Suits Rain Suits That Fit Over Riding Gear

[Uncle Phil]

Pat - I already contacted them when I asked for new zipper pulls for my Kilo Air jacket. I got the pulls gratis but as far as the rain jacket goes the silence was deafening ... ;-)

 

[sirepair]

Maybe a couple cans of THIS?

 

[WestAussie Glen]

I have just purchased a pair of these so still to test them.

http://naxsax.com.au/main/page_home.html

They have been developed in Australia put made in China.

Watch the video for putting them on over all your gear.
College Grove is 2 hrs south of Perth (where I live) Western Australia so picking them up was a good excuse for a morning ride.

 

[Uncle Phil]

Pat - I tried some pretty good stuff similiar to that, but it didn't last very long.

Glen - Looks like an interesting product. I couldn't find what material they were made from.

 

[Killtimer]

My raingear gets a lot of use so that may be the issue. I've tried the windproof/waterproof liners and all they do is allow the mesh to soak up a bunch of water on the outside while you get wet on the inside. I often end up (like on the Canadian trip) riding in a downpour for several hours, so sitting in a nice pair of soaked underwear is less than pleasant. ;-) I guess I'm expecting too much, but at the price of MC raingear, 3-5 years of use seems to be pretty shabby. I guess I'll look for a Gore-tex lined outfit - that seems to have lasted with the boots that I use and on the Stich that I have - neither of which has ever leaked. Anybody know of one of those? I don't mind paying a price for something that is going to last a good while.

Phil

I just finished a ride with three guys who were using the BMW 1 piece rain suit. We hit some extremely ugly weather and their suits held up the best of all of us. One was using it over a Roadcrafter, the others over mesh. Packs small, easy on and off. I'm going to take a serious look at the suit the next time I'm in the city.

 

[Jammaman]

Purchased the newest version Frogg Toggs, high vis, this spring, and thus far they've worked out as advertised. They seem more durable than a previous version I owned, more breatheable, zippers on jacket and pants improved...and lastly the high vis.

They pack nicely in the supplied sack and the pricing was attractive....if I remember correctly around $80.00 via the net w/free shipping and no sales tax.

Doug / AG5I

 

[Uncle Phil]

Steve - Do you think I could sew a Honda patch over the BMW logo? ;-)

 

[Killtimer]

Steve - Do you think I could sew a Honda patch over the BMW logo? ;-)

I find it better to keep everyone confused. I once rode a Honda to a FJR rally wearing a BMW suit. It's all good.

 

[nhdiesel]

I have the Firstgear Rainman suit and love it. Its about 4 years old, but has only really seen use 2 of those years. It has kept me bone dry in many severe rain storms, including a couple of all day rides in the rain (coming back from Moonshine I hit almost 2 full days of rain, some VERY heavy). I used it a lot this summer to commute, so its probably seen at least 15 days of use this summer. For the price I sure can't complain. If I only get another year out of it, for what they cost I'll consider it money well spent.

As for the fit- I'm not a little guy...6'4" and 300 lbs. When I started out for Moonshine my layers consisted of: t-shirt; heated jacket liner (full, not vest); zip-in liner; Joe Rocket jacket; and my rain jacket on top. The suit fit over it all just fine. The bottoms have been over long running pants; sweat pants; joe rocket pants; and rain pants over all that. Never a drop has gotten through.

Jim

 

[Uncle Phil]

Never a drop has gotten through. Jim

That was my experience up to about 2 years ago. When my Rainman went south, it went south in a hurry. But again, mine has seen a lot of rain. It just seems that if the material was truly waterproof it would stay that way. The only thing I can figure out is they must use a coating that breaks down over time. At this point there does not appear to be anyone that makes just a GoreTex rainsuit - plenty of riding suits with Goretex built in. I guess it would be so expensive they figure nobody would buy one.

 

[nhdiesel]

Is it the material itself, or the seams? Seams are harder to keep waterproof. But even the material itself, with what we put them through- all our weight sitting on it, rubbing around on a seat- its only natural that eventually it will wear.

Jim

 

[steve3b3]

I've had Frogg Toggs and they wore well, until the zippers started coming apart at about the 3-4 year mark. I still have the jacket, and it's going with me to CTSToc for after-riding activities.
My latest is a Tourmaster Defender 2 piece rain suit. So far, I'm dry, and this is year 3 for it. I ride to/from work on the ST daily, and if it's raining when I go home, the rain suit is on. I don't ride into work if it's raining in the morning.

Steve
p.s. I'd buy another pair of either of the suits.

 

[WestAussie Glen]

Pat - I tried some pretty good stuff similiar to that, but it didn't last very long.

Glen - Looks like an interesting product. I couldn't find what material they were made from.

Phil, They are Nylon.

 

[Uncle Phil]

Is it the material itself, or the seams? Seams are harder to keep waterproof. But even the material itself, with what we put them through- all our weight sitting on it, rubbing around on a seat- its only natural that eventually it will wear.

Jim

Jim - Straight through the jacket material like it was porous. I've re-waterproofed it but it still leaks badly.

 

[Uncle Phil]

My latest is a Tourmaster Defender 2 piece rain suit. So far, I'm dry, and this is year 3 for it. I ride to/from work on the ST daily, and if it's raining when I go home, the rain suit is on. I don't ride into work if it's raining in the morning.

Steve - Thanks for the tip on the Tourmaster. I've been considering them as one of the options. Are they 'oversized' to fit over riding gear?

 

[Uncle Phil]

Phil, They are Nylon.

Glen - Let us know how they hold up over time. Generally, nylon ones are coated with something to make them waterproof. Unless these happen to have a Goretex liner or something.

 

[seawalker]

Frogg Toggs... Don't pack worth a , but are breathable and very light... 3 years and still going strong...

If you get a 2 gal size zip lock bag and place your Toggs in it and push out all the air, then zip ot shut, packing is very easy, when everything is smushed flat. I began packing everything like this years ago in my wing days. It gives you room to bring much more stuff

 

[George]

Nothing I've ever used works 100%, EXCEPT an old Navy Foul Weather Gear set, bib pants 'n pull over top. No way to pack it tho, it's way too bulky. Only used it once in a midwest frog strangler. Put it on before I left and didn't take it off 'til I arrived. Nearly impossible to TAKE a leak with it on as well.

Wouldn't wanna wear it when the rain stopped, you'd sweat like a sauna!

 

[Uncle Phil]

Wouldn't wanna wear it when the rain stopped, you'd sweat like a sauna!

George - As I always say 'Like baking in a bag!' ;-)

 

[motomac]

Gosh, George, that brings back memories of the old biological warfare suit I used to have. It was a one piece and no way did I ever get wet from the rain, but gooooollllllyyyy did I perspire!!!!