As a participant in the Clipper Race, we will receive some branded kit (covered within the cost of the training package) provided by the Clipper Race’s clothing partner, Musto.
This isn’t just a corporate branding exercise for both of them – although the consistency does make for some great team photos – the kit provided is really the primary technical clothing we will need to deal with the extremes of ocean racing.
By that, I mean the wet or foul weather / waterproof gear or “foulies” as some like to call them.
During Level 1 training, we will be provided with jacket and salopettes (trousers) to use, before getting kitted out by the Musto team wit our own gear for future training and the race itself. Musto also offers a discount to race participants for other clothing items they may need.
As I think about my kit list (and my budget … ) I thought I’d first start by ticking off what I don’t need to go out and buy!
Clipper Race Kit – Provided as part of Training Package
The Race Crew Kit Package provided has an estimated RRP of £2,400+ and, as I understand it, comprises:
- Musto HPX Gore-Tex Pro Ocean Smock – Current RRP £1,200
- Musto HPX Gore-Tex Pro Ocean Trouser – Current RRP £1,000
- Other Race Crew and Team Kit (TBC)
- Lightweight showerproof jacket
- Windproof jacket
- Long-sleeved UV top
- Polo top
- Shorts
Musto has been partnered with Clipper Ventures for a number of years, and the HPX kit (which Musto has itself been refining for over 30 years) is developed and tested in collaboration with the Skippers and First Mates on Clipper Races to make sure it is able to stand up to the conditions and the duration of the race.
I’ve used Musto kit before and have some currently for coastal / inshore sailing. It really is incredibly well made and thought out. The HPX Pro is right at the peak of technical design (other than the infamous Drysuit, which I expect I will cover at a later date).
Some more background on their collaboration via the links below:
- Musto reveals new cutting-edge offshore sailing kit for Clipper
- About the Musto & Clipper Race partnership
Foul weather covered, what else?
Before taking a look at the HPX Pro kit in more detail, let’s check what’s missing for outer layers and clothing:
- Life jacket
- Boots
- Gloves
- Headwear
- Sunglasses
Life Jacket
Life jackets and safety lines are issued by the Clipper Race team. I believe these are Spinlock jackets, and specifically I think they might be the VITO which is a performance jacket developed in collaboration with Volvo Ocean Race sailors.
I have a Spinlock 5D Hammar 170N which I’ve had for a number of years and it’s a great jacket, which is very comfortable and gives good freedom of movement and limited chances of it getting caught or hindering movement at a critical moment.
I’ve had it so long – I actually had to service it last year before joining a friend and his family on a taster day out they had organised.
This basically means replacing the Hammar inflator, and also the pylon light. Not too difficult, but a bit fiddly to repack. I think together these were about £70-80, which is quite expensive, but not too bad relative to the cost of a new 6D Jacket at about £270 (the VITO is about £285).
The N number is Newtons and represents the buoyancy i.e. 170N is 170 Newtons.
To get into the physics of this, ignoring the water effect for a moment, you need 9.8 Newtons to “support” 1kg – i.e. to counteract gravity (Earth’s gravity is 9.8 N/kg). A 170N therefore “supports” about 17.4 kg of “weight” or “mass” – i.e. provides a buoyancy force to counteract your “in-water weight”. This doesn’t sound a lot, but most buoyancy aids used for activities like dinghy sailing, rafting, kayaking are rated around 50N to 70N (i.e. 5 to 7kg weight support) and if you’ve used one of those you’ll know they are pretty effective!
Boots
This is going to take a bit more research but the first question is probably leather or rubber?
Leather tends to be more comfortable and breathable, but isn’t indefinitely waterproof, whereas rubber boots with a neoprene lining should be keeping your feet dry!
I’m more likely to go for rubber and neoprene as I’m circumnavigating – I’d rather avoid the risk of leaking boots, although rubber and neoprene can mean your feet sweat more.
The Clipper Race team also specify that gaiters are a must, and a number of the rubber boots have integrated gaiters.
The options identified to consider at the moment:
I’ll take some advice from Skippers, but I’m going to have to go and try some of these on to see the level of comfort – so I will be off to find them in a chandlery somewhere!
Mark Burkes of Fierce Turtle (a great resource for Clipper Race participants) swears by the Le Chameau and although an old video review, you can see his boots stood up well on the circumnavigation:
Fierce Turtle: Le Chameau Neptune Review
Meanwhile, for training, I have an old pair of Helly Hansen “Helly Welly” boots which I will see if I can still use. They don’t make these any more, but they were used by a team in the Volvo Ocean Race. These are really comfortable, but given the age the rubber may have gone hard which can make them slippery on deck – which is the last thing we want from footwear!
