A rainy day

[Colin1958]

Well, it IS Devon.

Two hours in the saddle, and boy am I wet.

Alpinestars Drystars gloves - Brand new waterproof gloves. It will take me a week to dry them out, so I am sending them back soaking wet. Useless.

Halverssons Prince trousers - Never been very waterproof, but even after a recent techwash they still leak like a sieve. I have now changed my underpants.

BMW Allrounder boots - I have had these for 10 years, recently applied ledergris and they have never leaked. Until today. I have now changed my socks.

The only pieces of kit that held up were my crash helmet (Scorpion) and my jacket (Spada).

The Spada jacket cost me £85 and it is my winter jacket, as it takes a lot of punishment on a bike with a tail tidy - it is excellent, albeit not very stylish. I also have a Halverssons jacket which cost over £300 and is very stylish - it also leaks like a sieve.

SWMotech textile panniers - these are brilliant, but not waterproof - they come with waterproof roll-bags to use. I used them - they leaked like a sieve. Useless, so I will use plastic bags in the future.

I absolutely refuse to buy any more gear - none of it works - returned gloves, trouser boots and jackets - many recommended on here. I will ride through the summer and then re-assess.

 

[dean0n0]

Have a look around...https://www.ukgser.com/forums/forumdisplay.php/381-Clothing-amp-Protective-Gear

 

[AdrianS]

Well, it IS Devon.

Two hours in the saddle, and boy am I wet.

Alpinestars Drystars gloves - Brand new waterproof gloves. It will take me a week to dry them out, so I am sending them back soaking wet. Useless.

Halverssons Prince trousers - Never been very waterproof, but even after a recent techwash they still leak like a sieve. I have now changed my underpants.

BMW Allrounder boots - I have had these for 10 years, recently applied ledergris and they have never leaked. Until today. I have now changed my socks.

The only pieces of kit that held up were my crash helmet (Scorpion) and my jacket (Spada).

The Spada jacket cost me £85 and it is my winter jacket, as it takes a lot of punishment on a bike with a tail tidy - it is excellent, albeit not very stylish. I also have a Halverssons jacket which cost over £300 and is very stylish - it also leaks like a sieve.

SWMotech textile panniers - these are brilliant, but not waterproof - they come with waterproof roll-bags to use. I used them - they leaked like a sieve. Useless, so I will use plastic bags in the future.

I absolutely refuse to buy any more gear - none of it works - returned gloves, trouser boots and jackets - many recommended on here. I will ride through the summer and then re-assess.

I feel for you.

Very rarely I have found is anything completely waterproof. There is always one seam or one gap that water gets through. For some reason my neck always allows water in and also my crotch area for some reason gets wet in heavy rain.
The best waterproofs I had was a plastic 2 piece oversuit I had in the 70's. Trousers would fit over steel toe capped wellies so feet stayed dry. I think my gloves were made of plastic and never leaked. Still got a bit wet around my neck.

 

[fatbaldbob]

I tend to agree with you, no such thing as a pair of motorcycle specific waterproof gloves; I tried the high end stuff (Rukka & Aplinestars) and they are just sponges, mid range is better but the most waterproof glove I own cost about about £20 (Viper) they will still leak after a while but stay drier longer than any expensive items I've owned. Strange that the cheaper you go the more waterproof kit gets. Just shows that paying a premium for a so called brand does not always mean it's a superior item (a bit like BMW bikes).

I find the best protection is either a one piece suit over the top of the supposedly waterproof kit you are already wearing or if you have a genuine waterproof jacket then pull on a pair of military surplus gortex leggings to keep the lower half dry; but the problem with both these items is (bike dependant) melting them on the exhaust.

Regarding boots, I have an old pair of Derri boots (remember them) designed to look like a bike boot but basically a pair of reinforced fur lined wellies, warm and waterproof but doubt they offer much protection.

 

[Dirty Ming]

After many years of trying different stuff from all price ranges, best boots were Sidi Adventure Gore-Tex, Alpinestars trousers, Klim Traverse jacket. That doesn't leak at all, the trousers are fine with a Cool Cover to keep your arse out of the puddling water around the crotch area. But back up any of that with cheap secondhand Army grade Gore-Tex over trousers and glove mitts. You do begin to feel like a Michelin Man, but at least you'll be a dry one

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

Always been 100% waterproof in my road bike kit
Boots
Jackets
Trousers
Gloves

You must have bought the wrong kit …

 

[Jazbee]

Never have found a pair of waterproof gloves that work in torrential rain, Rukka, Alpinestars, various Goretex lined ones...... etc. I have 2 pairs currently drying next to the kitchen radiator
Strange though as all mentioned brands jackets and pants work really well.

 

[RSInterloper]

I was driving on the M5 south of Brum yesterday when the "biblical" thunderstorm with torrential hail hit. There was one poor sod on an RT battling his way through it. Wonder how his gear held up?

 

[sanqhar]

My last two 'big' bikes were a R1100RT and a FJR1300. As long as I kept moving I didn't stop for rain gear. In general the fairings and my zip together leathers kept me dry. In winter I always wore a waterproof jacket over my leathers anyway.
I was surprised how well my CCM GP450 kept my lower parts dry. My current Dane jacket is the 3 layer Goretex laminate so I don't use any other wet protection.

