Rain Gear Looking for rain gear

Bmacleod

Bmacleod

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Joined
Mar 21, 2016
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1,096
Location
P.E.I., Canada
Bike
'05 ST/ '24 R1250 RT
I am planning more/farther trips this year and have come to the point where I think it would be wise to invest in some quality rain protection. Ive used substandard rain gear for a while and want to upgrade to some quality stuff. I want to keep my dry gear that I have now and get packable over-wear to throw on as needed. I am looking for a jacket, pants and welcome thoughts on gloves as well. I am also looking at over-boot covers, but also waterproof boots as well, but not sure on what way to go there. If waterproof boots are going to be hot, I'd rather stick with breathable footwear and get "booties" for when it rains. Any thoughts/opinions on your wet weather gear would be appreciated
 
I have a Nelson-Rigg SR-6000 rain suit. It works well, but not perfect, depending on how hard the rain is, how long and wind direction. Underneath, during non-summer riding, I wear Tourmaster gear that is 'waterproof, which I just Nikwax'd. It's 100% good for an hour or so, and 90% good for a few hours without my rain suit on.

As for boots, I wear waterproof Red Wings and they are 99-100% dry all the time.

For gloves, I've not really found a pair that last for hours in the rain, but I've not tried a bunch either. My new Olympia Weather Kings with Gore-Tex are supposed to be, have only used them a few times when raining, but so far so good. The key for me is to get the glove cuff inside my outer jacket, whatever that happens to be at the time. Else drawstring them down really well, but that can't last for hours. If it's warm enough, I put on mechanics gloves and just let my hands get wet.
 
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Call me frugal, but I've been using the relatively low-dollar Bilt rain jacket and overpants for a couple of years now with decent results. I have the Bilt booties as well but rarely use them; my normal boots have been repellent enough for me.

As for gloves, I have Bilt waterproof gloves, but they seem to make my hands sweaty. I just wear my normal leather gloves. If my hands get wet, big deal. They'll be dry again 15 minutes after it stops raining.

Wore all my Bilt rain gear last October on an 8-day, 2200-mile trip. Rained every day for the first six days, and I never got wet. Can't say much more than that.
 
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I am also frugal. I have Frog Toggs rain pants and jacket. I wear the jacket under my motorcycle jacket (Bilt or Joe Rocket) and the pants over my riding pants (which are usually just heavy jeans).

For the number of times I've been caught in the rain, a simple solution works for me.
 
Another Frogg Toggs user here. I tried relying on the rain liner in my jacket and riding pants. But since the rain liner is on the inside the outer textile shell becomes very wet and made me feel very clammy from my own sweat, even in moderate temps. I very much prefer to keep my gear dry and to wear rain gear OVER my riding gear. This makes it far more comfortable and allows my body moisture to be absorbed for a very long time. I've worn my FT in some really heavy rains over the years and only once ever been a little damp. That one time was when I left the hood rolled up in the collar and wasn't wearing rain gloves so the rain leached in at the collar and cuff a little. My new boots are Gore Tex and have done well keeping my feet dry in the one or two rains they've seen so far. My previous boots also had a rain lining and kept my feet dry in those heavy rains. I do wear my heavier waterproof glove gauntlets over my jacket sleeves but the FT sleeve over those. This is in cooler weather so my better gloves with a gauntlet. I do have summer rain gloves that are OK but in warmer weather I really don't care if my hands get a little damp. As long as it's warm. In warmer temps I'm wearing short sleeves under my jacket and FT so rain on my skin only and maybe a little at the cuff so far even in heavy rains so no big deal for me.
 
Hi Brent:

I've never had good experiences with "over-wear" rain gear. The cheap stuff gives you that 'boil-in-bag' feeling - after wearing it for an hour, you're so wet from sweat that you might as well have just endured the rain. The good stuff tends (in my opinion) to be kind of bulky and takes up way too much space in the saddlebags.

Once a year, I treat my riding gear with a rain repellent (Nikwax spray) that I buy from Mountain Equipment Co-op in Toronto. That stuff works well enough to keep me dry and comfortable for the first half-hour of riding in light to moderate rain. Beyond that - if I'm going to be riding all day in rain, or if the rainfall is really heavy - I just put up with getting wet, because my experience is that this only happens to me a few times a year.

