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Preffered rain gear style

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Hello everyone!

I have never purchased any true riding rain gear.

Always got wet or made due with non-riding implements.

I want to get really good riding rain gear.

Do you people prefer a textile jacket that is waterproof or do you prefer the regular stow away rain suits?

Prefer single piece or two piece rain suits?

Any certain brands to look for or to avoid?

Thanks for any help!

I am leaning towards the two piece rain suit but before I decide I want to hear peoples experiences.

God bless!!

Michael
 
I used a two piece DriDucks (Frogg Toggs) suit for about 9 years ($22). Water proof, slightly sweaty; a basic workable solution. Then I ripped the pants getting into them with boots on, so I went with a Frogg Toggs suit. I don't have enough experience with it to judge. The problem with them, as a group, is when do you put them on? Before it rains? Then you're slightly more uncomfortable than you have to be- hotter, more sweaty. As it starts to rain (my normal case)? Then you're wet, and uncomfortable but you won't get hypothermia. The suits with extra add in inner waterproof linings have the same problems. So, my thought would be get a waterproof suit at the get go; if you expect to ride in the wet enough to make it worth the added cost.
 
I want to get really good riding rain gear.
Have you considered (although expensive) riding gear that is dual-purpose ?
That is, riding gear that can be used in any weather without stopping to change or requires you to pack an extra pair of "rain" riding pants and "rain" riding jacket?

It is pretty liberating! Especially on <those days> when it rains on and off most of the day and you are stopping and changing multiple times.

I ride with Aerostich gear (Darien Pants and Jacket) expensive, but I got lucky and found mine on Ebay for 1/2 the cost of new. I also had new Aerostich and if you can afford it that is a great way to go since they can custom fit the suit. I actually rode to Duluth, MN and had it done there.

Prior to the all-in-one riding gear I used the Frogg Troggs and they did the job but aren't very durable and since you wear them over your regular suit it does end up pretty bulky. Not bad for the price though and for a typical fair-weather rider that only gets caught in rain by mistake, they are fine.

I would recommend two piece no matter what you get.

EDIT: Don't forget your feet! I ride with SIDI boots and I seriously think I could flyfish with them...they are that waterproof!
 
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I tried first gear rain proof gear, but thet eventually fail. I went to Aerostich recently so far so good.
 
I like using a jacket that has built in waterproofing like the First Gear TPG series or one of the other many alternatives. I like not having to keep looking at the far off dark clouds and decide if I should stop & put on rain gear. Instead I just keep riding and don't worry about it. It's hard to find one of these jackets that will work in summer though. You have to find one with good venting.

My First Gear TPG jacket was destroyed when the paramedics cut it off recently, so I have been looking for a new jacket. I think I'm going to try a Fly Trek 4, or maybe this closeout First Gear TPG Rainer.

I also carry a rain jacket (Nelson Rigg Storm Rider) and if I will encounter extremely heavy rain I stop and put it on.
 
I use good textile jacket and pants for my ATGATT gear, and its "water resistant" so that in light rain it works fine. I carry Nelson Rigg jacket & pants that I keep in the saddlebag for heavy rain (which, mercifully, I've only encountered twice in the last year). I generally also try to avoid knowingly heading into a downpour if possible (for me, riding is a hobby for enjoyment rather than a commuting requirement)
 
That video on the FLY Trek 4 is very interesting and may be just the follow on jacket to replace my Joe Rocket. The built-in waterproof feature looks to be just what I need here in Florida (and in Tenn/NC mountains). As it is I have a First Gear rain jacket that folds into a pouch that I carry in the frunk.
 
I have to also encourage you to get a long term solution like Klim or Aerostich. While expensive, this gear will last you many years.. possibly a lifetime. It is as LD Rider stated, Dual purpose meaning it is the only riding gear you will need no matter what the weather. Just zip closed the vents when rain comes.
I have recently purchased Klim Latitude Misano Jacket and pants as well as Aerostar boots and finally BMW gloves... ALL of these are Goretex... meaning they are waterproof but breathable.
The boots are so breathable I can almost feel the air flowing through them on cold days! but I have ridden in 6 hours plus of constant rain and never gotten wet due to the Gore Tex.

I learned the hard way, bought probably 5 or 6 sets of gear before I finally wised up and just got the Klim. I also have a 1 piece Aerostich Roadcrafter Light... but it will be going on ebay soon as I could NOT get used to the 1 piece setup. Some people love the 1 piece but I couldn't get used to it. I think LD Rider and I have the same issue there.

If you really can't afford that pricey of gear right now... I'd recommend maybe Olympia gear. I used Olympia many years and had to keep treating it for waterproof, but it was pretty good gear. I imagine FirstGear would be similar. If you keep riding, I suspect you will eventually follow the rest of us long timers and invest in the really good gortex gear you can ride in rain, sun or whatever.
 
Firstgear Kenya jacket circa 2010 model, Aerostich AD-1 pants and Sidi ADV goretex boots. Current go to rain gloves are Rev It H2o, but I'm always swapping gloves out day to day and depending on what I'm doing at the moment (like highway riding versus in the city, or off road, etc. I don't wear the same gloves under all circumstances, but change them up)

I do carry a thin type of breathable membrane inner jacket liner (joe rocket Dry Tech) to put under the Kenya jacket for emergency backup or potential monsoon rain events, but haven't really needed it all these years.

