Having worn wetsuits for various sports over the years, the one thing that strikes me about all of them is that they tend to be uncomfortable and constrictive until in the water.
This is fine in sports such as diving or caving when that happens quite quickly, but very different for something like dinghy sailing where you may remain mostly dry for hours.
The new Blackline wetsuit from Helly Hansen addresses this issue by adding a very comfortable, plush lining which allows the suit to move against your skin without snagging or dragging.
The Blackline is constructed from 3mm neoprene which is flexible enough for hiking and acrobatic manoeuvres but still protective enough to take the edge off a dunking.
Slim enough to be worn under layers and harnesses without causing bunching it becomes almost a base layer in colder weather.
All seals are well made and not too restrictive. The neck seal is soft and pliant and doesn’t ride up too high, allowing movement of the head and neck without chaffing.
It has textured areas on the seat and lower legs which aid grip and traction on the deck. In addition, there are strategically placed windproof areas to keep the chill off when out on the water.
It also has the innovative (and I’d say unique, as I’ve not seen it on another wetsuit) ‘relief’ opening. This semi circular flap is secured by velcro and makes taking a toilet break so much quicker and easier than the usual de-kitting.
A couple of points to mention are that, I needed to trim the velcro slightly as one side chaffed and that the resealing the opening requires a bit of care to avoid an unwarranted ‘bulge’ forming from the neoprene. This, however, is fine, if worn with shorts, a trapeze harness or spraydeck.
Features:
- Main fabric in 3mm high quality stretch neoprene
- Pee opening with velcro
- Flat lock seams for ideal comfort and durability
- Strategically placed wind block areas
- Entrance and zip in the back
