Textiles for the Winter

[Luckypants]

I'm looking for some waterproof and warm clothing for winter. This means textiles I guess. I'm a leathers kinda guy and have paid no heed to textiles in the past TBH. I have a 10yo Spada jacket that is pretty good, but has been crashed in and repaired so not 100% anymore.

I went to HG over the weekend and everything that was in the sale was sold out. The suit in there that seemd to fit the bill was the Journey Jacket and pants that were £400. That seems a bit steep to me for textiles.

I'm looking for something waterproof and warm with shoulder, elbow, knee and hip armour. I'll wear a seperate back protector. Plenty of relective panels would be good and a bright colour perhaps?

Can anyone recommend good kit for winter? Are Spada any good still? And where should I buy it from?

[Pedro68]

There's a Journey "Daylite" Jacket online:
http://www.hein-gericke.com/uk/product_info.php/cPath/1_15_7/products_id/2834

You not thought about buying online Mike? Or did you wanna try their stuff on with your own back protector?

(btw, that daylite one looks to be brighter than any bloody sun we've had this summer!)

Personally, I have Scott Leathers textile trousers (happy with and at £100 can't complain about them either!), and an Ixxon Ranger jacket (in need of repair/replacement).

Pete

p.s. my old boss has HG stuff and she swears by it (and she rides in pretty much all weathers) ... she has a really old "HG All Seasons" jacket, which I think she just keeps waterproofing (chuck it in the washing machine with some nikwax I think?!).

[Alpinestarhero]

I'd go for spada, I got some textile trousers from them (they where £90, cant reemmber the model name) and im always warm and they keep my legs dry. I havnt got a jacket yet, not enough money but I'l get a spada jacket to zip to the bottoms, probably one of the long ones

I'm a textile convert, i love the feeling of what is like two sleeping bags wrapped around my legs :D

Matt

[plowsie]

I have Spada kit. Non removable lining but still bloody good for £104 :D Got it from Harpers Accessories. Mine are the Milan kit!

[JamesMio]

I've got the Hein Gericke Entry Gore jacket, which is now on sale at £120. Ticks all the boxes, removable lining, GoreTex, Shoulder, Elbow & Back protectors & link zip at the back.

So far it's kept me dry & I've not felt ANY cold through it yet (I leave for work at 6.30am, it was 0 Celcius last week!).

Mebbe one for you to try - certainly at that price (esp as I paid £200 for mine Grrr!!) anyway.

[G]

I have spada textile trousers for when I'm commuting. They dont have removable lining and they get stupidly warm....I'm 99% sure they were only £40 aswell from Pidcocks Nottingham.

I may buy the spada jacket this winter as I only have an alpinestar summer textile jacket so they dont zip together.

SPADA all the way for cheap winter kit that effective.

[Alpinestarhero]

Oh, the lining in my spada bottoms is removable

Matt

[Luckypants]

I've got the Hein Gericke Entry Gore jacket, which is now on sale at £120. Ticks all the boxes, removable lining, GoreTex, Shoulder, Elbow & Back protectors & link zip at the back.

So far it's kept me dry & I've not felt ANY cold through it yet (I leave for work at 6.30am, it was 0 Celcius last week!).

Mebbe one for you to try - certainly at that price (esp as I paid £200 for mine Grrr!!) anyway.

Like I said, everything in the sale is gone! This is the suit I was after, but all sold out nationally and none online.

[Luckypants]

There's a Journey "Daylite" Jacket online:
http://www.hein-gericke.com/uk/product_info.php/cPath/1_15_7/products_id/2834

You not thought about buying online Mike? Or did you wanna try their stuff on with your own back protector?



Yes I did, but wanted to try stuff for size. The Journey Jacket / pants seem good (don't want that daylight one though!) but as I said £400 for the suit is a bit steep.

Spada seem much better value and my old jacket was bloody good.

[Luckypants]

This (http://www.bikingdirect.com/product/801/circuit-jacket-blackred.html?PHPSESSID=3kkb3o1d05tgdn8kibr1fgr2m0 ) seems a good buy. Anyone used the Circuit Jacket? They only have one sixe left, but I think that will do me!

[JamesMio]

Like I said, everything in the sale is gone! This is the suit I was after, but all sold out nationally and none online.

