Helly Hansen vs Musto: Which Is Better For Sailing?
Helly Hansen and Musto are two of the most popular brands in sailing, with a long history and strong reputation.
Both produce excellent quality sailing clothing and equipment, but which one is the best for sailing? To answer that question, we need to take a closer look at their features and performance.
Table of contents
- A Little About Helly Hansen and Musto
- Helly Hansen vs Musto: Which Is Better For Sailing?
- Quality Comparison
- Durability
- Price Comparison
- The Range
- Design
- Style
- Product Comparison
A Little About Helly Hansen and Musto
As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. We also earn from other affiliate programs. This means we may receive a small commission on products purchased through our links at no extra cost to you.
Helly Hansen is a Norwegian company that was founded in 1877. It is well known for its innovative approach to sailing clothing and equipment, producing high-tech sailing gear like waterproof jackets and breathable wetsuits.
Helly Hansen also produces ski gear and outdoor wear, so even if you’re not into sailing, it’s likely you will have heard of them.
Musto has been around since the 1960s, when it was founded by two British sailors. Its focus has always been on making high-quality products that can stand up to harsh conditions at sea. With their dedication to quality and performance, Musto is a popular choice among experienced sailors.
So, how do Helly Hansen and Musto compare? Let’s take a look at some key features of each brand:
🏆 Our favourite bit of sailing gear 🏆
The Helly Hansen Skagen jacket
Helly Hansen vs Musto: Which Is Better For Sailing?
So let’s get to it, which is the better brand to go for when you’re looking for quality sailing gear?
Quality Comparison
Both brands are known for making high-quality, durable clothing designed to perform well in a variety of conditions. However, as expected, there are also some differences between them.
Helly Hansen is known for their focus on innovation and new technologies, which leads to some impressive features in their sailing gear.
Their waterproof jackets, for example, use a special Helly Tech construction that actively wicks moisture away from the skin to keep you dry and comfortable even in heavy rain or rough seas. They have also made efforts to be more eco-conscious, and many of their products are now made from 50% recycled materials.
In contrast, Musto tends to be more traditional in its approach to design and technology, relying on tried-and-tested materials and techniques to produce high-quality products.
When it comes down to it, both brands are excellent choices for serious sailors who want quality clothing that will perform well in tough conditions.
However, if you’re looking for the latest innovations in sailing gear and want something that really pushes the boundaries of what is possible, then Helly Hansen is probably the better choice.
However, if you’re looking for something more classic and traditional, then Musto might be a better fit for you. Ultimately it comes down to personal preference and your specific needs as a sailor.
Durability
For durability, many would argue that Helly Hansen is ahead of Musto, though this seems to be more personal opinion than actual fact.
Helly Hansen products often feature advanced technologies that make them more resistant to wear and tear, making them a good choice if you’re looking for clothing that will last through many sailing adventures.
When you dive into the world of online forums you will quickly find that people become very attached to their sailing gear, and the Helly Hansen lovers will claim their sailing jacket has lasted for 20 years and their Musto jacket fell apart in a year.
Likewise, the Musto lovers will say the same for theirs.
What we can draw from this is that both brands make really great sailing clothes that stand the test of time!
Price Comparison Between Helly Hansen and Musto
The first thing you notice when comparing Helly Hansen vs Musto products is the pricing. Their prices are quite similar; however, there are some differences between them.
For example, while both companies offer jackets for about $400-500, only Helly Hansen offers pants for this price range (Musto does so only for more expensive models).
If you’re looking for something a little less expensive then we love our Helly Hansen Newport Regatta jackets. For $280 these jackets offer incredible protection. They are definitely more suited to coastal sailing, but we’ve worn them over warmer layers and they’ve done a brilliant job of protecting us from chilly European winds and rain.
For equivalent products, Helly Hansen tends to be slightly more competitive in price. You can expect to pay around $50 more for a similar product.
The key here seems to be Helly Hansen’s wider range of gear. They have something for every price range, from budget to luxury. We address this further below.
The Range
The other thing to look at is the differences in ranges.
Musto only has two ocean sailing jackets to choose from, whereas Helly Hansen boasts a rather impressive range to suit your needs, including ones suited to cold-weather sailing.
Both brands offer sailing dry suits and dry smocks, and their range of accessories is very similar too, but Helly Hansen does offer a wider choice in most areas.
This may or may not be beneficial, depending on what you’re looking for, but if you’re after something more specialist (or you’re simply a little fussy with your sailing gear) then Helly Hansen is more like to have the thing you’re looking for.
