Technology
Launching into Europe
Withmilitary-specmaterials, design awards and pro sailor endorsements, Mustang Survival unveils its new ranges of lifejackets and foul weather gear The origins of the EP 6.5 Ocean
Outside North America, Mustang Survival is not particularly well- known. This is about to change. First, its credentials are impeccable. It makes safety products, flotation and apparel for everyone from the US Coast Guard and Canadian military to Navy Seals and NASA. Brand ambassadors include Cole Brauer, the first American woman to circumnavigate solo, non-stop and unassisted in her Class40 First Light, and Scott Shawyer whose Canada Ocean Racing team has set its sights on the Vendée Globe 2028. Sailors like Jimmy Spithill, Nico Troussel and Emily Nagel have also endorsed this brand’s kit. Big names. Big ambition. Now Mustang Survival is launching into Europe with three pinnacle products: the EP 6.5 Ocean Collection, the Meris kit of foul weather gear and the award-winning Atlas 190N lifejacket. Mustang Survival’s EP product manager, Hunter Lowden, raced for Canada in the 49er class at the 2012 Olympics and gained first- hand experience of the brand. ‘In 10 years on the circuit, I despised being wet. When I moved onto larger boats from dinghy sailing, I purchased EP. I didn’t go out into the middle of the ocean – but I appreciated being dry and there are people who just want the best performance they can find.’
58 SEAHORSE
range signalled some serious intent. ‘When EP was initiated in 2015, it was with a record-setting 100ft supermaxi programme. The design brief and the guiding customers were from that programme. This is a new iteration of EP. The whole point of EP, and why we use the materials we do, is that it’s designed for professionals pushing boundaries in the open ocean, because they’re the most exposed. We haven’t limited it to be pro-only, but certainly that is our design intent.’ It's had some serious sea trialling
too, not least by Cole Brauer. ‘I wore EP 6.5 Ocean last year for my 27,000nm Global Solo Challenge, racing in the harshest conditions on the planet, and it held up great! Kept me dry and warm, and as an offshore sailor, that’s the most important thing. For me it’s the best because it’s tried and true. ‘I have the whole range. I wear
the dry top for inshore racing and sail changes, the smock for heavy weather driving and the jacket for quick changes in the cockpit, as I can get it on and off quickly. The knee pads in the pants are fantastic. I have so much scar tissue on my knees from years of using bad gear and now I don’t have to worry about bracing myself on the bow of my boat while slamming upwind.’
Above: the Atlas 190N lifejacket was on Time magazine’s list of best inventions in 2024 and has won several major awards. The collar of the jacket sits below the neck for extra comfort
So, what makes EP so special?
There are a couple of USPs that set it apart. One is its military specification (Mil Spec 6.5 GORE-TEX Fabric) material laminate. ‘We asked if we could use it in this application because it’s for professionals in extreme environments like the military, US Coast Guard and public safety, and our mil pro relationship with GORE meant that this was possible.’ The second USP is leak testing.
‘We put the pants and the two sealed tops (dry top and smock) through our drysuit test protocols, the same we use for our public safety and military products. When it leaves the factory, each and every piece has been physically tested. We don’t do quite the same test on the jacket because it zips up. That testing adds to the production cost but we believe it’s important.’ The EP range itself combines
salopettes with a selection of three tops: dry top, smock and jacket. For the design inspiration, again Mustang Survival looked at the needs of the professional sailor. ‘We had a lot of feedback but they really just wanted to getmaximum protection so we went to a latex water seal on the dry top and smock. ‘The smock is the streamlined
version, low weight, fits a little tighter because we expect that to
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