To pant or not to pant...

N

Nemo_imp

Been there
Thread starter
Last Sunday when I took Fran's Street Twin to Savannah I was caught in one of those southeast showers that only last 3 minutes but causes flash flooding. As the plan was to ride for just 2 hours, I left the house most unprepared for those kind of weather conditions. Although ATGATT, nothing I was wearing was waterproof.

My kit tail bag was dry and comfy attached to my CB, which was back in my garage and in the tail bag were my mesh jacket's waterproof liner and my Frogg Toggs pants. Not that any of those would've done me much good as the downpour, although pretty violent, was very brief. In a couple of minutes my Draggin jeans were soaked and triple their weight. As I rode on in search of an exit off of I-95, I was thinking that maybe for those trips into the unknown I should get a pair of waterproof riding pants.

That was a lot of typing to ask a couple questions about pants...

What's your experience with waterproof riding pants? Have you found the magical combination of waterproof and not oven hot? What do you have? Do tell...

:thanks:
 
Nemo,

IMHO, the Aerostich AD-1 pants fit the bill nicely. But in FL, you might consider the "light" version.

Up here in the PNW, I wear the AD-1 pants over shorts in the summer. Rode in some rain today. Not a drop got in.

Just looked at the Aerostich website. I might get a pair of their new "Utility" pants. Great for days when I'm not getting in/out of the pants.
 
Hey Nemo, same thing happened to me yesterday returning from a trip to Tallahassee. Got caught in a "frog strangler" west of Quitman, left my rain gear at home thinking I wouldn't need it. Got home about 9PM and dried out by then.
 
Nemo, I rarely take a long ride without my rain gear packed. However, I have made calculated decisions to leave the gear at home only to find my calculations umm lacking.

I wear Olympia's mesh riding pants on most rides. If it's hot, I find that wearing them over gym shorts is more comfortable than riding in jeans. When I have been caught with my rain pants off, I get wet of course, but the mesh pants dry out quicker than jeans.

Olyrider's Aeristitch suggestion is probably a great one, too. I have heard good things about that utility pant. Good luck.
 
Here in the southern steam bath I usually wear a pair of shorts under some armored mesh pants. I'm willing to get wet in a summer shower. On really hot days I skip the shorts. Mesh pants also have a rain liner that works quite well, leave that in except for July & August. I believe they are Olympic brand, I'm pleased with them. Sized to fit over street clothes if I choose.
Cooler weather I wear Gerbings armored heated pants, great quality. Some minor vents, truly three season pants.
They are headquartered in Greensboro NC and sell on a walk in basis to public at 60% off retail.
Friends with Aerostich say they will never buy anything else.
Motorcycle gear dot com has some interesting close outs.
I usually wear my Dragging jeans over some Bohn armour pants while cruising the mountain roads, good for cooler weather and rough roads. They absorb like a sponge.
 
I have a pair of Dainese D-dry pants that I like, though I basically bought them because I wanted something that would zip into an existing jacket. They don't turn your legs into a bog, and in fact actually feel a bit cooler than my Kevlar jeans on super hot days.

I see lots of guys just buy cheap over pants and jackrts (mostly from Rev-it) and keep them in a tail bag. They're pretty small and from what I've heard they work quite well.
 
SCCBrider_imp said:
Emptysea, I have thought about the mesh pants for going back and forth to work. Do the sizes run larger to fit over shorts?
Click to expand...
The Olympia pants come with liners (which I rarely use for rain, but sometimes for cold). They are sized to fit over the liners and therefore fit over jeans. In fact, on real cold days, I have fleece longjohns and the liners in. Buy the size that fits your waist and you should have no problem with fitting shorts under them. I think their called "Airguide" or something.
or... just read 4Paws post above which I basically just repeated. LOL
 
I've been reading more about the Aerostich "Utility Pant" that I previously mentioned. Decided they are a no-go for me. I like being able to remove the AD-1 pants, with my boots still on, by unzipping the sides. And I really find the thigh pockets on each leg quite useful.