Gloves
I’ve always opted for Gill and Musto gloves in the past, and they do wear out so I’ve had a few pairs. Usually these are simple deckhand gloves, and I tend to prefer the long finger options (but still open thumb and index finger).
Options here might be:
This time, I’ve also been recommended to get a larger pair for helming. Gill has a pretty nice-looking set at and RRP £61 and Musto has a sort of mitten lobster claw Gore-Tex pair at about £100
Sealskinz has been recommended, and they have a lot of options so I will need to research a bit further. However, they do have a pair of rechargeable, heated gloves … that sounds like a serious luxury (and one that comes with a hefty price)!
As I was researching this, I just spotted they were on discount 40% off, and then an extra 10%. I have now ordered this on impulse for £102 … I have no idea how suitable they will be, but I’ll find a use for them!
Headwear
Keeping it simple for now, I have two merino wool beanies and two merino wool snoods / buffs for extra warmth in the cold weather.
I will need to consider getting a wide brim sun hat for the race. I’ll give that some thought later …
Sunglasses
Another item that I can save for later, but I’ve had two pairs of Oakley Gascan sunglasses for sailing previously.
These are very light and the wrap around fit is great in addition to blocking some of the light at the periphery (a bit like snow / glacier sunglasses e.g. Bolle with leather side shields) as well as providing a bit of protection on the face in case of any loose sheets that might be whipping around (they shouldn’t be but it does happen!).
It’s also generally recommended that the lenses are polarized as this reduces the glare that comes off the water and the boat. I haven’t really found this to be too much of an issue sailing around the UK, but I do find that my eyes are quite light sensitive so it’s probably worth the investment.
The reason I have had two pairs of Gascans is that I had my first pair tucked them into my top when tying up at a mooring and must have bent a little too far over … they were promptly in the water and naively I assumed they might float!
My second pair is also starting to get old and the lenses are degrading (probably from not cleaning off sea spray properly …) so it might be time to get something new, and this time with polarized lenses and a float strap (and maybe a cheap spare pair …)! There are also sunglasses that float, but this is really only a marina issue … and hopefully I’ve learnt my lesson!
Total Cost for Outer Layers …
If I exclude the Musto Kit that comes as part of the Race Crew package for now, it looks like the additional cost for Outer Layers will be:
- Boots – c. £300
- Headwear – c. £100
- Gloves – c. £100 to £250
- Sunglasses – c. £150
Total Estimate – £650 to £800
I’ve excluded the Drysuit which could be anything from about £700 to £2,000 if I decide to get one, plus the HPX Pro Kit at £2,200. I’ve also excluded the life jacket as it will be provided.
If you include those items, the total for outer layer kit could be up to £5,000 … Ocean Racing is not a cheap sport …
Musto HPX Pro Kit
Musto’s Gore-Tex kit is (I suppose obviously …) Waterproof, Windproof and Breathable.
Apparently, it has a waterhead of 28,000 mm …
… I had to look this up …
The unit of measurement for waterproof fabrics is hydrostatic head (HH) represented in millimetres and indicates how much water pressure a fabric can withstand before water penetrates it.
Apparently, 28,000 mm (which is the same for all Gore-Tex I believe, but also the best available waterproof clothing fabric) can withstand pressure from the equivalent of a 28-metre column of water for a period of 24 hours.
Gore-Tex Pro also has a higher breathability rating versus normal Gore-Tex and it’s measured in the amount of water vapour or moisture that can be released from the fabric over a 24 hour period. For Pro it is 25K (25,000g per m2 per 24hrs) vs standard at 17K.
Gore-Tex Pro is also the most durable fabric offered as it has no PU (Polyurethane) coating, but has a Micro Grid backer fabric in the 3-layer laminate to increase abrasion resistance.
To help reduce water ingress, the Smock has latex neck and cuff seals, like on the Drysuit, as well as a neoprene waistband and adjustable outer cuffs.
For comfort, the Smock has a high but removable fleece lined collar and has a front kangaroo pocket and fleece lined hand warmer pockets
For safety, a Hi-Vis hood zips into the collar, and the smock is covered with photoluminescent reflectors (which glow not just reflect).
On the trousers or salopettes, there is extra Cordura fabric at wear points on the knees, butt and heel area. The knees also have integrated, easy access and adjustable impact pads.
Musto has also kindly produced a professional quality video of some of the kit in action, with a nice shout out to the Clipper Race as well …
For more background: www.clipperroundtheworld.com/
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