I’ve been in the water pretty much from birth! After the joy of surfing Devon and Cornwall swells for much of my childhood, I moved to London seeking a career and left the ocean far behind. But then I side-stepped to land-locked water-sports including water-skiing, wakeboarding and Jet-skiing. But the call of the sea never left me and I returned to the waves for Kitesurfing, SUP and sailing in my more senior years. Water however has always given me a lot of ear trouble and ‘Skugie’ is my practical solution to combat this and several other head-related issues that the average waterman might face. Here’s what Skugie resolves: |  |
1). Exostosis (Surfer’s Ear). The neoprene headband protects salt water ingress yet still enables both balance and hearing by allowing air to move through the over-ear miniature perforations. If, like me, you have thinning ear canals, water will get trapped inside which is both irritating and limits your hearing. After immersions I was always having to shake and tap my head to try and dislodge trapped water. Thankfully, Skugie ensures I no longer have this problem. 2). Winter Warmth. Using your Skugie in cold or winter waters will keep your head warm and prevent that unpleasant brain freeze upon immersion. It’s not just the cold water that causes the osteoma; the effect of the wind is equally damaging. 3). Sun protection for the head. The outer skin tie-up bandanna protects your scalp from the sun’s rays . A thinning hairline just wasn’t protecting me sufficiently. 4). Sun protection for the eyes. The Skugie design features a short neoprene eye-shade that helps protect the eyes from direct sunlight and intense reflected UV out on the water. This is a working alternative to brim hats and water-sports glasses that may suit some but I have always struggled with both these solutions. |  |
5). A secure no-loss fit. The neoprene band and tie-over bandanna combination afford a tight, crash-resistant fit that means your Skugie will stay in place withstanding even the heaviest of faceplant slams. You don’t want to be fiddling around one-handed whilst at the same time trying to control a kite or ski-rope. If you do take a hard slam and your Skugie was not secured tightly, the bandanna also features a loop at the back so you can secure it to your wetsuit zipper cord. 6). Profile. The low-profile design and materials we use in construction will allow the wearer to fit a helmet over the top if required. So if you are E-foiling, learning to Kite or Jet-ski racing, your Skugie will still be functional under more substantial head protection.
7). It’s a groove thing! Having tried almost every product out there, it’s been impossible to find any combination that works well. Function and fashion rarely go hand-in-hand but I hope my designs also deliver a little “style” - I think we’ve found a cool and contemporary look, I hope you will agree. Skugie has so many benefits it’s a waterman’s essential. One product affords all of these benefits year-round! Suitable for (but not limited to) the following activities:
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