Buying the right offshore gear keeps you comfortable and confident at sea.
Offshore clothing guide: buying the best gear
By Catherine Lawson | Photography: David Bristow and supplied | Published 12 June 2026
Quick overview
- Value added: Functional, good-fitting offshore-rated clothing is worth every cent.
- Be prepared: Even tropical sailors can benefit from having quality offshore gear.
- Fit for purpose: It definitely pays to try before you buy.
Nothing sinks a sailor’s mood faster than soggy underwear so you’ll never regret the money spent on good-fitting offshore-rated clothing.
In recent years, fabric advancements and savvy designs have forged a new phase in foul-weather clothing, transforming our once bulky jackets and bibs into far more flexible, streamlined and noticeably lighter clothing.
They remain as waterproof and breathable as ever, but insulation materials dry faster, four-way stretch fabrics let you move with ease, and those bulky storm flaps are replaced by watertight zippers.
Offshore clothing bare essentials
Kitting yourself out for offshore sailing and boating comes at a price. You’ll need a well-fitting waterproof jacket, a pair of bibs, comfortable boots and full- or half-finger gloves.
Cold-climate sailors will also welcome merino-blend thermals, a mid-layer fleece jacket, waterproof socks and a buff and beanie. Don’t underestimate the benefit of quality offshore gear for tropical sailors, too, as equatorial squalls can be fierce, sudden ordeals.
Image: Zhik OFS700 Offshore Cruising Jacket and Salopettes.
The world’s best offshore jacket
Waterproofness aside, the best jacket is the one that fits best. An oceangoing jacket needs to let you move easily, be lightweight and comfortable, and accommodate all the layers you wear underneath.
It starts with a highly breathable and waterproof fabric – a 20,000mm hydrostatic pressure test rating is the benchmark for true offshore waterproofness.
The jacket hood should be fully adjustable, neon-coloured, and able to fold or store away. Look for a high fleece-lined collar that seals out water and keeps you warm, and a face guard to ward off spray. Double cuffs at the wrists should offer a soft inner and a Velcro outer seal.
Choose a jacket that’s long enough to cover your hips and bottom, and is cut with articulated arms for easy movement without the jacket riding up. Look for streamlined two-way YKK AquaGuard zippers, and favour those with PFC-free water-repellent treatments.
Important features on offshore jackets
Some manufacturers are moving away from adding reinforced panels to jacket elbows and seats, instead weaving more durable fibres directly into the base fabric at these points. This not only reduces unwanted bulk, but also increases flexibility and makes the garment lighter without compromising toughness.
Finally, everyone needs useable pockets - comfy fleece-lined hand-warming pockets and a range of zippered waterproof pockets, inside and out, to store anything from a phone, a knife and a stash of protein bars, to lip balm and reading glasses.
A jacket’s drying ability is another consideration since those that bead the fastest have the best chance of being ready to go another round when you wake up for the next shift on deck. Consider those with solid hanging hooks.
Image: Sail Racing Reference Pro Pants.
All-gender offshore gear
Many boating brands include female-specific clothing in their general clothing ranges, but this seldom extends to serious offshore jackets and bibs.
Australian-owned Zhik, Musto and Sail Racing all take women sailors seriously, with oceangoing bibs and jackets designed in a range of female-specific sizes.
Regardless of gender, getting a good fit is key, and since you’ll spend between $500 and $2000 on an offshore jacket, it definitely pays to try before you buy.
Offshore clothing
Musto MPX Gore-Tex Pro Offshore
Musto’s tried-and-tested three-layer Gore-Tex Pro jacket offers supreme weather proofness with a waterproof rating of 28,000mm. Features include a hi-vis hood, fold-down collar and an adjustable face guard.
You can toggle the jacket tighter at the waist and hem, and there are plenty of cargo and hand-warmer pockets. Sizes range from 8 to 16 (women) and small to XXL (men), in red, black and blue. Priced at $1800.
Musto Gore-tex Pro Offshore trousers come in separate designs for both men and women (but without the drop seat). There’s elasticised fabric shoulder straps, fleece hand-warmer pockets on the chest, and thigh cargo pockets. The waterproof rating is 28,000mm while staying breathable and tough. Priced at $1400.
Club Marine members receive 15% off online purchases at Musto.
Zhik OFS700 and OFS800
The OFS700 is a three-layer jacket that uses a marine- and human-friendly CO DWR (Durable Water Repellent) fabric for a 20,000mm waterproof rating. It’s fully seam-sealed, has a two-way YKK zipper with internal storm guard, and reflective detailing.
