How Sailing Gear Is Tested on Field

A product spec sheet only tells part of the story. The sea introduces variables that no lab can fully replicate: shifting wind, saltwater exposure, continuous movement stressing every seam and fabric. 

It’s on the water—not in controlled environments—that sailing gear stops being a set of technical features and becomes a functional for performance. This is especially true in offshore racing and professional circuits, where gear is constantly pushed to its limits.

In foiling, boats reach speeds above 40 knots. At that level, the sailor’s body becomes part of the aerodynamic system, just like the hull and sails themselves. That’s why sailing gear is not just protective—it directly affects performance. 

Developed with Olympic champions Ruggero Tita and Caterina Banti (Tokyo 2021, Paris 2024), the Foil Aeroset—made of the Foil Aero Top and Foil Aero Bib—was designed with three clear goals: 

• maintain stability even when wet  
• reduce aerodynamic turbulence around the body  
• prevent flapping at high speed  

The core innovation lies in a fabric engineered to manage airflow. In real-world testing, this translates into: 

• reduced drag  
• increased stability at high speeds  
• controlled behavior during maneuvers  

The multi-material construction, with a high elastomer content, allows the garment to stay fitted without restricting movement. This balance between stability and freedom is validated through continuous field testing in foiling conditions. 

The development of the 1.5 mm wetsuit—made of Foil Top and Long John—demonstrates what real-world testing of sailing gear actually looks like. 

The process began with direct collaboration between SLAM’s design team and the crew formed by Ruggero Tita and Caterina Banti. On one side, materials, construction techniques, and technical expertise. On the other side, real racing experience and precise performance needs. The brief from the athletes was simple: a wetsuit you forget you're wearing—protective, but not restrictive.

The first prototype, built with high-compression neoprene, ergonomic seams, and reinforced zones, showed promise. But real-world testing quickly exposed its limits. It was too rigid during maneuvers and too loose after prolonged use, especially when wet. The breakthrough came with stretching neoprene with targeted compression and improved garment structure and fit.

In the final phase, prototypes were tested during the Nacra 17 World Championship—under real race conditions. That week, Tita and Banti won their fourth world title wearing the gear they helped develop. This wasn’t just validation—it as proof that continuous testing, feedback and iteration lead to reliable performance.

Testing actually began long before the official product launch. In 2024, Tita and Banti used early prototypes during training sessions and at the Princesa Sofia Trophy in Palma de Mallorca, where they won gold. After each session, they provided direct feedback on how the wetsuit performed in real conditions—data that shaped the next iterations.

The decisive test came at the Nacra 17 World Championship in La Grande Motte. They wore updated prototypes featuring 1.5 mm stretch neoprene, flatlock seams and reinforced stress areas. Conditions were demanding: variable wind, high pressure, no margin for error. They won with a clear lead—confirming that every adjustment made in development translated into measurable performance at sea.

That reliability became a competitive advantage heading into the Olympics, allowing full focus on strategy and execution. 

This is where everything connects. Performance is not a number on a spec sheet but rather the ability to remain effective over time, under stress, in changing conditions. High-performance sailing gear does not fail when conditions worsen, maintains consistency under continuous use and performs beyond controlled environments.

This level of reliability can only be achieved through real-world testing, athlete feedback and product refinement. Testing is not a phase of development. It is the development process itself.