Zhik's Dinghy Hiking Range is the most Comprehensive and Inclusive System on the Market

by Zhik 15 Jul 12:00 BST

With dedicated women's and men's hiker suits, plus footwear, straps, Powerpads® and Carbon X Insoles, Zhik's complete system helps sailors build their fastest setup.

Zhik, the global high-performance water sports brand trusted by Olympic and World Champions, has built the most comprehensive dinghy hiking range in the category, giving sailors a complete system engineered around connection, support, fit and sustained performance.

The Zhik Dinghy Hiking System brings together the key elements sailors rely on under hiking load, allowing them to build a setup around their body, class, conditions and preferred hiking style.

A key part of that system is Zhik's commitment to dedicated women's and men's hiking gear. Zhik offers women's Microfleece™ and Superwarm® Hikers with a tailored shape and cut designed specifically for female sailors, alongside a complete men's hiker range. Rather than asking athletes to adapt to a unisex fit, the women's range is built around the shape, support and movement requirements of female sailors.

This dedicated women's offering strengthens Zhik's position as the most comprehensive dinghy hiking range in the category and reflects the brand's commitment to building performance gear around the specific demands of the athlete, not a one-size-fits-all approach.

The system is trusted across Olympic and World Championship fleets by some of the sport's most accomplished dinghy sailors, including Marit Bouwmeester, Anne-Marie Rindom, Mária Érdi, Louise Cervera, Matt Wearn, Tom Burton, Philipp Buhl and Jean-Baptiste Bernaz, along with athletes supported through Zhik's partnerships with national sailing teams.

Across this group alone, the results represent an exceptional record at the highest level of dinghy sailing, including 10 Olympic medals, six Olympic gold medals and 14 ILCA World Championship titles.

Zhik's hiking products are not designed in isolation. Each part of the range is engineered to work with the next, from the boot and strap connection to underfoot carbon support, modular Powerpads® and integrated hiker suits. Together, they create a complete platform that helps sailors stay connected, manage load and maintain the control needed to perform at their highest level.

"Ever since I started racing, we have always been looking at how to be the best in the world, and that includes your gear," said Mária Érdi, ILCA 6 World Champion. "Zhik has been by my side from Youth World Championship titles through to a Senior World Championship title. I have never questioned the gear. I always knew it was the best thing I could have, and that is what we are always looking for in a campaign."

At the foundation of the system is the connection between sailor and boat. Patented ZhikGrip™ II Hiking Straps pair with compatible Zhik footwear to create a secure boot-to-strap connection, helping sailors stay locked in under hiking load. The Hiking X Boot carries that proven connection into Zhik's most advanced hiking footwear platform, while the Carbon X Insole adds targeted directional carbon support underfoot.

For body support, sailors can choose between Powerpads® and dedicated hiker suits depending on their style, class and preference. Powerpads® offer modular hiking support that can be tuned and positioned to suit the sailor, while Zhik's Superwarm® and Microfleece™ Hiker Suits provide integrated support with protection and mobility for different sailing conditions.

"Hiking puts a lot of load through the ankles, knees and lower back," said Matt Wearn, two-time Olympic gold medalist and World Champion. "Zhik has created gear that helps take that load off, which allows us to do more hours on the water and keep putting in the work day after day."

That choice is central to the strength of the range. Some sailors prefer the modular feel of Powerpads®. Others prefer the streamlined support of integrated hiker suits. Some need maximum thermal protection for cold conditions, while others need a lighter system for warmer climates and high-output racing. Zhik's range is designed to support those differences without compromising the performance purpose of the system.

"A complete hiking range has to recognise that sailors do not all move, load or fit equipment in the same way," said Drue Kerr, Zhik Head of Design and Production. "The goal is to give athletes the right platform for how they sail. That means dedicated women's fits where the shape and cut are designed around the athlete from the start, hiker suits for integrated support, Powerpads for sailors who want a modular setup, support underfoot, and footwear that locks into the strap."

Zhik's hiker suits are built for the demands of dinghy sailing across different environments. The Microfleece™ Hiker range provides flexible, streamlined support for moderate conditions, while the Superwarm® Hiker range adds thermal protection for colder sailing. Both sit within the broader system, supporting the sailor through sustained hiking load.

From proven results and patented connection technology to advanced material innovation and the most complete product platform in dinghy hiking, Zhik's system has been built around a clear performance goal: helping sailors stay connected, supported and able to hike harder for longer.

The Zhik Dinghy Hiking System is available now through zhik.com.

Explore the Zhik Dinghy Hiking System - zhik.com/dinghy-hiking-system