Klim Latitude vs Roadcrafter vs ?

[t6pilot]

MOTOPORT GEAR
for a little or a lot more, depending on your options, go custom. I've had my motoport jacket and pants five years and 50,000 miles, custom ordered with pockets and armor where I wanted. Only two issues is hi-viz has faded on jacket and the pants have shrunk a bit,
Oh yea and it's made in USA

 

[Voni]

This just in from BMW:

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Voni
sMiling

 

[61996]

​

 

[zenwhipper]

I started my so far "brilliant" riding life on a Joe Rocket 3 season jacket / pants setup. This was 17 years ago. Wife bought it for me for my first bike. I want to say it was $500 dollars total. It has done the job quite well over the years. I don't really have a complaint on it - it has held up nice (velcro has faded though), is water tight and the armor seems pretty good too. I had no idea what to buy back then. Fast forward to now- I need some new gear. I am looking at some gear that is quite expensive. There are reasons for the "top of the food chain" gear. It is usually better design, has more features, has better quality material and armor. Yes, material and armor do evolve over time. I do think you get what you pay for. What ever value a given person sees in their equipment or motorcycle is purely up to them and a personal decision.

 

[lee]

I went in to my local dealership today and placed a down-payment on a Klim Latitude jacket and pants combo..

You'll like the quality of your new gear and they have a good warranty.

KLIM Warranty Policy

We warrant *every product we make to be free of manufacturer defects for the **lifetime of the product. Additionally, all KLIM GORE-TEX products are GUARANTEED TO KEEP YOU DRY for the lifetime of the product. If these products fail due to a manufacturing or material defect, we will repair the product without charge, or replace it at our discretion.


When you get your new gear, register it with Klim and they will send you a Emergency ID card that you place in the jacket sleeve.

 

[RBEmerson]

I'll toss in this review, that I wrote on another site, for consideration:

I bought a Roadcrafter on eBay, paying roughly half of the new R-3 (successor to the Roadcrafter). I verified, with Aerostich, the size I need and this suit is almost it. Aerostich said "46R" for 6', 44" under the arms, 190 lbs., average build, even though I specifically said I need a 34" inseam to cover my boots (32-33" works for normal street clothes). I bought a 46L.

The suit was, to be blunt, nasty. I expected some crud, splots, and one cuff covered with mystery smudge (seller was acting for a friend - neither said what the smudge was). It was much worse.

Removing the shoulder, elbow, and knee pads (darn, I thought there were hip pads - there aren't, according to a quick email exchange before buying the suit - my error) was not fun. They're held in by overlapping bits of suit liner.

I used OxyClean spray and a medium stiffness brush to attack the most obvious dirt, mystery splots, and the mystery smudge on the left cuff (the smudge showed signs of responding almost immediately - yea). The suit went into our front loading washing machine along with the approved amount of Persil liquid detergent (made by Henkel KgAA in Germany - my wife worked for them; we have a bit of skin in this one). Persil is truly a washday miracle. It's amazing what it'll clean up, and it does that without damaging, staining, or fading whatever is being cleaned. At the end of the cycle(warm water, medium spin), I rinsed and spun the suit to be sure all of the soap was gone.

The next phase was using Nikwax products to restore waterproofing. The first step is to clean the item - check that box. The next step is to wash the item with Nikwax Techwash. Check that box. The final step is to do another wash cycle, using a waterproofing agent Nikwax TX.Direct. Check that box. Finally, dry the suit with mild heat - I can't control the heat, but I can control the drum speed and drying time (don't ask me while Miele does it that way). The suit came out just damp enough to know it wasn't dry. Check that box. I let the suit air dry the rest of the way. Sprayed a little water on the now dry suit and... fail. The water soaked right in - no beading, no like water off a duck's back or like the stuff in the Nikwax video. Rolleyes

I had a can of Scotchgard handy. I hung the suit off a tall ladder and carefully sprayed top to bottom, left to right, inside pockets and out. I let the suit dry. I repeated the process. That's two coats of Scotchgard. That's one complete can of Scotchgard. It's supposed to start raining later tonight. Tomorrow I'll find out how well I did...

