Kit Guides

From a first glance, you may not notice too much difference between our Aquafleece® Robe and the Aquafleece® Rigging Jacket. And that’s totally understandable, after all they’re made from the same iconic Aquafleece® material, are available in the same colourways and just look like two long coats. But we’ve been listening to our customers as we’ve been meeting them at shows in the UK this year, and we feel as though they deserve a comparison spotlight so you can make the right choice. Similar they may seem, but let’s take a closer look at what makes these two coats completely different, and find out which one is the best match for you and your lifestyle. We’ll compare the fit, the price and the technical features and function of the two to help you decide. Size Getting the right size for your equipment and gear is essential for experiencing the ultimate enjoyment from your day. Learning the difference between the sizing options of our Aquafleece® Robe and Aquafleece® Rigging Jacket could be the difference between why you purchase one from the other. Robe: One size fits all (Junior available). This gives everyone room to have the option to use the robe as a changing tool. Wear the robe over your wetsuit, zip yourself in and remove your arms to comfortably get changed wherever you need. Adjust the cuffs to suit your arm length when worn as normal. Rigging Jacket: Comes in sizes; Junior, XS/S, M/L, XL/XXL and XXXL/XXXXL and is designed to be ever so slightly oversized, so you can fit your buoyancy aid under when transitioning from rigging to sailing. If you’re looking for more of a day-to-day style, this one might be a better option for you. The Rigging Jacket should come to your mid-thigh and the adjustable cuffs allow you to tailor the wrists to your arm length. Length & Shape We’ve thought very carefully into the shapes of our Aquafleece® Robe and our Aquafleece® Rigging Jacket. Their unique functions and uses mean the lengths are slightly different and here’s why. Robe: The ‘one-size for all’ fit means the robe is much longer in the body than the Rigging Jacket. The robe will come to your mid-calf, or your ankle at the very most. The length is designed to allow you to feel comfortable getting changed, and for keeping the elements off from your whole body after you have been fully submerged in the water. The Aquafleece® outer shell will keep the wind off you whilst getting changed too. Rigging Jacket: The coat should come to your mid-thigh at the front, and it has been designed with a lower tiered back to protect you and your clothing from wet surfaces when you sit down or lean. The longer back also allows for rain and spray to run away from your core, keeping you warm and dry for the rest of the day. Lining It’s the inside that counts the most, and that is certainly true if you’re comparing these two garments. It’s the lining of these coats that truly set them apart in design and purpose, and ultimately complete preference to the customer. Robe: The robe includes a fleece terry lining, which is fully removable. The lining is extremely warm and cosy in very cold weather and exposed elements, but acts double as a soft towelling material to dry you as you change. The lining can be removed completely, including the arms and hood, to allow you to wash the inside of your jacket, so you can freshen up your robe for your next adventure. This is the first changing robe on the market to have this ability. Rigging Jacket: Like our other Aquafleece® range, the Rigging Jacket has a soft and smooth ‘short’ fleece lining throughout, including the pockets. This makes the jacket more lightweight, but with the Aquafleece® windproof shell, this is still a great option for you if you’re prone to feeling the cold, but manoeuvrability is required.  Hoods Not the most obvious comparison to make on coats, especially when made by the same manufacturer, but the hood could be the reason you pick one coat over the other if you’re looking at costs and technicality. Robe: The robe has a spacious hood. Just like the rest of the robe lining, the inside of the hood has a terry lining to aid drying your head and hair. The hood has a soft Aquafleece® shell which keeps the wind off your head. Rigging Jacket: The hood of the rigging jacket is much more structured than the robe, and includes a peaked cap to protect your face from elements such as rain and spray or as a block shield from the sun.* The Rigging Jacket also has a reflective patch on the top of the hood, which is visible when you wear it down, a great safety feature for off-shore sailing and walking in low visibility.  Cost Comparing the cost between the two is an important part of piecing together the aesthetically set apart differences. The features listed indicate that the Rigging Jacket is in fact a more technical product and this is reflected fairly in the price point. Robe: £165 A competitive price for a high tech changing robe, the first on the market with the ability to remove the lining for the purpose of keeping your robe hygienic. The Aquafleece® material has a Polyurethane coating on the outside for water resistance, durability and flexibility. The Aquafleece® Robe being our largest Aquafleece® product, you would assume that it would be the most expensive in the range.  