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Zipper jacket to pants

nemesis98

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Hi all

I am looking to get a new pair of overpants, and would like to take advantage of the zipper attachment on my jacket....but

I have no idea how that works.

Keep jacket zippered to pants all the time (like a wanna be one piece suit)?
Zip up each time you gear up? (How? Reach around blind?)

I'm tossed between a one piece suit or just pants to zip to my jacket. My current pants feel like they will pull down to my ankles if I go down, so I want something that feels like it will stay put in case that ever happens. Which is why I'm leaning towards a one piece suit, or zippered to my jacket
Thoughts?
 
It is not hard to zip the two together. The zipper usually starts at the right side and zips around to the left, so you are not starting the zipper at the back. And even if the pants fit properly, the problem is generally that the jacket rides up leaving the torso unprotected.

If you slide head-first and the get-off drags your pants to your knees at least you will give the bystanders something to evaluate.
 
What brand jacket do you have? My son Max has been wearing my old Joe Rocket textile coat with matching over pants that zip to the coat. He just got a new pair of Tourmaster over pants that fit him a lot better than the JR pants do. The new pants have a rear zipper but the zipper runs in the opposite direction than the one on the coat. The new pants shipped with both sides of the zipper attached. We're off to the seamstress on Monday to get the new zipper half attached to the JR coat.
 
What brand jacket do you have? My son Max has been wearing my old Joe Rocket textile coat with matching over pants that zip to the coat. He just got a new pair of Tourmaster over pants that fit him a lot better than the JR pants do. The new pants have a rear zipper but the zipper runs in the opposite direction than the one on the coat. The new pants shipped with both sides of the zipper attached. We're off to the seamstress on Monday to get the new zipper half attached to the JR coat.

I have an Alpinestars Cape Town jacket (love it!)
Current pants are Fieldsheer, but the zippers don't match up. I could go and get the matching zipper from my jacket sewn onto the pant, but I am looking for a summer overpant (mesh) because my Fieldsheers get a bit warm. Thinking of maybe Alpinestar Oxygen pants maybe - or for the full suit, Olympia Avenger mesh suit
 
Most non-'race' jackets only use a partial zipper. 6 - 10 inches across the back is sort of the norm, IME. Leathers are a lot more likely to have (nearly-) full-circumference zippers, and they often have both the short and full zippers.

As was said, it seems like every brand uses a different zipper, so you have to either get something with both sides of the zipper (usually the pants come with both sides), and then find a seamstress to sew the new half in. To be done well (invisibly), the garment normally would have to be almost completely disassembled, the zipper sewn in, and then re-stitched together. This would be a huge expense, if you could even find someone to do it (and re-stitch properly), so you'll probably end up with a seam somewhere that it wasn't before. A relatively minor thing, but some won't like it.

I found it odd and awkward initially to zip my Spidi jacket and pants together, but after doing it a time or two, it doesn't take much time.
 
I wear the Rev'IT Ignition 2 and Gear Pants. Leather where it counts, mesh everywhere else.
I had to add the hip armor and the back armor. The knee pads are adjustable.

They zip together with a 270 degree zip that starts near the left pocket and zips around to the right pocket.

When I don't want to wear the leather pants, I wear a pair of Rev'IT Rockefeller riding jeans with the Rev'IT Safeway belt which provides an 8" zip in to the jacket.

Expensive, but comfortable and the armor stays where it's needed. (As well as looking badass.)
 
I have the Olympia Airglide 4 jacket and Airglide 3 pants, which zip together in the back. But the zipper is short - I don't think it's more than 5 inches. It's impossible to zip and unzip while wearing them. Lately I've been leaving them unzipped because it's so much easier to get all of it on separately. But that's probably not the best idea. The problem is when they're zipped together the weight of it all is rather unwieldy when trying to get it all on or off, especially on. And if I want to take the jacket off at my destination it's a real pain when it's all zipped together. Then again if I had a one piece suit I wouldn't have the option of taking the top off at all. So I don't know which is better.
 
