One piece suit or jacket and pants?

Hi Guys. I am wondering how many of you guys use one piece riding suits on a regular basis and if you were to have one set of protective gear you you go one-piece or a jacket and pant combo.

The reason I ask is that I bought a bike right before the snow flew, got my learners, rode it to town once, then put it away for the winter. So now I have a bike and a helmet but no other real protective gear. This is something I will need to rectify before I start riding in spring.

I have found a couple deals that I find tempting, but buying one precludes buying the other. One is a used (worn three times) Olympia Odyssey 1 piece suit size large for $350 OBO, and the other is a Joe Rocket Goose jacket size medium 46% off at $277.

I am tempted by the Olympia Odyssey since it seems like a great value, I won't have to buy pants, and with a one piece I won't be tempted to go for short rides with jacket only. I also like the high vis yellow for on-road safety. My concern is all-day comfort. Most of my rides will likely be point A to point B kind of rides up to work or down south for weekends. I will probably want to carry another jacket for spending time away from the bike.

The Joe Rocket Goose on the other hand looks like quite a nice jacket that I could wear comfortably on or off the bike, but would need to buy some over-pants to go with it. From what I have seen pants in the $200 and down range seem pretty poor from a protection standpoint and I would be looking at $300+ to get the same kind of lower body protection as the Olympia suit. I am not seeing many discounted pants that I like, and nothing I particularly want to pay full price for.

I am a pretty normal sized guy. 5'11" 185 lbs, 41" chest, 34" inseam.

If I had to choose between a riding jacket and pants and a 1 piece I'd get the 2 piece. Later when your closet has more stuff in it add the 1 piece if your riding habits make use of a suit.

I really like the Olympia gear. They put a lot of thought into their gear. That being said, when do you plan to use it? My concerns with a one piece is temperature. I would think that it would be hotter than the two piece if you are planning on using the same gear in the summer.

I currently use the Joe Rocket Alter Ego 13 jacket and pant. I'm pretty happy with the quality but nothing is perfect. It has built in layers that I can remove. The inner jacket is mesh which holds the amour. Use this in the summer and add layers as it gets colder/wetter. The pants have an inner waterproof liner and knee protection. I would like it if the pants had more venting but I own them now. The Goose set seems to be a higher end version of what I have. I wear all the gear all the time and it can still get toasty in the summer.

Maybe you can find good deals for Christmas

I have a full riding suit and various jackets and pants. The two piece is a lot more flexible than the one piece... I almost never wear the one piece suit.

I have a 1-piece suit, and then I have a perforated leather jacket and both perforated leather and textile pants. I wear the 1-piece suit very nearly every time I get on the bike. It's just SOOO convenient, and easy to commute in. Most of my miles are commuting.

I would like the jacket-pants combo better if they would zip together, however they're all 3 pieces different brands, and each has its own zipper size, length, and pattern. Still wouldn't be as quick & convenient as the 1-piece, though...

What ever you wear ,just make sure you can get your wanger out in time on cold mornings after too many coffees

I spent many years with only a one piece Aerostich Roadcrafter and it worked very well for everything from commuting to touring. I took a fall in it in New York on my ST1100 and I was glad I didn't just pick up a riding jacket and go with the lowers unprotected. With two piece, that is always a temptation for me on short rides. But, we don't know when we are going to take a spill. I have owned the Odyssey, and found it not nearly as quick and easy to get in and out of as the Aerostich. I further did not consider it to be as protective, nor was it suitable for as wide a temperature range. I later sold the Olympia.

However, I still consider the one piece (if it is all you own) to be very beneficial to those who are tempted to just grab a jacket - even a good one - and go for a quick ride.

Beemerphile-- Jacket only? ... definitely guilty of that! Especially on morning commutes to work.

On the long rides, I wear the tourmaster pants with the CE Armor (Biking shorts underneath). Leave those on all the time....
then I can change from the very warm jacket to the mesh as needed...
Getting the padded liner out of the suit is a major operation.