Sorry so you did, that'll teach me to read posts properly!!

The jacket I'd originally gone in to try on was the Tricky II Gore, but it didn't fit me as well as the Entry one:

http://www.hein-gericke.com/uk/images/prodpics/trickyIIblkjkt.jpg

It was a nice jacket though right enough...

[Alpinestarhero]

I've tried one of those on, very very nice. Found it a littttle tight around the neck, but maybe thats because Im not used to such a high neck-line. Zips to the spada podium trousers (thats what I got, i just remembered).

If it helps, I'm just under 6 foot (about 5 ft 10") and a medium was the best size

Matt

[Luckypants]

Matt

You talking about the Spada circuit jacket I mentioned or the HG Tricky above? Thanks.

[northwind]

I was really impressed by my Teknics Sprint cordura trousers, proper dupont cordura throughout with a removable thermal liner, came with the better 2-part knox knee protectors and pockets to take the knox hip stuff too (remember textiles aren't as impact protective as layered lathers, so full armour is even more of a good idea). They never leaked, and though they weren't warm they also weren't cold... I always wore them with the thermal layer out and other trousers underneath, that's just how I wear textiles, and they were OK down to minus temperatures at motorway speeds for an hour or more at a time... £100 or so for a new pair, excellent that.

But, I killed those with tarmac, so I finally lashed out on some goretex stuff, Rukka- stupidly expensive, but they have a repair service which is a real seller, my Teknics were mainly fine but the knees were both destroyed, Rukka could have fixed that and it's not expensive. Plus, the armour protection's brilliant, I've got more reason than most to want good armour but all of the protectors exceed CE1 and they're MASSIVE, the hip armour is almost as big as some back protectors. Totally flexible though. And I do love them, they're just better than anythign else I've had.

Goretex is the way to go these days, Hein Gericke have made it much more attainable. Just bought some sort of HG goretex thing off Ebay for £60 as my 5-year-old Lookwell intermediate jacket(august and spring) jacket is is just past it, I got it for my CBT :)

You can get very cheap textiles, but how waterproof are they? How warm? How protective? And protective's a big deal, some textiles just rip and burst. Very few are as good as leather (Halvarson's and Rukka Armax stuff, but both cost too much for me) but that doesn't mean they have to be rubbish.

[jambo]

I'm in the process of considering all of this at the moment. I bought some rather lovely leathers at the start of the year (Hideout mmmmm). Now I'm an odd bloody shape and the chances of finding bike gear that propper fits is pretty slim so I've been using an HG one piece waterproof to keep the weather off, eventually that'll get too cold. Not sure if I'll buy good winter gear or just throw a big jacket over the top of the leathers. My leathers fit me. I had them made as nothing off the shelf has ever been close to right. I'm not sure I can go back to badly fitting kit....

[phil24_7]

Got ht eHG pro sport textile jacket which is tested an 100% wartertight and I've got Frank Thomas textile jacket that zips to this which is so far untested!

My Alpinstars SM-X boots seem pretty waterproof for sports boots but I'm not 100% sure so will be getting some Sidi or SM-X goretex boots.

Regards

[K]

...I'm a leathers kinda guy...

Kinky. ;)

[Luckypants]

But you are a leather kind of girl, no? :smt077

[AlanB]

Do you still come over to Oadby at all ? if so there’s a reasonable place in Coalville which isn’t a million miles away. JTS is the company, they operate a website where you can look at the stuff but it’s best to pop along as they have some very good bargains on the rails in the shop. I brought a fully armoured cordura lined jacket and trousers for £100 the pair, last years colours but who’s looking for fashion during the cooler months?
If you can’t find it give me a pm and I’ll direct you there.

Cheers

Alan

[Luckypants]

Thanks Alan, might be down that way this weekend. I'm sure I'll find them.

[Smudge]

check out j & s accessories Mike there prices are unbelievable, about 16 years ago i had a belstaff rubber suit and it was 100% reliable i Carnt seem to find them anylonger, my hamster chewed it up,the little sh!t
heres a link http://www.jsaccessories.co.uk/hermes/shop

[Bear]

Can't recommend HG Cruise 2 piece enough. Rode the entire 800mile weekend of the AR with the vents open to stay cool, and was dry! Even though my front got enough water on it to make my alarm fob not work!

