3WTK - Your miserable weather riding gear set up

[369]

Hello PSB

After commuting to work in the miserable cold and often wet weather for the past few weeks, I have learned the hard way that an RST leather jacket and jeans would not suffice when mother nature decides to piss on you.

So I am finally investing in some much needed wet weather gear so I could continue to ride her even when she's wet. (Apparently they are at their best when they are wet).

3WTK - What is your miserable weather riding gear set up (jacket, pants, boots, gloves) and are you happy with your current combination?


Cheers for helping the noob

[Jezzabelle]

OKies here's my getup

Shoei XR-1100 with pinlock anti fog insert in visor works great, no fogging in the wet

Dririder Allure jacket works well, but the cuff lining at the neck and sleeve retains wet so I bung it on a hanger in the ladies toilet at work which helps the drying process

Dririder Thunderwear overtrousers $39 worn over my draggins are good

Alpinestars Stella Armada boots (bought from USA) f**** brilliant, no leaks and keep my feet toasty!

Alpinestars SP-2 gloves non waterproof, I still need wet weather gloves!

[Rich]

A $39 pair of wet weather plastic/nylon stuff from Army Surplus...

Get it in a big enough size that it goes over my normal draggins/jacket combo or leathers...

Smaller enough to fit under the seat of a GSXR...

[duc13]

Rivet rainlock pants, (with thinsulate? ) best wet weather purchase iv'e ever made had them for years and they've never leaked and they're warm as.
Dririder jacket , leaks slightly but only in prolonged heavy downpours.
Alpinestars boots with Gortex , never leaked.
Gloves are the only thing that let my gear down , always get soggy die stained hands .

[falcon]

Current setup:
- DriRider WaterProof/Thermal Textitle Jacket.
- Aquasar "waterproof" overpants.
- DriRider Alpine "Waterproof" Gloves.
- Dainese Goretex Touring Boots.

Happy? Helll no.
- The jacket is alright, but the liners are a pain in the arse. Especially on the way to work, I don't want to have to dissasemble to the thing and try and find somewhere for it to dry.
- Waterproof overpants are not waterproof. Leaks like a bitch through who knows where... I think it's the pocket zips. Decent downpour and my jeans get soaked.
- Waterproof gloves are not waterproof. Decent downpour, and the water soaks through the whole way. They currently stink like cheese as well, as damp + dark = bacteria, and you can't turn them inside out.
- Dainese boots? ... My feet are the only things dry... you Italians
(except when the overpants fail to such a degree that the water leaks through the pants and down into my boots...)

The other thing that makes this setup such a pain in the arse is the time it takes me to get it all off without getting the few dry things left wet from runoff.

My current plan (probably for next wet season by the time I can afford it) is:
- throw the bloody DriRider gloves in the bin, and just get some overgloves (fuck you DriRider, first set of gloves fall apart, now this...)
- Keep the jacket for mild showers, and also for really hot days since you can remove the thermal & waterproof linings.
- The waterproof pants might go in the bin as well, although they're alright in showers, but not rain... dunno.
- Get a top notch 1-piece suit.

[Captain Starfish]

Exactly what I wear in summer - jeans and a leather jacket, but over the top of them I have PVC rain gear. Use tent seam sealer over all the seams and they're great. Oh, and I swap out the summer gloves for Dri Rider Storms - wiper blade on thumb FTW.

[chew]

Mostly I have always just relied on my leather jacket, draggins/leather pants and wet weather pants, for weather like we are having I step up to an old one piece quilted over everything and if its worse I wear thermals under it all as well, worse again and the thermal beanie comes out. Was warm as toast in this clip. At 40 secs in you can see what we had just ridden through over the top of the hill. The Sidi's were letting water in, my usual Rossi P134's with dubbin would have handled it better.

[Rhino]

Helmet
Shoe XR-1000 with a 'foggy' nose/breath guard.

Neck sock
Oxford ChillOut neck tube

Jacket
RST Ventillator II. A '4-season' jacket
Used this on a trip down south recently. I've used it in the rain but not a heavy downpour yet.
Was warm, dry and comfortable.
Can just wear a t-shirt with it down to about 14-15 degrees.
BIG difference in size and fit from having both liners in and when you remove them.
Without them, it feels a little big. Haven't worn it in summer yet.

Pants
Currently have some cheap DriRider 'over' suit bottoms. Terrible. They don't breath, you overheat and end up wet from sweat anyway.
Waiting on the RST Ventillator II pants to come - already ordered.

Gloves
Spyke 'Alaska' gloves.
Were good initially, but the finger tips are ripping from doing up the velcro on the jacket sleeves.
On a short ride they're OK, but on a long ride, they don't stop the wind enough and become ineffective.
A mate of mine has some DriRiders that are wind and water proof. They also look like they might hold up better to the velcro. Might give those a shot.
So keep it front of mind when you're buying, textile gloves and hook velcro don't mix.

[PBF]

I have plastic pants i wear over my draggin chinos.

Winter Jacket

Waterproof R-Jays boots

Some r-jays gloves that have no hard knuckle protection.