BTW, the suit is now very clean. I still have a couple of oil spots - meh, who doesn't? The dirty cuff looks like new. Yea. The color scheme is red with cobalt blue (Aerostich's name) shin, elbow, and shoulder panels. Not quite hi-viz yellow but red and blue together is a little eye-jarring. The faded parts are only lighter red, not pink. Whew! That's a relief.

Time to put the pads back in. It's a hateful job. It didn't help that I didn't know that Aerostich has a how-to PDF about the suit. The knee pads went where they should. I confused the shoulder and elbow pads (if you saw them side by side, you'd understand why). I found the PDF and undid my mistake. It's still a hateful job, but it's easier once it's been done a couple of times. And that's how this suit is. There's a learning curve, and it's not shallow and easy.

Aerostich suit owners go on about "it only takes 15 seconds to put it on, and 10 to take it off". I've seen videos that don't seem to be edited or sped up. NTL, at this point, IMNSHO, 15 sec./10 sec. is bullpucky. Or someone has much too much free time on their hands to spend it doing speed dressing drills...

The official routine is open the leg zipper (right leg) and main zipper (ends at the bottom of the left leg). Step my right foot through the open right leg. Wearing Aerostich Combat Light boots... the sole finds something to hang up on, leaving me balancing on one foot. After sitting down and swearing a bit, I got the right boot out of wherever it was hung up.

Next step, stuff my right arm into the right sleeve. Oh, don't forget to unzip the cuff zippers before doing this. Arm into the sleeve, drag the right side of the collar up so my shoulder is under the shoulder armor. Stuff my left arm into the left sleeve and get my left shoulder under the left armor. Aside from flailing around, looking for the arm hole, this is fairly simple.

The main zipper has two sliders. They should be somewhere near the top of the main zipper (the details one misses...). Slide the top slider to the top of the zipper and hold it there with my right hand. Find the bottom slider and jam it up against the top slider, making them one big slider. There's a secret grip - top slider pull tab between thumb and the side of the index finger, the bottom slider's pull tab between the index and second (or "stink") finger and slide my hand upwards to keep the sliders together and at the top of the zipper. And here is where life gets angry.

The top of the zipper on the top of the left side of the main zipper... it ends somewhat lower than I expect (I'm thinking close to my throat - Aerostich disagrees). With the sliders in the secret right hand grip that (really) must not be forgotten or the bottom slider with start sliding down the zipper. OK, with the sliders together "all" that happens is to put the sliders over the long thingie that all zippers have and pull the thingie up to the (upper) end of the upper slider. Much, much easier said than done while wearing the suit. There is, yet again, a secret move. Do not tug the zipper away from my chest or the zipper will never go together - DAHIK. Instead, keep the two zipper halves close to my chest, hold the left zipper still with my left hand and fumble the sliders onto the top of the left zipper while maintaining the secret slider grip (or the bottom zipper, etc., etc.). Do not rely on looking down - my glasses won't help and I can't see anything that close without them. Sooner or later the sliders go on and the bottom slider moves as it should, closing the main zipper.

Slide the main zipper all the way down to my left ankle, getting my street pants out of the way and laying the inside weather/water flap out so it's under the zipper. While I'm bending over, do the same thing for the right zipper. At this point the main zipper is fully closed, and so is the right leg. Putting the suit on is complete. 15 seconds to do all that? Maybe if I practice for a few years.

Climbing out of the suit is faster. Undo the cuff zippers, bend over and unzip the right leg, while I'm down there, start the bottom slider of the main zipper up, going until the top and bottom sliders slide of the left zipper thingie. Get my arm out of the left sleeve. Get my right arm out of the right sleeve. And them try to get that same damn right boot through the top of the right leg. Yes, this part is faster.

