Foul Weather gear

[Zen]

Teaching Sailing here on the SF Bay and spending a lot of time in the "slot" on J-24, it is usually a wet experience. Foulies are pretty much a standard wear. Like today it is 25knts of wind. 24's have a low free-board, waves are up there, this is common. Anyway I will need a good set of foulies at some point for the Blue water passage. I'm wondering what you guys use? I have a pair of "Musto" bib pants and I'm thinking to invest in a Jacket as well. They are costly but...there is that saying you get what you pay for.

[AdriftAtSea]

Zen—

I have a Musto MPX jacket...worth every penny... ;) IMHO, the jackets are more important than the bibs...

[LooseMoose]

We gave up on foul weather gear some time ago in favor of gear designed for sea kayaking... Its lighter, easier to work in and best of all it keeps me drier!

Oh yeah its not priced silly either!!!

http://www.nrsweb.com/shop/product.asp?pfid=2579&deptid=2018

Bob

http://boatbits.blogspot.com/
http://fishingundersail.blogspot.com/

[Zen]

That maybe a good idea Bob, :-\ but $200. - $500. bucks spent on sailing foulies or kayak foulies is still 200 - 500 bucks. Worth it if you are indeed warmer/dryer...On the other hand with that kind of money  you are dry or your not... borrowed and modified from master Yoda  :D

[Zen]

Dan, I thought about the jacket first, but after taking a survey among the other instructors and after sitting in a very wet cockpit I went for the bibs first  ;D

[AdriftAtSea]

The reason I went for the less expensive bibs and more expensive jacket is simple.  The features of the bibs are pretty much the same across the brands from what I saw... but the features in the jackets differed quite a bit more from brand to brand.

[skylark]

I have the Grundens 34 Anorak, and it is way too warm for most sailing, probably 65F with no wind is the highest temp I would wear it in. 

http://www.go2marine.com/category.do?no=17076&mfrno=164

Their 760 or 762 shirt might be a little more appropriate, although I have never seen one and it might be too warm.

http://www.grundens.com/index.php?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=27

This is not really a cheap way to go. 

For bicycling, I like a waterproof nylon anorok that packs up small.  Generally I look for them at the local sporting goods store.

I have a construction grade set of bibs bought at the local Tractor Supply store.  They are the typical green vinyl type.  I don't really like them but they do the job.  If I have to sit in water, I wear the bibs.

I use Tractor Supply rubber boots as well with a nice camo pattern, apparently meant for duck hunters and wannabees.  They fit well with heavy wool socks over nylon socks.

[LooseMoose]

I should have mentioned that Kayak Splash jackets run from $50 to about $250 ( the NRS jacket I use cost me $98 on sale and they almost always have a sale going) and where they shine over "Foul Weather" gear is that they are cut so you can actually work in them, have better aeration  (Imagine paddling in a Musto or Gill Ocean series...) and are cheaper than comparable quality Foulies...

Bob

http://boatbits.blogspot.com/
http://fishingundersail.blogspot.com/

[Amgine]

::hmms::

I've owned West Marine, Gill, and Helli Hansen fouly jackets, and West Marine bibs. I completely wore out the WM, the HH is still going. The Gill was a shorty, and actually the most comfortable for being active in, but it was also really the wrong size so it's ashore in a closet someplace until I actually give it to charity. Where I sail - the west coast of British Columbia - is wet for a large percentage of my sailing time, so the gear gets used a lot. The longest I've worn foulies was 4 days non-stop.

The WM bibs completely sucked. To get something which fit me around the waist/chest I needed the large, which was a bit more than 14" too long in the legs which were also pipe-cleaner thin in the thighs. I wore them perhaps twice before stealing my wife's which also don't fit, but they don't fit less badly.

The most important thing for me with foulies is if it's a comfortable fit. Try them one and really stretch out wearing them in the store.

[AdriftAtSea]

Really, really good advice.

The most important thing for me with foulies is if it's a comfortable fit. Try them one and really stretch out wearing them in the store.

[Auspicious]

If one is only going out for a few hours nearly anything will do, even if it leaks after a while.

If going out day after day you really don't want to get wet. Bibs are critical to that. Reinforcement in the seat and the knees is critical to prevent water from seeping in. Straps at the ankle are a tremendous aid to keeping pant legs over your boots and water out of your socks.

"Cigarette pockets" in either bibs or jacket are a great place to keep an iPod where it is dry and moderately protected while still accessible. Think about what you carry and how it will work as part of picking out foulies: knife, radio, iPod, etc. Does your PFD/harness fit comfortably over the gear or make it bunch uncomfortably? Can you access pockets with the PFD on? How does the gear fit over different layers?

I wear Gill Offshore because it fit me best from among the choices when I was buying. If you aren't shaped like me something else is likely to fit better.

If you do like Grundens gear Fisheries Supply has better prices than Go2Marine.

[David_Old_Jersey]

I use a Helly Hansen Jacket (can't remember which model  :( - but it would have been mid range not the super deep ocean etc big £££'s version).

Now about 7/8 years old. Had most hard use on motorbikes  ::) - Elasticated cuffs have long since perished and it looks well battered - but it can still cope with 90mph driving rain.

I might buy again in the next year or 2 but mainly for looks and because the hood is a bit small / shallow (when wearing a hat).  Best feature I like are the slip in hand warmer pockets and being able to fix on a lifejacket / harness combo. Biggest PITA are the waterproof external pockets, simply because they are awkward to access (it's not always wet here  ;D) - no complaints with soggy pockets.

[Monovasia]

Try Filson  www.filson.com  There motto of why not have the best to right on the money...