Aerostitch question

rodneyw71

rodneyw71

KLR'er
Premier Member
#1
#1
I want to update my riding jacket and pants, I purchased aerostitch gloves this spring and am really impressed with them and the customer service that came with them, my question is, I can't decide if I want jacket and pants or the suit, I ride about 20k miles a yr and probably 12k of them are just commuting back and forth to work, but when I tour it's usually atleast a 9 day trip, I think the suit would be more convenient, right now I take everything to work, change, then do it all over after work, with the suit I could just put it over my clothes, but I'd think it would be really hot in the summer.
I'm trying to decide what to do within the next week, they are open next Saturday, it's 542 miles from my house to the store, so i was thinking if they could get me fit into whatever quickly and make it home that day I could get a cert and new riding gear out of it:), but I don't want them rushing and something get messed up. any help or ideas on other riding gear that's just as good or better is appreciated.
 
Stuart Ostroff

Stuart Ostroff

Premier Member
#2
#2
I have an older 1-piece suit which served me very well but was not very waterproof -the infamous 'wet crotch' issue. About 2 years ago I bought a 1-piece 'LIGHT' and find it to be much more waterproof, lighter in general, but still adequate in the winter with my Gerbing heated jacket underneath. I've added the back armor - just velcros in - and I feel like I'm in a cocoon of safety. I've worn the LIGHT in the hottest weather with the zippers open and good air moving thru.

Stuart IBA #11000
Richmond, VA
 
Steve Bracken

Steve Bracken

Premier Member
#3
#3
I'm not one for 1-piece suits. They are great on the bike, hopeless off it ... and it really is hard to stop them leaking.

I was about to buy Aerostich Darien, jacket and pants, but ended up with KLIM Latitude. Very happy with them.
 
rodneyw71

rodneyw71

KLR'er
Premier Member
#6
#6
I'm looking on the aerostitch site and am wondering which is better the AD1 or darien pants and either the classic or lite?
 
OX-34

OX-34

Premier Member
IBR Finisher
#7
#7
I have 1 piece Aerostich Roadcrafter that has never leaked a drop. The main zip has given trouble so I'll be sending it across the Pacific for repair.
It's my first choice for multiday rides like a 50Cc or 100ccc where time on the bike is maximal.

With a multiday rally where chasing bonus locations off the bike I'll wear my KLIM 2 piece.
We don't have easy access to Aerostich downunder so it is much easier to source and try on KLIM gear.
 
rodneyw71

rodneyw71

KLR'er
Premier Member
#8
#8
OX-34 said:
I have 1 piece Aerostich Roadcrafter that has never leaked a drop. The main zip has given trouble so I'll be sending it across the Pacific for repair.
It's my first choice for multiday rides like a 50Cc or 100ccc where time on the bike is maximal.

With a multiday rally where chasing bonus locations off the bike I'll wear my KLIM 2 piece.
We don't have easy access to Aerostich downunder so it is much easier to source and try on KLIM gear.
Click to expand...
So for daily commuting would you recommend the classic or lite?
 
Greg Rice

Greg Rice

Premier Member
IBR Finisher
#9
#9
rodneyw71 said:
I'm looking on the aerostitch site and am wondering which is better the AD1 or darien pants and either the classic or lite?
Click to expand...
I have always liked the AD1's as I believe they are tougher and offer the most Gore Tex. I am on my third pair of AD1's and I get around 120,000 miles out of a pair. Can't get better than that.
 
John Z

John Z

Premier Member
#10
#10
rodneyw71 said:
I'm looking on the aerostitch site and am wondering which is better the AD1 or darien pants and either the classic or lite?
Click to expand...
The Dariens and the AD1's are cut differently at the waist. The AD1 has a lower "rise" and ends up below my navel, whereas the Dariens were right at it.
I've had both and I prefer the AD1's. Both of mine are of the "light" variety. I figured the light would be cooler.

I wear a Transit jacket and AD1 pants 90% of the time. Both are completely waterproof and look good on and off the bike. When it's scorching hot, I wear a Tourmaster mesh jacket (which is NOT waterproof).