[thor]

I've got rukka trousers and they are great. My spyke jacket has also been good.

[Luckypants]

Thanks bear, that is praise indeed as it was a wet weekend! You get what you pay for in the end I guess.

Maybe need to up my budget.

[thor]

Actually having said that, I have to take my boots off to get the trousers on. That's a real pain when it's raining and the floor is wet!

[arenalife]

Even the hein gericke employee warned me off the dayglo jacket, he said they look scruffy very quick and the reflective stuff comes out of the fabric. He said I'd be nuts to buy their non-goretex garments, the goretex ones are far superior and are guaranteed for 5 years.

[-Ralph-]

I'm gonna get shot down in flames for this but.....with a 11500 mile road test in all weathers.....

I wear a Fieldsheer XP Tour and I seriously can't fault it, other than perhaps not being quite as breathable as you might like if you have to wear the waterproof membrane in summer. It's a long touring jacket with loads of vents and ram air style zips in the arms, so once on the move you could almost not be wearing any jacket. Then there's a goretex style lining that zips in and doesn't leak in a monsoon. Then for winter all the vents zip up and you zip in a quilted lining which I don't wear too often 'cos I've not found weather cold enough for it yet, it's roasting, i usually leave it at home an wear a fleece instead. It has full Knox CE armour inc back protector included in the price and you'll pick one up for about 80 quid.

My Belstaff textile trousers bought at the same time are too hot in summer, I do use the quited lining and a pair of thermal leggings in winter, the seams are separating and they now leak.

My wife stuff is all Fieldsheer and faultless too, but it hasn't done much mileage and is still fairly new.

I have various other bits of Fieldsheer kit like luggage and stuff and can't fault any of that either. For the price you pay it's seriously good value. They have had some UK supply problems due to the UK importer falling out with the manufacturer, so the UK importer started manufacturing stuff to the same design under the label FS. But you do still get it online. Don't know how good the FS stuff is.

I can't vouch for this website as sellers 'cos I have a local shop (Jim Allan in Falkirk) that deals in Fieldsheer and matches the online price, so I haven't bought from them, but heres the link anyway.

http://www.fieldsheerdirect.com/

Most folk will probably say it's crap, but I think thats like saying any brand which is not well known must be crap, my experience of the stuff has been good.

[plowsie]

Poor Mike, expected me to turn up in my textiles last night at the Border Patrol meet. I turn up in me leathers :D lol. Leathers on a cold wet night in wales - WEIRDO! lol.

[Sosha]

Anyone got anthing good/bad/indifferent to say about RK sports stuff?
:confused:

[Ceri JC]

Hein Gericke Cruise get my vote. Properly waterproof (as in, you can ride for a few hours in the rain and only get water down the back of your neck, if you're unlucky), comfortable, fit me well and hiprotec armour does a great job. Decent protection in a comparatively high speed off too (tested!) for textiles. Also available in hi-vis, if you are so inclined. Only real downsides are they lack longevity, which is an issue if you're a high miler and the zips sometimes go on them (fair play to HG though they are very good/efficient at sorting this out). At £500 a suit, they ain't cheap either, but at the end of a 4 hour ride in the pouring rain, I'd happily pay £20 to have stayed dry (and to avoid the faff/sweat of oversuits), so over time they pay for themselves in that respect.

[metalmonkey]

It looks like the HG is good value and worth trying on and looking at.....

I'll go to J&S as well they are not too far away and the one near has a ton of gear in it! I do need to find one though I'll go have a look at see what there is:)

[Jackie_Black]

Does anybody have an aerostich roadcrafter suit? They look amazing but have to be ordered from america.

http://www.aerostich.com/catalog/US/Roadcrafter-One-Piece-Suit-p-16133.html

You just wear them over normal clothes and can have them all hi viz!!

[Quiff Wichard]

This (http://www.bikingdirect.com/product/801/circuit-jacket-blackred.html?PHPSESSID=3kkb3o1d05tgdn8kibr1fgr2m0 ) seems a good buy. Anyone used the Circuit Jacket? They only have one sixe left, but I think that will do me!


that would match your oversuit too Mike..


I have texyile Buffallo stuff.. they are really warm and good.

