["D"]

Looking for some GOOD advice on rain gear from someone who has put in long distance road trips. Is there anything out there that will actually keep you dry, or are these companies offering false hopes that their product works just to make a buck?

Who has done some major riding in the rain, and has been dry afterward?

Please offer your advice.

 

[Chopin]

Funny you should ask. I just spent 120 miles in heavy rain today in my " Frogg Toggs " rain wear. I was madder than a wet cat but dry as a dog's old bone where it mattered.

 

[marcsvette]

Wife and I came out of Florida during a downpour last year. Drove over 100 miles wearing our Frogg Toggs over our cloths. Stayed dry and you don't sweat to death under them. We just wear our riding boots and they themselves are waterproof. They have a place in the right saddlebag all the time.

 

[Chopin]

When I ride I neither dress for success nor disaster. Tee shirt or sweatshirt, depending on the temperature, and my trusty Wal-Mart $ 40.00 Brahma work boots and jeans. I had the sweatshirt on today with the other apparel mentioned. Sure, my boots got a little wet, but that was it. This was my first time riding my wing for that length of time in continuous rain. I was very pleased and pleasantly surprised how well the 1800 channels water away. Of course I came off a VTX 1300 with nothing but a windshield. I bought the Frogg Toggs last year in an emergency situation while I was at a dealership. I paid about $ 55.00 for the set. I didn't shop around for quality or performance, I needed something for the 50 mile ride back home. I look at rain gear as a spare tire: If I don't have it, I'll need it. If I need it, it's only for a little while. I will say, however, that the performance of the material does what it is supposed to do, but the quality of the jacket zipper on the style I purchased doesn't seem too durable. I don't plan on it getting daily usage though. And that's a big 10-4 on what marcsvette said below about NOT sweating to death inside them.

 

[Rapier]

While Chopin wore his FroggToggs, I was wearing a set by First Gear. They were also very good in the wet. Ride safe...

 

[Two Wheel Wing]

I've used Frogg Toggs for many years. I'm on my second set and under most conditions they have kept me dry. I've also be in some "belly washers" that even a duck could not keep dry. For my $$ they seem to be the best combination of weight, protection and storage space required. JMHO, to each his own because it's your $$. Ride safe and keep dry...

 

[trike lady]

I had Tour Master, didn't like it. It kept me dry in the rain but it also made me sweat. I'm going to get the Frogg Toggs, the ones I have a great if your are commercial fisherman. Frogg Toggs seems to be the choice of many.

 

[billcarr_]

Frogg Toggs are excellent. These breath so well you will be cold riding thru most rain unless u have a sweater under them. Very dry!

 

[Stratman]

Wealth of knowledge in this forum. Ya gotta love it
Strat

 

[jamnjim]

Don't pay a shop 1/2 to 1-hr shop time for something you can do yourself in the time it takes to ride to the shop. If you don't already have them, ride to a hardware store and buy a single, or for what you'll save in labor and then some, a quality set of drill bits. Drill through the rounded allen head screw matching the size of the bit to a screw you've already removed. Smaller is better, if the hole you drill is too small to break loose the screw simply run the next size larger drill bit through the hole till you drill out the metal. Just in case you drill too small and the screw spins when you try to drill through with the next larger size, while you're at the hardware store also buy a quality small round file which you can use on the screw that spins. Remember: once you drill too big you can't make the hole smaller. I haven't priced fenders, but I'm sure it's at least $100.

 

[Badrider]

Hi "D", just another good point is the frogg toggs are also great if its dry and you get cold you can also put them on and it will keep you warm in a pinch.

 

[LarryinSeattle]

My Joe Rocket Ballistic jacket is water proof. I have a pair of gators that cover the 3 inches of exposure above my water proof boots.

Of course, in town, stop and go riding is completely different and I would put on my rain gear bottoms made by First Gear.

We get our share of rain here in Seattle, but I don't commute on the bike in the winter time. I would rather sit on a metro buss than sit in the rain and traffic. Or in my Ranger pickup.

 

[EFINREF]

WAIT!!! A little advice from a golf coach. If you want a more stylish rain gear.....Adidas makes a very nice rain pant (black) that matches my Super Tour jacket. You could spray me with a hose and I don't get wet...(Don't even think about it). They are a soft fiber...its crazy. I have had several folks wanting some when they saw them. I could wear those to church.

 

[budoka]

There's rain, and then there's RAIN. Good old every day rain you can wear just about any stay-dry gear and be OK. But when you get the deluge wind driven from the side four lane heavy traffic conditions downpour RAIN there is very little that will defend you from the wet. Even if it doesn't get through the material, it will find a way. Down the neck, under the cuffs, and especially the crotch area. Selaed (welded) seams and so-called aterproof zippers can't contend with that volume of water. This past summer I was privy to several jaunts is this type of rain volume, and after sveral hours of continuous riding in it, I was eventually soaked. Sometimes the only sensible thing to do is stop and wait it out if you have that luxury. If you're a long ways from home and have no choice but to ride through it, grin and bear it, because the natural hydrolic nature of water finds a way in eventually. Frogg Toggs, Rainrider, Dryrider, (haven't found any golf gear that works well on the golf course yet so can't say about the current Addidas stuff, sorry REF) or the dept store variety always helps, but it's a function of time and volume that determines the outcome IMO. Having said that, some of my best riding memories come from rainy days.

 

[EFINREF]

There's rain, and then there's RAIN. Good old every day rain you can wear just about any stay-dry gear and be OK. But when you get the deluge. Frogg Toggs, Rainrider, Dryrider, (haven't found any golf gear that works well on the golf course yet so can't say about the current Addidas stuff, sorry REF)

No apology necessary, Isaac. Just a little update on the Adidas Rain Gear....It now resides in my golf bag. I actually forgot this thread. I rode threw your so called deluge and I was soaked. I now use the Tour Master Venture Air with the liners. Therefore, I retract my statement about Adidas from the record. They belong on the golf course.

 

[LarryinSeattle]

I just ordered a set of Frog Toggs on Ebay. The seller sells factory small deficiencies or rejects for $35.

My Joe Rocket Jacket has never leaked and I have some weather proof pants, but when I am down in the south as my upcoming December trip and it is hot and raining, I will need a set of rain gear.

I also have rain proof gators.

In the winter time I also use:

This keeps me warm and dry here in the Northwest.

I think these look interesting:

 

[Chopin]

I just ordered a set of Frog Toggs on Ebay. The seller sells factory small deficiencies or rejects for $35.

I bought an emergency set off a clearance shelf at a Honda Dealer. Didn't take long to trash the zipper but thank goodness it also has snaps.

 

[Ron Robertson]

About the zippers. If it's the problem where once you've zipped it up it opens behind the zip device. It is fixable. I've done several zipper with is problem on jackets and our Kiwk Kamp tent trailer.. I use channel lock pliers because of their shape, the tips come together forming kind of an arch. Simply use the tip of the pliers to squeeze the center of the little bar that the pull tab is attached. Carefully don't play Maggila Gorilla and crush the thing. Try it several time starting out with a slight squeeze and increasing if needed.

Oh yah Frogg toggs

 

[Chopin]

About the zippers. If it's the problem where once you've zipped it up it opens behind the zip device. It is fixable. I've done several zipper with is problem on jackets and our Kiwk Kamp tent trailer.. I use channel lock pliers because of their shape, the tips come together forming kind of an arch. Simply use the tip of the pliers to squeeze the center of the little bar that the pull tab is attached. Carefully don't play Maggila Gorilla and crush the thing. Try it several time starting out with a slight squeeze and increasing if needed.

Oh yah Frogg toggs

Yup! That would be the issue and I'll give your solution a try.

 

[kikker]

Frogg Toggs may not be the best looking rain gear but they sure do work well. The longest non-stop rain I have ever ridden in was 470 miles from Toledo Ohio to Washington D.C.