I will never again buy any gear where you have to make the decision to either stop and take all your outer stuff off in order to zip in an inner rain liner, or zip it all in just in case it rains, then get all soaked and clammy from sweat, and it never does rain after all.

Also don't like stopping to put on rain gear on top of my stuff, and any gear that will fit over me has to be like xtra xtra xtra large to go over everything, which means it's like a gigantic flapping parachute in the wind at 70 mph. Then dealing with taking it off to go inside, blech, what a hassle.

Much prefer to have the breathable/goretex stuff built in to the jacket, pants, boots, gloves.
 
If you keep riding, I suspect you will eventually follow the rest of us long timers and invest in the really good gortex gear you can ride in rain, sun or whatever.

I would love to have a suit where I did not have to stop and add layers when the rain comes. But, the reviews I am seeing are telling me all these options are steamy in hot weather when it is not raining. Do any of these options really breathe when it is not raining? I have a mesh jacket now that is fairly cool when it is hot out.

I live in Florida, so, is there a one jacket for all conditions for me, when it is often 90 and humid?
 
When I first started riding I used a basic 2 piece Frogg Toggs suit. I moved on to a 2 piece Frogg Toggs suit called the "Angler". The Angler features bib overalls with calf zippers long enough to get them over motorcycle boots. Most of my riding gear is size Large so I went with an Extra Large size in the Frogg Toggs to make it easier to get the suit on. The FT's are amazingly durable for what they are and the basic suit can be jammed into a stuff sack about eight inches by six inches in size. I don't use it much any more except for taking along the jacket in very hot weather when I'm wearing mesh gear if rain is a possibility. I bought an Aerostich one piece suit on Ebay about seven years ago. The zippers on the older Aerostich suits are the major water ingress point. I wash and re-waterproof the suit every year including coating the fabric part of the zippers with tent sealant.
 
I live in Florida, so, is there a one jacket for all conditions for me, when it is often 90 and humid?
I lived on the Gulf Coast of Florida for about 6 years and used my motorcycle for communting and general travel since we only had one car.
Unless you have lived there, it is hard to wrap your head around the humidity in say, July ;-)

Believe it or not an Aerostich Darien jacket will flow enough air to keep things tolerable. Nice thing about Florida is yes, it rains every day in the afternoon but usually in twenty minutes it stops and even if you get wet, it isn't much of a big deal. You dry off in another 10 miles of riding. Torrential rain is another story, better off just parking the bike for the duration, which I have done.

As posted, anything with Gortex will breath a bit and help you avoid that "steamed chicken in a bag" syndrome that you can find yourself in when wearing PVC or other rain gear in humid or hot weather.

I like Aerostich but I haven't looked at some of the newer, more technical gear out there. I imagine finding something that works for you is just a matter of spending the $$$$$$ ;-)
 
I have a textile jacket that has a "waterproof liner" but wearing that liner anywhere above 80°F is very uncomfortable. Plus, because only the liner is waterproof (like many textile riding jackets), the outer shell still gets soaked. I really don't like this style.

So I just got a cheap (relatively) North Face (non-riding) rain coat. It's big enough to completely fit over my riding jacket. I also have a pair of Icon rain bibs. The bibs and the coat store pretty small, so they're easy to take with you on a trip. For boots, I have a pair of Tour Master riding boots. They're waterproof. I've used this gear and it works great.

Oh yeah, gloves too... I have a pair, but I forget the brand.

Anyway, I guess the general answer is I use a 2-piece stowable set.
 
I would love to have a suit where I did not have to stop and add layers when the rain comes. But, the reviews I am seeing are telling me all these options are steamy in hot weather when it is not raining. Do any of these options really breathe when it is not raining? I have a mesh jacket now that is fairly cool when it is hot out.

I live in Florida, so, is there a one jacket for all conditions for me, when it is often 90 and humid?

Probably, but depends on your tolerance for heat. The Klim Apex has 10 vents and is supposed to work pretty well. The Fly Butane and Fly Trek jackets also have a lot of venting. As do many others.

Above 93 degrees the additional wind starts to *add* heat to your body instead of remove it. So in that case a vented textile jacket may work better than a mesh jacket. You want to be able to have a limited flow of air going over you, vs the "convection oven" of 100% hot wind hitting you.

I have a textile jacket that has a "waterproof liner" but wearing that liner anywhere above 80°F is very uncomfortable. Plus, because only the liner is waterproof (like many textile riding jackets), the outer shell still gets soaked. I really don't like this style.
...

I agree. I would never use a jacket with a zip in waterproof liner. You end up soaking wet on the outside. Can't go into a gas station or restaurant without dripping water all over. I prefer the kind where the liner is built into the shell. In the newest/best stuff the liner is *bonded* to the shell and that works even better. If you get one with waterproof zippers that vent *through* the liner (such as the First Gear TPG line), I think this is best setup.
 
That video on the FLY Trek 4 is very interesting and may be just the follow on jacket to replace my Joe Rocket. The built-in waterproof feature looks to be just what I need here in Florida (and in Tenn/NC mountains). As it is I have a First Gear rain jacket that folds into a pouch that I carry in the frunk.

Thats the jacket I wear. Has done fine in light rain. I'm wearing FirstGear TPG Escape pants or Rev'It Enterprise pants, and both are good in the rain The Nelson Rigg stuff is for the heavy rain.
 
I've been looking at rain gear options lately, and one common problem seems to be that the pants aren't easy (and in some cases impossible) to get on over boots. Has anyone found any good rain suits or rain pants that go on easily over (big) boots?
 
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