[metalmonkey]

What does everyone think of Alpine Star Textile Jackects I tried one on today I though it was a good jackect it was gor tex as well.....it doesn't have a back protector in though I'm going to get a force field one any way.
Other than I'm going to check out some HG gear tomorrow! Any comments on Alpine Star?

[thedonal]

Have to resurrect this thread instead of starting a new one!

I'm finally going to replace my cheap cr"p buttalo- sorry, buffalo!- textile suit in the new year. I saw some Spyke gear get a review in MCN the other week- looked OK for a reasonable price (about £250-£350)- anyone care to comment on this brand? I can't afford to go all out on price, but want something better than what I got (ie that doesn't fall apart and split seams for no reason)- pref double stitched with reasonable armour.

Cheers y'all!

[northwind]

I was just looking at a Hein Gericke Cruise jacket yesterday... Goretex, seems very warm, full armour including the ce back protector... I'm fairly sure it's basically a ripoff of my old Belstaff Celsius jacket, the construction is very similiar right down to the concealed stitching. £280, which is an awful lot for a jacket that you can render useless with one decent crash... But it really did impress me.

My current Belstaff is as warm as I've ever wanted, right down well below zero, but it's just not waterproof, it keeps me dry for a surprisingly long time but that's just because it's so thick, the water takes a long time to soak through. Which is fine til you have to wear it later in the day, or the next day, or sometimes the day after and it's damp through. So, goretex is what I want.

[Biker_Billy]

I was in the HG store in Plymouth yesterday looking at textiles - tried quite a lot of things on - found some good stuff - I was umming and arring about the price, and the friendly chap that works there said there are having a sale in the New Year - I'm sure this would be a national thing, so might be worth waiting to se if there are any bargains to be had...

Thats what Im doing anyhow...

HTH,

Billy.

[Alpinestarhero]

Nothing wrong with ym Spada textiles. I have podium trousers, and a long jacket...cant remmber the name but it was £100 and comes down below the waist, zips to the pdoum trousers. Both have removable thermal lining, and are very warm, and stand up well in the rain too

Matt

[Stig]

I've bought cheap. So long as the armour in it is good enough, that'll do for me. The a set of waterproofs to wear over the top and job done. The waterproofs keep me dry and keeps the cold out. It also saves the hassles of having to wash the textiles from road crap being chucked all over them. Easy.

[Cloggsy]

HG sell on eBay too... Look here (http://search.ebay.co.uk/_W0QQfgtpZ1QQfrppZ25QQsassZheinQ2dgerickeQ2dukQQss PageNameZSTRKQ3aMEFSQ3aMESOI) ;)

[northwind]

It also saves the hassles of having to wash the textiles from road crap being chucked all over them. Easy.

Never washed mine yet. I think they used to be green :cool:

[Stig]

Never washed mine yet. I think they used to be green :cool:

I can understand why you haven't washed them then. :lol:

[Luckypants]

Nothing wrong with ym Spada textiles. I have podium trousers, and a long jacket...cant remmber the name but it was £100 and comes down below the waist, zips to the pdoum trousers. Both have removable thermal lining, and are very warm, and stand up well in the rain too

Matt

Yep agree with Matt. Spada Podium pants with a Spada Circuit jacket. £185 for the two IIRC, keeps me dry and warm. Lowest was -3 C and still warm. Knox armour built in just bought up one size so I can wear full back protector underneath.

The HG stuff looks good and well made, but not at those prices....

PS I crashed big style in my last Spada jacket and it stood up to the test very well. Still use that jacket as a spare, patched up.

[northwind]

Aye, you can do great for lower prices, my current jacket was £80 and my last one was £40, both really decent. If you decided you wanted a set of goretex top and bottom and a pair of heated gloves, for uber winter comfort, it'd cost enough to buy a car :smt115

[STRAMASHER]

HG Voyager jacket and Cruise sallopettes.

Had jacket 5yrs and has never let in a drop , waterproof pockets too (not all tho') Never washed it as it has never leaked. Don' think it is Gortex but the trousers are.

2C this morning and I can still wear just a T-shirt underneath for 20min journey. So warm with the lining in.

Had the zip on the storm collar (big high removable collar, a god send) break, and it was replaced with a new one , no bother, did not even have a receipt.

You get what you pay for. I think their gear is well priced compared to some of the more "poncy", "better" brands.

:nemo: