Aerostich questions

[RVFRick]

I bought a lightly used Aerostich last night. I've been looking for one for a long time but 42Rs are hard to find and whenever I did they were either across the country, faded, old and/or overpriced. The one I got was in great shape, fairly priced and local. arty

Like anything new, it will take time to learn and adapt. I hope it works out. I plan to use this suit for casual rides and commuting. I tested it today on my short 6 mile commute. A few observations:

1. Getting in and out will take practice but was for the most part straightforward.
2. The Velcro on my boots catch when stepping in.
3. I was expecting super comfort because it's roomier than leathers but found the circulation to my legs reduced as my leg kinda fell asleep even on my short ride. The fabric is stiff especially around the cuffs - so much material i find it difficult to slip inside gauntlet gloves. I'm hoping the fabric just needs to break in more.
4. Beaucoup pockets will require routine (I'm not good at this) to remember what I squirreled where.
5. Ventilation is poor but I the suits are supposed to be rain resistant. The seller mentioned vents. I need to study.
6. Cordura is much more slippery than leather or denim - I slide backward on my seat when taking off at green lights :laughing

I am used to leather and air vest so I actually feel more vulnerable in the 'stich. The suit came with knee, shoulder and elbow armor. I see that they sell optional insertable back, chest and hip protectors. What do y'all recommend for these areas. Is the Aerostich stuff worth it since it's from the same ecosystem or are there other setups and products to consider? :dunno

 

[kuksul08]

Did you get a classic or R3?

I use the stock knee/elbow/shoulder pads, plus 'stich hip and back pads. No complaints. One crash and I came out fine.

I think most of your comfort issues are normal and you will get used to it. I didn't like mine at first and now have learned to fully embrace it. Put some more time in and I think your list will shrink. For ventilation you can wear shorts and a t-shirt on hot days and I find that with all the vents open and legs snapped (then zipped up 6-8 inches) it feels more airy than jeans and a light jacket. But WAY more protection.

 

[S21FOLGORE]

I use TF3 armor for shoulder, elbow, knee, and chest.
TF5 hip armor, because TF3 hip armor were WAY TOO BIG. (I'm a small person.
5'5", 125lb. with street clothes on, 27" waist).

My old suit with all TF3 armors. Can you see the hip armor on the right hand side?

TF5 armors are actually SAS-tec products.

Back protector is also SAS-TEC. (The sleeve was from Aerostich. )

Got the sleeve from Aerostich, $30
http://www.aerostich.com/transit-back-pad-adapter-sleeve-1.html

Bought the back protector from RevZilla, $44.99
http://www.revzilla.com/product/revit-sas-tec-back-protector

R-3 flows a lot more air, than classic.
Fold down the collar, getting air flow around the neck helps.

Wearing nylon hiking / tactical pants & light weight merino wool t-shirt makes Roadcrafter 1pc in the summer a lot more comfortable.

Jeans and cotton canvas pants (such as Carhartt) are THE WORST THING to wear under Aerostich.
So are the cotton t-shirts. (Avoid anything cotton. They hold the moisture and odder. Denim and canvas don't breath.)


youtu.be/Nut1rYd1z5o


youtu.be/KMuGSgzcA_E

 

[fubar929]

5. Ventilation is poor but I the suits are supposed to be rain resistant. The seller mentioned vents. I need to study.

Everyone says ventilation is poor, but it seems as good or better than any leathers I've owned. During the summer, I leave the back vents open 100% of the time and open the armpit zips as needed. If it's really hot, I might wear shorty gloves and leave the arm openings a bit loose so I get air flowing up the sleeves. I'm reluctant to wear shorts under the suit, but that's another option that would increase comfort dramatically, since there isn't much ventilation in the lower half of the suit.

I am used to leather and air vest so I actually feel more vulnerable in the 'stich. The suit came with knee, shoulder and elbow armor. I see that they sell optional insertable back, chest and hip protectors. What do y'all recommend for these areas. Is the Aerostich stuff worth it since it's from the same ecosystem or are there other setups and products to consider? :dunno

I bought the Aerostich TF3 hip armor and the TF3 Competition Back Protector. It feels a bit pricey for what you get. Haven't done any crash-testing yet, so I can't tell you how they perform. FWIW, the foam seems similar to what's used in my Helimot leathers. I have crash-tested that stuff and it's fantastic! The convenience of having the back protector always installed in the suit and the greater coverage of the TF3 back protector are what sold be over the TF5 or 3rd-party products. I will say that the TF5 armor is much less bulky than the TF3 armor. The TF3 hip pads, in particular, make the suit look even more dumpy than it normally does

 

[RVFRick]

Thanks for the responses and detailed suggestions. You guys are a wealth of knowledge. As far as I know I got Roadcrafter Classic.
Convenience is a priority otherwise I may not use it so maybe the 'stich stuff will work best. I will need to study the differences between TF3 vs. TF5. Hip protection is important to me as I still feel my hip injury from a spill 20 years ago. Are they essentially foam pads that Velcro into the suit?

