Rain Gear:

[Rob Swallows]

My wife and I were discussing rain gear this afternoon in anticipation of our trip. I've read online about PVC, polyurethane, and polypropylene with the benefits and detractors of each. I don't really mind the cost but rather have a good product that works. I have a rain suit picked up several years ago from Rural King Stores and sure wish I could find a mate for it to fit my wife but they no longer carry them.....

 

What do you folks use being easy to put on and take off, and not kill you with overheating yet is waterproof to withstand riding in a driving rain?

 

Thanks,

 

Rob

[cowpuc]

This will be an interesting topic I am sure - not unlike a good tires or oil debate:crackup:,, sorry Rob - couldn't help myself!

 

Personally, I have found stopping and putting on rain gear to be more of nuisance than it's worth - I am more of the type to just speed up a little in the rain if I dont find getting wet to be to my liking (I have often been amazed at people stopped under a bridge to stay dry when its 98 degrees out and the cooling rain feels SO GOOD). I usually end up using any form of rain gear that I happen to be carrying for times when added warmth is necessary than for staying dry.. From that perspective, I have found that an x-xtra large cheapy little Walmart full rain suit (the kind that comes in a 4" x 8" x 1" package) with an big pair of jeans and an old sweat shirt to slide over it fits the bill perfectly. Crude but effective. Can also use the big jeans and old sweat shirt for rag clothes to wear when needed bike repair happens - double duty as it were.

I do know that Harley Davidson rain gear (as well as most of their clothing) is amazing stuff - little pricey but good stuff. Another thing to consider is some of these modern day Armored and Meshed riding gear outfits you see folks wearing now adays. Most - if not all of those new outfits are amazingly waterproof as well as vented to keep ya cool PLUS the vents are closeable for warmth. Personally, before I invested in high dollar "rain gear" persay, I would harrass someone like @The Tooch (who I am certain I seen wearing something like I am talking about during his recent cross country trip - which I happen to KNOW included some real downpours) and see if he or his band of like minded lop eared cross country riding varmint friends would be willing to shed some light on the subject.

You'll like Tooch - he's a bit of a :big-grin-emoticon:but still a likeable feller and a good friend..

[The Tooch]

My last rainsuit leaked like crazy!!!!

 

 

 

The new one is much better....

 

[The Tooch]

The one I'm wearing now is the best rain jacket I've ever had and the best at it's price point. There are others out there that cost more and might be a bit better and ones that cost more or the same that aren't near as good. I also bought a pair of their mess pants, I like this gear so much that when it comes time to replace my Joe Rocket AlterEgo systems jacket I will go Olympia, probably the Motoquest jacket. There are slightly better jackets out there but the price points are higher. This stuff isn't cheap but it is good, I HAVE NO affiliation with this company. If you want cheap, cause your wife doesn't ride much Frog Toggs would be my next choice. See below for Olympia's .......watch the video!

 

http://olympiamotosports.com/product/new-horizon-rain-jacket/

[Dale124]

Last year, while returning from venture west, I lost my rain suit on the road somewhere . It slipped out of the straps I had secured it with on the trunk rack. It was a good one, but did get warm. Anyway, this spring I found one at Costco. This is not a motorcycle specific one. I now know I should have found a m/c specific one, as this one has no stirrups for the pants, so when I have my feet on the highway pegs, the legs ride up halfway up my calf, and the jacket lapel flaps in the wind and smacks against my helmet. I am now planning on replacing it, as these issues are annoying.

Dale

[eagleeye]

Buy a set of motorcycle Frogg Toggs. You'll stay dry.

[Larry1963]

@cowpuc brings up good point on his post in here.

When riding and getting caught in the rain, do you stop and put on rain year, which by then you are already wet.

But the real question, do you speed up to hurry out of the rain, or slow down so it doesn't hurt so much. If I knew how to do a poll I would

[mirider]

Buy a set of motorcycle Frogg Toggs. You'll stay dry.

 

Second that suggestion.....Actually, we have the cheaper version of Frogg Toggs and they work pretty well also.

[The Tooch]

Second that suggestion.....Actually, we have the cheaper version of Frogg Toggs and they work pretty well also.

 

Actually that would be........"3rd" that suggestion......

