Textile jacket letting water in

[f2dz]

So I bought a full alpinestars kit before I got my bike; jacket, pants, gloves, boots.

First ride in the rain I realised that it's not very waterproof. It survives showers and mist fine, but with any amount of decent rain my shirt underneath gets soaked, like last night's commute for example. This doesn't work out so well when you work an office job and walk into the office half wet.

So my question is this: Does anyone have any ideas on how to make a slight alteration to a textile jacket? It's the alpinestars Verona jacket if that helps. The water only seems to really get in through the zip nearing the collar of the jacket, closer to the waist it doesnt seem to get through as bad. There's no covering flap that goes over the top of the jacket on the outside, only one on the inside.

[steve_t]

Try rub the zip with snoseal or some sort of beeswax product

[Maha]

So I bought a full alpinestars kit before I got my bike; jacket, pants, gloves, boots.

First ride in the rain I realised that it's not very waterproof. It survives showers and mist fine, but with any amount of decent rain my shirt underneath gets soaked, like last night's commute for example. This doesn't work out so well when you work an office job and walk into the office half wet.

So my question is this: Does anyone have any ideas on how to make a slight alteration to a textile jacket? It's the alpinestars Verona jacket if that helps. The water only seems to really get in through the zip nearing the collar of the jacket, closer to the waist it doesnt seem to get through as bad. There's no covering flap that goes over the top of the jacket on the outside, only one on the inside.

Get yourself a rain jacket....http://www.motomail.co.nz/estore/style/rjrainjacket.aspx.
I use one...perfect! Though I bought mine from Cycletreads... Dri Rider brand.

[GrayWolf]

Sadly for us (riders) Nothing is 100% waterproof, even good quality manufacturers cannot guarantee it. I have top 'flight' for touring and 'budget' for commuting from a respectable brand. The 'budget' one is superior certainly to the 'cheap assed' and the 'touring' one far better again.... however, if your in rain long enough, and/or its hard enough? Rain WILL find any weakness and exploit it.
The Zip issue is one reason many 'old farts' will look for the 'old style' double fronted (double zipped) jackets.

[Phantom Limb]

You really need the full on waterproof pants / jacket to survive rainy commutes.
My daily ride is a 100Km round trip to and from work across Aucks and I too am office bound. I purchased one of thos one piece rain suits with the offset front zip. It leaked at the crotch!
The best setup I've found is a 2 piece, trowsers and jacket with velcro cover for the zip and collar, made from that tough nylon waterproof material, was $50 from supercheap! Not the most stylie getup but I stay bone dry through the nastiest of the winter rain. It has NEVER leaked and I've done real distance in rain so hard it hurts.

The Dri Rider jacket above and a set of one piece elasticated wet weather trowsers are going to do the job, anything else will leak, so I've discovered :crazy:

[Maha]

Sadly for us (riders) Nothing is 100% waterproof, even good quality manufacturers cannot guarantee it. I have top 'flight' for touring and 'budget' for commuting from a respectable brand. The 'budget' one is superior certainly to the 'cheap assed' and the 'touring' one far better again.... however, if your in rain long enough, and/or its hard enough? Rain WILL find any weakness and exploit it.
The Zip issue is one reason many 'old farts' will look for the 'old style' double fronted (double zipped) jackets.

Even fish leak.

[Supermac Jr]

I have a spare change of clothing (shirt and 'essentials') that i leave at the office. Otherwise just go commando! :banana:

[GTRMAN]

I have a set of techniflex gear, designed for farmers and dairy workers. best investment ever. 8 hours in the pouring rain and sleet and not a drop got through.

http://www.betacraft.co.nz/products/rainwear/techniflex/techniflex-bib-overtrouser

[oneofsix]

I have a set of techniflex gear, designed for farmers and dairy workers. best investment ever. 8 hours in the pouring rain and sleet and not a drop got through.

http://www.betacraft.co.nz/products/rainwear/techniflex/techniflex-bib-overtrouser

+1 Even with the plastic layer pealing off the over trou they do enough to keep me dry in the 50+ k commute. As to the deterioration they are somewhere around ten year old and done duty as tramping rain wear amongst other uses.

[cs363]

So I bought a full alpinestars kit before I got my bike; jacket, pants, gloves, boots.

First ride in the rain I realised that it's not very waterproof. It survives showers and mist fine, but with any amount of decent rain my shirt underneath gets soaked, like last night's commute for example. This doesn't work out so well when you work an office job and walk into the office half wet.

So my question is this: Does anyone have any ideas on how to make a slight alteration to a textile jacket? It's the alpinestars Verona jacket if that helps. The water only seems to really get in through the zip nearing the collar of the jacket, closer to the waist it doesnt seem to get through as bad. There's no covering flap that goes over the top of the jacket on the outside, only one on the inside.

If it's that new and leaking, return it to the dealer you got it from for a warranty replacement. Alpinestars have good warranty backup as do most 'big' brands, your jacket is actually called 'Verona Waterproof Jacket', if it's leaking it's not fit for purpose and should be warrantied, assuming it's as new as you imply. The shop you purchased it from should be your first port of call, not an internet forum.


I've got several Alpinestars textile jackets and none of them have ever leaked, likewise for others that I know that have them (apart from one mate who bought a Astars Gore-Tex jacket which leaked, and that was replaced under warranty - they are after all a mass produced product, so your bound to get the odd failure).

[Asher]

When im riding in the rain i wear my normal leathers but wear high vis jacket and pants similar to road workers gear that i got through an old job and they havent let water in yet. I guess if they can keep someone standing in the rain all day dry they will keep me dry for a half an hour ride

[f2dz]

Thanks for all the suggestions guys. I took someone's advice and emailed the place. They told me to bring it in so they can send it down to their supplier to assess it.

This sorta leaves me in an annoying situation though, as I ride in to work every day. Without a jacket I guess I'll have to go back to taking dreaded public transport while they assess it. Sigh.

[HenryDorsetCase]

are you wearing it inside out? If not, try turning it inside out. because logically that should ensure that water does not get inside, yes?

[CookMySock]

Get some industrial yellows to go over your bike gear.

[f2dz]

are you wearing it inside out? If not, try turning it inside out. because logically that should ensure that water does not get inside, yes?

I'm wearing it with the liner inside, so the correct way?

Just a quick update, Botany Honda got back to me about my little problem being that if they send away my jacket I won't have one to use to get to work.

They said they could give me a loaner jacket in the interim so it seems like this will hopefully all work out, providing their assessors find something wrong with it. Props to Botany Honda! Will be going to them to get some new tyres now too. Hopefully they don't turn their nose up at my kwaka though..