Personal Gear & Apparel

I can endure anything if my feet are warm, and dry is even better. I like winter sailing; not just the shoulder seasons, but...

I was first introduced the whoopie sling by a construction rigger nearly 20 years ago. We were using a crane to install irregularly shaped...

As air temperatures in the northern hemisphere warm enough for sailors to start spending time on the water, boating safety experts are reminding sailors...

Wheel steering is all the rage, even on cruising boats under 30 feet.  It looks “shippy,” holds a steady course, and makes fighting weather...

The advantage of a home-built boot dryer is that you can make it fit any number of boots and gloves, and add extensions for drying foul weather gear, options that are not available on the retail market

I’m a big fan of drysuits for cold weather sailing (see “Soul Drysuit 2-year Update,” PS February 2016). But I’m not a fan of...

Ever since Under Armor convinced us that we couldn’t live without them, base layers have been all the rage in athletics. We’ve reviewed the...

Once more, the bulk of the past year’s testing focused on maintenance products, safety essentials, and do-it-yourself substitutes for higher priced marine gear. Part...

Our staff are not marina hoppers. That leads to the occasional wet dinghy ride or exploration by kayak, and the constant risk of ruining...

Practical Sailor tested seven sets of mid-level marine foul-weather gear, four sets of which were designed specifically for women. The other three were unisex jackets and bibs. The gear tested was: the Gill Key West, Gul Newport, Helly Hansen Fjord, Plastimo XM Coastal, Plastimo XM Offshore, Ronstan Inshore, and West Marine Third Reef. Each set (coat and trousers) was evaluated for fit, comfort, ease of doffing and donning, and breathability. Testers looked closely at the details including zippers, Velcro, snaps, pockets, hoods, and cuffs. One of the most significant findings was that fit can greatly affect foul-weather gear performance as far as water-proofing and wind-proofing are concerned.