Tom Hardy's Favorite Clothing Brand Just Made Sailing Gear Using Bulletproof-Vest Technology

2 min readTom Hardy has always looked like a man who knows his way around a bit of extreme weather. So it's perhaps unsurprising that he's a fan of ultra-tough British outdoor clothing brand ThruDark. He recently set the internet on fire when he wore the brand's Rōnin Tanto ski jacket in the music video for his latest foray into rap, complete with a rather menacing balaclava. (He's actually been involved with the company since 2018, when he narrated its launch film.)Now ThruDark has teamed up with Musto, the grand old name in British sailing gear, to produce a collection that looks ready for an Atlantic crossing—or possibly a covert military operation in the dead of night.Founded in 2018 by former Royal Marines and Special Boat Service operators Anthony “Staz” Stazicker and Louis Tinsley, ThruDark makes seriously technical clothing informed by its founders' combined 28 years of military experience. Musto, meanwhile, has been keeping sailors dry since the ’60s. Its founder, Keith Musto, won an Olympic silver medal in 1964.ThrudarkThrudarkTheir new Nautikos collection combines the two companies' expertise in what Musto claims is its most technically advanced offshore range yet. There's Gore-Tex Pro waterproofing, Dyneema reinforcement (an exceptionally strong fibre also used in climbing ropes, bullet-resistant armor, and yacht rigging), removable pockets that transfer between layers, impact-absorbing knee protection, and reflective details designed to help keep you visible in a storm.The headline piece is a $2,200 waterproof jacket, with matching trousers for $1,750. There's also a $325 fleece, a $105 cap and, rather brilliantly, a $105 T-shirt made using fabric technology that incorporates recycled coffee grounds.ThrudarkThrudarkAnd what does Hardy make of it? Well, there's no suggestion he's taken up competitive sailing just yet. But the relationship with ThruDark is genuine.“We always love to see Tom wearing ThruDark,” co-founder Stazicker tells Esquire. “From our side, we're grateful he does. It's a genuine relationship built on mutual respect, and we never take it for granted. We're really proud of what we've built with Musto, and we'd love to see it out there on anyone who puts our kit through its paces. He'd certainly wear it well.”ThrudarkThrudarkWhether you're planning to cross the Southern Ocean or just want to look as though you're seriously preparing for the next big nor’easter, it's an impressive amount of engineering to have on your side.thrudark.comThrudark