 

I will say I seem to find that I end up getting holes in Frogg Toggs pretty easy.....but I am hard on my clothes.......piece of Duct Tape will patch them in a pinch and it sticks to the Frogg Togg material better than the other stuff.

[Bert2006]

I use the jacket from this set:

 

https://www.canadasmotorcycle.ca/nelson-rigg-as-3000-aston-rain-suit.html

 

With these rain pants:

 

https://www.canadasmotorcycle.ca/nelson-rigg-as-250-aston-rain-pants.html

 

Works very well, but I do not wait for the rain to start to put it on. Got caught once in putting it on in the rain and that was not pleasant. Will get warm but keeps you dry! Well built also for the price. Wanted hi-viz all the way so that is why the extra pants.

[mirider]

Actually that would be........"3rd" that suggestion......

 

I will say I seem to find that I end up getting holes in Frogg Toggs pretty easy.....but I am hard on my clothes.......piece of Duct Tape will patch them in a pinch and it sticks to the Frogg Togg material better than the other stuff.

 

Only used ours once and no holes yet......... I carry them to prevent rain and it seems to work most of the time.......

[Red1]

I've had cheap ones - often they don't last as long as the first rain. They tear easy, they flap in the wind, ride up your legs, and seldom work on a motorcycle - because they were never designed to work when riding a motorcycle. I have a pair of Frogg Toggs for my wife - they work OK, she hates the way they look. I bought a set from my Yamaha dealer many years back. They are worth every penny. They do keep you dry, I've had them over 12 years and as long as you don't melt them on the pipes - they will outlast 10 cheap suits. They are well vented, so you don't overheat as soon as the rain stops. Sometimes, value is not measured by how cheap something is initially - but how well it works and how long it keeps working.

Rain suits only keep you dry if you put them on when you are STILL dry. If it's a warm day with on-again-off-again showers , or I'm not far from my destination - I often just leave my leathers on. But get caught in a fall rain, or drive thru a rain into the cold front on the other side and you can get hypothermia pretty damn quick at 60 mph when you are soaking wet. I've ridden in some frog-stranglers and never regretted spending a few extra $ on my rainsuit. I also bought some fog-proof goggles and some rain gloves with a little squeegee on the L index finger - also worth the $$$ more than once.

My $.02............... If you take tours or travel on the bike for days and riding in the rain is unavoidable ~ buy the best motorcycle specific rain gear you can afford. If you are just a 'round towner or a sunny days only rider - go with any of the cheaper alternatives.

[djh3]

My last rainsuit leaked like crazy!!!!

 

 

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Had some that looked like that. They were USAF issue and about 4yr old when I needed to use them. Not so useful when I needed them.

So now I have 2 sets, one for boss and one for me. They are kind of a mixed bag. The pants I us are Tourmaster and have sort of a no skid piece on the but. The stirrups are all stretched out and got hung up on controls and stuff so they are gone. There is elastic on the bottom so they stay down rather well. The set the wife wears I got with a belt on the jacket @ waist figuring she can adjust it to keep it from blowing up or maybe get a bit more air thru. Hers has a mesh net type stuff on the inside supposed to make it easier to get on and off and improve air flow. how much is does ???? IDK My jacket is a Nelson Rigg AX1 Dont think they make it anymore it is PVC I think, the other one is more flexible so I think its Rayon or something and lighter. My next suits will be the Rayon or Dacron whatever material not the pvc as they are lighter and pack smaller. Brite colors for me to, as in rain visibility is already reduced, mine are yellow, Wife hates orange and them other bikes made in USA tend to make everything in that color so they can blend in with construction barrels on the side of the road I guess.

OK

to maybe give you a little direction, or just confuse the heck out of you. For a reasonable priced suit I would say this one would be on my list. Its from a place I have dealt with quite a bit JAFRUM. Good service decent return policy and good range of equipment. Here is a page with their suits. Cycle Gear is another place I have ordered from over the years and they have brick and motor stores around depending on where your located so you can actually go and try it on. Last place I'll give you is Leather up. They have all sorts of stuff from travel bags to pants, jackets do rags whatever. I have bought decent fitting riding jeans from them twice now and got the pants for about $15 a pair, beat that in you local store. They have a store brand "Xelement" is good quality on most things.

