How to dress when crossing an Ocean | Onboard with OSOG
At the time of writing, the On Shoulders of Giants rowers are seventeen days into the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge. Heading further and further into the Atlantic Ocean, the four-man team are in 1st place in the race category. You can keep up to date with the team's progress via Atlantic Campaign's tracking feature which can be found here.
On Shoulders of Giants are rowing across the Atlantic Ocean in support of the fight against Motor Neuron Disease and providing aid to adults with learning difficulties. To ensure they complete their challenge they'll need the best technical apparel, ashmei is their clothing partner of choice.
Below is a selection of the kit that the team has chosen to power them on their adventure, with comments from crew member, Rauri Hadlington, on why each piece is worthy of such a crossing.
Men's Cycle Windjacket
The windjacket is packable performance in its lightest form. Weighing just 163g, the jacket provides excellent wind and rain protection while laser perforated rear panels allow moisture to transfer away from the body, keeping you dry, inside and out.
What Rauri says:
"The wind jacket is something we can throw on as a sort of ‘spray layer’, which is great for when you're getting spray off the water, or if it is windy. That’s quite a useful layer to give you a little bit of protection from the elements."
Men's Long Sleeve Merino Baselayer
Beautifully soft with ample stretch for optimum freedom of movement, our baselayer is a pleasure to wear against the skin at both ends of the temperature spectrum. Casual styling and slightly increased sleeve length makes the garment more versatile than ever, without compromising on technical performance.
What Rauri says:
"Even on very warm days I’ve found myself wearing one of the long sleeve base layers underneath, as it manages temperature relatively well out on the water and protects me from the sun".
Men's Icon T-Shirt
Using our Merino + Carbon fabric, the Icon t-shirt is a versatile performer, fit for all environments. Expertly cut from our superfine Merino blend, you will find a t-shirt that is lightweight, fast-wicking, odour-reducing and highly-breathable - as big on performance as it is on looks.
What Rauri says:
"It’s really good to have a quality product that can stand up to a serious challenge like this,’ says Rauri. ‘We've used the t-shirt all the way through our training, and we'll use them all the way through the row and hopefully we’ll be able to use them for a long time after that as well."
Men's Merino Hooded Sweatshirt
This will become your favourite hoodie - a versatile outer-layer for cooler temperatures or a mid-layer for winter. Our trademark Merino blend, knitted in a terry-looped backing, provides great thermo-regulation either next to the skin or over a baselayer while excellent stretch gives a full range of motion. Couple that with a ninja hood and you've got lightweight warmth day after day.
What Rauri says:
"We’ve used the hoodie overnight a lot on our training rows, when it gets a bit cooler overnight,’ says Rauri. ‘The hoodie is nice and warm, but it’s also not too loose fitting so it doesn’t get caught on anything, and doesn’t have pockets that can catch the blade handles."
Men's Merino Mesh Shorts
Our Merino Mesh shorts contain an in-built brief for high temperatures and long distances. Using our most lightweight fabric, you'll be kept cool thanks to the briefs wicking properties, which work in total harmony with the DWR finished outer layer. The shorts also feature a zipped, generously sized phone pocket.
What Rauri says:
"We wanted shorts that are not just going to be comfortable to wear on day one, but also comfortable to wear on day five or six. The key thing with ashmei and Merino wool is that it should hold up for a prolonged period of time."
Dot Merino Sock
Not too long, not too short. A 6" performance sock woven in superfine wool that can be worn any day of the week. Reinforced carbon strands in the heel, toe box and foot bed areas mean these will last longer, while the hand-linked toe seam provides greater comfort.
What Rauri says:
"We’ve been wearing the socks as much as possible, because that's what we're going to be taking out on the water with us, and that shoe-sock-foot-plate combination is something that is so important to get used to,’ says Rauri. ‘The breathability and comfort of the socks is so important."
Shop Now
Men’s Long Sleeve Merino Zip Top
For everything, everywhere, but this is no jack-of-all-trades. However you choose to enjoy the great outdoors, our Long Sleeve Merino Zip Top won’t let you down. Made with our Merino + Carbon blend to ensure your core body temperature remains regulated and the jersey dries rapidly with anti-odour properties.
What Rauri says:
"Even though it's a long sleeve jersey, and it's wool, it's really good for the height of summer."
