• Welcome, Guest! We hope you enjoy the excellent technical knowledge, event information and discussions that the BMW MOA forum provides. Some forum content will be hidden from you if you remain logged out. If you want to view all content, please click the 'Log in' button above and enter your BMW MOA username and password.

    If you are not an MOA member, why not take the time to join the club, so you can enjoy posting on the forum, the BMW Owners News magazine, and all of the discounts and benefits the BMW MOA offers?

First Gear Rainier Jacket

E

EXPATRIATED

Guest
After ordering some jackets and finding out I didn't like the fit(i.e, Blood-pressure cuff tight elbow areas), I decided to go to the local BMW dealer here in Indy and check out the Tourance 2 jacket. Not being quite ready to shell out the Darien $500+, I was really leaning toward the BMW jacket but after trying it on as well as several others, I found I really like the Ranier. Many, many pockets, a nifty little cellphone pocket. The windproof liner doubles as a nice looking windbreaker.

I've only used it for short jaunts around town but I'm taking off on a 4 day trip tomorrow and will have a better idea about it by the time I get back.

I've never tried First Gear stuff, although I've heard good things about the Kilimanjaro. The Rainier appears to be very well made. My only complaint at first glance is that the collar seems to come up a little higher than I would like in front but it's nothing terrible.

I paid a premium of course buying it at the dealer but I was tired of the ship/return thing. New Enough has it for $359. New Enough Rainer.

Anyway, if you're looking for a well-made jacket in this price range, this might do the trick for you.
 
Just finished a 4-day, 1100 mile trip. Temps from 48 to 84. I wore this jacket the entire time and loved it. It was warm enough with the liner in for highway speeds (80 mph+) at 48 degrees and cool enough with the liner out and vents open in the 80's. My wife loved the large back pocket as she could keep her snacks there while we rode.

The liner doubles as a rather smart looking jacket and I wore it alone while out on the town.

Weather was beautiful so I didn't get to test it in the rain.

So far, I love it.
 
My only complaint at first glance is that the collar seems to come up a little higher than I would like in front but it's nothing terrible.

The collar was the deal breaker for me. If you ride all year, you have to be able to accommodate heated vests and liners, neck gaiters and all of that. The Rainier is a great jacket except for the collar. The new Kiliminjaro has the same problem.
 
The collar was the deal breaker for me. If you ride all year, you have to be able to accommodate heated vests and liners, neck gaiters and all of that. The Rainier is a great jacket except for the collar. The new Kiliminjaro has the same problem.

Any minor problem the collar causes is made up for in the overall quality, design and function. I bought my Rainer in August,and could not be happier. I have a fairly heavy fleece neck guard, and althought the top button is tight(er), it still buttons.

Each to their own, I LOVE mine! I have ridden with Joe Rocket for a long ,long time and before that with leather and this beats anything I have seen by far for the price.
 
I have the waist-length version of the FirstGear Rainier, called the Teton, and am particularly impressed by how well the front vent-panel-hold-open devices work. After about 8K miles in it, I think I prefer its hot weather performance over my mesh jacket's.

It zippers nicely to their Escape pants and seems to be very well constructed. I haven't ridden in rain so I can't comment on that. As others have commented, the collar area under the chin is occasionally uncomfortable. The Rainier has more outside pockets but the Teton has plenty including a clever gas credit card pocket atop the left wrist.
 
Darien

My $500 Darien has a famously stiff collar, although it rarely bothers me. I think for 99% of the others it does.
 
The Rainier should have zippered sleeve-vents as well. For some reason, 4 of their other jackets have them and their other 6 don't.

First Gear Features

I thought the same thing. My shoulders don't catch as much wind as the elbows do. Probably come into play more than anything in the high 80's/90's. I was fine in the mid 80's without them.
 
Back
Top