Suits Touring clothing. Waterproof or rain suit?

I can never buy something off the rack as I need an XL Tall. So I am always looking for sales online when there is still stock in talls. At the end of the summer I bought a Tourmaster Transition 4 jacket (for the vis) and their overpants. Haven't tested it in summer heat, but I have given it a great test in the cold and the wet (see my videos lol). I was very pleased. A little wet around the neck (expected) and a couple of wet spots where I don't think I had the vents properly sealed. My go to summer garb, mesh First Gear, has always required me to carry separate raingear and I've done one piece and 2 piece, various manufacturers over the years and it all leaks eventually...
 
Since I switched to the KLIM gear I haven't needed anything else it is a bit pricey but you do get what you pay for. Its is 100% waterproof. I can wear it in temps up to the 90's but it is hot when you stop as long as you are moving the vents work well. If its cold I can throw on my heated gear and stay toasty well below freezing and into the single digits. Glove seem to be the biggest problem but to solve that I put on xxxl latex or rubber gloves over my riding gloves and then everything stays dry. My boots are Sidi onroads and are waterproof and have never let in any water. And for an extra measure of protection I put mink oil on the boots at least once or twice a year.
 
I have been wearing an Aerostich Roadcrafter Lite Hi-Viz suit for 10 years. Wore the first one out after 9 years. I wear it in all temperatures. In heavy rain, I add the Aerostich Lobster Claw rain over mitts.

Just added a Helite Turtle Airbag vest to wear over the Roadcrafter for added crash protection.
 
The thing about waterproof gear is, it seems to work for one person and not for another. If one person says their (pick one) First Gear, Tourmaster, Cortech, Olympia, Aerostitch, Frog Toggs whatever gear has never leaked a drop, a half dozen guys will chime in they tried the same outfit and they got wet...yes even with the Aerostitch Roadcrafter.

Year before last, I rode a bunch of canyons and mountain passes with a buddy in Colorado and we rode in quite a bit of rain. I used rain gear over my Tourmaster stuff, he had all Gortex stuff. When we pulled into this garage at the end of the day I had to hang up my wet rainsuit, and and he had to hang up his wet goretex gear. We were both fairly dry underneath but all outter gear was wet. The advantage he had was not stopping to put on an outter layer, but as long as I did, I stayed just as dry as he did. The disadvantage he had, was at the end of the day his outter gear was wetter and heavier and took longer to dry out than my rain suit.

After 53 years I'm still not sure which is the better way to go, over gear or gear that is "advertised" as rain proof.

If you don't think your gear leaks, wear a light grey T shirt and light grey sweat pants and sox under it while riding in a rainstorm. You will easily be able to see where the moisture gets in. If at the end of your ride your T and sweats are still light grey everywhere, you have some good gear. If you see dark grey spots, guess what? Your gear isn't waterproof.
 
Generally if my gear keeps me dry long enough to find the next bar I'm happy. As others have said, I like the fact that my Aerostich is already on so I don't have to pull over and put on additional clothing.
 
I'll throw out my opinions. First YMMV! I think there is no 4 season gear if you live below the 50th parallel and take multi day to weeks long trips.

Only (non mesh) textile gear works for me below 40 degrees on rides over 60 miles. I like to be warm when riding way more than being cool (I'm cold with mesh at 65 and start up the Gerbing).

That said I buy closeout mesh gear, Joe Rocket, First gear, Scorpion...) and it and my Gerbing heated jacket liner are my 10 months a year gear (95% of my riding). I also always carry decent rain gear (Fly rain suit is on the bike currently On sale $55 ) which gives you a bit of wind seal and bit of warmth when the mesh and heated gear won't cut it (below 50).
 
If you ride fast enough.....you don't get wet.......!!! But when I do ride slower, I use layers and carry a one peice rain suit big enough to wear over all my gear. My regular gear is a two peice jacket and pants with liners. Three different gloves. Jacket also has panels that unzip and roll up to expose mesh for summer. If it looks like hard rain or extreme cold the rain suit cuts the wind and have ridden for four hours and stayed dry. Only heated item is my seat.
ToddC
 
Good goretex proshell textile suits are the best way to go IMHO. I have a Rukka Armas (7 years old) which I used in both ends of the season up here. I also have the Klim Latitude jacket and pants( 3 years old) that I use most of time as it truly 3 season gear . Well ventilated for the summer and combined with a heated jacket liner for cold temps. I log 40000km a year and send many days riding in the rain . Neither have ever let in a drop. If had to choose one it would be the Klim latitude for its versatility. It is important to use the nikwax products ,helps extended the life of the suits.
 
the Ferret said:
...The disadvantage he had, was at the end of the day his outter gear was wetter and heavier and took longer to dry out than my rain suit...
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What I do to prevent this, is to spray my gear with waterproofing spray. Fred Meyer sells some in their camping section for about $7-8 a can. If you go in on the first Tuesday of the month and are old enough, you get 10% off.

