Helly Hansen is launching a new range of inshore oilskins: the HP Foil Flyer series. The suit is designed for use in moderate temperatures and coastal conditions. For motorboat enthusiasts, the lightweight fabric offers a lightweight alternative for the summer months.
Featherweight made from thin material
The HP Foil Flyer is really very light. The jacket weighs just 496 grams, the trousers 551 grams. Together, they weigh just over a kilogram – that’s featherweight. The fabric is thin and breathable. It’s ideal for warm days when you’re on the move a lot and working up a sweat.
The cuffs are simple in design, with a light PU coating on the inside to make them watertight, but they are not double cuffs. The dungarees have just an elasticated waistband at the bottom of the legs, so there’s no adjustment there. However, the trousers can be easily adjusted at the waist, but not at the shoulders.
Close-fitting cut with stretch
The oilskins have a fairly close-fitting cut. There’s a thin stretch insert integrated into the chest, which allows for freedom of movement. The knees are well-shaped and reinforced. The fit is good, and you can move around easily – as long as you don’t wear anything really thick underneath. They’re ideal for summer trips or in autumn when the temperatures are moderate.
Hood made from spinnaker fabric
The hood isn’t in a high-vis colour, but is made from a kind of spinnaker fabric. This makes it very soft and it moves beautifully when you look to the side. It doesn’t restrict your view at all. That’s a big plus.
However, adjusting the hood is a bit fiddly. It uses plastic fittings into which you have to tuck an elastic band. You have to pull it and then actively tuck the elastic bands in. This requires two hands and isn’t intuitive.
Basic facilities
There are zipped pockets on the thighs and standard side pockets at the front of the jacket. There is one inside pocket in the jacket. No storm flap over the zip. No hand-warmer pockets, few details. A really super-simple, very lightweight oilskin jacket. When it gets cooler, you can simply wear a mid-layer underneath. However, there isn’t much room for really thick thermal layers.
Technical specifications:
Price:
- Jacket: 450 euros
- Dungarees: 350 euros
Weight:
- Jacket: 496 g
- Dungarees: 551g
Material:
- Helly Tech Professional (3-layer membrane)
- Very thin and light
- Highly breathable
- Waterproof, windproof
- Quick-drying
Area of application:
- Inshore Racing
- Racing
- Active summer sailing
- Coastal sailing in warm weather
Colours:
- Blue, Black
Jacket features:
- Very thin and light
- No storm flap (inshore design)
- Simple front side pockets
- Inside pocket
- Simple cuffs with a light PU coating on the inside
- No heat packs
- Close-fitting cut
Dungarees features:
- Very light
- Close-fitting cut
- Knee well-shaped and reinforced
- Pockets with zips on the thighs
- No heat packs
- Adjustable at the waist
- Shoulders not adjustable
- Elasticated cuffs (non-adjustable)
Hood – The highlight:
- Made from spinnaker fabric
- Extremely soft and light
- Turns perfectly in sync with head movements
- No obstruction to visibility
- The elastic must be clamped into the fitting
- Requires two hands to adjust
Wristbands:
- Simple cuffs
- Lightweight PU coating on the inside
- No double cuffs
- Suitable for inshore use
Special details:
- Extremely light – one of the lightest in the test
- Spinnaker hood – highly functional
- Quick-drying
- Close-fitting cut – not suitable for wearing with thick layers underneath
- Stretch panel on the chest for freedom of movement
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David Ingelfinger
Volontär
