An interview with Matteo Alfieri about Henri-Lloyd's Mav-Lite Shell 2.0
by David Schmidt 24 Jun 08:00 PDT
June 24, 2026
Mav Lite Shell 2.0 © Henri-Lloyd
There's a longstanding joke in the Pacific Northwest that you can wear the same clothing to go sailing on Saturday and skiing on Sunday—you've just got to change your outer layers. Having lived, sailed, and skied in the PNW—where a lot of big-boat racing takes place during the windier fall, winter, and spring months—for almost 20 years, I've learned that there's truth to this punchline. More recently, however, I learned that swapping jackets can also be optional thanks to advances in modern sailing gear.
Ages ago, I remember riding chair lifts with my wife at Crystal Mountain, near Seattle, and seeing a skier carving turns down an off-piste double-black run wearing a heavy-duty offshore sailing jacket (the reflective patches gave him away).
While his turns looked great, I can remember thinking that the poor guy must be sweating to death, given the difficulty of the run he was skiing and the weight of his jacket.
Flash forward to this past spring, when I received a sample of Henri-Lloyd's Mav-Lite Shell 2.0 for field testing, and my first thought was that this featherweight sailing jacket could easily be rebadged and sold as a high-performance skiing or mountaineering jacket. That's because it offers the kind of stretch characteristics and lightweight recycled fabrics—not to mention the same commitment to avoiding "forever chemicals" in fabrics and washes—that I've come to expect from the outdoor and skiing industries.
My second thought was that I likely just found my first one-jacket quiver for everything from inshore keelboat racing and skiing, to walking my dog during a signature Pacific Northwest "atmospheric river" event.
I checked in with Matteo Alfieri, Henri-Lloyd's head of design, via email, to learn more about the company's new skiing—I mean sailing—jacket.
Where did the idea for the Mav-Lite Shell 2.0 come from? Also, who were Henri Lloyd's target sailors for this jacket?
The Mav-Lite 2.0 is a development from a popular Mav-Lite 1.0 jacket but completely redesigned and enhanced for today's users.
The concept of the design was to create a multi-functional jacket, which could be used for sailing and also for motorboating. It is particularly good for the U.S. market where this jacket can go easily from sailing, to on and off a powerboat, and even hiking and skiing.
What kinds of sailing do you see the Mav-Lite Shell 2.0 excelling at? Also, if paired with a sturdy set of bibs, how far into Type 2 fun terrain (conditions-wise) can people push the Mav-Lite 2.0 before they need to start thinking about a heavier offshore jacket?
The Mav-Lite 2.0 is designed to be used for activities such as inshore sailing, keelboat racing, motorboating and shore use predominately. It's made using a completely new fabric architecture, which offers the very best in performance. It's lighter, weighing in at 128 grams per square meter (the Mav-Lite 1.0 was 161 gsm), and it's waterproof to 20k and breathable to 20k.
In addition, the fabric has four-way mechanical stretch. With this quality of durable waterproof repellent (DWR) and breathability, it matches our highest-quality offshore jackets, so yes, pairing [the Mav-Lite Shell 2.0] with [our] Dynamic or Coastal salopettes will give you the highest level of protection, without needing to fatigue your body by wearing a heavier-weight waterproof jacket.
[Editor's note: To learn more about waterproof and breathability ratings, visit: www.henrilloyd.com/en-us/blogs/guides/waterproof-ratings-explained-performance-pressure-and-breathability?srsltid=AfmBOoqPeK33jlNhTl4k1-I_wvBwzI0KH2fzYsZN3eiw645l4E_hTQeZ]
I'm used to seeing recycled fabrics and bio-based and PFC-free DWR finishes in the outdoor market but less so in the marine space. What was the thinking behind creating such an environmentally friendly jacket?
At Henri-Lloyd we have always pioneered the use of recycled fabrics, PFC-free DWR, PFOAS-free membrane and coatings.
The original Mav-Lite was ahead of its time regarding sustainability, thanks to its use of bio-based TPU membrane, PFAS-, PFOS- and PFOAS-free, DWR C0 and recycled polyester face fabric.
For the Mav-Lite 2.0 we moved away from the bio-based TPU membrane as the performance was not as high as we wanted. [So,] we changed to [a] PU PFOA-free membrane, which gave us better performance with regards to waterproofness and breathability, and better membrane stretchiness.
