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Rain gear - with a twist hopefully

rick601

New member
Got a mesh jacket to replace my two piece roadcrafter on hot (for me) trips. Looking for rain gear to “slip on” roadside when it rains. I just threw out an old one piece that was a joke to put on- mesh lining caught on boots and the whole process was a comedy routine. Revzilla great reviews always start with the suit on as Anthony points out all the great features; I’d love to see the model putting the suit on in the rain over all his gear. LOL. A customer review of the BMW pro something said he does it in under two minutes- sorry bub but that’s a long time to wrestle a piece of gear in the rain. Klim makes a pricey two piece (torrent?) that I’m leaning towards. It’s out of stock till February. Anyway- if there were such thing as a one piece that went on as fast as say the roadcrafter I think I’d go there as I have a feeling a suit offers the best protection. Oh- another video of someone putting on a pacific revit H2O was downright funny. Is there an objective way to describe “easy” “hard” “fast” ? Any experience with a rain suit that actually goes on over gear that an old man can don as quick as the roadcrafter? All day rain is easy- put it on at the campsite before you leave. It’s the side of the highway here comes rain situation I’m thinking of. I ask this after doing a decent search here and elsewhere- most talk is about the gear AFTER it’s on and the putting on is described in a useless subjective manner... help!
 
My $0.02:
One-piece suits are always more difficult to don, especially in cooler weather where you are wearing an extra layer under your gear. And no rain suit is easy to put on over already-wet gear. Two piece suits work well if you plan ahead and don the pants when you expect rain ahead—you can then ride on until rain is confirmed before quickly donning the jacket. Traditional rain gear like the First Gear suits work well but tend to take up more pack space, and lots of people like the Frog Toggs gear as it seems to work well and packs quite small.

https://firstgear-usa.com/category/5/raingear

https://www.froggtoggs.com/mens/jackets-vests

Or, you can consider switching to textile riding gear with Gore-Tex or similar lining and just ride on through wet or dry conditions.
And in textile gear I tend to avoid anything with removable liners as taking off your gear at roadside, to install a liner, is the worst possible situation as you’re already getting wet on the inside.

Best,
DeVern
 
... Or, you can consider switching to textile riding gear with Gore-Tex or similar lining and just ride on through wet or dry conditions.
And in textile gear I tend to avoid anything with removable liners as taking off your gear at roadside, to install a liner, is the worst possible situation as you’re already getting wet on the inside.

Best,
DeVern

I agree with DeVern. Years of experience riding all over the US have convinced me there is no more effective raingear than textile riding gear with Gore-Tex built in ... like my Aerostich gear. Might seem expensive at first, but mine has lasted at least 20 years and is still watertight if I wear it properly. I particularly enjoy sitting in dry gear watching my buddies wrestle and struggle--in the rain--on the side of the road trying to get their stuff on. Most of them end up switching to something like 'Stich.

Good luck.
 
I agree with DeVern. Years of experience riding all over the US have convinced me there is no more effective raingear than textile riding gear with Gore-Tex built in ... like my Aerostich gear. Might seem expensive at first, but mine has lasted at least 20 years and is still watertight if I wear it properly. I particularly enjoy sitting in dry gear watching my buddies wrestle and struggle--in the rain--on the side of the road trying to get their stuff on. Most of them end up switching to something like 'Stich.

Good luck.

+3...after over 50 years of riding and trying to: 1) figure out is that front coming my way and should I be putting on my rain gear now and, 2) crap, I waited too long and now trying to wiggle into rain gear while it's raining and I'm already wet, I went textile about 15 years ago. I have the BMW Comfort Suit, which is completely waterproof and breathable. No more stopping to figure out if I need to suit up...just keep riding!
 
Op's point was that he already has a mesh jacket and wants something to go over it, not buy a new jacket that does not flow air...

I use olympia new horizon rain gear over my mesh summer stuff. Very ez to pull on fast, very dry in pourng rain.

https://www.revzilla.com/olympia-rain-gear

Thankyou. Yes I have the roadcrafter for much of my riding but i am not as comfortable as others here are in warmer temps. I also liked the comment above yours about putting pants on early and wait for actual rain for the jacket. I don’t know how I missed the Olympia you linked as I’ve been pretty obsessive in my research. No matter- afaik Olympia is out of business (?) and all of them are out of stock anyway. LOL. But I appreciate that you “got” my issue! I am hoping the Klim torrent comes back this winter! Some comments so far confirm my thoughts about one piece rain suits. Now a closer look at the first gear and another look at the motoport. I think I also enjoy -sort of somewhat- the thrill of the hunt as much as the kill..err purchase.
 
Rain gear

I always wear Aerostich Darien pants when I ride and use the waterproof liner that came with my first Olympia mesh jacket if it starts raining I take liner out put it under jacket and go.
I have also found a cheap light rain jacket worn under mesh riding jacket will keep you dry while the mesh riding jacket will keep wind from tearing up light raincoat.
 
whoops- I misspoke- the Klim I'm considering is the "Forecast". And in keeping with the twist- I'll make sure there's no mesh in the pants and there is sufficient overlap between jacket and pants.
 
