878: graphene is ‘the new Gore-Tex’
Hungarian high-performance sailing apparel brand 878 Company (878) recently introduced its new, lightweight graphene fibre and neoprene hooded vest (pictured), describing the former material as “the new Gore-Tex” in a separate social media post.
This is due to graphene’s ultra-light, waterproof properties, strength and thermal conductivity, the brand said.
Whereas the vest has been designed for when it is “too cold for a t-shirt and too warm for a jacket”, the company also offers jackets, overalls and shorts (all either available for pro-racing or general sailing), plus a 35-litre Dyneema backpack, both rash and smock tops, and Lycra-blended, form-fitting trousers.
Notably, 878 has also made a wearable smart device with a foldable screen - previously only available embedded into a racing jacket, but now also offered as a “harness” which can be attached to any garment.
The harness can be wirelessly connected to on-board sailing instruments, enabling it to relay essential, customisable data to the sailing crew via the still relatively new company’s mobile application.
Image: 878 via Instagram.