Strat, what is left when you take the padded liner out? What kind of suit is it?

The beauty of the Roadcrafter to me is it's versatility to cross temperature changes and go in and out of rain without stopping, just adjust vents as necessary and keep going. Because it isn't padded and insulated per se the insulation layers are what is on the body and they are easy to put on and take off. For traveling type of rides I don't wear anything else.

But like the previous thread a few weeks ago it is hard to beat a 2 piece outfit with a mesh jacket, wind liner, and solid textile pants for day rides. I probably wouldn't have a RC for day rides only, it's too hot in the humid subtropical climate I live in for year round use.

haha, you guys aren't helping. I am trying to convince myself that the one piece suit is the way to go. partially because it is cheaper (hard to spend money on something you won't use for months) and partially because I feel I probably will end up riding jacket only to pick up groceries after work. (it's only 20 km to the store and I have nomex (aramid) pants on...)

I think it's obvious that the two piece suit is more flexible and easier to use during non-riding parts of a ride (stopping at a restaurant), but how about comfort on long rides? The bi-weekly trip south for days off is about 6 hours each way, I would imagine a one-piece would have some sort of advantage there, but I could be wrong.


I need to be in Saskatoon (where the suit is) next Saturday, I might just have to try it on and move around a bit before making a decision.


Your comments are appreciated, please keep them coming. I like to learn from others mistakes as much as I can before going out to make my own

Like you said, two piece or one piece is a personal thing. I stop at way too many restaurants, so I wear a two piece.

dduelin said:

Strat, what is left when you take the padded liner out? What kind of suit is it?

Click to expand...

It's a Tourmaster Centurion [HERE]. The padded liner is quilted to help keep you warm. When you take it out, the armor is still there and so are the thinner fabrics that make it comfortable to wear. It's also water proof.

It's the best piece of technical clothing (as they say) that I've ever owned. It's super vented with good air flow for heat, and it has the liner I menitoned for cold. Mostly, it's there to keep the skin on my body should I ever go skidding along the pavement.
Here's a photo.

Still, if you can duplicate armor, waterproof, airflow, warmth with two pieces... it's easier to manage.

I have jackets and pants now, but when I can afford it, I will get a one piece Roadcrafter. After watching videos of how easy it is to put on and take off sold me. Not to mention the reviews the owners give it.
If I'm running a little late for work, I won't lose much time, but I have to take off my boots for my over pants.

turbodieseli4i6 said:

...After watching videos of how easy it is to put on and take off sold me.

Click to expand...

Seven seconds on and seven seconds off. I have timed it. The boots don't have to come off and you don't have to find a place to sit or hop around like an injured kangaroo. I find it better than two piece for restaurants because it is so easy to take the whole magilla off and hang it over the windscreen of the motorcycle.

My 1st Roadcrafter lasted me 19 years. This picture of my second one is in the current Aerostich catalog...

]

Agreed; one-piece is faster and easier for restaurants and other stops.

Aerostitch Roadcrafter is my favorite. Bought one for my wife as well. Full AGATT protection. I crashed my ST1300 in September (my fault) and came off the bike about 40mph. Not a scratch on me. However my shirt underneath was totally ripped apart by the impact. I can get in an out of it in a few seconds. As soon as I get where I'm going I take it off and walk into whereever I'm going in normal clothes.

The trick was to buy both of the suits on EBAY. I was patient and got my suit for $500 and my wife's for $400. It's very, very comfortable and we pop them off as soon as we get to where we're going. However you certainly don't want to walk around in them as you'll look like a Power Ranger.

Mine is bright yellow. My adult kids say I look like a big banana. However I do notice that people see me when I'm on the road.