Op's point was that he already has a mesh jacket and wants something to go over it, not buy a new jacket that does not flow air...

I use olympia new horizon rain gear over my mesh summer stuff. Very ez to pull on fast, very dry in pourng rain.

https://www.revzilla.com/olympia-rain-gear

You are correct, I did not correctly answer the OP's intended question. Sorry to the OP.

I should have said: I use Aerostich gear which, BTW, flows air about as well as all the various mesh jackets I have tried over the years, ... plus it is totally watertight when I wear it correctly. I doubt if the OP has ridden in any hotter conditions than I have had the "privilege" of riding in--the desert Southwest from El Centro thru Yuma and Phoenix in August with triple digit temps (and more than once)--unless he has done Death Valley.

Good luck with the mesh gear. It does not work for me.
 
You are correct, I did not correctly answer the OP's intended question. Sorry to the OP.

I should have said: I use Aerostich gear which, BTW, flows air about as well as all the various mesh jackets I have tried over the years, ... plus it is totally watertight when I wear it correctly. I doubt if the OP has ridden in any hotter conditions than I have had the "privilege" of riding in--the desert Southwest from El Centro thru Yuma and Phoenix in August with triple digit temps (and more than once)--unless he has done Death Valley.

Good luck with the mesh gear. It does not work for me.

No worries on the misinterpretation of the question- it was a little convoluted...

Interesting. Utah and Mississippi were close to unbearable for me in roadcrafter, even with cooling vest and careful hydration. I guess that's why we have "YMMV". My ancient Olympia mesh was noticeably cooler and is now being replaced. I realize the addition of rain gear might put me in Aerostich territory- but for the time I'm wearing it- in the rain- I can live with that. For most of my riding the Aero is great and I'm glad I got the two piece- it's even more versatile for me- but if I am in hot I need something a little cooler and the mesh works for me...YMMV.
 
YMMV, but here's my 2 cents on what I've tried over the years:


Mesh jacket and pants: Both (Olympia and Hein Gericke) came with a zip-in liner. I'd roll both liners and plop them in a saddle bag for when needed. I'd deploy them on an entrance ramp when I was about to encounter rain. This is probably the worst of the ways I found to stay dry. First, the song and dance of taking off both the pants and jacket to zip/snap in the liner took time and if I jus threw them on without zip/snapping them, I'd get water in somewhere. Second, these layers also had a thermal component, so if the temperature was warm, your baking as it rainin, and opening up the jacket would just allow for water to get in. This was especially rough in warm, humid areas like Florida. Finally, when you eventually rode out of the rain in the heat, I would want to shed the rain liner ASAP because of the previously described problems, but then you'd have a wet outer layer that would wick on to your clothes that were kept dry by the liner. Also, if you're overnighting, then you have to deal with wet riding gear.

Again mesh jacket and pants, but this time with Frogg Toggs over the top. I went with the Pro Advantage bibs because several experienced riders told me they were less prone to letting in rain during riding in driving rain. The FT jacket was the Road Toad version, as I understand that these are a little thicker material, reducing the chances for disintegration from hours flapping in the wind. This was a better system for me as I didn't have to take off my original riding gear, I just purchased several sizes larger than I normally wear and they slipped over pretty easily. I also had the bonus of being able to use this when off the bike. Since the waterproof layer wasn't right next to my skin, they seem to breathe a little better, but I can also open up the front of the jacket for air flow after it's done raining and before I stop to take them off.

Eventually I went full-in on an Aerostich R3, which has allowed me to zip up when it's raining, and unzip when it's done, while I'm riding. It's warmer than mesh gear, but I liked it that I don't have to stop and store other pieces. Recently, I scored a good deal on a MotorPort mesh jacket and now have acquired a pair of Aerostich Darien pants for when I'm going to ride in warm, humid temps. I think that this will be what I ride most of the year with. The Darien pants may be a touch cooler (maybe?) than my R3, but I know they will be rock-solid while riding in the rain. The mesh jacket will, again, have a Frogg Togg jacket thrown over the top when it's raining.

All gear seems to be a trade off...
 
I too wear a mesh and riding jeans for warm riding days. I have a two pieces Scott Ergonomic Pro DP rain suit.
What I like about that suit other than the fact that it is really waterproof is that it's stretchy.
That makes it easier to put on, allowing you to wear a tighter fit that won't flap in the wind.
 
I gotta throw this in here- I can't remember if it's been posted before but I really like this guy- he has a lot of video breakdowns- good one on sena, pac-talk too- this one on Goretex- the executive summary is that goretex is perhaps best on waterproofness but not on breathability, i.e. allowing body vapor to escape.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dtCdQfbLw7o
 
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