So what's not to like? For whatever reason, it's time to climb out of the suit while standing in a dusty parking lot/driveway. Those pads will be coming out sooner than later, cleaning up all the dirt that accumulates over a few months of riding. Or you're standing in a now muddy gravel driveway or wet parking lot and the suit has to come off and/or go on. Neat and tidy this won't be. And, of course that same right boat will have its load of wet, mud, dirt, or whatever (hope you don't find dog, goose, cow or other landmines with that right boot!).

The suit's on. What to expect? There's an outer shell, with some pockets (mostly wide and deep), including the left sleeve pocket for toll tickets, etc. There's also a non-pocket that's a wide strip of shell material sewn top and bottom. It useful for stuffing in glasses when taking off or putting on a helmet, or stuffing gloves into, stuff like that. Interior pockets are an optional extra that go on existing loop material for hook&loop strips. The collar is lined with something that feels pretty good and doesn't dig in. There's one strap to hold the collar shut - more hook and loop stuff with a lot of room for adjustment. There's a loop on the same side as the base of the strap; fold the strap back in itself and slide the strap end under the loop to keep it from flapping - v. cool idea!

The inside... There's a black nylon-ish liner over everything. It does not come out, it's sewn in. And that's all there is. There's no insulated liner or anything else that comes with some gear. It's BYOL - bring your own liner. The suit should be waterproof - as in no rain suit needed. No need for a rain liner. Any insulated stuff you bring has to hang off of you, not the suit - no clever zippers, etc. Which sounds worse than it is. The suit is really meant for riders with some degree of experience and common sense. This is not a suit for someone just learning to ride. OK, onward... there are vents under the armpits and across the back to let breezes blow through the suit. And, of course, you can drop the main zipper. How well that works in a Philadelphia summer remains to be discovered. How about cold weather? I have a heated jacket liner. I can get a flannel shirt under that. Heavy Duluth Trading "Firehose" pants and long john bottoms are about all that will fit without binding (bad for circulation which is bad for staying warm). Aerostich said a 46 (one size up) would allow room for layering. If I didn't have a 46L tab in the suit, I'd say it was a 44. IMHO, the suit's undersized. I should have looked for a 48L. For the record, this isn't beer gut getting in the way, this is "tight everywhere".

I've ridden exactly once with the suit. The temperature was 50-ish. A flannel shirt over a t-shirt was a touch on the thin side, behind a low windscreen. Duluth Trading pants (and tighty whiteys if you must know) worked behind a partial leg fairing. In short, don't expect much more than a windbreak from the suit. I still haven't gotten the collar dialed in; there was a little more cool breeze than I expected. The saddle on my bike tends towards the slick side. Ditto for the bottom of the suit. This isn't quite "pigs on ice" but it's slicker than I hoped for.

So... where does this all go? The suit looks bullet-proof. It has no insulation, just a liner to keep the seams from being a pain. There are shoulder, elbow, and knee pads. There are no hip pads (optional extra!) or back pad (also optional extra - why??). There are exterior pockets. There are a lot of loop material strips for adding various pockets inside and out (optional extra). Aerostich will repair and replace stuff (zippers, seams, etc.) and make alterations (raise kneepads, for example - the suit has no built-in adjustments). It's not inexpensive. Don't take the suit to your local dry cleaner/seamstress. Sealing seams, etc. is its own art - let Aerostich do it right. If it sounds like $1200+ for basically a pair of rugged coveralls, that wouldn't be too far off. But... this stuff does seem to be seriously rugged, it has some very useful features, and properly cared for, it'll keep you in better shape than anything else I've worn so far. Is it worth $1200? I bought a used suit. Not because it was to keep peace in the house, but because I can't talk me into dropping 1.2K for a high-end Carhartt coverall. There is a distinct "well, yeah, I ride where ya gotta have a Roadcrafter or R-3 to survive" factor. Rolleyes

Am I glad I bought it? Yes/no. I don't know how it's going to work during the summer, and I don't know how it's going to work next winter. In between looks promising, on the strength of one ride. The size is off enough to make me doubt the online sizing wizard I consulted. Getting into this thing will probably get easier after a couple of (I hope) months. Getting out isn't too hard. But this suit is gonna get cruddy every time I get in and out of it unless I'm inside on a clean-ish floor. Given the suit's track record, this suit should last me for a very long time. Which is what I want.

