RIB (Rigid Inflatable Boat) Clothing (Part 2). Getting the best deal and discounts!

Save yourself some money:

Having worked in a marine chandlers’, while the staff are often helpful, they are there to sell you the nice looking Musto and Henri-Lloyd gear – which we all know isn’t cheap.

• Looking for a fleece? Try TK-Max or a big camping shop at an end of season sale, you can usually save yourself at  least a fiver. Berghaus and other walking brands make perfectly good fleeces which, while not always as stylish as boating clothes, will do the same job but a little cheaper.
• After thermal under layers? The marine brands will charge you around £20-£30 an item. Find an Army surplus website and you can find a full set of thermals for under £20.
• Many retailers will offer some discount if you purchase items for the whole family at once.
• Get your gear out of season; remember to look for last year’s stock and sale rails!
• If your clothing has broken or is faulty not long after you’ve brought it then TAKE IT BACK! After spending lots of money you should always ask what the shop can do about a faulty garment. Quite often zips can be replaced or seams can be re-stitched (often free of charge).

When not to be saving the pennies on clothing!

Sometimes, you can’t scrimp when it comes to buying clothes to go boating in. It is often far better to invest in something that lasts a long time, there are two things which we at JBT do not like to buy cheaply.

• Get decent sailing boots. When out in the winter there is nothing worse than wearing soggy and cold deck shoes. Dubarry, Musto and Henri-Lloyd all make decent Gore-Tex lined boots with excellent grip on the soles which will certainly keep your feet warm and dry.
• Jackets. Foul weather jackets are stringently tested to perform well in the harshest conditions. That said, they are not always cheap. If you want a new jacket then scour the sale rails (I got about 25% off a Gore-Tex coat recently because it was a last season colour scheme!). The bright fluorescent hoods and SOLAS reflective strips do make a difference when trying to find someone who has fallen in the water.

These are just a few handy hints from Team JBT. We hope you find them useful! Did you know JBT can do you a great deal on Life Jackets, Click here to find out more…