Rain proof textile pants. Do they exist?

[george formby]

PVC with welded seams will keep rain out-anything else will "hydraulic" any water that happens to have gathered in the crotch area through any textile.Line 7 marine stuff aint bad,better still is clobber from the suppliers to commercial fishermen.

Kaiwaka!!!!! Had one of their fisherman's jackets for 15 years or so, it's faded from hi viz yellow to white with sun and salt bleaching but the liner is still 100% waterproof. Waterproof enough to stay dry when big green ones go over the top of you. If anybody is riding past the factory/shop in Kaiwaka it's well worth popping in to see whats on special or what seconds are available. Mine is a woven outer, not pvc, so comfortable and very tough.

Nik wax.... I re-proofed my Heinz Garlic jacket a few years ago, as per the instructions and it worked a treat. Jacket still does it's job but I think it's that old now I would have to replace rather than re-proof again.

If your pants ain't got welded crotch seems then the bits and pieces will eventually get wet.

[FJRider]

Just how good are the Nikwax wash and proofing products? I've just ordered some to try with not particularly high expectations. Like others have said, I prefer plastic over the top if I want to stay completely dry. Last year, I bought on spec some Frogg Toggs Toad Skinz breathable overtrousers from Revzilla. Wearing them over the top of my textiles works pretty well, if not absolutely 100%.

They make them better than they were. The older the gear ... the less likely of 100% water resistance.


Having said that ... my experience of plastic gear in the south island west coast heavy rain (think ... fucking pissing down rain) it does get in.

[nerrrd]

I'm currently experimenting with this arrangement:



It's based on one of these: http://www.beadrider.com. They claim that sitting on beads "keep you cooler and dryer by increasing the air flow between the rider and the saddle...the seat allows you to stay high and dry, while water drains through the seat below you, instead of pooling underneath you."

The real thing is a bit pricey, plus I wasn't convinced it would work, so I whipped this up from a rubber mat I got at Bunnings to test the concept.

So far I can vouch for the cooler part ; also I've been in a couple of Auckland's heavy rain bursts and come thru 99% leak free, but frankly I'm never out in the rain long enough to give it a really good test.

[Taxythingy]

I'm currently experimenting with this arrangement:

Make sure the wife knows, otherwise you are going to have some explaining to do.

[vifferman]

Just how good are the Nikwax wash and proofing products? I've just ordered some to try with not particularly high expectations. Like others have said, I prefer plastic over the top if I want to stay completely dry. Last year, I bought on spec some Frogg Toggs Toad Skinz breathable overtrousers from Revzilla. Wearing them over the top of my textiles works pretty well, if not absolutely 100%.

Hi, Geoff. Nikwax works well, but it depends on the integrity of the garment you're trying to waterproof. Once the fabric or seams start to stretch a bit and the threads open up at all, then there's always the chance of the water not being shed entirely but starting to seep through.

[puddytat]

I've just been looking at some Line 7 stuff. Surprised it isn't mentioned more. A decent pair of their bib trousers would be the shizzle.

The cow cockies stuff aint to bad either....like Techni Flex & Bata.
And if your GST registersd it comes with an automatic 15% discount.

[Ocean1]

Just how good are the Nikwax wash and proofing products? I've just ordered some to try with not particularly high expectations.

I used both on an old Teknics jacket, which, at three years old had begun to leak after half an hour of decent rain or so. Definite improvement. I don't use that jacket any more but the boy does, it's just had a second dose of Nikwax/seal and is still reasonably waterproof. Except for the dome rivet holes. (Why...)

On the other hand the same process failed to restore my first Buffalo Endurance jacket when it started to fail in the waterproofing dept after 3 years. That one was stolen. The new one was good. For 3 years. It had the same treatment as the first six months ago, with the same lack of results.

Excellent jacket in all other regards, and at $200 I reckon three years isn't bad value. I'm considering tracking down a waterproof shell.

Long story short: there's more to this waterproofing shit than meets the raindrop, but for the price of the Nikwax kit , (and given the cost of decent gear) it's probably worth a shot.

[Blackbird]

Long story short: there's more to this waterproofing shit than meets the raindrop, but for the price of the Nikwax kit , (and given the cost of decent gear) it's probably worth a shot.

Many thanks Ocean Years ago, I had a Teknics jacket that leaked all over from brand new - they must have seen me coming and wouldn't give me my money back. Only way I could make it waterproof was spray it with Selley's tent-grade silicon spray. It also attracted every speck of dirt and bug in Christendom.

As already mentioned, I generally use plastic over the top of my textile Arlen Ness jacket and 1 Tonne trousers for serious rain or distance but they used to be completely waterproof and hope that Nikwax might restore them to a semblance of their old selves. I shall report back!

[chasio]

I'm currently experimenting with this arrangement:



It's based on one of these: http://www.beadrider.com. They claim that sitting on beads "keep you cooler and dryer by increasing the air flow between the rider and the saddle...the seat allows you to stay high and dry, while water drains through the seat below you, instead of pooling underneath you."

The real thing is a bit pricey, plus I wasn't convinced it would work, so I whipped this up from a rubber mat I got at Bunnings to test the concept.

So far I can vouch for the cooler part ; also I've been in a couple of Auckland's heavy rain bursts and come thru 99% leak free, but frankly I'm never out in the rain long enough to give it a really good test.

Love it! Might try that myself!

[FJRider]

Got some newish dririder pants and same deal, get wetter every ride. Just kind of look at it as a semen preservation technique.

An interesting theory ...

I've just been looking at some Line 7 stuff. Surprised it isn't mentioned more. A decent pair of their bib trousers would be the shizzle.

I use a pair of these when I knowingly head off into heavy rain. A line 7 jacket is worn too ... with a usual 98% success rate.

[FJRider]

I'm currently experimenting with this arrangement:

You may find you sit higher on the seat ... as it spreads your weight better over the surface of the seat.

[Big Dog]

https://m.1-day.co.nz/products/AAFTWN501

Or

https://m.1-day.co.nz/products/AAFTWN500

Ugly as. But dry.

I have the Bison equivalent.
Just reproofed the seams, otherwise going well in second winter. They live under my seat in fair weather or on my bag in dodgy but dry weather.


Sent via tapatalk.

[Motu]

My oilskin pants leaked in the crutch again last night. I can't really complain, they aren't motocycle pants, just made for working outdoors, on a quad bike at most, not 100kph into a squall. So I made some shorts out of my still waterproof 40 year old PVC pants. Heavy rain again tonight, and a dry crutch. My oilskin jacket is a motorcycle jacket and seems to be waterproof.

[Blackbird]

My oilskin jacket is a motorcycle jacket and seems to be waterproof.

I don't know whether my memory is faulty with age but when I rode in the UK in my teens, I had Belstaff waxed cotton gear which was totally waterproof. Mind you, it attracted enough road crap and small insects to constitute a biohazard but maybe this added to the proofing. Contrary to the performance of the jacket and pants, every pair of gloves and boots I ever owned in that period leaked like sieves, despite being completely soaked through with beeswax.

[caseye]

Go see Rick at Lifestyle, $125.00 for cordura trou that won't leak for at least 2 full years, long as you don't rip the inner liner. these things work and they come with CE armour and go over the top of anything else you'd like to wear.
http://www.lifestyle-imports.co.nz/index/