I had a Darien jacket (second hand) for a short while and it's great gear, but it's hem is way too low for my liking. I felt like a firefighter when walking around.
 
rodneyw71

rodneyw71

KLR'er
Premier Member
#11
#11
John Z said:
The Dariens and the AD1's are cut differently at the waist. The AD1 has a lower "rise" and ends up below my navel, whereas the Dariens were right at it.
I've had both and I prefer the AD1's. Both of mine are of the "light" variety. I figured the light would be cooler.

I wear a Transit jacket and AD1 pants 90% of the time. Both are completely waterproof and look good on and off the bike. When it's scorching hot, I wear a Tourmaster mesh jacket (which is NOT waterproof).

I had a Darien jacket (second hand) for a short while and it's great gear, but it's hem is way too low for my liking. I felt like a firefighter when walking around.
Click to expand...
I live in Indiana and ride in all the seasons, so the light won't work in the winter, but I'm going to the grand canyon next month and the classic may be to hot, I also wear a tourmaster mesh jacket with a rain liner, the thing I hate about it is the collar is to low, but for heat you can't beat it.
 
OX-34

OX-34

Premier Member
IBR Finisher
#12
#12
No one suit can be perfect for all occasions. If I run a stocktake I have the (classic) Roadcrafter, two KLIM Latitude suits, an Aussie DriRider Textile suit, Motosomething mesh jacket, Rev'It mesh suit, leather jeans and vest and perforated jacket, waterproof leather two piece suit, track leathers, a couple of pairs of kevlar jeans; 4 pairs of bike boots, no five; a half a dozen helmets that flip or don't flip are full face or not full face have internal tinted visors or not. Gloves.... now I have a headache.

Cold and dry or hot and wet and any combo means it would be preferable to have lots of gear, and sometimes different suits on the same day, but that is impractical.

Rodney, maybe you could opt for a Roadcrafter Lite so it is coolish for summer, but always waterproof and can have layers underneath including heated gear in winter. That has to be close to a perfect suit. Unless you want to be able to take just the jacket off.............. Screaming now would be appropriate.

Oh, and consider the electrical output of your KLR before fitting heated gear and what auxiliary lights do you run :confused:
 
rodneyw71

rodneyw71

KLR'er
Premier Member
#13
#13
I run heated gear with the klr, the new edition has a better charging system, on the rally I just ran I had my heated gear, gps, and ph all hooked up to the bike, I have a volt meter to check it all and it hovered around 14 the whole night, so I can layer up, I'll tell them that when they fit me for it.
 
Steve Bracken

Steve Bracken

Premier Member
#16
#16
rodneyw71 said:
I live in Indiana and ride in all the seasons, so the light won't work in the winter, but I'm going to the grand canyon next month and the classic may be to hot, I also wear a tourmaster mesh jacket with a rain liner, the thing I hate about it is the collar is to low, but for heat you can't beat it.
Click to expand...
The difference between the standard and Lite versions of the Darien is actually their abrasion resistance, and ease of repair. Fabric on the lite is a bit less "stiff".

Summer or winter will make no difference. Both will need a heated jacket in winter.
 
ab9275

ab9275

New Member
#17
#17
I've used a standard Darien jacket for several years now. I got tired of replacing cheaper stuff. It was stiff as hell for a season then broke in nicely. With a liner and a warmbib, and maybe a sweatshirt, I'm good down to near freezing. With the vents wide open it's good for 90 degrees or so even on a faired bike.

I also use Darien light pants which fit my full figure nicely.

Both have kept me dry even in heavy storms on the Harley or KLR.
 
rodneyw71

rodneyw71

KLR'er
Premier Member
#18
#18
Just ordered my darien jacket and ad1 pants, there is a 10 to 12 week wait on the jacket, I want the high viz and got the pants in grey, got the back protector and emergency contact accessories, I've wanted aerostitch riding gear for a long time, can't wait to get it.
 
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