailing boot. It’s a fine looking boot with soft tan coloured leather overlaid with darker tan leather panels. It has a genuine rubber sole with a razor cut tread and an interesting sounding breathable bamboo lining. It is […]
REVIEW: Garmin VIRB Elite action camera
We were lucky enough to be given a Garmin VIRB® Elite to play with for the summer and were keen to see how Garmin’s first foray into the action cam market would fare. First Impressions: Right out of the box, the VIRB feels solid and well built. It weights in at 177 grams and, as […]
REVIEW: Helly Hansen Crew H²Flow Jacket
The H²Flow jacket from Helly Hansen was designed as one of their most versatile mid-layer jackets to date. Built to withstand a wide variety of conditions and scenarios. The first thing we noticed is the unusual lining. It comprises of a mesh interspersed with vertical tubes of Polartec insulation. The effect is to provide an […]
REVIEW: Chatham Huron Walking Sandals
With summer around the corner, it was fitting that we try a new pair of sandals from the Chatham stable. The Chatham Huron Walking Sandal has a premium leather upper and insole with a textured sole for grip and durability. The leather upper is split in half and stitched together to provide flexibility and allow […]
REVIEW: Helly Wellys from Helly Hansen
I’ve been wanting to try a pair of these for a while and finally got the chance in February. The Helly Welly is a sailing boot from Helly Hansen designed as a cruising boot for long days on deck. It is also ideal for offshore racing. I however, wanted to try them out sea kayaking. […]
REVIEW: BuzzConnect Hubba 3G WIFI Router
The Hubba 3g Wireless Router is, according to the manufacturers blurb “ideal for applications such as temporary offices, business continuity or as an alternative to slow ADSL connections. Clever algorithms test surrounding transmitters to see which can offer the fastest connection and lock on, as opposed to a traditional dongle that will connect to just […]
REVIEW: Helly Hanson Ask Hybrid Jacket
I have been looking for a smarter waterproof jacket for a while and therefore jumped at the chance to get the new Helly Hanson Ask Hybrid jacket to review. The Hybrid is marketed as “a modernized Scandinavian version of the classic trench coat” and would fill a large gap in my wardrobe between all out […]