In dinghy sailing, hiking performance depends on more than strength. It depends on the connection between sailor and boat. Every time a sailor loads the hiking strap, their body becomes part of the boat’s performance system. The stronger and more stable that connection, the more efficiently power can be transferred and sustained.
ZhikGrip™ II was developed to change that connection. More than a standard grip profile, it is a patented boot-and-hiking-strap system that uses a customised rubber stud pattern to help sailors lock into the boat. By pairing compatible Zhik boots with matching ZhikGrip™ II hiking straps, the system provides greater hold, control and confidence under load.
Proven across multiple Olympic Games by athletes who have claimed Olympic medals, including every ILCA Olympic gold-medal result across Rio 2016, Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024, ZhikGrip™ II has helped define a new era of dinghy hiking performance.
What Is ZhikGrip™ II?
ZhikGrip™ II is a patented hiking system designed for high-performance dinghy sailing. It uses highly durable rubber studs on the top of the boot that interlock with matching studs on the underside of compatible ZhikGrip™ II hiking straps.
This is what separates the technology from standard hiking grip. Traditional systems rely mainly on friction between the boot and hiking strap. ZhikGrip™ II creates a more mechanical connection at the exact point where the sailor loads the boat. The boot and hiking strap are designed to work together, helping reduce sideways movement and giving the sailor a stronger hold under pressure.
For sailors, that means more than grip. It means a more secure link between foot, hiking strap and boat.
How the Grip Profile Works
The performance of ZhikGrip™ II comes from its customised stud pattern. The profile is designed to increase the surface area interacting with the hiking strap, creating more grip and control when pressure is applied.
When the sailor places their foot under the hiking strap and loads upward, the studs on the boot engage with the matching studs on the hiking strap. This interlocking pattern allows more load to be placed on the hiking strap before losing grip, helping the sailor stay connected through heavy hiking efforts, gusts, waves and transitions.
The pattern is also designed to work across varying foot and hiking strap angles. This is critical in real racing conditions, where the sailor is constantly adjusting body position and pressure. The foot is rarely perfectly flat or square under the hiking strap. ZhikGrip™ II helps maintain hold as the sailor moves, without creating a rigid fixed lock.
Why It Matters on the Water
Hiking is not static. Sailors are constantly managing heel, balance, pressure and movement. In a standard setup, small slips under the hiking strap force the sailor to correct with their legs, hips and core. Over time, those micro-adjustments build fatigue and waste energy.
ZhikGrip™ II helps reduce that loss. By interlocking the boot and hiking strap, the system reduces sideways movement and allows the sailor to relax their legs without slipping out from under the hiking strap. This can help reduce fatigue through the legs and joints, allowing sailors to hike harder for longer.
The benefit is not only physical. A more reliable connection gives sailors greater confidence when fully loaded. Less focus goes into holding position, and more can go into trim, steering, tactics and speed.
Engineered as a Complete Hiking System
ZhikGrip™ II works because the boot and hiking strap are engineered together. The grip profile on the boot is designed to match the surface of compatible ZhikGrip™ II hiking straps, creating the interlocking connection that defines the system.
For the best performance, sailors should pair ZhikGrip™ II boots with compatible ZhikGrip™ II hiking straps. Used together, they create a complete hiking system built around the way sailors actually move, load and race.
This system-based approach reflects Zhik’s wider design philosophy. Performance gear should do more than protect the athlete. It should support how they perform under pressure.
Proven at the Highest Level
The value of ZhikGrip™ II is proven where the margins are smallest. Across Rio 2016, Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024, ZhikGrip™ II has been trusted in every ILCA Olympic gold-medal result. In Rio, Tom Burton of Australia won gold in the men’s Laser, while Marit Bouwmeester of the Netherlands claimed gold in the women’s Laser Radial. At Tokyo 2020, Matt Wearn of Australia took gold in the men’s ILCA 7, with Anne-Marie Rindom of Denmark winning the women’s ILCA 6. At Paris 2024, Wearn again secured gold in the men’s ILCA 7, while Bouwmeester returned to the top of the podium in the women’s ILCA 6.
That legacy extends beyond the Olympic Games. ZhikGrip™ II has also been used by elite sailors to claim multiple World Championship titles, international podiums and major regatta wins across high-performance dinghy fleets. For Zhik, this is more than a medal count. It is proof that the system delivers when grip, control and endurance matter most.
The Connection That Holds
ZhikGrip™ II is more than grip. It is a patented boot-and-hiking-strap system engineered for control, load and endurance.
By using durable rubber studs on the top of the boot that interlock with matching studs on the underside of the hiking strap, the system helps sailors reduce sideways movement, hold more load and stay connected under pressure. From club racing to World Championship fleets and Olympic medal campaigns, ZhikGrip™ II continues to prove what is possible when performance technology is built around the exact point where sailor meets boat.
