Engineered to Win - The Technology Behind Zhik's Dinghy Hiking System
by Zhik 6 Aug 18:00 BST
Philip Buhl, ILCA World Champion, preparing to use the Zhik Hiking X Boots, strap and hikers in competition © Felix Diemer
From Soles by Michelin and Carbitex Monoflex to Powerpads, hiker suits and
patented ZhikGrip II, Zhik's dinghy hiking system is engineered to support sailors
under sustained hiking load.
Zhik, the global high-performance water sports brand trusted by Olympic and World
Champions, is advancing dinghy hiking gear through a complete technology system built
around the way sailors load, move and stay connected to the boat.
High-performance dinghy hiking is evolving. As sailors become more locked into the boat
and place greater load through the hiking strap, the equipment around that connection
must work harder. The challenge is no longer only how to create grip. It is how to support
the full system under sustained hiking load.
That is the focus behind Zhik's next generation dinghy hiking system, which brings together
patented ZhikGrip II connection technology, Soles by Michelin solution together with
FIBERLITE technology, Carbitex Monoflex asymmetric carbon composite provides
directional support, 3D knitted boot construction, Powerpads and dedicated Superwarm
and Microfleece Hiker Suits.
Each technology has a specific role. FIBERLITE supports outsole durability and lightness
while Soles by Michelin ensure grip and control of the shoe on extreme condition.
Carbitex Monoflex supports the load requirements of hiking while allowing for natural
movement of the foot. The patented ZhikGrip II secures the boot-to-strap connection.
Powerpads and hiker suits support the body through sustained hiking.
"Working with technology partners like JV International - Soles by Michelin and Carbitex
allows us to bring specialist material innovation into very specific sailing problems," said
Drue Kerr, Zhik Head of Design and Production. "Our goal is always to solve the
fundamental challenges sailors face and provide targeted support, durability and feel
exactly where they need it."
The X Dinghy Boot range brings this technology-led approach into Zhik's most advanced
footwear platform. The Hiking X Boot combines patented ZhikGrip II technology with a
Soles by Michelin solution together with FIBERLITE technology, advanced 3D knitted
construction and a refined fit platform designed for high-performance hiking. The
Lightweight High Cut X Boot applies the same X Tier outsole platform to sailors looking for a
lighter, more responsive trapezing and dinghy boot.
FIBERLITE is a rubber-textile composite outsole technology engineered to solve one of the
core challenges in dinghy footwear: balancing grip, weight, durability and feel. FIBERLITE
technology enables the creation of extremely lightweight and flexible reinforced soles by
integrating a thin, specialized fabric into the rubber. This allows the development of soles
that push performance to the highest level while overcoming the limitations of more
traditional construction methods.
Because the fibre is bonded inside the sole, rather than applied as a coating, the rubber
and textile behave as a single composite material under load. The textile core helps resist
wear and damage from repeated forces and impacts created when trapezing, moving
around on deck, along with contact and repeated interaction with fittings, deck grip and
gunwales. Across both X Tier dinghy boots, Soles by Michelin delivers twice the outsole
durability of the previous Zhik dinghy boot generation, while allowing a thinner, more
responsive sole.
"FIBERLITE was developed to bring composite performance into rubber outsole
construction," said Trond Sonnergren, Director of Product & Innovation of JV International
the official worldwide licensee for Soles by Michelin. "By integrating a textile fibre layer into
the rubber compound, the outsole can be extremely light and flexible while resisting tear
abrasion that occur in demanding environments. In Zhik's X Dinghy Boot range, that
technology helps support grip, durability, flexibility and feel in a platform built for high-
performance sailing."
"FIBERLITE technology gives us a very specific performance advantage in the outsole,"
added Kerr. "Dinghy sailors need durability, but they also need feel. A thick, heavy sole can
create longevity, but it can also reduce response. Fibrelite helps us deliver the durability
required for high-load sailing while keeping the boot light, flexible and connected to the
boat."
As ZhikGrip II allows sailors to stay more locked in and place greater hiking load through
the foot-to-strap connection, demand on the forefoot increases. The Carbon X Insole,
engineered with Carbitex Monoflex technology, stabilizes the forefoot under that load.
Carbitex Monoflex is an asymmetric carbon composite that provides directional support,
engineered to flex naturally with the foot in one direction while resisting force in the
opposite direction. In the Carbon X Insole, that response is used to support the forefoot
under hiking load without restricting natural movement around the boat.
When the sailor loads the hiking strap, the forefoot can be forced into plantarflexion, where
the front of the foot bends downward under load. The Carbon X Insole helps resist that
downward bend, creating a firmer support platform beneath the foot. When paired with the
Hiking X Boot, the insole provides over 500% more resistance in plantarflexion across the
forefoot than the boot without the insert.
The Carbon X Insole is compatible across both Zhik's new X Dinghy Boot range and
Performance Boot range, allowing sailors to add directional carbon support across multiple
setups.
"Carbitex Monoflex is designed for applications where athletes need support in one
direction without losing natural movement in another," said Junus Khan, Founder, Carbitex.
"In the Zhik Carbon X Insole, that directional carbon response helps address a very specific
sailing challenge: supporting the forefoot under hiking load while still allowing the sailor to
move freely around the boat."
The Hiking X Boot's advanced 3D knitted construction further supports the system by
reducing bulk and creating a close, responsive fit around the foot. Working with the boot's
full-length side lacing, the knitted upper helps secure the foot without unnecessary
material weight, giving sailors a lighter and more precise platform for high-load hiking.
While the boot, strap and insole manage connection and underfoot support, Zhik's
Powerpads and hiker suits support the body through sustained hiking. Powerpads give
sailors modular hiking support that can be tuned to their preferred setup, class and style,
while Zhik's Superwarm and Microfleece Hiker Suits provide integrated support, mobility
and thermal protection across different sailing conditions.
The Zhik Dinghy Hiking System is available now through www.zhik.com
Explore the Zhik Dinghy Hiking System