My experience on the ST 1100 and ST 1300 is that my feet don't tend to get wet unless I ride through standing water. As for gloves, if I see big-time rain coming (or forecast), I just go to a grocery store and buy a pair of large size rubber gloves, and put them over top of my normal riding gloves. That prevents my fingers from getting cold - although my hand does tend to sweat a bit.

I stay in hotels when I tour, which means that I can always hang the soaking-wet stuff up in the hotel and trust that it will dry out by the next morning (sometimes with a wee bit of help from the bathroom hairdryer). Obviously, that strategy would not work for folks who camp.

Michael
 
Frogg Toggs pants and jacket here. I lived in Hawaii for ten years and riding in rain was a regular event. I wore them over my riding jacket. FTs breathe and are comfortable in warm weather. I never got wet wearing them, either. I'm still using the set I've had for the last six to seven years. Spend more if you want but Frogg Toggs are all you need.
 
I prefer all-weather riding gear, but I pack a set of Frogg Toggs on hot weather trips when I am taking only a vented riding suit. The rain jacket also functions as a cold buster in the mornings and evenings.
 
I've worn a TourMaster rain jacket once in pouring rain. When I got to the motel, I was absolutely soaked...from the perspiration inside, even though I didn't feel "hot". It didn't breathe. If I wanted separate rain gear, I think I'd get Frogg Toggs. They won't last forever, but will work fine and better than non-breathable gear.

I wear Olympia gear. (Unfortunately, the company went out of business.) The point is that there is a waterproof layer built into the jacket and pants. It's worked fine for me. Once or twice a year, I wash it, then when dry, spray it with Kiwi waterproofing spray. A can costs about $8, and while designed for tents, it works great on the outside of the riding gear to keep that outside layer from soaking up water.

Chris
 
My wife, Son, and myself have tried Frogg Toggs. None of use were happy. We have since switched to Olympia Rain gear when wearing mesh apparel. The plus side is that they work very well to keep you warm when the temp suddenly dips and all you packed was mesh gear. In the heat of summer they are uncomfortable.
 
I use Icon PDX bibs with full length side zippers. Easy on and off over boots and have worked well over the years. I'm still using an ancient First Gear rain jacket and Aerostich lobster over gloves when it's really raining hard.
 
Another Frogg Togg user here. No complaints. Have gone thru a lot of waterproof gloves over the years that weren't. Now I use overgloves
that roll up easily in the pockets of the Frogg Togg jacket. My Alpinestar riding boots have proven to be waterproof over the years


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Was a Frogg Togg user for years. Then I said why bother with a rain suit. Now my gear is waterproof Alpinestars. Never have to pack a rain suit. Never have to pull over and add a layer.
 
I've found my Nikwax treated Aerostitch suits* to be waterproof - especially on my ST, which offers outstanding weather protection. In fact, it cuts the wind too well, and on v. hot days there is barely enough airflow to cool me off (not heat from the bike - ambient temps).

*Bought used on ebay.
 
I wear a First Gear waterproof jacket and Aerostich AD1 pants. Redback boots. I been through some heavy down pours and I'm usually dryer than the guys wearing "rain gear". When I coach a MSF class in the rain I use a Nelson Riggs suit and stay pretty dry other than sweat .
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I wear KLIM gear its totally waterproof so I don't have to pack additional rain gear it saves space. And I don't have to stop to put it on or take it off
 
Thanks all for the info. It has helped greatly, all of it. I am leaning toward the frogg Toggs. Uncle Phil, thanks for confirming my thoughts on bib pants. I am fairly tall and have been thinking along the same lines.
 
Bmacleod said:
Thanks all for the info. It has helped greatly, all of it. I am leaning toward the frogg Toggs. Uncle Phil, thanks for confirming my thoughts on bib pants. I am fairly tall and have been thinking along the same lines.
Click to expand...

Ditto on the bibs. You won't have to worry about rain water running down between your butt cheeks because normal pants and jacket can cause plumbers crack. :biggrin:
 
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