4 season riding gear options

[Bull RRider]

Im in the market for some new riding gear for sport touring/ dual sport.
I have been checking out Aerostich Roadcrafter suit , Aerostich Darien J&P, Rev'it Defender J&P, Rev'it Cayenne Pro J&P, and Rev'it Infinity suit.
I was hoping to get some experiences, advice and recommendations on these choices and other great options with following criteria:

WATERPROOF! (I have been shafted quite a few time with gear that claimed to be waterproof and it was barely water resistant)
Durability (I want it to last quite a few years)
Fit, not bulky (I have a short athletic build & touring gear seems built for the portly only)
Protection (CE or comparable armor)
Versatility (20F-90F, rain,wind)
Pockets

Thanks in advance!

[salsashark]

well... it's none of the above, but my Scorpion Commander jacket should be arriving today. All of the reviews I've read came back positive for an all weather touring type jacket with the quality of the big boys like aerostich/bmw/etc... at a fraction of the price.

I really like the triple layers on this jacket. 1 insulated, 1 waterproof, and an outer shell... nice for different conditions.

[TinkerinWstuff]

I had this one since last fall. Very happy with it. Haven't been caught in a downpour but I expect it to do well. Ride in 15deg F and up. Rode yesterday in 20deg F from Fort Collins to by the DIA airport (1hr 15min) with snowpants, Khakis, long johns, under shirt, and thin long sleeve dress shirt.

http://www.firstgear-usa.com/Textile...limanjaro.html



http://www.firstgear-usa.com/Textile...limanjaro.html

[asp_125]

Another suit option is the Fieldsheer Highland one piece, sort of a poor-man's Aerostich. I have the Highland jacket and it gets pretty warm during the heat of mid august, but has kept me dry and warm in sub freezing weather.

A friend of mine in Salt Lake commutes to Park City in an Olympia Phantom which he says is pretty good as well.

This: A 4 season suit is good for pavement. But if you will be doing a lot of dual sporting, it can be physical work, in which case IMHO a two piece or more dirt/adventure oriented gear would be more versatile. I have dedicated pants and a 3/4 length adventure/touring jacket with lots of pockets for dual sport/dirty work.

[GuitarX]

well... it's none of the above, but my Scorpion Commander jacket should be arriving today. All of the reviews I've read came back positive for an all weather touring type jacket with the quality of the big boys like aerostich/bmw/etc... at a fraction of the price.

I really like the triple layers on this jacket. 1 insulated, 1 waterproof, and an outer shell... nice for different conditions.

+1 on the Scorpion XDR Commander. I'm loving mine!

[salsashark]

+1 on the Scorpion XDR Commander. I'm loving mine!

Mine showed up today... It's beefy! I'll be breaking it in this weekend.

[Bull RRider]

Thanks for the quick responses and great input.
Now i have some more options to add in the mix.
Any rain experiences?
How's the fit of these jackets?
Aside from my leathers it always seems that the sleeves are too long for my liking...maybe i just have T-rex arms.

thanks in advance!

[salsashark]

Ok so two days now w/ the commander jacket.

All day riding on Saturday in the 40's and 50's, then this morning it was around 25 or so when I went to work.

With the insulated liner in, the jacket rocks. Super warm, no issues whatsoever heading in this morning.

Fit is a bit snug, order one size larger then you wear in your leathers.

No rain experience yet, but I have a quality rain suit so I'm not worried. For commuting, I'm sure it will be fine, but if I head out for an all day ride, I'll bring the rain gear.

[GuitarX]

Bull and Salsa -

Did a Deckers run yesterday in the XDR Commander with very little layering underneath (wife beater, t-shirt, and a long-sleeve t-shirt over that). It was 32 and windy on 470 and I was snug as a bug in a rug. Most of the ride was in the high 30s/low 40s and I was out for hours.

You can find these jackets on sale right now for $200. I highly recommend this piece of gear. They are supposedly waterproof but it doesn't rain much in CO so I have no idea how it performs in a torrential downpour. As far as cold weather though, I am now convinced that I can ride in any temperature I want to and I'll be just fine.

Man I love good gear. It's always worth every penny. Without that jacket I would have turned back around after the freezing temps on 470 and missed having Deckers all to myself.

[asp_125]

A couple of seasons ago, I wore the Fieldsheer on a ride to the western slope. We encountered a sudden driving rainstorm (.. I was expecting animals to queue up two by two) just outside of Grand Junction. Not stopping for rain gear, we rode through it. My gloves and boots got soaked, but other than a bit around the collar and armpits I stayed dry enough. The outside of the inner liner got damp, but not enough to what I'd call wet.

[fasterlaster]

One word of warning about the Commander is the Neon Yellow color really is very, very bright. Good for visibility, but you will never ever be able to hide wearing that

[GuitarX]

True...true...

[MotoMary]

You should also consider the Olympia AST Jacket - it is now on Closeout at MotoGear Outlet. A true Waterproof outshell and has some of the BEST venting around for the summertime riding. Has CE armor all around, elbows, shoulders & back. Has a warmth removable liner as well
There will be a new AST jacket in the Spring - I don't know how they can improve on this jacket but maybe they can.
It is now $240 (down from $299) BUT, if you go to the Warehouse sale on 12/4 it will be further reduced. Comes in Hi Vis Yellow, Pewter/Black and Sand/Black (light tan).
Motogear Outlet, 5405 W 56th Ave., Suite A, Arvada, CO (Sheridan/Ralston) www.motogearoutlet.com

[SVCliff]

Sounds like you need a "5oclockshadow" beard LOL



http://www.etsy.com/listing/63441152...-weight-calico

[TFOGGuys]

I am currently wearing a Tourmaster Transition II jacket year round, with some decent snowboarding pants, a set of insulated boots, and Tourmaster Synergy heated gloves. On my ride in this morning(+19F), all was well as far as comfort, although I probably need a neck gaiter since I'm not growing a beard this winter. My commute is about 28 miles one way, mostly at highway speeds, so this is a pretty good indication of cold weather performance. The jacket has performed admirably in wet conditions ranging from mist to "Noah!... I need you to build an Ark", with little leakage and never a situation where comfort was compromised.