Zhik Microfleece Sailing Wetsuits

Zhik Microfleece

Most of the season does not need the warmest suit you own. It needs one you can wear from the first race in May to the last in September without cooking on a hot reach or shivering on a grey one. That is the Microfleece. Thin neoprene with Zhik's heat retaining, quick drying lining on the inside, so it feels like a light suit on your skin but holds a good deal more warmth than its thickness suggests.

We think of it as the sensible default for club sailors, and we wear it ourselves through the summer. The skiff suit is the core of the range, the wetsuit top goes over it when the wind picks up, and the hikers put the padding in the thigh for singlehanders. Both skiff suit and top come in mens and womens cuts. For the early and late season, or a wet and breezy summer day when you want to lock the heat in, the Superwarm range is the thicker version at 2mm to 3mm. Add a buoyancy aid and you are ready.

Sale

Rooster Aquafleece Headband

£20.00 £18.00

Rooster Aquafleece Headband

£18.00 £20.00

Zhik Microfleece FAQs

Which Microfleece piece should I start with?

The skiff suit. It is the piece that does the most work, a sleeveless long john or long jane with the lined neoprene over your core and legs, and it covers most club racing on its own with a rash vest underneath. Add the top when you find yourself cold on the arms in spring and autumn, and the hikers if you sail a hiking singlehander and want the thigh padding built in rather than strapped on.

How warm is Microfleece?

Warm enough for May to September for most people, and into April and October with a thermal underneath and a spray top over. The neoprene is thin, around 1mm, so it stretches and dries fast, and the lining is what does the insulating. It is not a cold water suit on its own. If your sailing runs through the early and late season, pair it with a warmer top or look at the thicker range.

Microfleece or Superwarm?

Microfleece if most of your sailing is between May and September, Superwarm if you race through the early and late season or feel the cold more than your crew does. Microfleece is thin, flexible and cooler on a warm day. Superwarm is 2mm to 3mm depending on the panel, with a lining, and it is the one to reach for on a cold, wet beat, a long day on the water, or a breezy summer afternoon when you want to lock some heat in. Plenty of sailors own both.

How does Microfleece fit?

Slim. Zhik cuts close to the body, and the thin neoprene has a lot of stretch, so a suit that feels tight on land settles once you are moving. Go for your usual size if you are an average build and check the chart on the product page if you are tall or broad, since the torso length is what matters for hiking. Mens and womens versions are cut differently, so buy the right one rather than sizing down.

How do I look after a Microfleece suit?

Rinse in fresh water after every sail, hang it inside out in the shade and never put it near a radiator or tumble dryer. The lining dries quickly, which is one of the reasons we like it, but heat and sun break down the neoprene. Zip it up when you store it so the zip stays straight, and avoid leaving it crumpled in the car boot between weekends.