View Full Version : OK what does work in the rain
fizzwheel
25-04-05, 12:42 PM
Following on From Jabba's glove's thread
Anybody got any recommendations for kit that does keep you dry in torrential rain
I for one would heartily recommend Frank Thomas Aqua Goretex trousers
The lower half of me was lovely and dry after saturdays downpour
A Wetsuit ? But dunno how you'd fit armour....
Sidi Rains are supposed to be pretty darn waterproof
my dominos pizza trousers!
rukka trousers - ask Kate!
Gloves? dunno. :(
Boots - sidi black rain
I have a Sidi heated jacket that is a good 3 years old. Its still dont leak even after being on the gound a couple of times. I also have a HG tribal jacket that has taken some seriuos weather and not leaked once in 5 years.
Gloves...hmmm, all my waterproof glves have yet to leak.
My Richa moonsson trousers again have yet to leak, although my 1st pair did.
My Sidis, well, i have had one pair that leaked and 2 that havent.
And Ian, a wet suit wouldnt stop you getting wet, where as a Dry suit, would. And for the divers out there, you know what i mean.
rukka trousers - ask Kate!
Lol yes, I can vouch for Rukka stuff. After sitting in rain-full potholes and riding in solid rains for days, I was still warm and toasty.
Have to say, my Daytona boots also seem pretty water and cold proof, my tooties have yet to feel the cold.
Dunno what does, but I can certainly state that Swift Speed Pants leak at the crotch big-time.
I've had two pairs and both are exactly the same. Term has the same view.
Even the my Swift jacket is really rather good, I won't buy Swift stuff again.
Ride mag recommend the Spada Circuit/Podium combo.
I for one would heartily recommend Frank Thomas Aqua Goretex trousers
The lower half of me was lovely and dry after saturdays downpour
I have those and my knees got wet as the water got in the side via the zips, though I'm going to check them over to make sure the seem is layed right.
AGU waterproof trousers over my leathers.
El-Cheapo waterproof jacket over my leathers.
Have yet to let in water, and means I can use the same waterproofs on my bike and motorbike.
Stu
Ceri JC
25-04-05, 01:24 PM
Don't bother with Frank Thomas Aqua Pro Sport Boots. In spite of the name, they're not remotely waterproof. Half hours rain and they're wet, within the hour, they're soaked through and they take days to dry. I've not got a faulty pair- I've heard other people have the same problem. Bit of a misleading name, eh?
One must have bit of kit: Spada 406 suit. Waterproof all in one oversuit. I have heard of people getting leaks around the middle of the zip, but having used it in hellish rain for hours on end (yes, worse than Saturday!) and not got a drop on me, I can only assume people suffering from that have failed to use the storm flap correctly. To be honest, it keeps the rest of me so dry/warm that I can live with the wet hands/feet my gloves and boot give me. It also dries very quickly. Overnight in an airing cupboard and it's 100% dry.
Maybe the best £50 I've spent on practicality mods for the bike. I really don't care what weather I ride in now. Before, I used to dread getting wet, then the next day, having to put 'still damp' gear back on.
When it rains I stop and pull on my Alpine Stars waterproof (yes really) over-jacket and trousers. About £60 for the two and pack up really small. When you take them off they're dry within 30 mins. You can keep your Gortex, give me impervious plastic any day ;).
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chazzyb
25-04-05, 01:54 PM
A Wetsuit ? But dunno how you'd fit armour....
Wet suit - the name gives it away, so you wouldn't stay dry! OTOH, you can always do what divers do and wee in it to keep yourself warm. :roll:
A Wetsuit ? But dunno how you'd fit armour....
Wet suit - the name gives it away, so you wouldn't stay dry! OTOH, you can always do what divers do and wee in it to keep yourself warm. :roll:
tell you what tho , a wetsuit under your leathers in the winter keeps you lovely and warm
(ive done it a few times)
i havent found a single piece of kit that is competely waterproof.
i put sandwich bags over my socks, and vynil gloves under my supposedly "waterproof" gloves and just get wet everywhere else.
i think ian ment one of these
http://history.ky.gov/KHS_Images/suit1_b&w300.jpg
fizzwheel
25-04-05, 02:14 PM
When it rains I stop and pull on my Alpine Stars waterproof (yes really) over-jacket and trousers. About £60 for the two and pack up really small. When you take them off they're dry within 30 mins. You can keep your Gortex, give me impervious plastic any day ;).
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Is that "El Nino" stuff, I have got one of those and it does a pretty good job but mine leaks at the elbows..
Ceri JC
25-04-05, 02:45 PM
You can keep your Gortex, give me impervious plastic any day ;).