It won't make non-waterproof gear, waterproof. But it'll keep it from soaking up water and taking longer to dry.

Chris
 
Jim C-G said:
...A little wet around the neck (expected) and a couple of wet spots where I don't think I had the vents properly sealed...
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That was one of the differences I noticed between the Tourmaster jacket and the Olympia Ranger jacket I bought. The collar on the Olympia gear is higher and has never leaked on me.

Chris
 
Daboo said:
That was one of the differences I noticed between the Tourmaster jacket and the Olympia Ranger jacket I bought. The collar on the Olympia gear is higher and has never leaked on me.

Chris
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Agree, the collars on Olympia gear work well in a downpour.
 
STVFRST said:
It is important to use the nikwax products ,helps extended the life of the suits.
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I acquired a used Rukka suit this past fall and don't really know much about it as the person I bought it from no longer had any of the documentation. It is also my first waterproof textile suit (always rain suits previously) so I have no experience at all with this product type. Everyone has told me to wash it according to the instructions on the Rukka website and that's it. I was "warned" to not apply any chemical of any kind to it. Are you saying that this Rukka suit would benefit from having this Nikwax applied to it?
 
If you do some checking on Gore-tex products, like from REI, you'll see where they say that after a certain time period that a reapplication of a waterpoofing product is needed. Most people think of Nikwax. But it isn't the only one out there.

This is what I've been using recently. Everything I've been using for the past 10 years has been generically the same...silicone-based.
0013813_water-guard-105-oz_560.jpeg


Wash it, rinse it several times, and then when dry, spray it. Or do the Nikwax thing. It's all basically the same thing.

I can understand wanting to not ruin a $600-1000 jacket. But consider this. If my el-cheapo Olympia waterproof jacket that cost me @$180 isn't ruined by this and is waterproof...shouldn't my $1000 Rukka jacket also hold up as well?

Chris
 
I won't risk nixwax on a gortex item until that item leaks at least once.... before that happens, kind of a waste of effort and expense. I've never had anything w/gortex leak at all.
 
Daboo said:
What I do to prevent this, is to spray my gear with waterproofing spray. Fred Meyer sells some in their camping section for about $7-8 a can. If you go in on the first Tuesday of the month and are old enough, you get 10% off.

It won't make non-waterproof gear, waterproof. But it'll keep it from soaking up water and taking longer to dry.

Chris
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I would be very wary of applying any of the "waterproofing" products to the newer Goretex Pro outer shells. The Goretex technology is incorporated right into the outer fabric. I would be afraid of the products adversely affecting the functioning of the Goretex.

If anyone has issues with waterproof and Gore-Tex products they should contact Gore-Tex regarding their guarantee:

https://www.gore-tex.com/support/guarantee-and-returns
 
There's a series of articles on rainwear care at REI.

Rainwear Basics
https://www.rei.com/learn/series/rainwear-basics

  • Articles: 4

A good rain jacket is an essential piece of gear for outdoor adventures. In this series, we cover how to pick the right rain jacket, how that rain jacket works to keep you dry and what you need to do to properly care for it.

Content_Team_072817_46604_how_to_choose_rainwear_xs.jpg


Chris
 
Daboo said:
There's a series of articles on rainwear care at REI.

Rainwear Basics
https://www.rei.com/learn/series/rainwear-basics

  • Articles: 4

A good rain jacket is an essential piece of gear for outdoor adventures. In this series, we cover how to pick the right rain jacket, how that rain jacket works to keep you dry and what you need to do to properly care for it.

Content_Team_072817_46604_how_to_choose_rainwear_xs.jpg


Chris
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REI is an excellent source of information.
Thanks for posting the above article.
 
+1 here for Aerostich Roadcrafter 1pc suit! Got my first suit in 93 and still fits me perfectly! have since bought 3 other Roadcrafter suits in different colors and haven't been wet much riding in the rain.
 
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