I’ve never been a fan of gilets. If I’m warm, I’ll wear a T-shirt, and if I’m cold I’ll wear a jumper… but then I discovered the Helly Hansen Crew Insulator 2.0 Vest.

It was a last-minute addition to my Nicols motorboat holiday on the Canal du Midi.

At just 300g, it scrunched up pleasingly small to fit into my hanky-sized bag on the Ryanair flight.

To be honest, I didn’t think I’d need it in the South of France, but I’m glad I packed it because that wind from the Pyrenees certainly had a nip to it!

Though the sun was hot, I found that after an hour or so on the flybridge, I’d be shivering as we sailed past vineyards and medieval villages to Carcassonne.

The vest was ideal as a thin layer in warm weather. Credit: James Wood

However, when I wore the gilet, it kept me at just the right temperature while allowing me to jump around the boat passing lines back and forth in the locks.

Unlike many women’s jackets and gilets, which I often find too tailored, this was the perfect fit.

It even had mobile phone-sized pockets so I could take photos of the stunning countryside.

Soft, stretchy and water repellent, it was perfect for evenings under the stars and has now become my go-to garment for everything from cycling to boating and warming up after a brisk sea swim.

It fits true to size and is available in a range of designs.

There is also a special RNLI 200 vest too.

The Helly Hansen Crew Insulator 2.0 Vest is available in sizes XS-XL (women) and S-4XL (men) and a range of colours: white, bright blue, purple, magenta, ultra blue, navy (women); red, black, navy (men).

Buy the Crew Insulator 2.0 Vest (men) at Helly Hansen

Buy the Crew Insulator 2.0 Vest (women) at Helly Hansen

Buy the Crew Insulator 2.0 Vest  at Helly Hansen’s Amazon store

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