BMW Rainsuit and Electric Vest - How to Exit the Cord?

[Charles Elms]

I have the BMW one piece rainsuit and find that it keeps me quite dry and moderately warm in cold weather. I plan to purchase a Gerbings electric vest to wear under my Kilmanjaro jacket and the BMW rainsuit. If it wasn't for the rain suit, I've got a good idea how to run the wiring and controller. With the one piece rainsuit how to I get the cord from under the suit? Sleeve or neck or just forget it? Anyone solved this problem successfully? I'd like to wear the rainsuit as my top layer because it really cuts the wind as well as the water when it rains (or snows).

[Ken H.]

Our one piece rain suits have a pocket on one side with a Velcro down flap. I was able to cut a small hole in the back of the pocket and with the flap folded over it, it doesn't impact the water resistance. I think. I've never have had to try it out in the really bad stuff. Yet.

[steve.foote]

I use the same setup with a Savannah2 jacket. Put on the Gerbings, outer jacket then your rainsuit, but don't zip the rainsuit up. Just use the velcro. The rainsuit will stay closed up just fine.

 

It works really good. I have ridden down to 22 degrees in that getup.

[Vincent]

I made a 3' extension cord for my setup (BMW power male one end, BMW power female other). I have a one piece rain suit. When I use the heated vest with the rain suit, I connect the extension cord and run it up my chest and out by my neck. I'm able to switch the vest on and off pressing the switch through the rain suit. Worked well on my Alaska trip. I always wandered what other people did, this was the only solution I could come up with! Also, you can use the extention for other power devices that also use the BMW power jack. Good riding!

[USAF1]

You can get one of the vinyl/plastic/rubber repair kits (I used a water bed kit), cut a small "X" to the left or right side of your suit (whichever side the outlet is on)....than glue an oversized "upside down " pocket over the "X".... glue it on 3 sides...leaving the 4th side (the bottom) open to drop the lead out of.

 

Pat