Technology
Made for it
Designed for fast- paced inshore regattas where the sailors’ agility is just as crucial a factor as their strength is and endurance, Musto’s lightweight LPX collection is exceptional and expanding
Continuing development in the foiling world, the explosive growth of ultra-fast boats such as the Cape 31, plus improvements in materials technology have created the perfect opportunity for Musto to further develop and expand its LPX range of high-performance lightweight foul weather gear. The result is best-in- class technical clothing for inshore regatta racing that offers perfect solutions for all weathers. Inmany ways the LPX collection
is amuchmore streamlined version of the new HPX ocean-spec kit, focussed on allowing crewmembers tomove around the boat as freely as possible. At the same time, a key part of the concept was to create a full teampackage for use both while racing and on shore afterwards. The range encompasses two lines that cover the needs of everyone from SailGP teams to the typical cut and thrust of inshore racing at regattas like CowesWeek, KielWoche and CorkWeek. ‘The kind ofmajor events where youmight have intense sunshine with almost no wind one day and 25 knots plus driving rain on another,’ saysMusto’s head of product Chris Holliman. LPX is also increasingly favoured
as an option for offshore racing in conditions that don't demand HPX
76 SEAHORSE
kit. This is true even for competitors in The Ocean Race, where MPX or LPX is now seen as the best solution 70 per cent of the time. ‘Sliding on a lightweight LPX jacket takes a fraction of a second, so it’s a really appealing option for quick bursts on deck,’ adds Holliman. The first generation of LPX was
developed more than 20 years ago in the early days of the Extreme Sailing Series, which created a step change in the need to maximise athletes’ agility, while continuing to provide top-class protection from the elements. Since then the Gore-Tex membranes used, which have themselves improved over time, have always been the reference point for this type of racing. The latest LPX generation was
developed following a similar philosophy to the one that’s proved enormously successful with the new HPX products. These have already had “an incredible level of enthusiastic feedback” fromMusto’smany ambassadors in the IMOCA 60 class. LPX was designed from the outset
as a complete three-layer system, with accessories, all of which dovetail together to work seamlessly, making it “a real game changer,” according to Holliman. The complete system is extremely
Above: the Musto LPX collection is a streamlined version of its HPX ocean racing kit, focused on giving sailors as much freedom of movement as possible. It offers a full package for use both while racing and on shore afterwards
flexible and adaptable, so it works across a full range of conditions for boats from TP52s to Cape 31s and even J/70s or SB20s. There’s also a new line within
the range, developed in conjunction with the French SailGP team, that’s dedicated to the demands of foiling. ‘Impact protection for when they crash down at 30-40 knots is a significant factor,’ says Holliman. At the same time, the very high apparent wind strengths encountered means this kit is designed to sit closer to the skin, yet the material used enables the athletes to move amazingly easily. A further distinction is that these
races are often comparatively short and teams have a coach boat that can pass extra layers of clothing across if necessary between racing. That’s a different scenario to Cowes Week, where you’re committed to the clothing you take on the boat for the day. ‘Most of the new LPX garments are a very streamlined version of the HPX concept, with changes focussed on the ability tomove freely and quickly,’ says lead product designer Lucy Davis. ‘They have reduced pocketry and a much shorter jacket, with the collar sitting comfortably under the chin and a zip off hood.’
MUSTO/MARK LLOYD
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