Rigging Jacket: £172.50 The Rigging Jacket price attracts plenty of questions when we compare the two coats. If the Rigging Jacket is smaller in size and length, then why does it cost more over the heavier and larger Robe? The Rigging Jacket may have lighter properties at first glance, but when we take a closer look at the structured hood, this explains the slight price increase as the hood is much more technical than the Aquafleece® Robe’s.  Use Depending on what it is you’re most likely to be doing, taking a closer look at how these coats were designed to serve the customer, the ergonomics that have gone into the process are fit for purpose. But depending on what that purpose is will be the decider.  Robe: Primarily designed for the on-the-go, quick changing, watersports mad individual, the concept of the changing robe has stretched beyond the boat park in the UK. Customers are tending to use them for day-to-day errands such as commuting, walking the dog and even going to the shops. It’s hardly a surprise whilst our winters seem to get colder every year. The robe was created to give the option to change in the most convenient way, and giving the ability to wash this after use, but you can use it how you wish! Rigging Jacket: Rigging by name, rigging by nature. The rigging jacket was created to keep you warm and dry whilst you get ready for your day out on the water. It's also perfect for coaches out on the rib all day long. But like the robe it has transferring powers taking you from the boat park and beyond into everyday activities due to its lightweight feel but weather battling qualities.   photo credit: AASailing We hope that looking into more detail, we've have helped you understand the differences between the two, and have given you food for thought when choosing which one is better suited to you. If you’re still struggling to decide, then please feel free to get in touch with our friendly customer service team if you’re still not sure. *Please don’t use the peak of the Rigging Jacket to protect your eyes from the sun alone, we advise you use proper UVA/UVB protection sunglasses

About 3 years ago I thought we should try and produce our take on a neoprene rigging coat but use Aquafleece® with taped seams instead.  Our first iteration was great to wear and created lots of interest, but we had our doubts about it commercially. Despite some of the initial design drawbacks, Sarah and I would take the first two sample coats with us when going to the sailing club in inclement weather. Last summer brought it home to me. When rigging for the 4000 Nationals in Tenby, we had 2-3 inches of rain in 4 hours! Both Sarah and I wore our rigging coat samples with hi fit trousers and were both warm and dry. Those in conventional coats looked utterly miserable. This convinced me that we should work a little harder to bring the Aquafleece® Rigging coat to market. After a couple more iterations we had improved the hood significantly, so much so, that it must be the most water proof and stable hood on the market.  We had worked on the length of the garment. I felt it was important that the coat went down almost to the knees - the longer it was, the warmer and dryer it would be. At this length you have to be mindful of the bottom seam girth to allow you to walk and sit freely. Adding extra girth at the bottom added to both the wearing comfort and the general breathability, so it had become more of a poncho. We also added a second cuff and water proof pocket zips to make it as cosy as it could possibly be. I can see it being popular with fishermen, football fans, safety boat drivers - any relatively inactive outdoor activity would suit this garment as it is very warm and dry. Packing away after "Snowflake" racing at Chichester Yacht Club this spring has now become a pleasure. The cold wind can blow and the rain can pour, and I really do not care. It is currently available in Black or Blue

If you’re sailing at junior level you may think that as autumn approaches the season draws to a close, but if you’re enjoying your sailing and want to improve, winter can be the best time to do this. Some smaller clubs reduce the amount of sailing that’s available over the winter months so it’s worth persuading your parents to put the boat on the roof rack so that you can take advantage of some of the great training opportunities that exist through Class Associations. Before moving into Lasers (4.7s & now just starting in a Radial), I sailed a Topper for 4 years and the International Topper Class Association (ITCA) offers a great programme of locally based training each winter. From first starting out to when competing at National Squad level I found that it really helped me to gain knowledge, not only from the coaches, but through meeting other sailors who sail the same type of boat and who can share tips and advice on which events to attend and how to progress. Aside from that it was also great fun! Here are some links that detail what’s available across some of the Junior classes:RS TeraCadet TopperRS FevaLaser 4.7 (or ILCA4) Some smaller sailors can find it off-putting when the weather turns colder but if you’ve got the right clothing then sailing can be just as enjoyable whatever the weather. In my first season I was less than 40kg and was advised to wear a dry-suit. This was fine once I’d realised that it’s what you wear underneath and not the suit itself, that keeps you warm. As soon as I started doing events that involved staying on the water for longer, a wetsuit layering system became a much more practical option and something that I found I much