Edit* I found the armpit vents - they were closed.
Manufacture date of the suit written on breast pocket is Jan 2014.
I was wearing jeans and a dress shirt. The shirt wasnt comfortable.

 

[davidji]

As far as I know I got Roadcrafter Classic.

There have been updates to the Roadcrafter over the years. You commented on the venting of yours. On older models the back vent didn't vent to inside the suit. On later models it did. I sent mine in for that upgrade, along with waterproof main zips.

I still don't think it has the greatest ventilation with the vents open nor does it seal that well with them closed.

One thing that helps with ventilation on hot days is wear short gloves, so air can flow up the sleeve. I have Rev-It Cayenne Pro gloves which are short enough to allow airflow, but long enough to cover the wrist bone.

 

[fubar929]

I will need to study the differences between TF3 vs. TF5. Hip protection is important to me as I still feel my hip injury from a spill 20 years ago. Are they essentially foam pads that Velcro into the suit?

There are two options for the TF3 hip pads: with a hard shell and without a hard shell. I believe I bought the version without the hard shell, because they were slightly less expensive and I've had some bad experienced with hard armor. You're correct: they're essentially just foam pads that velcro into the suit.

TF5 armor feels pliable and rubber-like, until it takes an impact. It's similar to d3o, if you've seen that. The big downside to the TF5 armor is that you have to buy pockets/sleeves in order to be able to attach it to a Roadcrafter; TF5 was designed for the Transit leather suit. Pockets for the TF5 hip pads are $30 wtf) and also $30 for the TF5 back protector. TF5 shoulder, forearm, and knee sleeves are $12/pair; so $36 if you wanted to use TF5 in place of the stock armor that comes with the suit.

If you plan to ride in cooler temps, TF3 supposedly works better than TF5. Aerostich claim that TF5 provides the most impact absorption, but their baseline seems to be CE Level 1: https://www.aerostich.com/protection

 

[moto-rama]

I've been an Aerosticher since mid-90s.. you have some of the usual concerns about Roadcrafter suits.

I survived a high-speed deer crash that would've killed me had it not been for the 'stich, a good helmet etc.
So I owe them one for that. It was my 2nd Roadcrafter. The 1st one I donated to a novice rider when it "out grew" it and when it turned pink.

I'm still on my 3rd one, it's now 14 years old and still in decent shape, zippers, velcro etc all serviceable, a few light abrasions from a slow speed flop.

Ok, if it's cold outside, I advise wearing UnderArmor cold wear garments and an extra layer if needed.

If it's hot, really, really hot, fill the pockets with ice, open the vents and let the water evaporate. If you need to be presentable after your ride, then UnderArmor heat wear or similar wicking under garments are usually ok.

Most of the time I wear bicycle riding shorts, since they eliminate monkey-butt!

Armor... I recently upgraded to the latest soft armor TF-something or other. I can't say anything about it other than it's way better than the hard, chunky armor it shipped with.

Aerostich will do repairs for most things, like zippers, velcro etc. You may be able to get a good seamstress or leather repair person to do those, too.
I use this zipper lube to keep the zippers from getting sticky, and white lithium grease on the brass snaps so they aren't difficult to snap or open.

I always wear a Buff neck thing to keep my neck from being annoyed by the collar. If it's blazing hot, it can be soaked in cold water and used as A/C.

As for the right leg thing, I too hate that. But it's a small price to pay to get all the good stuff. It helps if you put your boots on After you get your right leg in to the suit. You can also sit or lean up against something to push your foot through if you already have your boots on. The bigger your feet are, the harder this will be.
That's just how it is.

I wear gauntlet gloves, over the sleeves. It can be a little clumsy getting them all pulled up, but for the most part, it's not an issue for me to wear Helimot or similar gloves...over the sleeve. Sure, this does't allow for ventilation UP the sleeves, but I prefer gauntlet gloves.

I wash mine twice, once with plain old Tide, then with NikWax and touch it up with ScotchGard when it's Winter.

As for the stiffness, that will improve the more you wear it, and the more it's washed, but Cordura is very stiff, no question about it. The thing is, you want that durability when you're sliding or tumbling down the highway at 70 mph. You really do.

I am on the cusp of buying my 4th Roadcrafter, and will get the usual mods, an ellipse in the armpit for longer reach and "sporty" riding position, a bit of extra length in the back for the same effect.

I wish they still had some of the old color choices, though. I'd like to get a green suit with purple ballistics, like one I saw years ago on someone else.