So...in a warmer climate than the PNW, I would consider the AD-1 lights. But I do much prefer the AD-1 pants over my Darien pants.
 
Cool. Not with that brand.

waterproof bwaa haa haa haa...in my experience no motorcycle gear is waterproof. What they need to say is 'will hold off a light shower for a while, but if it's really coming down you are going to get wet"

If the mfg had been with my wife and I as we rode from New Hampshire to Catskill New York in rain so hard you could barely see he'd understand. The INSIDE of our skin was wet lol and we were wearing Cordura jacket and pants and rain gear. Our motel room looked like a Chinese laundry with all our clothing draped everywhere to dry.
 
I've ridden in a heavy, two hour downpour in remote Wyoming in my Klim waterproof gear. Not a single drop got through. Same with my Sidi Armada boots. Klim is pretty heavy duty gear, but very well ventilated, so livable at high temps so long as you're moving through the wind. The vents have waterproof zippers also.
 
Glad you are having good luck with yours Scoob..took me about 10 seconds on line to find complaints of guys getting wet wearing Klim (same was the case with Aerostitch btw)

Re: Sitting wet in my Klim Badlands jacket

« Reply #9

Well as I mentioned, today was a ride day in heavy rain, about 4 hours worth from Reading down to near Dover. Suit held up reasonably well, but I still ended up with a wet belly. I'm pretty sure it's from water getting past the main zipper. I think it was alright until the first pee stop... then maybe I didn't get the flaps right when I dressed again. With a helmet on you can't see what you're doing - so next time I will either take it off or do the jacket up in front of a mirror! IMHO that flap system could use a makeover...

Re: Sitting wet in my Klim Badlands jacket

« Reply #10

My first jacket leaked on the insides of the arms klim replaced no problems. My new one is leaking as you said I believe the front zip. Shame they don't make that one a waterproof one
 
Ferret, yeah I've read a few similar reports. In the first case, the guy must not have had the zipper flap secured correctly as the entire flap is made of the waterproof nylon and covers the zipper and is secured with multiple velcro strips. Mine is not, however, a Badlands, it's a Latitude. The Latitude is less expensive so hopefully the Badlands has at least as good a flap enclosure. The main zipper is not waterproof/rubberized like the vent zippers so it's crucial that you have the flap secured properly. I'm only going by my own experience, but can say I have been in a few brief torrential downpours with no leakage anywhere, in addition to the two hour stretch of heavy rain in Wyoming.

I don't have a dog in this fight at all, but just wanted to say I have had good luck and have been happy with my Klim gear. The best part is no more wrestling with dedicated rain gear, especially when it's already raining. :thumbsup:
 
No dog in the fight here either other than warning others of the "waterproof" claims from manufacturers I have fallen for in the past. That includes rain suits.

That would indeed be awesome Scoob. A dream I've tried to fulfill with every "waterproof" piece of gear I've ever bought, but never succeeded lol. Someday maybe
 
No worries, Ferret -- it sounds like your search for the holy grail continues, though I think I've found mine already. But, then again, my gear is only a few years old, so who knows what it will be like in another few years? Buying new Klim stuff every 5 or 6 years could get expensive...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

rdprdp01
2019 West Coast Rally Plans (Recreation)
Replies
0
Views
330
rdprdp01
rdprdp01
rdprdp01
CB1100 Coffee: Outin Nano Portable Espresso Maker
Replies
6
Views
826
Lord Popgun
Lord Popgun
the Ferret
New rain suit.
Replies
3
Views
566
the Ferret
the Ferret
N
Mythical Creature, A Continued Search
2
Replies
32
Views
3K
GoldOxide_imp
G
F
Sedeci Jacket/Pants Riding suit
Replies
15
Views
1K
cblais19_imp
C
Back
Top