Simple cuffs with light PU coating on the inside, elasticated instead of adjustable cuffs. The hood is made from soft spinnaker fabric and turns with you perfectly. However, the hood adjustment with plastic fittings is fiddly. Price: 450 euros (jacket), 350 euros (trousers). Suitable for active summer sailing and racing, too light for tougher conditions.
Extremely light and thin
The HP Foil Flyer is really very light. The jacket weighs just 496 grams, the trousers 551 grams. Together just over a kilogram - that's featherweight. The material is thin and breathable. This is ideal for active regatta sailing, where you move a lot and sweat.
The cuffs are kept simple, with a little PU coating on the inside so that they are tight, but no double cuffs. There is only an elasticated band at the bottom of the legs on the Salopette, so nothing can be adjusted. However, the trousers can be easily adjusted at the waist but not at the shoulders.
Close-fitting cut with stretch
The oilskin is cut close to the body. A thin insert with stretch is integrated on the chest to allow freedom of movement. The knees are well moulded and reinforced. The fit is good and you can move easily - as long as you don't wear anything super thick underneath. It's perfect for summer sailing or autumn in moderate temperatures.
Spinnaker fabric hood
The hood is not signal-coloured, but made from a kind of spinnaker cloth. As a result, it is very soft and turns perfectly when you look to the side. The view is not restricted at all. That's a big plus point.
However, adjusting the hood is tricky. Plastic fittings are used here, into which you have to clamp an elastic band. You have to pull and then actively clamp the elastic bands. This requires two hands and is not intuitive.
Minimum equipment
There are pockets on the thighs with zips and normal side pockets on the front of the jacket. There is an inside pocket in the jacket. No storm flap over the zip. No heat pockets, few details. Really super simple, very light oilskin. Perfectly adequate for summer sailing in a rain shower. Designed for inshore sailing and racing, it fits an inshore oilskin. When it gets cooler, simply pull a midlayer underneath. But there's not much room for really thick thermal layers.
Conclusion: Lightweight and breathable
The HP Foil Flyer is perfect for active sailing in warmer weather. Lightweight, breathable, good freedom of movement. The hood turns with you perfectly. However, the oilskin is too light for tougher conditions. If you mainly sail or race in summer, this is the right choice.
Technical data:
Price:
- Jacket: 450 Euro
- Salopette: 350 Euro
Weight:
- Jacket: 496 g
- Salopette: 551g
Material:
- Helly Tech Professional (3-layer membrane)
- Very thin and light
- Highly breathable
- Waterproof, windproof
- Quick-drying
Field of application:
- Inshore Racing
- Regatta sport
- Active summer sailing
- Coastal sailing in warm weather
Colours:
- Blue, black
Jacket features:
- Very thin and light
- No storm flap (inshore design)
- Simple side pockets at the front
- Inside pocket
- Simple cuffs with light PU coating on the inside
- No heat pockets
- Close-fitting cut
Salopette features:
- Very light
- Close-fitting cut
- Well moulded and reinforced knees
- Pockets with zip on thighs
- No heat pockets
- Adjustable waist
- Shoulders not adjustable
- Elasticated ankle cuffs (not adjustable)
Hood - The highlight:
- Made from spinnaker cloth
- Extremely soft and light
- Rotates perfectly when turning the head
- No visual restriction
- Elastic band must be clamped in the fitting
- Needs two hands to adjust
Cuffs:
- Simple cuffs
- Light PU coating on the inside
- No double cuffs
- Sufficient for inshore use
Special details:
- Extremely light - one of the lightest in the test
- Spinnaker hood very functional
- Quick-drying
- Close-fitting cut - not suitable for thick layers underneath
- Stretch insert on chest for freedom of movement
Michael Rinck
Redakteur Test & Technik
