Gill Foul Weather Gear?

[tassioom]

Hi everyone! I need to buy some offshore/ocean weather gear">Foul Weather gear, does anyone ever tried Gill's jackets or trousers? Is their waterproof/breathable materials any good? Or would it be better to stick with gore-tex?

thanks for your help!
tassio

[jackdale]

I have a Gill Offshore jacket. I am happy with it. Although I miss the hat leash that my Helly Hanson had.

Jack

[dkall]

We've only been on the boat for 7 months. Generally save our gear for when we're offshore and really need it. So it hasn't gotten a lot of work or daily wear. So far so good.

[sv-Mystique]

We have multiple sets of Gill jackets and bibs from light weight, medium weight coastal and heavy weight offshore and love all of it. Hubby recently bought a Helly Hensen jacket and says they are about the same. All of them get a thumbs up!

[roverhi]

Gill doesn't get much praise from the serious ocean racing set. They seem to be into Musto, Henry Lloyd, and Slam top of the line Gore Tex. But then we are talking any ocean, anytime sailing and costs getting close to a boat unit.

I've got a set of Gill medium weight stuff and it's worked around the marina and light offshore work just fine for a couple of years. Not very heavy use but enough to tell me it's sufficient for what I'm using it for. My lightweight Gill jacket has had the water proofing flake off and is only good for a work jacket in the dry. It didn't breathe for beans in any case though it does, both ways, now. I think breathability is a much overated benefit as there is no such thing as dry when it gets really crappy out there.

[MarkJ]

Our Gill gear is Goretex.

I would prefer non-breathable for long voyage cruising as it last longer and one doesn’t do enough sweaty work to make the breathable necessary.
I get a clammy feeling from outside of mine so I'd go back to the olf fashioned MPX if it were still available.

Also be careful about the collar line and the face cover. Mine must be designed for ccold climates at high latitude because the collar line Velcros across the face and CAN'T be turned down. Its too hot in the tropics and is irritating if I haven't shaved. It looks good in brochures, but useless below 25 degs latitude.

In the tropics we much faster go for the light weight wet kit before the Gill. Often times the showers are only for a few minutes. But a big deluge its the heavy kit.

Remember also, if you are cruising and a squall hits, you fix the sails, check the auto pilot and retire below till the precipitation stops.

The point is: Why spend $2,000 on heavy best quality gear for a tropical circumnavigation when the lower grade Gill (et al) and some light 'coastal' gear will suffice?




Mark
PS Remember we are cruisers... the cabin is a good place when its raining and theres books to read...

[Pblais]

We have the Gill Key West bibs and jackets. I can say good things about them. I've been using Gortex since about 1973 just after it was invented. It was originally OK but after a few generations it got better. I used the Mountaineering version most of that time. Marine duty is pretty demanding. You really only need this stuff when you do. That is maybe the only nasty part. We did the north to south leg of the Chesapeake bay in a gale in late October.

I'm still married. There things worth than dieing. The Admiral stayed warm if not comfortable. Being dry means you can still be warm. Wet it dead. Hypothermia is a miserable existence. I've only been there once and I was lot younger. It can kill you.

[bluzzin]

I have Gill Key West Jacket and bibs. Just fine for year round use in PNW. If they lasts several years of 12 month a year sailing I will be very happy. On the other hand, their Offshore gloves are a joke, leak like a sieve, are cold to boot, a complete waste of $60.

michael