✅ Check out Helly Hansens range here
Design
While the overall design is largely subjective, there are some general trends that can be observed when comparing the products from these two companies.
The fit of both brands is good, with sizes coming up roughly as standard and fitting nicely to a variety of body shapes.
One thing we would note here is that Helly Hansen tends to offer clothes with slightly different fits depending on preference. For example, they have some longer-fitting offshore jackets which I would definitely opt for, and some shorter styles which might be better for people who want more freedom to move.
Both brands offer clothing with decent reflective strips, brightly coloured hoods, and various other design features which we would expect to find in clothes for sailing (we’re diving into this a little more below).
Style
This shouldn’t be the main reason to opt for one brand over the other, but you do want to feel good in your sailing clothes!
Both Helly Hansen and Musto have a very clean, professional look to their clothes, with lots of neutral colours that will appeal to many sailors.
However, if you enjoy sailing in flashy colours or love bold patterns, then there are definitely more choices available from Helly Hansen than from Musto.
That being said, both brands offer a range of very similar colours in their popular items of clothing. Musto wins out slightly here for us as we love their light blue range which is a little different from the usual blues and reds.
Overall, both companies have a lot to offer when it comes to design and style.
Product Comparisons
We have taken some of the key features you would look for in sailing jackets and salopettes and put them side by side so that you can directly compare them.
Helly Hansen vs Musto Jackets
Let’s take a look at some design similarities and differences to help you get a better idea of what each brand offers.
The Helly Hansen Skagen jacket will set you back $375 and for the Musto jacket, you will pay $405.
| Feature | Helly Hansen Skagen | Musto BR2 Offshore |
| Material | 100% Polyamide (50% recycled materials) | 100% Polyamide |
| Tech Covering | Breathable Hydrophobic & Hydrophilic | Breathable & DWR Treatment |
| Seams | Fully Taped | Fully Taped |
| Inside Material | Quick Dry Mesh | Quick Dry Mesh |
| Hood | HI-VIZ fully adjustable, stowable hood | HI-VIZ fully adjustable, stowable hood |
| Collar | High, fleece lined collar | High collar |
| Cuffs | Adjustable double cuff seals | Adjustable double cuff seals |
| Pockets | Hand warmer pockets at chest and hip | Hand warmer pockets at chest and hip |
| Front Closure | Double storm guard YKK VISLON® AquaGuard® | Double storm guard |
| Safety | SOLAS reflective elements | Prismatic reflector designs |
✅ Check out the Helly Hansen Skagen Offshore jacket here
✅ Check out the Musto BR2 Coastal jacket here
Helly Hansen vs Musto Salopettes
We have put together a table to compare Helly Hansen and Musto salopettes. As you will see, there aren’t many differences, but the real discrepancy here is in the price.
Musto’s salopettes will set you back an enormous $430 while Helly Hansen’s offshore salopettes cost a far more reasonable $275.
| Feature | Helly Hansen Skagen Bib | Musto LPX GTX |
| Material | 2 layer construction, recycled materials | Polyester 3-layer construction |
| Seams | Fully Taped | Fully Taped |
| Inside Material | Quick Dry Mesh | Quick Dry Mesh |
| Fitting | Adjustable suspenders, adjustable waist belt | Elasticated waist and stretch jersey shoulder panels |
| Ankles | Velcro adjustable ankles with CORDURA® reinforced back hems for abrasion resistance and durability | Velcro adjustable ankles |
| Reinforcement | Hardwearing CORDURA® patches on the seat and knees with abrasion resistant seam constructions | 600 denier reinforcement at the seat and knees |
| Pockets | Hand pockets with brushed lining, thigh pocket | Hand warmer pockets |
| Safety | SOLAS reflective elements, D Ring for kill cord | Prismatic reflector designs |
✅ Check out the Helly Hansen Skagen Offshore bib here
✅ Check out the Musto LPX GTX bib here
Conclusion: Helly Hansen vs Musto
As you can see, there isn’t a lot in it when it comes to comparing Helly Hansen vs Musto sailing clothing.
Each sailor prefers slightly different things in their gear, and there is no doubt that both brands provide quality clothing that’s fit for purpose.
In general, we recommend that beginners should choose Helly Hansen since it is more affordable and offers better value for money. It also has a wider range of clothing to choose from, so you can opt for cheaper choices if you know you will only be day sailing, or perhaps just sail once a year on holiday.
Whichever one you choose, rest assured that both brands will provide quality sailing equipment that can withstand harsh conditions.
If you’re looking for more sailing tips and inspiration then follow us on social media to stay in touch.
