Norwegian technical apparel manufacturer Helly Hansen has announced a partnership with the UK and Ireland’s Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) to provide an updated range of protective gear.
The new kit is the first full upgrade of the RNLI protective gear in 20 years
According to the RNLI, it has been more than 20 years since it last carried out a full upgrade of its kit, with the new range being supplied to 130 of its all-weather lifeboat stations. The new gear has been specially designed to meet the demanding requirements of the charity’s volunteer crews.
The new gear is said to be lighter and more comfortable, and it has been designed to allow greater freedom of movement than its predecessor. The kit uses Helly Hansen’s state-of-the-art waterproof and breathable Helly Tech Fabric, which provides increased protection compared to the previous kit’s non-breathable fabric.
The garments employ a technical layering system to ensure that crew members stay warm and dry when they are on the water. The customised kits come in a range of sizes and are tailored to fit both male and female crew members individually.
Adapted from Helly Hansen’s award-winning offshore Ægir Offshore Collection, the new RNLI gear boasts advanced technical upgrades including women’s specific tailoring and drop-seat, reinforcements on the jacket hems and trouser knees and seats, as well as 4-ply and 5-ply materials and the use of Helly Tech Professional double ocean composite membrane. According to Helly Hansen, the developments were the product of extensive R&D which saw the company work with professionals around the world, including Team MAPFRE which took part in the recent Volvo Ocean Race.
RNLI lifeboat volunteer Alice Higgins wears the new crew kit
Helly Hansen worked closely with the RNLI throughout the development of the kit to ensure it was fit for purpose, including blind testing trials with more than 60 volunteer crew members. The feedback received from these tests was considered and changes were made to the kit before the final set was unveiled.
As part of the strategic partnership, Helly Hansen says it will support the RNLI for the next five years through a variety of life-saving activities, including drowning prevention messages to its customers. Furthermore, this will include supporting fundraising and safety campaigns, generating income and supporting product innovation.
Alice Higgins, a volunteer at Weymouth Lifeboat Station, was one of the 60 crew members who tested the new kit. She says: “The new all-weather lifeboat kit is absolutely fantastic. It’s much lighter than the old kit and uses breathable fabric, which is ideal for the more demanding tasks we often need to carry out. While trialling the kit it was great to find out that it kept you both warm and dry, even while out at sea in some harsh conditions.”
The new all-weather kit has already been delivered to two UK and Ireland crews including Tower and Chiswick lifeboat stations on the river Thames in London. According to the RNLI, Tower Lifeboat crew is the busiest RNLI Lifeboat Station and in 2017 it launched 486 times, aided 153 and saved 10 lives.
