Helly Hansen’s award-winning sailing collection is a result of thousands of hours of research and development. How do you get from a basic sailing jacket to extreme foul weather gear? The answer lies in real-world testing at one of sailing’s most renowned competitions: the Volvo Ocean Race (VOR) – the best testing ground for ocean gear.
After more than 140 years in the sailing industry and 40 years of working with the VOR, Helly Hansen relies on their professional input to develop and expand the limits of performance sailing gear, from classics like the Salt Jacket to the most extreme offshore designs, like the Ægir range.
Partners and first-hand testers of Helly Hansen gear are MAPFRE, current leaders of this year’s Volvo Ocean Race. The professionals in this team require gear that covers all conditions, from the warmer climate of the Mediterranean, to the bitter cold temperatures of the Southern Ocean.
Øyvind Vedvik, Category Managing Director of Sailing, “Beyond supporting athletes in this intense challenge, these partnerships have always been a one-of-a-kind opportunity for our advancement in research and development. As one of the most demanding events in all of sport, the VOR is the ideal test for functional sailing gear. We rely on teams like MAPFRE in the Volvo Ocean Race to keep us cutting edge on design and technologies, to enable us to make the best products for our consumer sailing collections.”
The team is outfitted in all the most hi-tech, offshore gear Helly Hansen has to offer, and is completed by the new Ægir H2Flow Jacket, a recent winner of two of the world’s most prestigious design awards; the German Design award 2018 and the Good Design award 2017.
Pablo Arrarte, Watch Captain for MAPFRE, adds, “This jacket is ideal for shifting activity levels, but at the same time, is very lightweight, quick-drying and comfortable. It is a perfect addition to our offshore wardrobe- it keeps us extra warm in cold temperatures, when there is not much action onboard, and cools us down when we manoeuvre and sweat a lot during high activity levels.”
The Ægir H2Flow Jacket will be launched this February and will be every racer’s new favorite jacket with incomparable breathability through the H2Flow™ temperature regulation system and slick surface materials to ensure ease of layering when temperatures rise or fall. The supple fabrics allow ease of movement while waterproof, windproof and breathable construction enables the jacket to be worn as an outer layer when conditions are tame. When paired with the new Ægir H2Flow Salopette, sailors can enjoy full-body protection in these fitted, highly mobile, insulated layers. Each piece works separately or together to retain heat when it’s needed, but will expel unwanted hot air immediately through ergonomically-placed vents on both the jacket and salopette.
The gear produced for MAPRRE will serve as prototypes for upcoming sailing collections available for consumers worldwide at www.hellyhansen.com. Read more about MAPFRE and Helly Hansen’s partnership here: www.hellyhansen.com/news/mapfre-volvo-ocean-race-team-partners-with-helly-hansen.