 

[daboo]

Thank you for the detailed review. I've heard owners rave about them. For the right person, they are probably fantastic. I suspect though, I'm not the right person. I don't have the "one-piece" body. I'm sure the legs I have are too short for their sizing compared to the rest of my body. A two-piece suit works better...for me.

Aerostitch and Klim make good gear. And I'll agree, they make advancements in their product lines. But seriously...they aren't the only ones. The other manufacturers also make advancements. It's the result of competition.

I have a good friend with a Klim jacket. It's a good product. But I don't see it having anything special that I don't have in my own "mediocre" jacket. It has excellent protection. Great ventilation. It's waterproof. The fit and finish are great, and the features show a lot of thought.

Chris

 

[RBEmerson]

It really comes down to whether or not any Aerostich one piece makes your day. If, for whatever reason, it just lights your lights big time, Aerostich can alter the suit to fit. Keep in mind, too, that they have a two piece suit with the same "easy in / easy out" design. A friend has that and she says getting into and out of it takes only a bit more than a one piece. However long that is.

My present gear works but takes forever to gear up, involves too much fiddling with and without boots. "Ungearing" is no better. If I ride to, for example, my dentist, he very nicely ignores that I'm geared up. But it does look more than a little dufus. I can get out of, and into the suit with far less effort effort; I walk into the office looking as normal as I ever do.

As a test, I rode to the local Lowes, climbed out of the suit, and looked like any other customer. Works for me.

Olympia Moto Sports and a couple of other folks make one piece suits but, AFAIK, custom tailoring isn't an option with any of them. OTOH, if your gear works, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it".

 

[globalrider]

I went in to my local dealership today and placed a down-payment on a Klim Latitude jacket and pants combo.

Good choice. A well made upper-end product. Mind you, I have only had it a year.

I bought my Klim Latitude jacket and pants last May and wore them for the first time a month later when I was in Europe where we had some serious bouts of heavy rain. I remained dry after I figured out that there is a drawstring on the back of the collar and after remembering to fully close the waterproof zippers. I brought a Rev'It rainsuit that I never needed.

No regrets and that is after 24 years of Aerostich use.

 

[RBEmerson]

How about getting in and out of this gear? One big reason for going to a Roadcrafter is those two big zippers. (yes, I get they're a problem for the Roadcrafter, not so much for the R-3)

A wise man once told me "you never buy a beer, you just rent it". When it comes time to return rented coffee, big, simple zippers sure look good. How does Klim do on this?

- - - -

OK, the above might sound snarky, but it's comparison research.

 

[globalrider]

How about getting in and out of this gear? One big reason for going to a Roadcrafter is those two big zippers.

RB, what is the issue getting in and out of the gear? I put it on, go riding for the day, then take it off.

Yes, those big zippers that let water in which is why I always needed a rain suit with my Aerostich. I am not talking a one hour ride; I am on a tour for up to 8 weeks at a time.

I still use my Aerostich for short local rides when I know it won't rain, but for my tours, my Klim comes with me now.

 

[RBEmerson]

Please see the end of my last post. I said I'm doing "comparison research". That is, how does gear X compare with gear Y or Z?

Olympia, for example, has small, "make it difficult" zippers.

I wasn't kidding about having to ...um... take a break, even if it's only watering the grass or a tree. My Tourmaster pants, for example, were hardly like dropping my fly to do the watering.

Back to the Roadcrafter, a friend and some buddies do a "breakfast at the diner" on occasion. There's a lot to be said for walking through a diner not looking like Ewan and Charlie. It's a 50 mile ride for me, not just a ride around the corner. AGATT.

How does Klim, for example, work in that situation?

I'm not knocking any product, just getting information about gear. M'K?

 

[globalrider]

How does Klim, for example, work in that situation?

