BR2 Offshore Trousers Review
Reviews Sailing Pants

BR2 Offshore Trousers Review

December, 2023

The BR2 offshore trousers by Musto are the perfect addition to your offshore wardrobe. They’re a great choice if you love sailing and make offshore trips on and off throughout the year, or you work out on the water and need a durable pair of work pants that you can depend on.  Of course, like other offshore pants, these trousers are abrasion resistant, offer top-notch protection, and offer decent breathability.

Our Verdict: While these sailing pants can offer the ultimate protection against the elements, they aren’t exactly the most breathable pair on the market. In fact, if you plan on spending a day at sea in hot weather conditions, you’ll need to opt for a pair that’s more breathable and comfortable to wear in triple digit weather, otherwise you can expect one uncomfortable day at sea. But in mild to moderate conditions, these pants are a great choice. Designed to keep you nice and dry in choppy waters, these BR2 pants are the perfect choice.

Read on to learn more about these leading offshore pants by Musto and find out if they’re really the perfect pants to wear on the job.

Overview and Features 

If you’re interested in learning how to get into yachting simply because you want to enjoy a leisurely inshore cruise, then you probably won’t need these offshore trousers. 

They aren’t a requirement for calm waters. Instead, these heavy-duty pants have been designed with the pro sailor or angler in mind. 

If you’re not familiar with the term offshore, it refers to sailing more than twenty to thirty miles out to sea, far from the shore. Less than this distance is often referred to as inshore sailing. 

Inshore sailing is often recommended for beginners since offshore sailing can be very dangerous to the unskilled sailor. 

Offshore sailing comes with its own challenges, even for the experienced sailor. So, if you want to be well-prepared when it matters most, the BR2 trousers can be a huge asset at sea. 

Offshore wear is perfect for the angler who loves fishing far out in the ocean, the pro sailor or angler, or anyone who works out on the water.

These pants do an excellent job of preventing water from entering the pants, which means you won’t be stuck at sea soaked to the bone during work or a fun deep sea adventure.

The pants feature a high fit design that’s meant to keep the core warm and dry. Additionally, Musto has also reinforced high-stress areas including the seat and knees, both of which are areas that tend to wear out quickly. But Musto is also a step ahead of the competition. Unlike the Championship Hi-Fits Sailing Trousers, which also features reinforced high-stress areas, the BR2s have been designed to allow freedom of movement in the knees. 

Design 

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For a more secure, snug fit, the pants come with adjustable waist tabs and suspenders. The ankle straps will ensure a dry, custom fit that feels secure and prevents water from entering. 

The pants also have a two-way zipper for easier access. 

Both the knee areas and the chest portion of the trousers are water resistant. The pants pockets are fleece lined for improved warmth in colder weather. 

The pants also come with a side strap for a tool pouch, and thigh pockets that are designed to keep your personal items nice and dry thanks to the deflecting closure. 

These pants consist of a polyurethane membrane, with a trim made out of polyester, a polyamide lining, and polyamide shell fabric. 

Performance 

Durable, comfortable, and designed to take a beating at sea, these pants will not disappoint. We love how adjustable these pants are and the fact that they come loaded with waterproof pockets, which will allow you to store important personal items such as your phone and keys. 

With sailing trousers designed for offshore use, it’s all about water management. Basically, these are pants designed to move moisture on the inside to the outside and keep water out. These offshore pants are designed to keep you dry, use high-tech materials and maximize both ease of movement and comfort. 

When you’re sailing offshore, you can run into high winds, rough seas, and rain at any time. You’ll have to deal with water over the deck and spray on and off during your excursion. Sea spray is random and can come from any direction as the sailboat makes contact with the waves that come from different directions. The amount of water over the deck you’ll experience tends to vary between mild wet decks to large rushes of seawater. Sea conditions, in general, can range from mild to severe at any given time. 

In terms of wind, in severe conditions the wind can cause an increase in sea spray, leaving you soaked within seconds. 

As you can see, with these types of conditions you need sailing trousers that are not only fast drying and moisture wicking, you need pants that are also waterproof. 

Breathability 

The term breathability refers to a material’s ability to both expel water from the interior and prevent water from the exterior from entering. 

The addition of breathable fabric in offshore gear has been a total gamechanger. No one wants to spend their day at sea feeling like they’re wearing their own personal sauna. The BR2 pants work to draw sweat vapor from the interior while preventing seawater from entering, but there have been some reports that these pants fail to keep you nice and dry in intense heat. Their breathability rates as fair. Because of this, we don’t recommend wearing these pants in temperatures ninety degrees and above.

These pants are designed more for use in colder conditions, although they can still be worn in the spring and early summer months. In terms of preventing water from entering, these pants are top notch. unfortunately, they don’t offer the same type of high-quality performance when it comes to allowing moisture on the inside of the pants to escape. This means these pants can be a poor choice if you normally sweat a lot, or if you need a pair of durable sailing trousers for intense summer heat.

Waterproof Technology 

BR2 Offshore Trousers

In terms of work pants, the sailor or angler needs a much higher level of protection, from the water, wind, and sun. Often, sailing gear designed for recreational use just can’t cut it, which is why companies such as Musto have produced an innovative line of sailing gear that’s designed for the pros.

The pants are also equipped with a polyurethane coating that’s applied to the inside surface. The moisture on the inside of the pants will be attracted to this coating. The moisture transport occurs via molecular wicking. The water vapor is drawn from the higher temperature and moist environment of the inside of the pants to the dryer, cooler, exterior. 

The membrane is the core of a waterproof breathable laminate. The membrane is made out of ePTFE, which is more commonly known as Teflon. The membrane itself is incredibly thin and has been estimated to have more than nine billion pores per inch. Perspiration is easily drawn through the pores. On the outside of the pants, water will be unable to pass through the membrane due to the surface tension, which causes the water to bead up into large drops which are unable to fit through the tiny pores of the membrane. 

This thin membrane is laminated between a thinner interior scrim material and durable outer material, so it’s protected from abrasions. The laminate is very effective at moisture transport. 

While the pants themselves are considered durable, thanks to the innovative design, these pants will be uncomfortable to wear in hotter weather. 

If you’re looking for sailing trousers designed for hotter weather, click here to check out our buyer’s guide, which includes the five top pairs of sailing trousers on the market. 

Pros

  • Waterproof 
  • Breathable
  • Flexible 
  • Reinforced rear and knees
  • Loaded with insulated pockets
  • Adjustable cuffs and suspenders 

Cons 

  • Despite the breathable fabric, these pants will be uncomfortable to wear in hot summer weather
BR2 Offshore Trousers Conclusion and Rating

Product Rating Updated December, 2023: (4.5/5)

BR2 Offshore Trousers

Musto’s line of offshore sailing gear is nothing short of impressive, but in terms of breathable offshore wear, some changes made need to be made.

In the right type of weather conditions, the BR2 by Musto are offshore pants you won’t ever want to sail without. They’re designed for serious sailors in rough water conditions and can provide all the protection you need when sailing through rough seas. While it’s true that these pants do a better than average job of preventing water from entering the pants, they aren’t quite as efficient when it comes to allowing sweat to escape. Because of this, on hotter days these pants can feel somewhat like a sauna. During intense heat you’ll be better off wearing a lightweight pair of sailing trousers. But for the serious sailor in need of protection against harsh winter weather and high waves, you really can’t beat these pants by Musto.

We gave these pants a rating of four and a half stars out of five stars. 

 

Summary
Review Date
Reviewed Item
The BR2 Offshore Sailing Trousers by Musto
Author Rating
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