To increase the performance of the water-resistance for the Mav-Lite 2.0, we decided to use Lamoral DWR, instead of the standard ones proposed by the mill. Making this amendment on the top coating meant we faced with a lot of challenges on achieving the right performance on all fabric parameters.
Henri-Lloyd has always been a pioneering brand, and it was important for us to be ahead of the curve with our chemical-free products. Almost all our new products since 2024 are PFAS-free and suitable for the California market, which has now banned clothing with intentionally added PFAS.
One of the most impressive features of the jacket is its four-way stretch fabric. From a performance perspective, what kind of trade-offs (if any) are involved when creating a jacket that's this stretchy?
There are no trade-offs using the four-way mechanical stretch fabric. It gives a full range of movement, [and] is sustainable and lightweight.
The only possible negativity is from the point of view of the consumer who traditionally feels that 'heavy is best'. We have to help consumers learn that you can have unlined, lightweight outerwear [that] provides the very highest level of waterproofness and breathability.
When you compare the Mav-Lite Shell 2.0 to lightweight shells from a decade or so ago, how much advancement are we talking about? Also, is this advancement enough that you and other Henri-Lloyd gear designers are willing to leave your heavier-weight shells at home and purely trust your Mav-Lite Shell 2.0s for most days on the water? Or, are you guys still packing your bigger guns?
The original Mav-Lite 1.00 was launched in Spring/Summer 2022 and was a slightly heavier fabric, but it only offered 10k waterproof [protection] versus today's Mav-Lite 2.0 with 20k. The Mav-Lite 1.0's breathability was 7k compared to the Mav-Lite 2.0's 20k.
So absolutely, yes, we trust the Mav-Lite 2.0 to perform as well as any other top performance jacket.
Other advancements include a new hood design, and the tear-proof H hangar.
The Mav-Lite 2.0 performs very well for sailing, powerboating, walking, skiing and so forth—it's a great all-round jacket.
What kinds of maintenance TLC are required to keep Mav-Lite Shell 2.0 jackets performing optimally for years? I ask as my sailing jackets have a long history of being raced hard and shoved into my seabag wet. Sure, I hang them to dry when I get home, but how often do they like to get washed with fresh water? And how often—if at all—does a third-party DWR coating typically need to be reapplied?
Yes, for garments which use C0 fluorocarbon-free DWR, routine cleaning will
protect the waterproof and breathable fabric from salt, dirt, and wear, helping preserve its eco-friendly performance and extend its lifespan.
The best thing is to rinse thoroughly after use with fresh water, which removes the salt and grime.
If you need to machine wash it, close all zips and fasteners and leave the jacket right side out and use a cold gentle cycle, with non-bio liquid detergent or soap flakes. Don't use bleach, fabric softeners or biological cleaners. Dry it gently either on a low tumble dry or hang to dry naturally.
If you notice that water stops beading on the outside, then re-apply a PFC- free DWR coating. Rather than leaving kit in your kit bag, we recommend you hang garments so they can dry completely and are stored in a cool, dry, well-ventilated space until they are next used.
What options exist for embroidering boat names/sail numbers onto Mav-Lite Shell 2.0 jackets without damaging their waterproof membranes?
We suggest that it is best not to embroider onto the membrane as this punches holes in it.
Most garment printing companies now offer logos etc via transfers. There is also a new option where a high-quality embroidery styling can be achieved using a silicon-based e-transfer, which provides a really premier embroidery-style look.
Is there anything else about the Mav-Lite Shell 2.0 that you'd like to add or tell us about, for the record?
A key point for consumers to understand is that Henri-Lloyd's fabric technology means that we can now provide the highest level of waterproof and breathability in a lightweight fabric. Consumers traditionally think that heavy is better, but this isn't the case nowadays. You can wear a lightweight jacket, which offers the highest levels of waterproof and breathability, without needing to put extra load onto the body.
At Henri-Lloyd, we strongly believe that lightweight and stretchy fabric is key. Look at other sports that use lightweight and streamlined clothing. Cycling for example, which traditionally uses wool jerseys and has now evolved to Lycra, or running and climbing where lightweight, high-performance, stretchy technical clothing is the norm.
Sailing is almost the only sport where some users retain the old-fashioned view that heavy clothing is better!
From 1st July, Henri-Lloyd apparel will be available in the USA through Big Weather Gear, and showcased in its Newport, Rhode Island, store.
For more on the Mav-Lite Shell 2.0, check out www.henrilloyd.com