Gloves are the only thing i really need to upgrade. Been looking online at some icon patrols that by all reviews seem to be the goods, but now could go to the 5 waterproof ones.

[Flyboy]

Dri-Rider Alpine Jacket/Pants combo. (RST leathers, or Dri-Rider textile jacket and Draggin's for summer)

Dri-Rider Storm Gloves. (RST gloves for summer/racing)

Used to wear SIDI boots, but will probably go for a pair of Rossi's this year. SIDI's for summer riding.

Also need to get a Foggie mask, my Shoei XR1000 mists up horribly.

[devolved]

Rossi Boots - Feet stay mostly dry, unless its bucketing.
Dri-rider Hurricane 'Over-suit' - Great in most riding conditions, but if its pelting some water gets in a pools at my crotch, which can look a bit suss.
(Draggins/Normal textile ixon jacket underneath.)
Dri-Rider 'Neck sock' (only wear if its uber cold)
Just normal gloves at the moment - need some wet weather ones. Hands can get mighty chilly & wet.

Works pretty well. I usually keep the visor a bit open in the rain, that stops fogging - would like something better.

Hurricane suit also traps all body warmth, so toasty.

[Ice]

Cheap fluoro (woohoo!) wet weather jacket I wear over the top of my leather if the weather isn't too bad and is gonna clear - roll it up after the rain stops and stick with the leather for the rest of the trip.
For serious rain or staying dry for work - DriRider Alpine jacket. Used to have a good looking waist length "waterproof" RST jacket... Decided to go for something uglier after a couple too many soakings.
Cheap overpants from a camping store that come up almost to my armpits!
Gaerne waterproof boots that go nearly up to my knees (I second the Italian comment - they know how to keep your feet dry!)

I wear my normal gloves - I have a couple pair, so I just leave one to dry and wear one of the others the next day. Always leather. I never wear textile gloves, so waterproof is kinda a moot point.

Pants outside the boots (I see a lot of people who put them inside and wonder if they bitch about their feet getting wet). For long trips there is a bit of a sweat problem, but it's fine if I'm only going to and from work.

The whole lot works really well but I find it all a pain in the butt. I tend to not bother with the overpants if I'm on my way home and just get soaked and head straight for the shower instead.

With how many times I've burned my leg on the midpipe I also get concerned about the pants melting onto the bike. The good thing about the ones I have is that they have adjustable straps at the ankle and just below the knee, so they can be tightened so they don't flap around and hit hot stuff!

[369]

Thanks so much for sharing guys and gals, much appreciated

In regards to the riding boots, do the commuting guys have another comfortable all-day work pair at work or are the riding boots comfortable enough for all-day wear?

I've been browsing on a few riding boots including the Alpinestars S-MX5 and the SIDI Stradas (apparently Italians are the way to go), but I'm guessing from the way they look these boots are designed specifically for riding or racing and would not be suitable nor comfortable for the remainder of the working day.

Are there any riding boots that offer similar levels of protection to the elements and in the event of a crash but would also be comfortable to wear for the remainder of the working day? (I work retail so not too fussed about shoe style)

Or would it be better to just keep a set of sensible "work" shoes at work?

[falcon]

My Dainese boots are "touring" boots, but they've got pretty damn good protection as well, they're just missing the toe sliders really... They're comfy enough to stand around in, but walking 1k is not cool for me. Buuut I have flat feet, so maybe if I put some insoles in there they would be a lot better. But yeah, I keep a pair of work shoes at work.

[Twigs]

Making a few neck warmers at the moment for my other half and his dad. I'm knitting a scarf and a "neck sock" which will be sewn together. Won't be worn when it's wet though- only when it's bloody cold!
Hopefully they work well- been working on the scarf for two weeks now, started the neck sock today
My Dad has a nice pair of BMW riding boots that are water proof. RJays (is that the brand?) Do a good pair of rain pants too....

[Jezzabelle]

In regards to the riding boots, do the commuting guys have another comfortable all-day work pair at work or are the riding boots comfortable enough for all-day wear?

I keep a pair of trainers at work, as I don't need to follow a dress code...and shove my work trousers in my saddle bag & change in the loo. When it's cold I wear 'em under my draggins.

But to answer your question, my bike boots are comfy enough to wear all day..I choose not too.

[Rhino]

I have A* Supertechs for track and wet weather. There's now way I would wear them all day.
Uncomfortable, and they squeak.

[Ozboy]

I bought the RST Ventilator II suit last week, its like zipping into a doona, so comfortable.

Took it out on the bindoon ride today and didn't feel the cold at all.

Boots are iicon ankle high waterproof boots.

[Ice]

I work in an office, so I keep a pair of shoes under my desk and swap them periodically when I feel like a change! Like Rhino I've found some boots squeak and in other cases the soles are quite thin and the walking around all day in them makes them wear prematurely.

[Phildo]

Some ideas:

Heated Clothing Store - One Stop Shop for Winter Wears, Gears and Heated Clothing All Discounted and Below Mark Down Prices

Battery Heated Vests

Battery Heated Gloves

http://www.plusheat.com/homepage-cat...-clothing.html

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