Built for peak performance

With the launch of a brand new range of junior wetsuits and skiff suits Zhik has once again raised its game

Why is it that wetsuits for children tend to be less comfortable, less efficient and less well made, from lower quality materials, than the same garments in adult sizes? With Zhik wetsuits and Zhik sailing gear in general, that isn’t the case at all.

The high standards of design and workmanship, premium materials and performance-enhancing features that go into Zhik’s adult wetsuits – which are worn by many of the world’s top sailing athletes and developed in collaboration with some of them – are also built into Zhik’s youth wetsuits. To perform at their peak all sailors need the gear they wear to deliver the same levels of insulation, comfort, freedom of movement and durability, regardless of their age or size.

That’s why Zhik has long been in high demand in the youth market and it’s one of the main reasons why you see large numbers of Zhikwearing competitors at national and international youth regattas. Another reason is the pace of innovation. With its next generation of junior skiff suits and two-piece wetsuits, announced this autumn and soon to be available from retailers around the world, Zhik has once again significantly raised its game.

‘This range recognises the diversity of our customer base,’ explains Drue Kerr head of design and production at Zhik. ‘With growing youth participation, we are bringing the quality, comfort and flexibility that Zhik wetsuits are known for to our youngest sailors.’

A major advantage for young sailors and their parents alike is that the new junior range seamlessly integrates with Zhik’s adult sizing. This ensures that young sailors can transition smoothly from the junior range, which starts at size 10, into the adult ranges as they grow. Boys move up from junior size 14 into men’s XS and girls go from junior size 12 to women’s XS sizes.

The new junior wetsuit range offers parallel models for girls and boys in two styles optimised for different types of sailing, with two levels of insulation available in each size to suit a range of weather conditions, covering all four seasons in temperate waters. The one-piece Skiff Suit style is ideal for shorter sessions of fast-paced sailing, such as typical dinghy racing. The highstretch Wetsuit is a two-piece style designed to be worn for a longer duration so it’s perfect for the sort of sailing where you’re in and out of the water all day.

Across the whole wetsuit range, comfort has been upgraded with a new fast-drying, warm and soft fleece lining. Flexibility is optimised with targeted super-stretch panelling that gives full freedom of movement. Drainage holes at the ankles help to expel trapped water and the leg length is adjustable, with ready-to-cut bar tacks, for a customised fit.

A super stretch opening at the neck and shoulders makes these suits extremely easy for young sailors to pull on and off without needing help from a parent. Integrated knee and shin pads provide extra protection against bumps and bruises. Quick-drying lining makes them much more pleasant to put on again after lunch than a suit that’s still wet and clammy from the morning’s sailing session. There are plenty of things that can dampen a young person’s enthusiasm for sailing but with Zhik it’s never going to be the gear they wear.

Above and below: with all Zhik wetsuits full freedom of movement is assured while the junior ranges for boys and girls integrate seamlessly into Zhik’s adult ranges of wetsuits. Zhik also offers a wide range of accessories for young sailors including buoyancy aids, gloves and hats plus a variety of layers

The suits’ durability and lifespan have also been extended with hardwearing, abrasion-resistant ZhikTex II patches on the seat and shins, and extra-strong flatlock seam construction. Blind rolled hems and seams also enhance the suits’ durability and the seam junctions are given extra reinforcement. When a young sailor grows out of their Zhik wetsuit it can be handed down in good condition to a younger sibling or passed on to another family instead of just being thrown away.

Years of knowledge and development, innovation and incremental improvement have gone into the design and specification of the streamlined Microfleece Performance Skiff Suits and Wetsuits. Engineered to excel in moderate conditions and made from 1.2mm neoprene, these are ideal for a wide variety of watersports, from dinghy sailing to windsurfing, kiteboarding and paddle sports, in temperate climates such as a typical late spring, summer and early autumn in the UK, north-west Europe and most of the US.

To extend the sailing and watersports season further into autumn, earlier in spring and even right through winter, the Zhik Superwarm Performance Skiff Suit and Wetsuit have upgraded insulation of 2/3mm thermal neoprene, waterproof seams that are glued and blind stitched, and a highly efficient fleece lining. The Superwarm suits have all of the same key design features as the Microfleece suits and deliver the same benefits, with targeted super stretch panelling once again providing enhanced flexibility.

‘With each iteration of our youth range, we take learnings forward and the goal is always to make time on the water as fun, warm, and comfortable for young sailors as can be,’ explains Johnny Rodgers, head of marketing/partnerships & global sponsorship manager.

Zhik’s junior range also includes additional layers and a wide variety of accessories to provide a complete and versatile set of gear that functions as an integrated system. The Youth Aqua Smock adds a splashproof and breathable outer layer with a high degree of wind chill protection, boosting a young sailor’s endurance and comfort for longer sailing sessions and in harsher weather. Useful in a range of conditions, hydrophobic fleece tops serve as a versatile mid layer.

In warmer weather, a super lightweight Youth Eco Spandex long-sleeved top can be worn over a Skiff Suit to provide UPF50+ sun protection. As with the wetsuits, these extra layer garments are designed and engineered with high-performance sailing and full freedom of movement foremost in mind. Paired with a UPF50+ Zhik neck gaiter and hat, full sun protection is assured.

Aesthetics are a key element of Zhik’s broad appeal to sailors of all ages and it’s especially important to young sailors who are keen to make the best impression on their peers. Many garments in the junior range are available in a range of colours and all of them are styled to be a cut above the competition.

The junior range extends to footwear too with amphibious water shoes, watersports booties, neoprene socks and several designs of sailing boots, each of which is optimised for a specific type of use, such as hiking or trapezing. Hats for different purposes complete the range: broad-brimmed sun hats, visors, caps in many styles and beanies, all designed specifically for watersports, made from quick-drying materials and fitted with retaining straps so they won’t go overboard during a tack or gybe.

Also brand new for 2025 is a complementary range of sailing bags. The 25-litre Team Backpack is ideal for everyday use. Key features include water-resistant panels, a padded laptop sleeve, an extra pouch and various pockets for organised storage. There’s also a new 55-litre Duffel Bag. Designed to fit all of one person’s sailing kit for a regatta or a fun weekend on the water, its dedicated wet compartment is a godsend on the way home.

Sustainability is one of Zhik’s core values and of course this extends to the junior range as well as the adult ranges of gear. All of the new Performance youth wetsuits are produced with sustainable manufacturing processes, using eco-friendly glue and Zhik has a recycling scheme for old neoprene. When a junior wetsuit has seen several young sailors through a few seasons each and is finally ready to be retired, it can then be recycled into a bouncy floor material for playgrounds – there’s no reason for it to end up in landfill.

And there’s one more way in which Zhik supports young people out on the water: helping the next generation of top sailing athletes develop and hone their skills. One aspect of this is sponsoring events like the recent Cadet dinghy Worlds. Another is the Zhik Youth Ascender Programme, which provides talented young sailors with mentors, sponsorship and discounted gear as they rise from club racing through national and international youth regattas towards their dream of an Olympic or professional sailing career.

Aidan and Callum Simmons, brothers from Melbourne, are great examples, having come through the Zhik Ascender programme and between them they won the last three Australian Optimist National Championships and two 4.7 National Championships, never before achieved in Australia by brothers.

They are now part of the Zhik Team helping with research and development, in particular the latest youth wetsuits.

Rodgers concludes: ‘We’ve supported some incredible athletes through youth pathways into top tier sailing, developing our youth ranges with sailors like Maria Erdi, Marit Bouwmeester, Peter Burling and Blair Tuke to name just a few.’

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