I dont care for the Frogg Toggs things. I have not had any, but a couple friends have and not had good luck on long days in them. If it is just short storms they were alright. Holes melt in them pretty easy, they get caught on something and poof instant hole. Just my opinion on them. Have fun.

 

 

Red1- Yea almost forgot the gloves part. I have these. They do OK but I have been in rain that soaked them thru and thru. They do as well as the $40-50 pair I had before them I guess. The expensive pair split a seam between the fingers, man that acted like a big ole scoop. I poured water out of the gloves once. Rain gear is hot and a nuisance to put on. So summer time I try to look the rain clouds over and figure if its a quick rain or a soaker. A quick rain and its already 95 deg I'll press on. But with my past observations on rain and clouds, the wife says I probably should not apply for the weatherman job.

Edited July 21, 2016 by djh3

[Guest Jamsie]

bought a 1 piece rain suit just before my holidays , and used them within 1 hour of setting off. mine has a stuff sack built in. turn suit inside out , open the zip , push suit into the sack and zip back up. it also has a strap to go round your waist, so you can carry it like an oversized bum bag

[ragtop69gs]

We have tourmaster rain gear and have been very happy with it, with the exception of their gloves, light rain no problem but get into heavy downpours and my hands get wet fast and if you take them off wet you'll never get your hands back in them.

[Red1]

A cheaper alternative to rain gloves is to carry a couple pairs of latex or nitrile gloves. You can put them on under your leather gloves and keep your hands dry and warmer. If your leather gloves are snug, that might not work, tho. ( remember OJ ............"If the gloves don't fit, you must acquit".)

[slowrollwv]

I have a set of First Gear jacket and pants. They are very good. I have been in some good down pours and didn't get wet. They also make a pretty good wind breaker when out on those chilly days.

[ragtop69gs]

A cheaper alternative to rain gloves is to carry a couple pairs of latex or nitrile gloves. You can put them on under your leather gloves and keep your hands dry and warmer. If your leather gloves are snug, that might not work, tho. ( remember OJ ............"If the gloves don't fit, you must acquit".)

 

Thats what I use now, chemical resistant 12" rubber gloves with a pair of light fleece gloves inside to keep my hands from sweating in the rubber, never a wet hand with those.

[vzuden]

Frog Toggs for me. Had the current set for 4 or 5 years. Never had a problem

[Rob Swallows]

Anybody have something like these? http://www.ebay.com/itm/222120502965?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT I talked to a couple of folks I know whom ride and one has the set liking it very well and the other is planning to purchase the same based on the other's comments. My wife favors the black color and has visited their website. Whatever she decides to go with I'll get a matching set and keep my older ones for riding solo.

 

Thanks,

 

Rob

[Guest Jamsie]

Nikwax glove proof works great, can even be applied to wet gloves

[sleepy2]

Frogg Toggs here. Have used them for years. Sometimes a little floppy but waterproof. Always seems every time I go to put on when it starts to rain and it usually stops or slows enough that they aren't needed and then it is sweat time as they don't seem to breath as well behind fairing when not raining. Just with anything it usually ends up personal preference.

[sfcrader]

We have the Red top and Black pants, last year on a ride to Fort Campbell from Ohio we got hit by a all day rain shower. Love them the only water was around the wrist because of the gloves. I think they are worth the money, will buy another set if needed

Anybody have something like these? http://www.ebay.com/itm/222120502965?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT I talked to a couple of folks I know whom ride and one has the set liking it very well and the other is planning to purchase the same based on the other's comments. My wife favors the black color and has visited their website. Whatever she decides to go with I'll get a matching set and keep my older ones for riding solo.

 

Thanks,

 

Rob

[jimmy99]

Motorcycle Frog Toggs is the best I have found so far. I bought the jacket in hi viz yellow and a size large enough to fit over my mesh MC jacket. I like hi-viz when its raining.

 

For feet, my boots are waterproof but in heavy rains I have a pair of Harley Davidson rain Gators (boot covers). Tried other brands but HD ones work the best.

 

For hands, I bought a decent set of MC gloves that are waterproof. I wear em when it rains or if it's cold out.

[ragtop69gs]

Any rain suit that's PVC is going to be Hot to wear, spend a little more and get a better suit. Don't let them fool you into thinking that vent flap is going to keep you comfortable.

 

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