Sailing clothes have one job: keep you dry enough to keep sailing. What that takes depends on the boat and the day. A summer dinghy race needs a light spray top. A night offshore needs a hooded shell and salopettes. Pick by the conditions first, then build the layers.
Pick by the conditions
| Conditions | Top | Bottom | Lion range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dinghy and club sailing | Dinghy smock or Dinghy race smock | Grand Prix tech shorts, or Race salopettes when it is cold and wet | Dinghy & club |
| Inshore racing | Grand Prix race smock or Grand Prix sailing jacket; Performance race smock on lighter days | Grand Prix salopettes or Race salopettes | Grand Prix, Race |
| Coastal sailing and deliveries | Coastal sailing jacket or Coastal race smock | Race salopettes | Coastal |
| Offshore | Ocean smock | Ocean salopettes | Ocean / offshore |
Dinghy and club sailing
In a dinghy you sit close to the water and move all the time, so the top layer should be light. Lion's dinghy range is made for spray, not green water: the Dinghy smock and the Dinghy race smock are both 2-layer GoreTex. Under them, a tech shirt and tech shorts.
Dinghy & club rangeDinghy race smock2-layer GoreTex, YKK USA zippers$200
Inshore racing
Round-the-buoys racing means hiking, trimming and crossing the boat, often in spray. The Grand Prix range is Lion's inshore race kit: the Grand Prix race smock and the Grand Prix sailing jacket are 4-layer GoreTex with a protective hood, and the Grand Prix salopettes add Kevlar and Cordura knees and seat. On lighter days, the Performance race smock is 2-layer GoreTex, and the Race salopettes are 3-layer GoreTex with Kevlar knees and seat.
Coastal sailing and deliveries
Day races along the coast and boat deliveries mean longer days on the water. The Coastal sailing jacket is 3-layer GoreTex and the Coastal race smock is 2-layer GoreTex. Pair either with Race salopettes.
Coastal rangeCoastal race smock2-layer GoreTex, YKK USA zippers$250
Offshore
For heavy weather and long passages, the Ocean range is made for it: the Ocean smock is 4-layer GoreTex with a protective hood, and the Ocean salopettes are 4-layer GoreTex with Kevlar and Cordura knees and seat. Pack the rest in a waterproof bag.
Ocean / offshore rangeOcean salopettes4-layer GoreTex, Kevlar and Cordura knees and seat$550
Layer by layer
Next to the skin
A tech shirt and shorts: Grand Prix tech shirt ($35), Grand Prix tech shorts ($37) and Grand Prix tech shirt, long sleeve ($40), all in grey, X-Small to X-Large.
Warmth
On cold days, add a warm midlayer between the tech shirt and the shell, thin enough to move in.
The shell: smock or jacket
A sailing smock pulls on over your head. A jacket zips open down the front, so it is quicker to put on and take off. Lion makes both in the Coastal and Grand Prix ranges, and smocks in the Dinghy & club, Ocean / offshore and Race ranges.
Salopettes
Sailing salopettes are waterproof trousers with a bib and shoulder straps, so water that gets under your top stays out. Lion makes three: Race salopettes (3-layer GoreTex, $350), Grand Prix salopettes (4-layer GoreTex, $450) and Ocean salopettes (4-layer GoreTex, $550).
Bags
The Race backpack (35L, $65), Sailing gear backpack (35L, $85) and Race duffel bag (60L, $120) are all waterproof.
Sizing and your boat name
Lion clothing runs X-Small to X-Large; check the size guide before you order. Every piece can carry your boat name or flag, free. In US states with PFAS restrictions, a PFAS-free equivalent fabric is supplied.
Questions
What should I wear sailing for the first time?
On a warm day: a tech shirt, shorts or light trousers, and a light waterproof top in case of spray, such as the Dinghy smock. Add salopettes if you will sit on a wet deck or rail.
Do I need sailing salopettes?
If you sit on the rail or a wet deck, yes. Salopettes are waterproof trousers with a bib and shoulder straps, so water that gets under your top stays out. On a warm dinghy day, tech shorts are enough.
Should I buy a sailing smock or a jacket?
A smock pulls on over your head. A jacket zips open down the front, so it is quicker to put on and take off. Lion makes both in the Coastal and Grand Prix ranges, and smocks in the Dinghy & club, Ocean / offshore and Race ranges.
Which Lion Sailing range is right for me?
Dinghy and club for spray in small boats, Grand Prix for inshore racing, Coastal for day racing and deliveries, and Ocean for heavy weather and long passages.