It’s rare that an established marine clothing manufacturer introduces an entire new line of technical apparel, yet Musto has done so twice recently. First was the very high-end MPX Impact kit, for those who need the utmost in protection on foiling boats, both inshore and around the globe. The second is the Musto BR3 collection aimed at passionate Corinthian sailors.
BR3 therefore has a much broader appeal yet is still borne of the same unparalleled design knowledge, attention to detail and passion. It sits below the British firm’s regularly updated LPX and MPX ranges that have long represented a gold standard for inshore, coastal or offshore racing sailors.
At the same time, the BR2 collection, made of a two-layer (plus separate lining) fabric and offered at a much lower price point, is an excellent choice for coastal cruising, but isn’t an obvious choice for a racing environment. BR3 bridges this gap, with a wide range of affordable three-layer products developed to suit passionate Corinthian sailors.
‘Over the last five to six years the cost of the Gore-Tex membranes and fabrics has increased,’ explains product manager Fergus Barnham, ‘so there’s now a bigger gap between MPX and BR2.’ This provided Musto with an opportunity to launch BR3 into that space, offering better performance than is possible with BR2, but at a lower price point than MPX or LPX that have top-notch branded Gore-Tex membranes and are manufactured in Gore-Tex approved facilities with closelymonitored and clearly-defined processes at every stage.
BR3 is therefore a more affordable collection of foul weather gear developed to match the needs of a wide range of sailors. These are people who need excellent kit, with the benefit of three-layer fabrics, class-leading comfort and optimal freedom of movement, but who may not use their gear quite as heavily as professional sailors in similar domains.
1. Main image: The BR3 Sport jacket, shorts and smock are designed for fast-paced inshore racing which demands very high levels of protection from flying spray, plus breathability and freedom of movement. 2. The BR3 Offshore jacket and trousers are designed for longer races, coastal or offshore, and incorporate most key elements of the high-end MPX range. 3. The MPX-style hood sits high on the collar, making it much more comfortable to wear with a lifejacket.
It’s available in both Offshore and Sport versions, with the latter ideal for classes such as J/70s, Cape 31s and SB20s. These fleets are characterised by fast-paced action on short courses that demand a very high level of protection from flying spray, along with maximum freedom of movement for ease of manoeuvres, plus good breathability for periods of intense activity.
The BR3 Offshore Jacket and Trousers are ideal for longer races, whether coastal or offshore. The Offshore Jacket, for instance, incorporates key elements of the more expensive MPX range, with the sole exception of chest handwarmer pockets. The MPX-style hood sits high on the collar, making space for a lifejacket without risk of the collar uncomfortably digging into your neck. There are also reflective details for use at night, while the pleated pockets are easy to access when wearing gloves and have plenty of capacity, yet are relatively unobtrusive when not in use.
Both offshore garments have a Pertex Shield membrane with a very tightly woven face fabric that naturally tends to shed water easily and offers excellent durability. In realworld conditions, overall performance is similar to the Gore-Tex products, while there’s a much higher level of breathability than the BR2 range offers. Yet the BR3 garments feel surprisingly light, while still offering a high 20,000mm waterproofing rating and excellent breathability, along with plenty of freedom of movement and easy layering.
The BR3 Sport line, which includes a smock, jacket, salopettes and waterproof shorts, has a more streamlined style. ‘The priority is freedom of movement, reduced bulk and keeping you protected for the time that you're on the water,’ says product designer Lucy Davis. ‘It’s therefore more of a shorter, fitted jacket and doesn’t have big pockets.’
It’s a remarkably lightweight and compact garment that can be folded into its hood, yet offers excellent protection in all but the worst conditions. Equally impressive, despite the close fit, with a minimum of excess fabric, is the level of unrestricted movement, regardless of what task you’re doing on the boat.
This is the result of a combination of factors, including the lightweight nature of the fabric, the cut of the sleeves and the material’s four-way stretch characteristic. Well-placed pockets are easily accessed, even when wearing a lifejacket, and the waterproof zip means a cumbersome storm flap is not required.
The weapon of choice from the range, for anyone regularly firehosed by spray, is likely to be the BR3 Sport Smock. This is also engineered to give excellent freedom of movement, while maximising protection when racing high-octane classes that can be properly wet in big winds.
These Sport products use Musto’s new Ocean Tech Pro performance standard, which offers an excellent balance between waterproofing and breathability, at 20,000mm and 10,000mm respectively. This is not as good as LPX, which has better breathability and waterproofing: as with Musto’s other Gore-Tex garments, it achieves the holy grail of a very high 28,000mm waterproofing rating alongside excellent breathability. On the other hand, the longevity of the two collections is very similar and the BR3 salopettes and shorts benefit from abrasion resistant seats and knees.
Equally BR3 represents a big step up relative to BR2 in many respects, even though the latter remains ‘a perfect choice for coastal cruising,’ according to Davis. Nevertheless, for those with a slightly larger budget, there are multiple advantages in choosing three-layer fabrics for cruising, or even when spending a day on the water in a RIB.
The lack of a separate lining makes garments far easier to don and doff, while three-layer fabrics are also inherently much more breathable, reducing risk of condensation on the lining. But the biggest advantages are in comfort and ease of movement – in this domain additional weight and bulk is no longer synonymous with more protection. The ability to incorporate mid and base layer garments with a BR3 outer shell is far easier and more comfortable thanks to the products’ three-layer construction.
Both the Pertex Shield membrane and Ocean Tech Pro performance have a C0 durable waterproof coating (DWR) that’s free of the perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs) that are harmful to health and to the environment. It’s worth noting that this is part of a worldwide change across every industry that uses PFCs, as part of the Paris agreement, with support from the United Nations.
While Musto’s Gore-Tex based products currently use a C6 DWR, this will be phased out from the spring/summer 2026 season onwards. Fabric manager Suzanne Baxter says Musto has carried out blind testing of this C0 fabric against C6 materials, by making each leg of salopettes from different materials, finding that users could not tell the difference between them.
A key difference, however, is that the DWR needs re-activating more frequently. This is achieved by ironing or tumble drying on a low heat after washing the garment with a detergent from brands such as Grangers. Existing C6 products already benefit from this treatment periodically, even if many users ignore this advice. The Ocean Race and Women’s America’s Cup sailor Hannah Diamond says she washes and tumble dries her Musto kit regularly. She says often what appeared to be small leaks vanish afterwards, as these were areas where the fabric was wetting out, rather than the water beading off easily, due to the DWR coating needing reactivation.
A line of Storm fleece mid-layers was also launched alongside the BR3 collection. These are warm and comfortable and have a DWR to protect against light spray.
The BR3 collection is part of a wider initiative at Musto to be the top provider of technical clothing across every type of sailing, not just the top of the pyramid. Price points for this range may be lower than that of Musto’s renowned LPX and MPX professional level products, but it still benefits from the same development processes, including expert design input and extensive on-water testing, both from sailors and coaches who are on the water day in, day out, all year.
The end result is excellent performance, with a focus on stretch and freedom of movement, while balancing performance features with reduced bulk and weight.
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