I have the Olympia Airglide 4 jacket and Airglide 3 pants, which zip together in the back. But the zipper is short - I don't think it's more than 5 inches. It's impossible to zip and unzip while wearing them. Lately I've been leaving them unzipped because it's so much easier to get all of it on separately. But that's probably not the best idea. The problem is when they're zipped together the weight of it all is rather unwieldy when trying to get it all on or off, especially on. And if I want to take the jacket off at my destination it's a real pain when it's all zipped together. Then again if I had a one piece suit I wouldn't have the option of taking the top off at all. So I don't know which is better.

I have the same set. I leave it zipped together. I also use the belt loops on an REI web belt. It is a pain. Going to the can to sit is the worst.
 
I'm going to be honest and say I found it to be a pain. Maybe I'm just lazy and take for granted that my suit pants are more like bib overalls with suspenders. Or maybe I'm just not flexible enough. I'm not suggesting it is hard to zip or that it is not needed. What I am saying is, it is a pain for me. I have a feeling that over 50% of the people that have zippers on their suit do not use it because they feel the same way I do. I do agree it gives you better protection in the event of a fall.
 
Thanks for all the input
I'm still torn between new pants or the one piece suit
Or perhaps neither, stick with what I have
 
I use FirstGear Kilimanjaro stuff. Second time around with zipper-jacket-to-the-pants routine. I lean toward the clumsy, uncoordinated side of the universe. For the first 12-17 times putting the zipper together it was slow, awkward, minor-cuss-word inducing. After that, the next 7 to 9 times, it got easier. Now, many times later, it's a no-brainer. Left hand reaches behind and meets the right. The zippers are usually large-tooth, which makes connecting things much easier. Now, maybe one in ten times things go sideways for a moment before I find my way again.
Summary: a new skill, easily mastered.
 
Thanks for all the input
I'm still torn between new pants or the one piece suit
Or perhaps neither, stick with what I have


Update - Decided to do both
Keep what I have, and add the zipper attachment from the jacket to the pants and try that route (Both jacket and pants have quilted liners for colder riding)
AND I bought the Olympia Avenger one-piece suit (mesh suit for summer riding)
 
I also have Olympia mesh pants and jacket.
It has a zipper, but it also has snap loops, which I can fasten around my belt without looking. I have not tried the zipper.
 
Well - received the Olympia Avenger mesh suit - excellent quality and style - great features, doesn't weigh a ton and would easily roll to fit in the frunk. Perfect

But it's not (at least for me)

Unfortunately, I am blessed (CURSED!) with a large frame, and even though I ordered a 4XL - it doesn't fit.
I'm 6'4", 325#, 40 waist, 58 chest, 34 inseam. Can anyone say Linebacker?
Too tight in my gut, and sitting down in riding position I could barely move my arms, thought my shoulders were going to tear thru the seams and butt was going to show the world a full moon

Dammit

Off to search some more for warm weather comfort
Would love and Aerostitch - but too much $$ and probably way too hot
 
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Well - received the Olympia Avenger mesh suit - excellent quality and style - great features, doesn't weigh a ton and would easily roll to fit in the frunk. Perfect

But it's not (at least for me)

Unfortunately, I am blessed (CURSED!) with a large frame, and even though I ordered a 4XL - it doesn't fit.
I'm 6'4", 325#, 44 waist, 58 chest, 34 inseam. Can anyone say Linebacker?
Too tight in my gut, and sitting down in riding position I could barely move my arms, thought my shoulders were going to tear thru the seams and butt was going to show the world a full moon

Dammit

Off to search some more for warm weather comfort
Would love and Aerostitch - but too much $$ and probably way too hot
FWIW I have a 1 pc Stich. I carry a 1" web belt with a snap-together buckle in an outer pocket and if I stop and want to take the "jacket" off I put the belt on and wiggle out of the arms. The upper part drapes down and I can walk around or sit in the bottom half. Works for me. The Roadcrafter isn't that hot when moving but in stop and go or standing around it's way hot when ambient is over 85 F. It's a riding suit not a sitting suit LOL. I bought a Stich used for $400 that lasted me 8 years @ approximately 10,000 miles per year so I bought another one new to last next 10 or 15 years. It's dirt cheap per use viewed like that.
 
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