Wet weather gear options?

**nzspokes** · 24th March 2012, 19:24

Originally Posted by davebullet

I have one of these jackets, married with REVIT pants:

http://www.motomail.co.nz/estore/style/rvjkwindh20.aspx

Even better - the above jacket is on sale at motomail - a bargain at the price.

The jacket is an excellent windbreaker as well as waterproof jacket. I rode back in the recent gales in Taranaki with driving rain = no leaks. Even my ipod in the outside waterproof pocket was bone dry.

Do they do a Big fat bastard wearing it over even bigger leathers size?

**awa355** · 24th March 2012, 20:58

I have a Dry-Rider Tornado quilt lined over tro' Totally waterproof. The pants have a thigh pocket in which I keep a heavy plastic bag. Slip that over my boot and the boot slips through the tro leg easy as. No catching the boot heel on the tro's inner lining.

**slofox** · 24th March 2012, 22:26

Y'know, to be honest, I have ridden in pouring rain many times over since I first rode a bike. In all that time, I have only gotten really wet a couple of times. I have always used over suits - always two piece. Some were real heavy stuff, much lighter now. But all waterproof.

Most trouble for me comes from being too lazy to put the stuff on when it looks like dodgy weather...and then getting fucking WET.

It really comes down to wearing something really waterproof that might be clunky on the bike but wearing it anyway. IF you want to be really dry,

Or something...

**Ocean1** · 25th March 2012, 09:11

Originally Posted by slofox

Y'know, to be honest, I have ridden in pouring rain many times over since I first rode a bike. In all that time, I have only gotten really wet a couple of times. I have always used over suits - always two piece. Some were real heavy stuff, much lighter now. But all waterproof.

Most trouble for me comes from being too lazy to put the stuff on when it looks like dodgy weather...and then getting fucking WET.

It really comes down to wearing something really waterproof that might be clunky on the bike but wearing it anyway. IF you want to be really dry,

Or something...

I agree, I've tried quite a few jackets and pants as the single rainwear option over the years. Some of them lasted a couple of years but they always fail. Then, a few years ago I borrowed the brothers lightweight pants mentioned above for a trip. Like the lightweight jacket they stow in their own pocket and as long as you get them on in time they provide the front line protection layer. With the composite Buffalo touring jacket underneath I've traveled the length of the SI in continuous rain and stayed dry.

**vifferman** · 25th March 2012, 20:52

I've had several different gear combos: leather jacket with jeans, and Line-7 bike pants (like used to be issued to bike cops); leather jacket and pants with cheap 2-piece nylon suit from Doyles (useless - the zip blew out of the jacket, and it flapped like a bastard anyway. So... I bought a one-piece oversuit: brilliantly waterproof, but a bastard to get on over the leathers, and if there was even the merest glimmer of solar radiation, you become a broil-in-the-bag chicken. Next: Tecnic Hurricane jacket and leather pants, with Motoline nylon pants over the top (very good, but it took a while to get the pants on over the leathers and boots. Gloves were ordinary leather ones, with oilskin mitts over the top, which was awkward, because of the mitts: very hard to get the mitts under the jacket cuffs when... err... wearing the mitts.

So... I decided I needed a proper 4-seasons setup, and bought some Spidi Gran Turismo pants, and a Macna leather jacket, with waterproof liner. The pants have a Goretex liner too. Boots are waterproof StylMartin StyleSafe, gloves are Spidi H2Out.
All good! For several years, even!
Until the liners get tired.

Now the gloves still look pristine but leak, unless thoroughly treated with waterproofing on the outside, so I bought some new ones (Rev'It - after trying on every pair in the shop) last week. The GT pants were brilliant, until the vent zips on the thighs wore the coating off the Goretex liners, so they leak through the zips, even with lots of waterproofing spray on the outside. So, I wear my still good Motoline pants over the top, and they're all good. Just a bit awkward. The jacket is pretty much waterproof, apart from some mysterious leak that appears near my bellybutton in heavy rain, unless I wear a plastic rubbish bag draped underneath the front of the jacket.

Here's the thing: the best you can do is to keep ALL the water on the OUTSIDE of your gear. Even with waterproof liners, use waterproofing spray on the outside, or if they're leather, use leather conditioner or Rev'It leather waterproofer.

My next setup was going to be a new Spidi Gran Turismo suit, but they seem to be not made any more. So, it will be all leather gear, with whatever is the current equivalent of the Motoline pants and a similar jacket.

**DODO``** · 26th March 2012, 01:30

I plan to ride in all weather too,

would you recommend one piece suit? or two piece??

**DODO``** · 26th March 2012, 01:32

Originally Posted by DODO``

I plan to ride in all weather too,

would you recommend one piece suit? or two piece??

what would be the pros and cons of each sort?? Thank you. I am just browsing on tradme and quite sold on 2 piece,, at the moment..

**Gremlin** · 26th March 2012, 02:41

Originally Posted by DODO``

I plan to ride in all weather too,

would you recommend one piece suit? or two piece??

One piece is more waterproof as there are less places water can get through it. However, one hole in the suit anywhere, and the whole thing has to be replaced.

Two piece allows you to change one piece at a time, and also mix and match as you like. Perhaps you only want the rain jacket, maybe only the rain pants... you get the flexibility.

**Jerry74** · 26th March 2012, 07:16

I use a set of old army Miliar (Similar to goretex) wet weather kit over my leathers no worries even when riding down the West Coast.

Greymouth to Haast in torential rain, dry on arrival.

Big bonus is that they are camouflage so you can hide in the bushes if the Popo comes after you hahahaha

**gunrunner** · 26th March 2012, 14:54

Originally Posted by EZAS

Any particular recommendation? there are a few suits there.

Think they all pretty good , i love mine . Very good on cold days too .

**FROSTY:Me** · 28th March 2012, 20:56

Ive ridden in all sorts of gear combinations. leathers,cudura one and two piece.
My personal preference is to wear well water "proofed" leather jacket and cudura pants for most of my riding.
If its wet enough to be more than that can cope with then either A --sod that I'm gonna stop and sit it out.--Im riding for pleasure not to prove I'm a masicist or if its a -=I gotta get there situation then the trusty Dalgeties wet weather trou and jacket go over the top.
Something to concider-being a lady -loo stops in a one piece can be a royal nightmare.

**bluebeemer** · 6th April 2012, 02:25

Rukka makes everything Gore-Tex. Rukka is very well known brand in Europe for it's quality and waterproofness.Their Apollo gloves are awesome and waterproof. Jackets and pants come with 5 year warranty.

http://www.rukka.com/mxl-fashion/ruk...ges/en_mc.html
http://www.innotesco.co.nz/rukka/

**Subike** · 6th April 2012, 08:07

Originally Posted by bluebeemer

Rukka makes everything Gore-Tex. Rukka is very well known brand in Europe for it's quality and waterproofness.Their Apollo gloves are awesome and waterproof. Jackets and pants come with 5 year warranty.

http://www.rukka.com/mxl-fashion/ruk...ges/en_mc.html
http://www.innotesco.co.nz/rukka/

who you?
their products look gay, even the names

**_Shrek_** · 6th April 2012, 09:12

have you thought about alpinestar Dave, even thow the cost is $1800 for jacket & pants they are 100% water proof & a one pc dryrider about $100 for xtra warmth etc... this set that i'm using has done about 160k in the last three years & has never let the water in yet