I bought my used, made in 2007, Aerostich Roadcrafter on Ebay in 2010. I had a used two piece Roadcrafter I found on Ebay for $150 from 2013 until I sold it this past September. I am completely sold on the one piece. The two piece takes longer to put on and to take off and even though the two pieces can zip together to make one suit it is nowhere near as easy to get on and off as the regular one piece. I crashed a bike some years ago wearing a two piece Joe Rocket suit. That day I almost left the bottom half home as the weather was very warm for a Vermont October. Before I left the house I was thinking if I only wore the jacket portion of the suit it could be quite cold by the time I headed home for the day so I took the extra five minutes and put the pants on. I'm very happy I did. My left knee was sore for about a year afterwards but it wasn't broken. The Aerostich one piece excels for riding in almost any kind of weather and is not only great for riding a motorcycle but for the sliding part that comes after crashing.

Wow.... great and informative posts. 'wish I'd had the benefit of this before I bought.
Thank you, Gentlemen.

Another vote for 2 piece

I have a 2 piece Vanson road racing suit -
based on the 1 piece road racing suit, but with the thick zipper between the pieces ...

Used to use a 1 piece track suit ...

2 piece is much easier to manage -
no hopping around getting in and out of the arms
no arms hanging off at rest stops
but still really secure between the 2 pieces

I really like the full leather
It accommodates the full armor well
I also like the newer Vanson armor

Vanson also has refurbished suits returned from
track riding schools ... at really good prices.

Also, ATGATT ... the suit, the gloves, the boots, full facer ... even when I just go to the store

When I ride in NH in the summer I see folks riding with no helmet, t shirt, shorts, and sandals ...
It makes me cringe with the thought of former road rash pain

Ok... this is a hard post to write. I own a nearly new Aerostich Roadcrafter light (the older version) it's new because I keep grabbing my old Olympia 2 piece (and yes often JUST the jacket) when I ride.

I researched and determined the Aerostitch 1 piece was the best possible setup. I got the heated bib that velcroes inside the front.. no vest or liner to take off when you take the stitch off cuz it stays put. I got the velcro in boot covers for rain.. just unzip the leg, pull the cover out of it's self stowing pocket (it stays attached to the pant leg inside) and stretch it over your boot.. Your boots are waterproof... even if they are vented!
I got the pads for knee and shoulders..... the clear pockets for the arm and leg. great for putting things in like maps or whatever....

I'm all setup! Riding in the heat.. with the arms open fully at the ends it scoops air right up the arms like a wind tunnel cooling you... the underarm vents are great, as is the huge back vent with the big rain flap over it.. you can ride in downpours with that back vent open and not get wet.

So... Why am in in negotiations to sell that Stitch with probably 1000 miles on it? Because I haven't put it on in nearly a year.. it sits there on the hanger while I continue to grab my old Olympia gear that is 2 piece.

The things I didn't like about the Aerostitch?
1. Going to the bathroom (#2 I'm talking here) I didn't like having to take the whole suit off and hang it up to do my business.....

2. Going in a store or restaurant.. I didn't like having to take it off and stow it or look like an astronaut walking around or sitting eating lunch. Stowing a jacket and walking around in the riding pants is much more acceptable to me.

So... I am probably going to end up selling my beloved Stitch and buying a Klim Latitude Missano setup.

I know there is a possibility that my issue is just that the Stitch is not broken in yet and still too stiff for my liking. But the only way to determine that is to wear it until I break it in... and I haven't been able to use it enough in the nearly 2 years I've owned it to break it in. I'd rather let someone who will appreciate it have it in the condition it is in.

So... I would say this to your question... You need to determine if your a 1 piece rider or a 2 piece.... I don't know how to do that without trying both.

I have come to the conclusion that I am most likely a 2 piece rider. But I know MANY who LOVE the 1 piece and would not be happy in anything else... So, try to determine which you are.... and buy accordingly. If you buy used... you can always re-sell and buy the other option without losing much $$$

I bought new, so that is why I have stubbornly held on to my Stitch even though I have barely used it.

I don't know if that helped you any... or just confused you further.. but that is my personal hard lesson in riding gear.