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need opinions

ralwhite

Member
I'm in the market for a good quality riding jacket and matching pants. I don't ride in the winter so I'm looking for a jacket that will provide decent protection and is waterproof and versatile so I can use it in the summer and temps down to 40's or so . Any suggestions?
 
This is a great time of year to get "last years " version of riding gear. Many dealers run that stuff on ebay @ huge discounts.IBMWR is a good place to look. I like my Revit jacket & Olympia pants. They don't have to be the same brand unless you are into fashion statements. Look for good venting for mild weather or buy a mesh if you don't ride in much rain & wear a rain jacket when you do. I had a Hein Gericke before this pone & liked that brand too. I'd also look on ADV flea mkt as they come up there everyday & sell the same day if the real deal! BMW gear can be good but is priced well above many other brands-you decide if you'll pay the premium.
When I'm looking at used bikes on ebay I often look @ "sellers other items" to see if they're cleaning out the closet.
 
RevIt makes great gear (see revzilla.com for this and other stuff) Not cheap, mind, but top quality. I use an Olympia AST jacket and pants and find this outfit good for everything but temps over 85. Seems Olympia gear is well designed and reasonably priced. Lots of folks swear by BMW's own line of riding kit, especially if you can get it at a discount.

pete
 
BMW Airshell, I have the Hiviz model lots of fading, zipper is very poor quality. Now the good part, great protection, comfortable in 30f temps with liner, not to hot when its 100f and the thing is darn near waterproof. Same quality for the Airshell pants, zipper not a issue with pants
 
I have a fairly old olympia. It is what appears to be the older version of the air listed above. It is about 12 years old and has about 75,000 miles on it. It still looks great. Only negative thing i can think of is that liner is the water proof barrier. For summer showers it is much to warm. I just dont use the liner in summer. I use a rain suit instead. The jacket easily keeps me toasty in the low fortys. Rode with it this passed summer up to about 90. Anything over that i dont wear a jacket, and yes, i know i should.
I have been very impressed with the olympia
 
+1 on the Aerostitch gear. Probably one of the best pieces of protective gear and it works in all weather and temps.
 
+2 (or +3, or whatever) on the Darien set. Not good in temps >90˚ but great otherwise. Not having to stop and do the rain-suit-dance is a significant benefit.
 
Klim Latitude

I got a Klim Latitude Jacket toward the end of the season and I'm really impressed with the quality and fit. I will absolutely be adding the matching pants. Klim seems a little pricey, but in this case you get what you pay for. I hope with Polaris buying out the company the quality won't deteriorate and the prices will come down. We'll see. Good luck with your decision.
 
Aerostich. Roadcrafter 2 Piece or Darien.
I have two Roadcrafters, one is a two-piece, the other a one piece recently bought. I have had two others - both one piece Roadcrafters.

For me, the one piece Roadcrafter is the sweet ticket. After a couple years with the two-piece, I've decided it's not for me. I rarely have a need for the jacket only and would never ride with just the jacket. For me, the extra material of the jacket over the pants where it bunches when sitting on the bike is just not comfortable. Could be because I generally sit fairly forward toward the tank and it's "in the way" of how I sit the bike.
 
The way you ride should be a factor. For many years I used First Gear jackets and pants. They generally lasted me 3-4 years, and did a great job.
As my riding increased so did my desire for better gear, especially when I sold my cage and became a dedicated daily rider (it's 16 degrees this morning). I use multiple jackets and gear combinations, but most often wear one of the two Aerostitch Darien suits that I own. My first stitch was a one piece, but as a daily commuter I like the two piece suits.... allow for more combinations and functionality.

If cost isn't an issue, or if you ride all the time, look at BMW, Klim and Aerostitch.

If you mainly ride on weekends, and avoid the nasty weather, look at First Gear and Cortech. I think you may get more for the buck (liners, pockets, extras) with those, and they may serve you well.