By the way, the more you wear it, the more you will either like it, or hate it.

 

[Rob]

I love mine.

I got a 1.5" extension below the knee when ordered mine and love it.

I'm a big weenie when it comes to temperature tolerance so I wear a heated vest in the winter and comp cooler in the summer.

The stich has been my goto for going on 15 years / 365 / rain /shine.

I've cycled through a few used deals before biting the bullet on a new one and I pretty happy about it.

They do break in though... alot.

 

[WWWobble]

RVFR: I went from wearing jeans and a leather WW-II aviator jacket to an Aerostich Classic in about 1990.

I found the suit stiff, hot when it was hot, and cold when it was cold. A Widder electric vest solved the cold. Nothing much solved the hot. The stiff got a little less stiff after several years. But it was never as comfy as leather.

About 2000 I went back to leathers. There was no stiff after a few wears. The electric vest still solved the cold. The hot remained hot, but really no more so than the Stich.

Since 2000 I've witnessed several riding buddies who have gone down in Aerostich suits, and the suits mostly held up. Not as good as leather. But enough...

So, it will be interesting to see what you think after some time. For comfort, it seems pretty personal. Both textiles and leathers have improved over the years. Good textiles (Aerostich, Klim, Motoport) or good leathers (Johnson, Vanson, Bates, Dainese, Aerostich Transit, others), all seem to work pretty well. I think personal preference mostly plays into it.

Let us know what you think in a month or two.

 

[davidji]

Aerostich will do repairs for most things, like zippers, velcro etc. You may be able to get a good seamstress or leather repair person to do those, too.

I've done both, and for me, I think it was a mistake getting a busted zipper replaced locally. It would have been better to have all the work done at Aerostich.

I wear gauntlet gloves, over the sleeves. It can be a little clumsy getting them all pulled up, but for the most part, it's not an issue for me to wear Helimot or similar gloves...over the sleeve. Sure, this does't allow for ventilation UP the sleeves, but I prefer gauntlet gloves.

I had quit wearing short gloves, and no longer had a pair, but commuting in the Roadcrafter in hot weather convinced me to try again. This time I got a pair just long enough to cover the part of the ulna bone that protrudes at the wrist. And the glove has a very small amount of overlap with the Roadcrafter cuff, so by tucking it in and unzipping the cuff slightly I can set it up for for real ventilation. If desired.

Other than hot days though, I wear gauntlet gloves, and they go over the cuffs just fine, and on rainy days I can tuck the gauntlets in--though the Roadcrafter cuff isn't the easiest for this.

 

[RVFRick]

I bought the Aerostich TF3 hip armor and the TF3 Competition Back Protector. It feels a bit pricey for what you get. Haven't done any crash-testing yet, so I can't tell you how they perform. FWIW, the foam seems similar to what's used in my Helimot leathers. I have crash-tested that stuff and it's fantastic! The convenience of having the back protector always installed in the suit and the greater coverage of the TF3 back protector are what sold be over the TF5 or 3rd-party products. I will say that the TF5 armor is much less bulky than the TF3 armor. The TF3 hip pads, in particular, make the suit look even more dumpy than it normally does

These suits are very customizable which is good to a point but confusing to newcomers on the other hand - too many choices for me. Aerostich product names confuse me. For example, don't most consumers assume a higher number implies an advantage? If TF5 has the best ratings for impact absorption then why is TF3 is bulkier and larger? Why don't they make TF5 as large as TF3? Isn't more coverage better? TF5, TF3, Competition, Roadcrafter Classic, R3, R3-lite, etc. terrible product names imho. Their marketing team needs a lesson in simplifying. I just want to ride! :afm199 I'll call customer service next week to get sorted out.

P.S. Fubar929, thanks for chiming in. You're the one that let me trial fit your suit a while back. That helped me determine size and convince me to give a 'stich a try. :thumbup

 

[S21FOLGORE]

TF3 armors with hard shell come with the suit, on shoulders, elbow / forearm, and knees.
So, that's what you have, I assume.

TF3 armors are big ...(compare the covering area size)

... and thick ...

... and they work really well.
So, there's no need to mess with the shoulder, elbow, and knee armors.

Now, the hip pad.

I used to have TF3 hip pad WITHOUT the hard shell.
https://www.aerostich.com/suits/aer...stich-tf3-hip-impact-armor-no-hard-shell.html

They are huge (or, I am too small), and they are FLAT shaped.
They interfere with street pants access. (In my case, anyway.)
So I went with TF5 hip pad when I ordered R-3.

In your particular situation, I would say TF3 with hard shell version is the best bet.
https://www.aerostich.com/suits/aerostich-tf-impact-armor/aerostich-tf3-hip-impact-armor.html

They (hard shell version) are curved, not flat. So they don't try to stick out like the flat ones.
They are bigger than TF5 , more coverage is probably a plus for you.



