If you’re lucky enough to live next to the coast or a big enough inland body of water, or willing to travel to either of those, sailing can be an absorbing pastime that helps you find some peace of mind or it can even allow you to push yourself to your limits; it all depends on what style of sailing you want to pursue.
However, regardless of what you aim to do out on the water, you need to be properly prepared. Part of that is ensuring you’re wearing the right clothing to keep you warm, reasonably dry, and safe from some of the most common threats the water can throw at you. Sailing clothing isn’t something you should be cheap with either. So, let’s take a look at the best sailing clothing brands you can pick up in the USA.
Helly Hansen
Helly Hansen is well-known by sailors, and that comes with its own pros and cons. First, their selection tends to be geared more towards sailors on commercial boats or larger, more stable recreational vehicles. They don’t have a substantial array of SUP, kayak, or other small vessel clothing items, and you really don’t want to be wearing a thick commercial fishing jacket while you’re paddling around your local lake or river.
The brand is also fairly expensive across the board. However, if you plan on having extended stays on the water, or you’re interested in more coastal-related sailing clothes, this might be the option for you.
Rooster Sailing USA
Rooster Sailing USA is the premier brand in the sailing world, and they’re making big splashes by catering to sailors and water lovers of all kinds. They have a full lineup of products for offshore sailing, in-shore sailing and fishing, freshwater sailing, and even appropriate options for SUP riders.
More importantly, this wide selection comes in at a reasonable price. So, the clothing is suitable for experienced sailors, professionals, and those who sail rugged waters, but they’re also accessible for the beginner sailor who just needs to get their starting equipment.
Zhik
Zhik isn’t solely a sailing clothes brand, but they do have a fair selection, and they’ve developed a following in the sailing community for their in-shore sailing clothes. These are good for in-shore fishing charters, recreational sailing on mid-sized sailing vessels and up, and there are some options that are light enough to reasonably be used while kayaking or taking a pontoon boat out; basically, their items are best for those who plan to stay out of the water, but they’re not so heavy that taking an accidental plunge can become problematic.
Again, this is a pretty high-dollar brand, though. So, you’ll definitely notice a hit to your pocketbook, and while the product lineup is varied, it doesn’t cover every activity on the water.
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