preferred. Rooster do a great range of kit for sailors of all sizes and in a previous blog I talked in more detail about what I’ve found works best for me. You can read this HERE After training over the winter I love the feeling that you get when you start to compete again and can put into practice what you’ve learned. It’s as if you’re taking off a blindfold as you find out where you are in the rankings again. When you’ve tried club racing a good next step is to enter open events on your local traveller circuit, these generally start in the spring and details will be published on your Class Association website. In my experience these events tend to be really friendly and welcoming and if you’ve done winter training through the Class Association they’re a great way to meet up again with the friends that you’ve made from other clubs. There's some RYA support in getting involved with higher level training HEREI started on the pathway to national sailing more or less by accident (and partly due to my mum’s bad geography) and I’m hoping that by sharing these tips it may be easier for others to make the most of what’s on offer. I think the best advice that I can give is:- Don’t be afraid to enter events and try things that are new - remember that most sailors are happy to share experiences and give advice, so do just ask! - Don’t be put off if things don’t work out as planned straight away, enjoy your sailing and if you’re going to be winter training in a Laser Radial this year I’ll see you on the water, come and say "Hi!" Nick Welbourn :-)

Sailing in the UK during the winter time might sound like a bad idea, but with the correct kit you can be comfortable and unrestricted - it's all about selecting the right layers for the job. UK winter time is generally between 3 and 12 degrees, often windy and very damp.   Base layersStart with our PolyPro garments. Worn next to the skin, they are naturally hydrophobic so you will remain warm and as dry as possible. These garments will come out of a good spinner almost dry enough to wear and are available in top, bottoms and socks for men, women and junior sailors. "On cold, wet days I find myself wearing them to the club under my jeans. My wife loves her PolyPro Socks and gets rather upset if she loses one". Upper Body:Mid LayerThe ThermaFlex™ top is the most adaptable mid layer made at Rooster. Used on its own you can cope easily in windy hot climates, or in less windy British summer climates. When combined with a Polypro top you can sail through all but the worst of the UK winter season. These are available in Men's, Women's and Junior sizing. Having argued for the versatility of the Thermaflex® and Polypro combo, if you are really serious about being on the water when most would rather be drinking mulled wine at the bar, then the Supertherm® Top is ideal. Again, this is available in Men's, Women's and Junior sizing to make sure you get the best fit for you. Outer LayerAquafleece® - Classic, Pro Lite and Pro versions to suit you needs and your budget.The Aquafleece® Range isvery popular with many other watersports enthusiasts. Rooster designed the Aquafleece® fabric, the style of top, and own the trademark. With a wide range of colours and styles available, you can be sure they all stop the windchill in a more comfortable and snugly way to a standard spray top. Classic and Pro Lite now also come in a ladies' fit in the colour teal and the Aquafleece® Hoodie is a true favourite with the paddle-boarding community Lower Body:"I wear my Pro Hike Pads inside Supertherm® Longjohn inside a pair of Race Armour Lite shorts" Steve. SuperTherm® is a 4mm "winter" Longjohn and comes in Men's, Women's and Junior sizing. Accessories:Head Gear - My Dad used to get rather hot under the collar when he saw sailors in cold weather not wearing a hat. I must have heard him say that you can loose 3/4 of your body heat through your head so many times that I almost believed him. I absolutely love the Aquafleece Beanie and Pro Aquafleece Beanie. It's just the right tension which means it's not going to fall off in a winter gale, in or out of the water, and when I get hot from working hard, it's the easiest thing to take off and stuff down the front of my buoyancy aid during the race. The Pro version has taped seams and extra thick Aquafleece® fabric are ideal - at least my Dad would be happy.The Aquafleece Neck Gaiter is also a great shout, keeping the wet and the wind-chill from your neck, ears, jaw and your nose if you pull it up. There's a variety of colours available in our Aquafleece materialHandsHands are the hardest things to keep warm AND keep the dexterity you require. My first recommendation is to use Polypro Glove Liners. Worn under a pair of summer gloves, they can work down to 8 degrees or so. Our Aquapro Gloves are very unique and warm. However, the Aquafleece® fabric itself is not cut out for rough rope work, so we have used as much extra reinforcement as we can to ensure you get the grip and dexterity you want. If you have a strange grip on your rope you might find they wear more quickly than you would like. Your next option would be our All Weather Neoprene Gloves which use a heavy duty Amara all round with extra soft PU coated grip for the high load areas. Polypro Glove LinerWe hope this helps to get you clued up for winter weather gear and if you're ever unsure, our lovely customer service team are more than happy to offer their advice too.