About the chest armor.

I recommend to get chest armor. Especially if you use the suit for commuting.
The real beauty of Roadcrafter one piece suit is that you can put everything in 30 seconds, no need to wonder whether you should put this gear on or not.
ATGATT in 30 seconds, that is something only RC 1-pc suit can offer.

If you wear strap on type chest protector, chances are, at some point you either forget to wear it our you just decide to leave it home.

I always felt like kevlar / aramid reinforced motorcycle jeans are pretty much pointless without adequate armor system in the hip / knee area.
Some people say you can wear armors separately underneath.
But, that's very unrealistic suggestion.
In the real world situation, how many people would actually do that?

Taking off your street pants that you are wearing.
Put some armored pants or knee armor on.
Put the kevlar jeans on .

....


Anyhow, I have been using chest armor with my R-3 since 2015, and I like it better than strap on type.
(More comfortable, and it's always there.)

 

[Pushrod]

Just let me toss this in. Aerostitch has always been absolutely helpful to me. All I ever had to do was make contact and problems got resolved.

Sure, they are in it for a profit but on the margin they could sell their customer service protocol as training seminars and change the commercial world.

 

[Whodat]

I crashed on the freeway at 60mph wearing a Stitch. I bounced a little, rolled once or twice, and then slid a loooong ways. I ended up with a spot of road rash the size of my little fingernail. The suit took a lot of damage but did it's job and I was able to continue on my ride. They totaled the suit and gave me a discount on my new suit. :thumbup

 

[RVFRick]

Great testimonies and detailed info. Thanks everyone. I'll post how Aerostiff and I get along after a fair trial.

 

[fubar929]

If TF5 has the best ratings for impact absorption then why is TF3 is bulkier and larger?

TF3 is bulkier than TF5 because they're two completely different materials. If TF3 was the same thickness as TF5 it wouldn't provide enough impact protection. I suspect the sizes of TF3 vs TF5 are driven by raw material costs.

Why don't they make TF5 as large as TF3? Isn't more coverage better?

There are two possibilities here:

1. TF5 costs more to manufacture and the current size is what meets their price/performance/profit target
2. If TF5 really is just re-branded SAS-Tec armor then the sizes are likely driven by EU or CE standards. The TF5 back protector certainly seems to have one of those CE-approved shapes...

P.S. Fubar929, thanks for chiming in. You're the one that let me trial fit your suit a while back. That helped me determine size and convince me to give a 'stich a try. :thumbup

Yep, I remember! Glad it was useful and that you're now a member of the Roadcrafter Mafia

 

[NoneMoreBlack]

[*]The Velcro on my boots catch when stepping in.

Depending on the boots, it may make more sense to put them on after you step in, before you zip up.

[*]I was expecting super comfort because it's roomier than leathers but found the circulation to my legs reduced as my leg kinda fell asleep even on my short ride. The fabric is stiff especially around the cuffs - so much material i find it difficult to slip inside gauntlet gloves. I'm hoping the fabric just needs to break in more.

It will probably break in. I also notice on mine that if I am wearing jeans under it and wear them over my boots, they tend to put tension on my knees and hurt comfort on a longer haul. If I blouse them a little bit into the tops of my boots, leaving some slack material, I have more freedom of movement in the knee and better long distance comfort.

If I am going on a long ride for its own sake I will wear a baselayer/leggings rather than jeans underneath, which eliminates the issue.

[*]Ventilation is poor but I the suits are supposed to be rain resistant. The seller mentioned vents. I need to study.

Vents only work if you are sweaty, and can be counterproductive in extremely hot/dry conditions. I don't really use the back vent much, the armpit vents tend to be effective in the range of temperatures I find myself needing it. You can also leave the neck open a bit for nice airflow across the chest. Depending on riding position, you may need to shift your upper body around to let them open properly and flow air.

[*]Cordura is much more slippery than leather or denim - I slide backward on my seat when taking off at green lights :laughing

Definitely a problem, it is super slippery on every seat I have. Also the material is somewhat abrasive and will eventually damage paint, so I strongly recommend tank grip pads.

What do y'all recommend for these areas. Is the Aerostich stuff worth it since it's from the same ecosystem or are there other setups and products to consider? :dunno

Also got mine used and it came with a couple pieces of Aerostich armor but not the full suite, so I just went ahead and installed the entire range of Forcefield armor courtesy of Johnson Leather. Back protector was an exercise in sticky velcro, it isn't a super professional install but works and is comfortable. I haven't figured out a great solution for the hips however, I have the armor but am having a hard time installing it properly without the actual pockets.