When you’re facing the full force of everything that offshore sailing can throw at you, especially shorthanded, with little chance to change gear, you need the best foulweather protection possible. Sam Goodchild knows this well. As the current Imoca points series leader with both a Vendée Globe and an Ocean Race behind him, he’s logged plenty of miles and has plenty more on the upcoming campaign schedule.
When Henri-Lloyd invited Goodchild to be an ambassador and join a line-up of pro sailors collaborating in the design and testing of their new Ocean Pro range, he didn’t hesitate to say yes.
Henri-Lloyd’s Ocean Pro is a bold concept. It seeks to redefine offshore sailing apparel, combining survival-grade protection for offshore extremes with an innovative new take on form and function, with sustainability at its core. It's a radical ambition but it’s one that the iconic British brand, a leader in offshore clothing since 1963, has embraced wholeheartedly, taking a fresh approach to form, function, fit, and fabric. And it’s already landed them a DAME Award nomination.
For Goodchild’s part, attracted by the ambition and energy of Henri-Lloyd’s inhouse design team, he was excited by the opportunity to work closely with executive chairman Knut Frostad, who, with his own extensive offshore experience, has taken a hands-on leadership role in the design development.
As Frostad explains, the key in developing Ocean Pro has been working directly with sailors such as Goodchild to identify their wish lists and then designing around features that feel intuitive and that can be personalised to meet each sailor’s needs in any given conditions. This threeyear development journey demanded a truly unique approach to ergonomic design, as well as a new “survival grade” four-way stretch fabric evolved from the highly breathable, lightweight fabric used in Henri-Lloyd’s 2025 Dynamic inshore performance range.
At the centre of the Ocean Pro range is its standout innovation: the world’s first fully zipped offshore smock. Yes, you read that right - a fully zipped offshore smock. The Hybrid Smock sits alongside the Offshore Jacket and Offshore Hi-Fits – both feature-packed and available in men’s and women’s fit – together forming a “modular” system. But it’s the unisex Hybrid Smock that Goodchild describes as a true ‘game-changer’.
This ingenious and highly ergonomic top provides the all-weather protection of a smock-style outer layer combined with the ventilation and accessibility of a jacket. By eliminating the need to pull the garment on over the head, it offers a faff-free solution when offshore sailors need to speedily put on an extra layer of protection without removing their PFD or harness.
Sam Goodchild spent much of 2025 testing Henri-Loyd’s new Ocean Pro range during his intensive offshore training sessions, sailing thousands of sea miles. His feedback, and that of other top pro sailors, was fed back into the design loop to optimise the fully zipped Ocean Pro smock and other garments in the new range
It’s an innovation that Goodchild says makes complete sense in terms of reducing the number of garments needed on board to deal with different sorts of conditions. The smock, like the jacket, is also feature-packed to make it highly adaptable. Sailors can flex it to suit personal preference and any given conditions.
Features include Henri-Lloyd’s Optivision two-way adjustable hood, a high fleece-lined collar and detachable face mask, adjustable neoprene hem and cuffs. All of these can be removed or adjusted to maximise wearability, comfort and personal performance. That versatility that is ideal, Goodchild says, when spending multiple days offshore and facing a multitude of conditions.
‘Even sat in the shelter of an Imoca’s covered cockpit, you still need to be ready to go on deck the whole time without spending five minutes getting dressed,’ he says. ‘You want to know that when you do go up on deck, you’re going to remain dry and protected, yet without feeling restricted in the meantime. Flexibility and comfort really matter. That’s true for any boat, racing or cruising. Offshore sailing invariably means long stretches of waiting followed by intense bursts of activity, so having this one piece of kit that can adapt to both makes a real difference to comfort, preparedness and overall performance.’
Has this remarkable versatility come at the cost of performance? Far from it, says Goodchild, who spent much of 2025 testing the Ocean Pro range during his intensive offshore training. For someone rarely on dry land, waterproofing and breathability are naturally top priorities, not to be compromised.