Not an issue, I take my jacket off, throw it on the chair beside me and have lunch or dinner. As for going to the washroom, my Klim pants are like a regular pair of pants, just waterproof. The pants are worn over my PUG gear, a thin layer of CoolMax FX.

In hot weather (like Corsica), the jeans I wore under my Aerostich would be white from sweat after three days. Too hot.

I am still keeping my Aerostich for sentimental reasons; they (both suits, 12 years each) have been all over Europe and the Alps with me.

Hey, what works for you. All I know is I was tired of needing to cart a rain suit along and putting it on and off all the time. It was so nice to just ride and not have to stop last year for that reason.

 

[slime]

Well, I'll throw in my 2 cents... I now have a Klim Badlands Pro jacket and the adventure ( I believe ) pants. I also have a Klim Mesh jacket and mesh pants too. I love my Klim stuff, but I haven't done any commuting in it. In a way, it's overkill but I like being on the safe side. I have also seen a Klim Adventure jacket that was involved in a crash. The injuries the guy got were from a shattered wrist ( car turned in front of him) but the EMTs had to use two pairs of there " cut anything" scissors to cut the suit off him! The stuff is tough, and waterproof too! ( The jacket is hanging at my local shop Dual Sport Touring ) I had a roadcrafter that I bought used about 15 years ago. I liked the suit and only sold the jacket to replace it with the Klim gear. I kept the road crafter pants with the bib because they are easy to deal with especially if I commute on the bike...now that I can. I also have a full Olympia suit, HI vis jacket with black waterproof pants that I actually crashed in but the gear I was wearing made no difference. Nothing would have as I overshot a corner ( riding hungry and fatigued and yes I learned) and basically went sideways into an embankment. My shoulder was pushed down into my rib cage bracing several multiple times and bruising my lung. My helmet or my body never touched the ground as I came to rest in a ditch right side up still sitting on the bike. ( NEVER go to Sweetwater Hospital if you are ever in an accident in that area..trust me) Back to the gear, I loved the stitch, but I'd had it for many years and the red was near pink as they do and it needed new armor and other services that you can get them to do but I thought it was time to upgrade since I was going more off road and I still have other street gear to wear. I never liked the "Feel" or fit of my Olympia jacket but it worked okay. The pants have leg zippers but it's a major ordeal to try and take them off with them. They have a big velcro flap to keep out the water( which they do, but they are a challenge when you need to pee) I never had that much issue getting in and out of my full Roadcrafter. If I was traveling,I worn some type of wicking shorts and T shirt under the stitch because if it rained, it leaked ( I only ever saw one other person riding a Hayabusa wearing a stitch ) When it was stupid hot and humid I had a Joe Rocket mesh jacket and a pair of draggin jeans with armor because the stitch was just too hot. I don't like the idea of taking off my gear to put in a rain liner...WTF? My Klim pants are too long, even with my boots but I am "vertically Challenged" ( that's why I don't have a KTM or a GSA ) so most stuff is on me..oh well..
YMMV

 

[nelliott]

Both of us bought the BMW Streetguard jackets last year when we found them on sale at 55% off.
Thought they were great jackets until it was discovered they would leak even in a lite rain.
BMW replaced them and we have not tried the new ones in the rain.

Have had my street guard gear since 2008, never leaked, never let me down. And I live where it can rain. As a matter of fact it rained twice last year, once for 7 months and once for 3 months.

 

[Travman]

I have a Klim Latitude that is my winter jacket. It's comfortable, well vented, and ok to wear up to about 80 degrees. Paired with some Darien light pants and they are both waterproof. Have always hated the Klim collar though.

Bought a Roadcrafter R3 light several months ago and it is now my go to suit for under 80 degree riding. First test in the rain was this past weekend. Spent a few days riding in and out of rain including 2 hours in a heavy downpour. Result, completely dry.

I'm in Atlanta so high temps and high humidity are the norm in the summer. For over 80 degree riding, I go to a mesh jacket with the Darien light pants.