GUL VIGO COASTAL
HENRI LLOYD WAVE
JACKET £185 SALOPETTES £150
It might not be the first name
that springs to mind for yachting
waterproofs but Gul have been
making wetsuits, dinghy gear
and waterproofs for years.
Their Vigo Coastal jacket and
salopettes represent the top
of the line for their yachting
kit and are well worth a look.
Without breaking the bank, this
suit punches above its weight
with the number of features it
includes, representing a serious
set of oilskins.
JACKET
Gul’s GCX2 waterproof and
breathable fabric has a soft feel
to it. With more traditional styling
that other suits, the red and navy
colour is nicely understated. The
jacket has an easy fit that left
room for an extra layer or two
underneath. It closes with
a two-way zip and an outer storm
flap, as well as a chin guard
over the top of the zip and
wider storm flap at the top to
seal the collar. It has two large
cargo pockets with fleece-lined
handwarmer pockets behind,
and additional waterproof-
zipped pockets above these.
There is an elasticated hem
adjuster and reflective patches
on the shoulders and chest.
It is one of the few jackets to
feature lifejacket loops either
side of the zip. Inside, we liked
the warm brushed mesh liner.
For a coastal jacket, the fleece
collar is high and warm, with
a roll-away hi-vis peaked hood
inside zipped stowage. The
sleeves has double cuffs with
an inner rubberised cuff to seal.JACKET £169 SALOPETTES £125
Henri Lloyd have produced
a simple but solid set of oilskins
that don’t have extraneous
features but will keep the worst
of the weather out. Using a
heavier fabric than some of the
others but with only two external
handwarmer pockets, it’s great
if you want to be waterproof
without the fuss of a big jacket.
JACKET
A conservatively styled jacket,
the Wave includes a photo-
luminescent reflective chest
patch, lifejacket loops either
side of the zip and a hi-vis hood.
The hood has a stiffened peak
but is sadly only adjustable at
the sides. The collar was one of
the highest on test with lovely
thick fleece that kept the cool
spring breeze at bay. The zip is
covered with a decent storm flap
and the hem has an adjustable
draw cord. The cuffs sealed well
with an internal rubberised cuff
and an adjustable outer cuff. The
handwarmer pockets are closed
with waterproof zips but do not
have drainage. Inside, there is a
single chest pocket with Velcro
closure, so we felt it was lacking
in the number of pockets. It has
a nylon taffeta lining and allows
a good range of movement.SALOPETTES
The Wave Hi Fit salopettes were
heavier and felt tougher than
other salopettes on test, but
were some of the most basic
in terms of features. The zip
doesn’t have a storm flap but
has a good gusset inside. They
are well reinforced on the knees,SALOPETTES
The women’s salopettes have
a drop-seat design to make calls
of nature easier, while the men’s
have a two-way zip protected by
a Velcro storm flap. Both sets of
trousers have a nylon lining and
a zipped inner pocket, as well
as two large thigh cargo pockets.
The ankles close with a narrow
Velcro fastening, shoulder straps
elastic with Velcro fastening.TEST VERDICT
We liked the amount of space
the jacket has and the articulated
sleeves for easier movement.
In the water test, only a small
amount got in through the neck
and none through the cuffs. It
has a great level of detailing and
felt like a serious sailing jacket
that would stand up to most
weather. Some of the stitching
appeared slightly weak though.seat and around ankles; the
latter have good wide Velcro
closure. The waist is elasticated
but not adjustable. These were
the only trousers to have elastic
shoulder straps with the
old-fashioned sliding buckles,
which now seem rather fiddly to
adjust. There’s no cargo pocket
on the leg. If you’re not fussed
about the details, these trousers
have very little to go wrong and
will probably last very well.TEST VERDICT
A good balance of a well-
fitting suit that still has enough
space to move and add layers
underneath. It would have been
nice to see a few more pockets.
In the water test, there was
minimal ingress at the neck and
no leaks at the wrist. This set
was comparable to the Musto
suit for features but tailored to
a higher level of protection with
heavier construction.SPECIFICATIONS
TECHNOLOGY TP1
WATERPROOF 10,000mm
EXT POCKETS 2 zipped
INT POCKETS 1 Velcro
LINING Nylon
WOMEN’S VERSION Yes
WEBSITE
http://www.henrilloyd.comSPECIFICATIONS
TECHNOLOGY GCX2
WATERPROOF 5,000mm
EXTERNAL POCKETS
3, plus handwarmers
INT POCKETS 2
LINING Brushed mesh
WOMEN’S VERSION
Dropseat
WEBSITE http://www.gul.comWe like the drop
seat salopettes
of the Gul VigoHenri Lloyd produced
a solid and simple
set of quality fouliesGROUP TEST
The roll-away hi-vis peaked
hood has zipped stowage
Very little water got in around
the neck and cuffs of this set