You’ll love the high fleece-lined storm collar and stowable hood that comes with a modular face shield. Available in women’s and men’s designs. Priced at $679.95.
Women who love a drop-seat design, should check out the OFS700 pants, featuring soft elastic shoulder straps that cross over at the back, YKK AquaGuard zippers, articulated knees, ankle closures, and a reinforced seat. Also available in sizes for men. Priced at $479.95.
The OFS800 jacket steps up with a 24,000mm waterproof rating, sandwiching an eVent membrane between outer and inner layers to deliver enhanced breathability. There’s articulated elbows, abrasion reinforcement on the seat, and what Zhik calls its Hydrovision hood and visor system. Unisex sizes range from M to XXL. Priced at $1229.95.
OFS800 eVent salopettes (bibs) share the eVent fabric and come with Velcro ankle closures, an elasticised waist, chest and cargo pockets. XS to XXXL. Priced at $659.98
Club Marine members receive 10% off online purchases at Zhik.
Sail Racing Reference Pro
Sail Racing also uses a three-layer Gore-Tex fabric to create a fully waterproof jacket with a 28,000mm rating. Available in designs for men and women, it’s treated with a DWR (durable water repellent) coating and features a two-way YKK AquaGuard zipper, adjustable and detachable hood, high fleece-lined collar, and chest and waist pockets. Priced at $1399.
You can match the jacket with Sail Racing’s Reference, Pro or Ocean Pants, however only the two-way stretch Reference Pants come in separate designs sized to fit men and women.
These three-layer Gore-Tex trousers use YKK AquaGuard zippers, have a cargo pocket on one leg, and are priced at $799. To step up to a bib, choose the Reference Pro Pants priced at $1099 and available in men’s sizes S to XXL.
A less technical option, the Ocean Pant still offers a 20,000mm waterproof rating and will appeal to those seeking a PFC-free water-resistant treatment. Priced at $599.
Club Marine members receive 15% off online purchases at Sail Racing.
Burke Southerly Offshore Jacket
Burke’s top-tier unisex offshore jacket is cut from three-layer PB20 waterproof fabric that sandwiches a microporous membrane between a water repellent outer layer and the inner lining. The result is a waterproof jacket with a 20,000mm rating and a host of features.
There are plenty of pockets plus harness loops, reflective detailing, and a two-way storm flap over the zipper. Sizes range from XS to 2XL. Priced at $569.
Cut from the same waterproof PB20 fabric, the high-cut bibs are adjustable at the elastic braces, waist and ankle cuffs. They feature fleece-lined hand-warmer pockets, a two-way zipper with internal waterproof gusset, and have a waterproof rating of 20,000mm. Priced at $399.
Club Marine members receive 15% off online purchases at Burke Marine.
Helly Hansen Aegir Ocean
Developed along with Volvo Ocean Race sailors, this unisex jacket utilises a ‘Helly Tech Professional’ triple composite membrane to get HH’s highest quality rating for waterproofness, breathability, durability and windproofness.
Of the two Aegir offshore jackets, the longer heavy-duty Ocean series offers double latex cuff seals, while the race series is lighter and a little more affordable. Both have a 20,000mm waterproof rating.
Features include articulated sleeves, an adjustable waist and hem, plus cargo and Polartec hand-warmer pockets. Priced at $1500.
The Aegir Race Bib is less bulky and more affordable than the Aegir Ocean Bib. With a 25,000mm waterproof rating, it utilises a Life Infinity microporous membrane, is fully seam-sealed, and treated with a non-toxic water repellent.
The design integrates a YKK AquaSeal zipper, durable Cordura reinforcement panels, thigh and chest pockets, and articulated knee panels. Priced at $840.
Visit hellyhansen.com.au
SLAM Ocean
Offering the highest waterproofness and breathability of any jacket outlined here, the Ocean Jacket holds back the sea with a 30,000mm waterproof rating. It uses a four-layer Toray fabric tested by Vendee Globe sailors.
Features include a high-visibility hood with transparent side panels, high collar and face shield, double adjustable cuffs, plenty of reflective patches, and reinforced seat and elbows. It comes in black or yellow, in a range of unisex sizes. Priced at $1300.
Slam’s unisex ocean-rated bib carries the same credentials as the matching Ocean Jacket and comes with a tool strap holder, YKK AquaGuard zippers, and reinforced seat and knees. Priced at $1160.
Visit slam.com
The full version of this article ran in the June-July (Volume 41.3) issue of Club Marine Magazine. Find out how you can subscribe to Australia’s leading marine lifestyle magazine here.
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