I well recommend Dane gear.

tom

 

[Barnoe]

ive bought cheap and then paid more...
every time i got caught out in rain i got soaked

I rode all the way from Rochdale to London and back again..... seriously if i jumped in the lake i wouldnt have taken on any more water.
i was soaked to the wrinkly skin all over and totally miserable

i bought a top for £25 and pants for £15.... Oxford Rainseal, been dry ever since.
sad state of affairs when jackets at £600 needs protecting by a £25 Oxford over jacket

there should be NO bike clothing sold in Britain that's not really waterproof, what's the point?
it rains about 300 days a feckin year

 

[autogs]

What a load of tripe spouted here!!
Rode last Friday for 80 mile on m40 and m25 in the pissing rain, dry yep as always! Stadler jacket bmw tourshell trews and richa gloves and daytona boots.

Sent from my SM-A226B using Tapatalk

 

[Barnoe]

What a load of tripe spouted here!!
Rode last Friday for 80 mile on m40 and m25 in the pissing rain, dry yep as always! Stadler jacket bmw tourshell trews and richa gloves and daytona boots.

80 miles isn't much of a test, most jackets will cope with an hours ride.
try the same kit, out for 10-12 hours.

 

[LockieP]

I ride all year mainly a 75m e/w commute (I do shift work so not everyday) but I cover c20000m a year. I’ve wear a Rukka Nivala jacket & jeans, Rukka G Star gloves & Sidi Adventure 2 boots. Never been wet or cold & recently I’ve ridden in biblical rain. I have lighter weight gear for the when (IF) we get the nicer weather.

 

[autogs]

80 miles isn't much of a test, most jackets will cope with an hours ride.
try the same kit, out for 10-12 hours.

It was a recent example, I would expect at a constant 70ish it was a pretty good test tbh,but I wouldn't have got wet if it was 180 miles, the stuff I wear is waterproof!

Sent from my SM-A226B using Tapatalk

 

[Deleted account 230818001]

Rukka jackets and trousers (laminated) have never let me down, likewise Rev’it (laminated) have never leaked either.

Gloves, however, have always let in water no matter how expensive the brand.

 

[bullet 311]

I have a BMW Atlantis suit for sale. You won’t get wet in that

 

[GS2022]

I have a BMW Atlantis suit for sale. You won’t get wet in that

+1 for BMW Atlantis trousers remaining waterproof. (But why did BMW confusingly rename them Furka?)

Gloves, however, are a different matter. They all seem to soak after enough hours in the rain (regardless of Gore-Tex). Although I’ve found DucksWax is highly effective at keeping leather gloves drier for longer.

 

[Morety]

I've had all sorts over the years from cheap to very expensive and generally, it's the mid priced stuff I rate as there's no getting away from big brand names charging big brand prices for little better kit.
I used Richa 3 season gloves for 10 years before water getting in became a problem. They were the best mid priced gloves I ever owned. Now after going through a bag full of gloves since then, I have two main pairs. Cheap and cheerful Richa Carbon textile winter gloves which are excellent and waterproof, and the more spendy Held Air 'N Dry which have the goretex liner. They have so far proved water proof on several tours in torrential downpours and have the benefit of a summer vented section within the main glove making them cool for summer riding. More 3 season than all year round but with heated grips and handguards would do ok in winter. At £170 they're not cheap but are very well made and very comfortable with excellent protection.

Jacket wise, the very best I've owned included a Weise Textile, totally waterproof in the worst weather conditions, and now a Halvarssons Touring jacket with an outlast liner. Cool enough in hot weather and again, totally waterproof. About £500 but money well spent and a quality piece of gear every bit as good as Klim or Rukka for a lot less. It even came with a CE2 back protector, a high viz bib which stores away when you don't want to use it, decent pockets and fastenings, a high collar and very good armour. I've kept some cheap backup jackets but tbh should really sell them as they just dit in the wardrobe gathering dust.

I also have an (overpriced) RST Adventure Pro III suit which I used touring on my GSA. Excellent in temperate climates but definitely not waterproof enough and too sweaty in summer with the trousers being too baggy to offer much protection with the liner removed as the armour floats about and doesn't stay where needed. Handy and comfortable suit but out classed comprehensively by the Halvarssons gear. I came to the conclusion that a decent pair of leather trousers with hip and knee armour was the best all year round solution for me and just keep over trousers in the pannier or tankbag in case I need them. I remain totally unconvinced about denim type riding jeans although I have a pair of Bull-it riding jeans. Fit is hit and miss and leathers , despite any theoretical superiority of abrasion resistance of textiles, remain for me the better choice for impact protection and tend to ride up less due to snug fit.

Boots I find difficult to get me wide fitting in but have some RDT adventure boots which are ok, but I rate the Altberg riding boots as good as anything out there and they're waterproof if kept ledergris treated. Great value used and long lived.

That or buy cheap leathers and some decent quality waterproof over garments which pack neatly away. That is probably the best advice if buying on a budget.