|

"The JL Turtleshell. Hard back, soft
tummy. Another of my favorite creations, this one came from my background
in cycling. And I do mean background. Years ago, when we wore wool
shorts and flappy jackets on road bikes (even before mountain bikes!),
I used to stuff newspaper in the front of my t-shirts to keep the
wind from going right through me. Then I graduated to a piece of
a chamois safety-pinned to my front -- OK, geeky, but it worked.
Now back to the boat. Rowers go backwards in the cold. I hated feeling
warmed up in my full jacket, then being sweaty and chilled when
I pulled it off to carry on my workout. A vest offered the perfect
solution -- protection for the back while letting heat escape would
allow me to leave the garment on! Testing and refitting took over
a year, with all my world-class athletes adding input. And Ken,
as always, was there to tone down the geek factor. I fought tooth
and nail for the tight fit and the short front, for of course, when
I sit in the boat I don't need my clothing to bunch high at my waist
and get in my way. This is a sticking point--to this day I still
have to tell people to sit on the ground with the turtle on and
at "full compression" to feel how perfect it will be in
the boat."
Joline Esparza |