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Yep, you can spend a fortune on "miracle textiles", simple fact is, they don't keep water out as well as cheapo plastic. I'm reasonably into hiking and time and again have seen people with (admittedly more durable) "waterproof" textile jackets costing hundreds of pounds, getting wet, yet someone in £20 plastic waterproofs remain completely dry.
Sure, the plastic ones rip fairly easily and once they have they need to be replaced, but they're a lot cheaper. Your local fishing/outdoorsy shop should do jacket and trousers for under £30.
I prefer an all in one on the bike (no leakage around your midriff), but off the bike where water tends not to be flung up at you, as well as down, 2 piece waterproofs are ideal.
SVeeedy Gonzales
25-04-05, 03:06 PM
Got a cheapo Frank Thomas aqua(?) jacket - about £70 and it's completely warm and dry, despite having torn the sleeve in an off last year and gaffa-taped it up. Even the tape hasn't started to fall off yet - am thinking of just covering the jacket with that as it wears out :D
When it rains I stop and pull on my Alpine Stars waterproof (yes really) over-jacket and trousers. About £60 for the two and pack up really small. When you take them off they're dry within 30 mins. You can keep your Gortex, give me impervious plastic any day ;).
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Is that "El Nino" stuff, I have got one of those and it does a pretty good job but mine leaks at the elbows..
No the RJ-3 jacket. Pretty damn good.
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I've got a textile frank thomas two piece that has never let in any rain ever.
My buffalo winter gloves are fairly waterproof on short journeys.
My Sidi Black Rains are waterproof.
My Roof lid is waterproof if I close the vents and visor...... :roll:
Dicky Ticker
25-04-05, 03:38 PM
"HELD" two piece denim lookalike suit with a el-cheapo set £10 of bike spastics out of the specials bin and I've never never been wet and as for keeping my hands dry pull in the first garage and get a pair of the disposable gloves from the pumps over the top of my own gloves
Both cheap and cheerful but they work so what the -------
Halonic
25-04-05, 03:48 PM
ok I got a 50 quid cordura jacket from a dodgy stall at the BMF,
30 quid gore-tex trousers from another dodgy stall at the ali-pali show,
100-an-something Clubman classic-with-buckles boots from Alt-berg,
60 quid Hein Gericke gore-tex sports gloves from, yep, Hein Gericke
and a bloody great Arai on me head
Worn thru a bloody great lake in wales on the back of an F650 and nary a drop got thru,
"quality" cheap and nasty sweat shop gear
My buffalo winter gloves are fairly waterproof on short journeys.
Yes, that's not exactly waterproof then is it. :wink:
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"HELD" two piece denim lookalike suit with a el-cheapo set £10 of bike spastics out of the specials bin --
:)
"HELD" two piece denim lookalike suit
The only think you have to remember Mac is that when you come to visit Soho wearing this, just make sure you're always standing with your back against a wall. :lol:
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for that sorta money just buy a cheap car surely lol. i mean biking is fun and in the wet i have no prob but when its chucking it down and you know its gonna chuck it down all day take the car? :o
for that sorta money just buy a cheap car surely lol. i mean biking is fun and in the wet i have no prob but when its chucking it down and you know its gonna chuck it down all day take the car? :o
some of us dont have a car :)
id happily settle for a ten pound waterproof suit from my local army and navy if the rain bothered me that much.
speaking of rain, i got caught out coming back from the south coast last nite,
was raining kittens and puppies all the way, had to do the whole journey at 40 cos i could barely see where i was going.
fair point :) cars are very cheap though - my last one was an E reg golf for £50 and now i have an N reg proton persona which was £75 lol
northwind
25-04-05, 07:59 PM
My cordura gear keeps me almost completely dry, not quite perfect after more than a couple of hours at speed but still very good. It needs reproofing now I think... Still not tried my HG Tribal oversuit, but it's got a good rep as well. For gloves, I've yet to find anything completely waterproof but the HG Pathans are pretty good.
The big advantage that cordura/goretex has over plastic is breathability... It doesn't matter how dry it keeps you from the outside if it fills up with sweat :)
The big advantage that cordura/goretex has over plastic is breathability... It doesn't matter how dry it keeps you from the outside if it fills up with sweat :)
Theoretically true but I've yet to be drenched by a thin film of moisture (that certainly does build up in time) on the inside of the plastic as opposed to the deluge that seems to come through Gortex once it's been used a few times.
Each to their own I suppose...
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I've got a secondhand Spidi touring 2-piece - has never let the rain in, even on a one hour motorway trip in the rain (boy, that was a fun one!).
Oh yeah. I've got lower fairings - don't know if that reduces splashing much?