Key to achieving superior levels of both has been the development of a pioneering new survival-grade fabric for Ocean Pro range. Known as 4L Hybrid Membrane Stretch Fabric, the stats indicate just how effective it is: waterproofness rated to 35,000mm and breathability at 14,000 g/m² in sustained ocean conditions.
Robust as this fabric may be, it also earns praise from Goodchild for its supple feel and the reassurance it won’t cause discomfort from rubbing when worn for long periods of time. Much of Ocean Pro’s wearability comes from the four-way stretch fabric used throughout. Its multi-directional stretch comes not from elastane but from a specially aligned, texturised yarn structure.
Stretch is built into every fibre of the garment. The result is next-level freedom of movement, as well as precision tailoring, contributing to the sleek-look silhouette. This unique fabric is also extremely lightweight, in no small part thanks to the single-layer, non-lined construction, which minimises bulk and also makes for fast drying.
With its combination of waterproofness, breathability, stretch and sustainability, Frostad describes 4L Hybrid Membrane Stretch Fabric as ‘one of the most technically advanced and environmentally responsible offshore textiles ever made’.
It has been co-developed in partnership with advanced technology mills in Japan and Europe, which were selected after extensive reviews of suppliers from around the globe. Using 4L technology, it layers polyamide face fabric with a 20D tricot mesh backing. Every layer is breathable and waterproof, sourced through preconsumer recycling and certified by the Global Recycled Standard (GRS).
Ocean Pro’s sustainability credentials don’t stop there. Henri-Lloyd’s choice of recycled materials may come as little surprise given the company was noted for introducing its first recycled range as far back as 2009.
First introduced with the inshore Dynamic range earlier this year, Henri Lloyd’s latest fabric development has advanced the use of C0 DWR (Durable Water Repellent) to produce a “best-inclass” level of waterproof membrane, without the environmental risks associated with traditional DWRs used to treat waterproof membranes.
Combining a microporous PU coating and a hydrophilic PU membrane lamination this eliminates the use of harmful chemicals, including perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and other perfluorinated compounds (PFCs), which can pollute water sources and cause harm to marine wildlife.
‘In developing the Ocean Pro range, we wanted to demonstrate what the future of responsible innovation in marine textiles can achieve,’ Frostad says.
It’s a sentiment echoed by Goodchild, who notes that, like many pro sailors, sustainability is now foremost in many of the choices he makes in his campaign. He sees it increasingly shaping consumer choices too, and he is proud to work with Henri-Lloyd as they lead the way in bringing such products to market.
This shared vision is one of the key reasons Goodchild joined Henri-Lloyd as an ambassador. He describes the partnership as feeling like part of a family, and with his campaign largely focusing on solo sailing, he values the support of a wider team with a focus on innovation and excellence. He describes Henri-Lloyd’s pro-active approach and radical design ambitions as inspiring, especially under Frostad’s hands-on, visionary leadership.
Henri-Lloyd’s meticulous attention to detail was another big draw for Goodchild. This can be seen in the photoluminescent union flag tabs and the 360° reflective detailing for visibility at night. The cropped storm flap on the Offshore Jacket allows partial unzipping without compromising weather sealing – just one of several features specifically incorporated in response to pro sailor feedback over four rounds of prototype testing.
Female fit garments also benefit from comprehensive sailor input: pockets have been carefully positioned for comfort while wearing a PFD, while the female hi-fits feature a drop-seat with AquaSeal zips for functionality without compromising their waterproofing. The women’s hi-fits and jacket are both cut with a more ergonomic silhouette.
The modular Ocean Pro range, whether hi-fits, jacket, smock, or a combination, is built around function to directly maximise comfort. Over any significant time offshore, that translates directly to minimising fatigue ultimately boosting individual performance. As Goodchild notes, every detail matters.
The range includes an articulated cut to knees and elbows, 2mm EVA cushioning on knees and seat, orthopedic tape adjusters, stretch shoulder straps with spacer-mesh cushioning and Cordura reinforcement on high-wear areas. All of this reflects the kind of no-stone-unturned approach you expect from a collaboration- between pro sailors and experienced designers.
It’s the kind that makes you want to grab a piece off its reinforced h-hanger loop, and try it on for yourself.