Look also at www.newenough.com Great customer service, great people there.
 
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riding gear

Thanks to everyone for your replies. There's nothing better than getting real life experience to help make a good decision.
 
One other thing to consider..... You may want your riding gear to also be your rain gear. Is the outer shell the waterproof part, or is it the inside liner?

I wore some Olympia stuff for a year or two, and generally liked it. BUT... the liners were the waterproof parts, so in the summer I was either not protected from rain, or I was too warm.

Personally I prefer the outer shell to be the waterproof part, and then I can layer under it however I want based on expected temps.

I also prefer a pant liner that is worn as a layer, but not attached to the shell pant. I think it is easier to get on and off and move around if the liner is not attached to the shell.
 
Personally I prefer the outer shell to be the waterproof part, and then I can layer under it however I want based on expected temps.

I agree, and because of this I have to agree with Steve Aikens on the Aerostich Roadcrafter. I've used my RC from the mid-20s up to 104 F with high humidity and found it acceptable throughout this temperature range. I also like the one piece RC since it forces me to always wear the pants and creates less opportunity for rain to soak in. It is a nice feeling to know that no matter what the weather forecast is at the beginning of your ride you're covered for anything.
 
I'm in the market for a good quality riding jacket and matching pants. I don't ride in the winter so I'm looking for a jacket that will provide decent protection and is waterproof and versatile so I can use it in the summer and temps down to 40's or so . Any suggestions?

If your talking just day trips then maybe a nice mesh with the water/wind proof liners. They are safe/versatile. If you get wet on a day trip no big deal or pop the liners in and stay dry. You are going "home" anyway. My Firstgear mesh suit was $225 and works really well. For multi-day rides my choice is a waterproof shell and layers underneath. Aerostich Roadcrafter 1 piece for local trips and a Roadcrafter 2 piece jacket matched to the Darien pant works for multi-days. Both are custom fitted and $800 per. They work fantastically well and I need for nothing. If I could afford the Rukka and BMW gear and could FIND SOMETHING THAT FITS ME sure. Why not?
 
jacket and pants

++1 on the Aerostich Darien. I have two sets - One set of regular and one set of the lights. Don't need a liner for it to be waterproof. It is Gore-Tex and water doesn't go through it. My wife has another brand but she will soon have the Darien stuff. Can't say enough good about the quality. Great protection in the shoulders and elbows with lots of storage in the jackets.
 
Riding Jacket and Pants

After experimenting with less expensive riding gear combinations, I decided to go for some higher quality (also higher priced) gear.

My summer outfit is the BMW Airshell Jacket with BMW Venting Machine Pants or BMW City Denim Pants. These are not waterproof, so I use a Revit Rain Suit when I encounter wet weather. For me, this summer outfit combination is fine from temperatures of 75-110 degrees F, combined with 90% humidity.

My fall/winter outfit is a Richa Jacket that is both waterproof and resists dirt/stains. This jacket is also a phase change material that adjusts the warmth/cooling to the ambient temperature. I wear BMW Streetguard 3 Pants that are waterproof and also have the phase change material construction. The reason I went with these BMW pants was because the Richa pants did not fit me right. They were too constricting in the hip and crotch areas. I have not tried this gear without the liners, but with the liners, the temperature comfort range is from 75 degrees to 30 degrees F.

I would like to find just one suit that would accommodate all riding temperatures, but where I live, it is too hot/humid in the summer. That means I must go with the mesh gear in the higher temperature/humidity combinations.

Those of you in cooler/less humid climates may be able to get by with just one suit (such as, Aerostich). I have discovered that temperature affects riders differently from one individual to another. I can tolerate the heat better than cold, while my riding buddies have an opposite reaction. I have yet to find riding gloves that keep my hands warm below 35 degrees. I have resisted the heated gloves because I don't want the wires that string out from them and possibly interfering with steering, braking and clutch operation.

Bill
 
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