Olympia AST Problem

I have an AST and I love it. I use this jackey on my R1100S. I think the venting is pretty good for a 3-4 season jacket and I love that the liner can be worn as a jacket on its own. However a few times when I have been caught in the rain I have gotten wet. I am wondering if its from the jacket bunching up in the front because of the forward riding position? I also have the Ranger 2 pant and I also get wet on the side of my legs where the zipper is despite the dual flap. I admit this was a complete downpour and I was in it for about an hour and riding about 60mph. Perhaps nothing can keep you dry in these conditions? Anyone have any ideas?

Keeping dry...

Riding about 65mph in torrential downpour on I-64, on a R850R with tall Parabellum screen, cars pulled over on the shoulder - wearing Motoport (now Cycleport) Canyon jacket and Tour Master pants... Only leak was in the crotch where some water pooled. Jacket kept me completely dry! That was the worst weather condition; ridden many times in the rain wearing the same suit - the jacket has always kept me dry, and the pants still sometimes pool at the crotch.

Try some spray waterproofing, particularly around the seams.

Also, check to make sure you're wearing the right size jacket, and that the neck and other velco closures are secure and allow no leaks.

empeg9000 said:

I have an AST and I love it. I use this jackey on my R1100S. I think the venting is pretty good for a 3-4 season jacket and I love that the liner can be worn as a jacket on its own. However a few times when I have been caught in the rain I have gotten wet. I am wondering if its from the jacket bunching up in the front because of the forward riding position? I also have the Ranger 2 pant and I also get wet on the side of my legs where the zipper is despite the dual flap. I admit this was a complete downpour and I was in it for about an hour and riding about 60mph. Perhaps nothing can keep you dry in these conditions? Anyone have any ideas?

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I've worn my AST in a few rainstorms, and have always been completely dry. I have a small windscreen in front of me (no fairing, though). The front of the jacket always gets wet, so I'm not sure if the screen is really keeping much water off of me. Anyhow, I've had a 10 minute ride in heavy rain riding home from work, I've had a 30 minute slow crawl through traffic in Knoxville (along with 15 minutes of highway speed after the construction), and I've had numerous other 15-20 minute ride where it was between a sprinkle and a solid rain. I always get to my destination dry. I'm about 15 minutes short of an hour ride, though... but I can't see how mine would leak. My R80 has a pretty upright riding position, though.

Where are you getting wet, exactly? Is it coming in around the collar, or the whole thing, or just the vents on your arms or chest? Just around the main zipper?

jdmetzger said:

Where are you getting wet, exactly? Is it coming in around the collar, or the whole thing, or just the vents on your arms or chest? Just around the main zipper?

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Are you guys riding with or without the liner? The last time was without the liner. I did not get wet in the crotch area thankfully. I got wet on my upper arms a little which it was the first time that happened. I also got wet on my chest area. The jacket is a little loose around the collar and overall the jacket is a little big on my without the liner in. It fits just right with the liner. I was also wearing the pants without the liner. On the legs I got wet on the side of my upper thighs and down toward my knee. My kneecaps were wet for some reason too.

empeg9000 said:

Are you guys riding with or without the liner? The last time was without the liner. I did not get wet in the crotch area thankfully. I got wet on my upper arms a little which it was the first time that happened. I also got wet on my chest area. The jacket is a little loose around the collar and overall the jacket is a little big on my without the liner in. It fits just right with the liner. I was also wearing the pants without the liner. On the legs I got wet on the side of my upper thighs and down toward my knee. My kneecaps were wet for some reason too.

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Most of the rain I've been in has been without the liner in. I'm only wearing the jacket - I already had a pair of Firstgear pants. If it's just your arms and upper chest (but dry shoulders) then I would say it isn't coming in via the neck opening. As long as the vents were zipped and velcroed down (also buttoned for the chest ones), I can't imagine how water would be getting in. You might want to give Olympia a call; I've found them to be quite helpful in the past. They might have some ideas for you; it seems like an isolated case right now, since I know a few others who have stayed dry with them on, as well.

I have sent Olympia and email and yes they have been helpful in the past. I am hoping they can help my resolve this. I don't ride in the rain all the time but part of the reason I got this jacket was to be a do it all jacket.

empeg9000 said:

I have sent Olympia and email and yes they have been helpful in the past. I am hoping they can help my resolve this. I don't ride in the rain all the time but part of the reason I got this jacket was to be a do it all jacket.

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I purchased mine as a "do it all" as well. I was actually between the AST and the Rev'It cayeanne (I've had good experience with Rev'It in the past). I'd be interested in hearing the outcome of this!

Olympia gets back to me

Kevin for Olympia got back to me himself

"Hello Stephen,

We do our best to offer superior venting and waterproofing in one jacket - In the very few instances that the AST has leaked, it's been on an unfaired or small faired bike in prolonged monsoonal conditions at very high speeds.
The only way to make this jacket 100% waterproof in these types of conditions is to completely remove the venting system. I hesitate to do this because there is no other jacket on the market that offers the same level of water resistance and venting as the AST. I receive amazing testimonials every week from very happy customers. Given that the jacket is slightly large on you with the liner out, I wonder if water rolled down the front of collar and on to your chest. As far as the Ranger pants are concerned it must be that as you say, the driving rain some how penetrated the side leg flaps and zippers. This is a first.

All this being said, if you're truly unhappy, I'll issue you a refund and you can use it toward the purchase of new gear from another supplier. If this is the case, search for gear that is non vented and try to find pants without side leg zippers. You'll trade off some features and bennies but this type of gear (look for similar good quality Bellstaff, BMW etc) should keep you dry at high speeds in major prolonged downpours."

I have to say it was a complete downpour I was in both times I got wet. I also checked out the jacket in my riding position and I am getting some gaps around the neck. I told him I wasn't looking for my money back because I love that jacket, just for help in the matter. I emailed back and forth with Kevin a number of times and he gave me some suggestions. The fact that Kevin, the owner, emailed me personally to help me solve the problem AND offered to refund my money if I was not satisfied says a lot about him and his company. Kevin also said they are working on some new stuff that sounds pretty interesting.

In the future I will have to make sure I really secure all the zippers and flaps and perhaps in a jacket that vents well like this one does I will never be 100% waterproof.

Thanks for reporting back!! Seeing this stuff makes me happy to have spent my money with them, and will keep me recommending their products to fellow riders.

I am probably, other than the Olympia management and staff, one of the few riders who owns both the Airglide and AST jackets, his'n hers, each.

Both are excellent, although my wife feels self-conscious in the iridescent green AST jacket (tough).

IMHO the green AST is a superior jacket for visibility in low light (dusk, fog) conditions, and is easier to convert to rain mode (don't have to take it off to put something hot and waterproof under it; the outer jacket is the rain barrier). I wear mine with the Ranger pants. The AST is not a good choice in humid conditions above 85 - 90 F, though. However, earlier this spring it saved me while walking across a gas station apron to go inside - without the hi-viz jacket, I would have become a hood ornament on a 15 mph Corvette that nailed his brakes when he saw the jacket.

The Airglide relies on a waterproof (yes, it really is) under jacket/pants, as it is mesh, and therefore superior in humid weather above 85 - 90 F. With the underjacket and pants it's good down to 30 F at 75 mph, and at 65 years young, I'm farly cold-blooded. I got the AST jackets because at 30 F the Airglide noticelably leaks cold air a little at the bottom rear, where it joins the pants. Had I bought the bushwacker with a skirted bottom like the female Airglide, I wouldn't have had to buy the AST, however I like the hi-viz aspect of the AST.