Water temperatures are often colder than expected and spray cools your body quickly once wet. That’s why wearing effective clothing for warm weather sailing is important.
Cotton polos and conventional fabrics offer no protection from water, wind chill or UV rays. In addition, the impact of sunscreen washing off you into the water is highly undesirable for our Ocean’s health, so wearing clothing that protects you from the sun is better.
Based in Australia, Zhik’s design team are acutely aware of protecting your skin from catastrophic UV damage and are regularly testing new fabrics with the Australian and New Zealand Sailing Teams.
Why keep warm when it’s warm?
Water or sweat creates chilling as it evaporates from your skin, an effect accelerated by the wind. To preserve body heat your body uses more energy which has a knock-on effect – earlier muscle fatigue and tiredness affects movement, communication and your decision making skills. Pretty essential stuff when racing.
For warm and wet conditions, Zhik’s XWR Pro Tops help regulate your body temperature by shedding spray and reducing chilling. Perfect for active sailors, paddlers and foiling enthusiasts.
This 4-way stretch fabric contains a DWR (durable water repellent) treatment embedded into the knit creating a barrier with micro-sized gaps smaller than water molecules. Unable to soak through, water droplets bead up and roll off reducing windchill. Meanwhile, body heat (water vapor molecules) can escape through these micro-gaps so the fabric breathes and stays dry against the skin.
XWR Pro Tops provide UPF 50+ protection, is very quick drying and highly durable even after regular washing. Simply enhance the DWR treatment with a light tumble dry or cool iron.
Deflect those rays
Protecting your skin from harmful UV even in cloudy conditions is well understood in the southern hemisphere, yet perhaps less so in the northern hemisphere.
Many products claim UV protection, although be careful that what you choose has been properly tested.
Zhik’s UVActive shirts block out 99.5% of UVA and UVB when wet or dry, far exceeding the exacting UPF 50+ rating. These significantly high results are measured under the US AATCC-183-2004 standards (Determination Of The UVR Transmission of Dry Textile) and the Australian/New Zealand standard (AS/NZS-4399:201) for sun protective clothing.
In both long and short sleeve, UVActive performance tops are made with a soft, fine-gauge, interlock weave that’s highly durable, snag-resistant and antistatic. With excellent moisture-wicking, readily moving moisture away from the skin, the tops are rapid drying and hold their shape when wet.
Perfect for all warm-weather sailing, boating, watersports and shore-based activities and available in men’s and women’s sizes.
Short performance
Zhik’s 4-way stretch technical Deck Shorts contain a DWR coating over a tightly woven, robust nylon shell. Water droplets and spray are deflected from the face fabric meaning you can wear them far longer before waterproofs are needed. Designed with a relaxed fit, the stretch fabric allows unrestricted movement for all day comfort. Tough Zhiktex™ II reinforcement fabric on the seat protects the shorts from non-slip decks and additional wear.
British Figaro sailor Alan Roberts, comments, “Solo Figaro racing is high intensity, close racing. I need to stay cool, calm and collected 24/7, through extreme heat to extreme cold. Zhik’s technical XWR Pro top and Deck Shorts are brilliant in warm conditions with spray. I’m always comfortable and can just focus on the racing.”
