There will be times when you want all the bells and whistles with your foul weather gear, and there are times when all you really want are the basics. The new Gill Verso Lite Smock falls in the latter category as a well-executed, straightforward, efficient spray top. Nothing more. It’s waterproof, breathable, and has neck, wrist and waist seals, all of which are adjustable. A solid piece of kit for dinghy and small keelboat sailing.
What, you ask? No pockets? Nope. Well, chances are, if you’re in conditions that merit wearing a spray top, or smock as Gill calls it, especially on a dinghy, you’re likely wearing a lifejacket, which makes access to most spray top pockets difficult. Plus, the place where you really need pockets is in the lifejacket, where you can readily access them. So, no pockets? No problem.
Made of Gill’s proprietary two-layer fabric, which is one of the softest materials we’ve yet
seen in spray gear, the Verso Lite smock is quite comfortable–something you can easily wear for an entire day on the water. The fabric weight is light enough you’ll probably forget you’re
even wearing it, as we did, and it packs out very small. Great for stuffing into an inspection port bag. The low price point makes it the perfect entry-level piece of kit as well, while its simplicity will likely appeal to even broader ranges of racers. Available in black, light grey or marine blue. $130.