OK what does work in the rain
Not Mogs' SV based on Saturday's evidence :wink:
I suppose one answer would have to be "Fenda Extendas" :lol:
northwind
25-04-05, 08:35 PM
See, my Lookwell jacket and Belstaff trousers have covered something like 12000 miles (and 2 crashes) in all weathers without reproofing and they don't let a drop in except in really severe conditions- ie a couple of hours in heavy rain at speed... Though they do start to soak up water, it takes a long time before it comes through (though it does cause them to get a bit chilly after maybe an hour in serious wetness)
wyrdness
25-04-05, 08:43 PM
A decent fairing will deflect rain better than you'd imagine. I once rode from Leicester to London on a Ducati ST2 with no waterproofs and was fine. This is free advice from the guy who's just chosen a Speed Triple over a Sprint ST.
http://www.triumph.co.uk/images/accessories/SpeedTripleFLYSCREEN_1_panel.jpg
:lol:
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Anybody got any recommendations for kit that does keep you dry in torrential rain
A Volvo S40...sgot a heater to :D
Quiff Wichard
25-04-05, 10:45 PM
When it rains I stop and pull on my Alpine Stars waterproof (yes really) over-jacket and trousers. About £60 for the two and pack up really small. When you take them off they're dry within 30 mins. You can keep your Gortex, give me impervious plastic any day .
hey Jon- as above-- you pull over and put it on?>??????
where are you carrying all yer spare clothes?? ...you aint telling us you have a top box are ya !?
northwind
25-04-05, 11:05 PM
Nah, he told us about his colossal rucksack full of stuff- tools, books, spare kit, etc- the other day. It seems like in order to avoid the topbox, he wears a 50 litre rucksack at all times :)
Quiff Wichard
25-04-05, 11:26 PM
LOL :lol:
Tried the Frank Thomas waterproof boots, they wernt.
Tried Sidi Rain boots, they worked now they don't.
Have Frank Thomas waterproof overalls and until Mrs Ape stuck them in the washing machine they were fine, now they aint.
Have never EVER found a pair of gloves that keep out the rain.
So everytime I ride in the rain, I get wet :cry: :cry:
I'm quite disappointed with my Sidi Black Rains - they just aint waterproof. Not bad for short journeys or light rain but they don't stand up to a deluge.
On the other hand I was impressed with my Lidl special B-Square one-piece. :D If only I'd got the larger size so I could actually bend... :?
Anybody got any recommendations for kit that does keep you dry in torrential rain
A Volvo S40...sgot a heater to :D
I'll second that (well V40..). Heated seats are nice too...
And before you all call me a wimp I do ride in <5 degree conditions... (Just that the Volvo is more comfortable in those conditions) :)
Anybody got any recommendations for kit that does keep you dry in torrential rain
A Volvo S40...sgot a heater to :D
I'll second that (well V40..). Heated seats are nice too...
And before you all call me a wimp I do ride in <5 degree conditions... (Just that the Volvo is more comfortable in those conditions) :)
I'll third that, well a BMW 316 anyway! :lol:
Oh and I am a wimp and the bike is not getting wet if I can help it... :wink: :lol:
hey Jon- as above-- you pull over and put it on?>??????
Well yes, why would I ride in the dry with waterproofs on? :lol:
where are you carrying all yer spare clothes?? ...you aint telling us you have a top box are ya !?
As Northwind said, in my Knox backpack. They're super-light and fold really small. The good thing about the jacket is that it doesn't have a central zip (no water gets in through the front this way) so you have to pull it over your head, and as it has a clever design you don't have to remove your helmet so it's a nice and quick operation.
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The good thing about the jacket is that it doesn't have a central zip (no water gets in through the front this way) so you have to pull it over your head, and as it has a clever design you don't have to remove your helmet so it's a nice and quick operation.
I like it... Big problem with my el-cheapo jacket is that you have to take your helmet off to get it on - it does have a central zip, but the storm cover stops any water getting in, but getting it on without taking the helmet off is a nightmare... So there are reasons for spending the extra money then?
BTW I also pull over to get my water proofs out of my rucksack (little samsonite thing) if it rains... Unless I am convinced that I am going to get wet anyway in which case I just put the waterproofs on before leaving.
Stu
BTW I also pull over to get my water proofs out of my rucksack (little samsonite thing) if it rains... Unless I am convinced that I am going to get wet anyway in which case I just put the waterproofs on before leaving.
Exactly. Okay it's a little more inconvenient but it's worth the compromise IMHO. Only today I was out for a ride and it started to look ominous, so I made a quick deter to a coffee shop I know, had a coffee as the rain then started to come down, donned my rain-gear on (swapping summer gloves for HG Pathans) and rode off into the drizzle.
Got back home, Alpine Star waterproofs are now dry, HG Pathans and Frank Thomas boots* are steaming in the airing cupboard. All other clothing perfectly dry.
* My Frank Thomas boots aren't waterproof at all (utterly stupid design) and are about to be relegated to spare kit status by an HG replacement very soon.
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