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Waterproof kit. Get what you pay for?


CraigT

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Today on a Glasgow/Edinburgh trip I was cought out on the return journey with 45 motorway miles with heavy rain and much truck spray.

 

Hein Gericke Toureg Jacket (£219), wet arms, wrist and belly. frown.gif

BMW Contour Plus boots. (£160) Wet left foot. frown.gif

Frank Thomas Aqua Gloves (£69.99). Both hands drenched. frown.gif

eBay "cargo" water proof trouser (£14). Bone dry. thumbsup.gif

 

hmmmm. Go figure. smirk.gif

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It depends on what you are looking for. Personally, I don't think there is anyway to ride on a bike for any long period (hours) in heavy rain without getting wet.

 

I find that I only get wet, using First Gear rain gear, and Sidi boots when the water begins to wick down from outside.

 

Once that happens, there is no stopping it, unless you change clothes.

 

I rode for some three or four hours one afternoon in heavy rains on the interstate, slow and moderate speeds. When I got to the motel that evening, everything under the rain gear was wet. I know it does not leak and is water resistant. I have ridden in heavy rains for less than hour and not gotten even a little damp (excpet for sweat). But water comes in at the neck, no real way to stop that, and migrates down the rest of your body.

 

Now if you could get a hood, like a diving hood to cover the head and attach it to the top part of your rain gear, you would probably be able to stay dry.

 

On another note, I have tried a couple of types of gloves for riding in the wet. I finally decieded on divers gloves. The rational is that I am going to get a little wet there and having gloves that are suppose to be water tight and then having wet hands would be a bummer. So, I just deiceded that I'd ride with wet hands in gloves that were made to function in the wet.

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Now if you could get a hood, like a diving hood to cover the head and attach it to the top part of your rain gear, you would probably be able to stay dry.

 

On another note, I have tried a couple of types of gloves for riding in the wet. I finally decieded on divers gloves. The rational is that I am going to get a little wet there and having gloves that are suppose to be water tight and then having wet hands would be a bummer. So, I just deiceded that I'd ride with wet hands in gloves that were made to function in the wet.

 

me-dive-021102-001.jpg

 

Like this?? grin.gif

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The best waterproof trousers I've ever had are Dutch army issue goretex ones. You should be able to get a pair from your local Army Surplus shop. They cost about £20 and last around 100,000 miles. They also fold up into their own pocket, so they're tidy when not in use. I've yet to find anything better

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ShovelStrokeEd

The BMW Klima Komfort rain suit has kept me completely dry for the 4 years I have owned it. Ridden many a 10 hour day in driving rain and I don't even get damp. It comes with its own pouch and takes up very little room in a pannier. I don't recall the exact price but it was not cheap. Somewhere in the neighborhood of $500.00. Lessee, 500 dollars for a rain suit used only 4 or 5 times a year, expensive, dry dangly bits, priceless.

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I have been using Tour Master jackets, pants and rain suits with no problem. Have ridden three days through torrential rains in Montana and Canada in 34 degree F without any leaks. None of this gear is overly expensive. thumbsup.gif

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Today on a Glasgow/Edinburgh trip I was cought out on the return journey with 45 motorway miles with heavy rain and much truck spray.

 

Some of us know how much it rains in Europe as well.

 

I wear the following over my Aerostich suit if I think it is going to rain for more than an hour or if it rains heavily.

 

Two piece rainsuit,

Hein Gericke rain overgloves,

Hein Gericke rain overboots.

 

Each cost next to nothing.

 

Bone dry after hours of riding in the rain

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I have found that our rain gear is only good for probably an hour in the rain before your crotch starts getting wet, seems to work OK everywhere else. I clean and re-spray it every year with NikWax waterproofing as well. When we went to Hawaii a few months ago it rained every day (yeah), and we had rented harleys for 3 days. We of course hadn't packed any rain gear with us so bought a couple sets of raingear from the local harley shop. It's the rubber/neoprene stuff that is totally waterproof but doesn't breath at all but it has become my raingear of choice. It works perfectly and keeps me completely dry. It never gets very warm here especially when it rains so sweating in the stuff hasn't been a problem. The only time I would see it not working is in warmer climates where you'd end up drenched in your sweat. It has very good double folded over seams, etc. and I never get water finding it's way inside. Best part was it was cheap, $40 a set. Plus it rolls up much smaller than our regular rain gear. Now my regular rain gear has been demoted to dog walking duty only. :-)

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Frank Thomas Aqua gloves? Mine not only leaked in a prolonged ride in heavy rain, but turned my hands a hideous turquoise colour. My pillion was wearing those also, same prob.

 

Wore FT boots on the same ride, the left boot let water in, I emptied a cupfull of water out when I'd got to my destination.

 

Threw both pairs of gloves away. FT gave me new boots, that I immediately sold on ebay.

 

Never, ever, ever will I buy anything with the Frank Thomas name again. Never. A plague on them.

 

Oh, the IXS jacket and trousers didn't let a drop of water through.

 

Have used BMW gloves and boots for over a year now, and despite going through torrential rain, no probs.

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