Good rain gear that ISN'T insulated?

[MoldTheClay]

From what I can usually find online, nearly every bit of decent waterproof gear is also heavily insulated. The problem is that in the bay that usually means I overheat the second I step off the bike. Can anybody out here recommend some good waterproofing that will not make me just fill them up with sweat from the inside out? I don't need to go snowboarding in my rain gear :/

 

[gixxerjeff]

You will inevitably be told to go the 'Stitch route here so I'll just get that out of the way now.

 

[MoldTheClay]

Hah, fair enough. Really though, I mostly need gloves. My rain suit is pretty decent, it's the gloves that are lacking. I also am not working tech, the trades, or anything else that lets me drop 1k+ on a piece of gear right now.

seriously though, the options seem to be "not for rain" or "for the polar ice caps" when it comes to rain gear. I hate sacrificing tactile feel on my controls just so that I don't get soaked.

 

[Surj]

If you're looking for rain gear to go over other gear, Frogg Toggs is good stuff, and was always in my sidecases during the winter before I got a 'Stich.

Jeff beat me to the 'Stich thing, just barely. I love my R3, which is uninsulated. I wear it year-round in all kinds of weather.

If you want a tiny bit more insulation, the lined Classic is the way to go.

 

[gixxerjeff]

Totally get it, same boat.
I live happily with the Cycle Gear Freeze-Out glove liners. I wear them in the morning and throw them in my tank bag on the ride home.
I also made an investment in some shitty (they're really not bad) Sidicci gloves for about $40.00 that I only expect to get one or two winters out of.
I also recently discovered heat. Consider a vest. Once your core is warm the rest follows.....except obviously hands and there's powered heat for them too.

 

[MoldTheClay]

If you're looking for rain gear to go over other gear, Frogg Toggs is good stuff, and was always in my sidecases during the winter before I got a 'Stich.

Jeff beat me to the 'Stich thing, just barely. I love my R3, which is uninsulated. I wear it year-round in all kinds of weather.

If you want a tiny bit more insulation, the lined Classic is the way to go.

Definitely looking at the R3, but that's if I get this better paying job that I am applying for in a few weeks. I can't afford one of those right now, sadly

 

[Surj]

Hah, fair enough. Really though, I mostly need gloves.

Oh, gloves. That's different.

There are plenty of waterproof lightly-insulated or even summer gloves. We've reviewed a couple pairs this year: Racer's Tour FHH and the Carbon II. Both are insulated, but use very little insulation on the palm, for much better control feel. Neither feel or look like snowboarding gloves. The Tour FHHes are my go-to "winter" or wet glove now.

You might also look at Racer's MultiTop 2, which is uninsulated and waterproof.

Held has some similar options as well. A friend has their Air N Dry, which is "convertible" for waterproof / lined on the top, or vented, and likes 'em. Before I got the Tour FHHes, I was wearing a pair of BMW-branded Held waterproof summer gloves that I got on clearance, that felt like normal gloves on the controls but had Gore-tex lining.

 

[Mario]

I used to commute with rain shells from Rev'it, i have both one and two piece. I liked them because it is just a shell, I can add layers underneath as it gets colder.

https://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/revit-cyclone-2-h2o-rain-jacket

Only drawback is that it is a waterproof shell with no breathing at all. It will keep rain outside but it will keep sweat inside. My understanding is that if you want something waterproof and breathable, you must spend the $$ on gore tex stuff.

 

[Mario]

For gloves, I never found anything comfortable and waterproof. My hands would always get wet and freeze, plus winter gloves are so insulated that it made it hard to feel the controls.

I found these scooter muffs (is that how these are called?), they keep rain and wind away from my hands and wrists. I could commute in heavy rain and get to destination dry (or slightly wet from my own sweat lol)

 

[RVFRick]

Inexpensive rain suit over your normal gear? I don't have this one so can't vouch for it. Last time I used my Tour Master suit was 20 years ago. :rolleyes

 

[moto-rama]

If you're looking for rain gear to go over other gear, Frogg Toggs is good stuff, and was always in my sidecases during the winter before I got a 'Stich.

Jeff beat me to the 'Stich thing, just barely. I love my R3, which is uninsulated. I wear it year-round in all kinds of weather.

If you want a tiny bit more insulation, the lined Classic is the way to go.

I second the FroggToggs endorsement. Last Summer we rented an R1200 in Alaska, and only brought basic riding gear, Summer Rain is common on the Kenai peninsula and SW Alaska, so we got some "over gear" (Frogg toggs) and were dry even in torrential downpours.

 

[MoldTheClay]

Oh, gloves. That's different.

There are plenty of waterproof lightly-insulated or even summer gloves. We've reviewed a couple pairs this year: Racer's Tour FHH and the Carbon II. Both are insulated, but use very little insulation on the palm, for much better control feel. Neither feel or look like snowboarding gloves. The Tour FHHes are my go-to "winter" or wet glove now.

You might also look at Racer's MultiTop 2, which is uninsulated and waterproof.

Held has some similar options as well. A friend has their Air N Dry, which is "convertible" for waterproof / lined on the top, or vented, and likes 'em. Before I got the Tour FHHes, I was wearing a pair of BMW-branded Held waterproof summer gloves that I got on clearance, that felt like normal gloves on the controls but had Gore-tex lining.

Thank you! The multitop gloves seem about what I am looking for. I have bark buster hand guards on my bars so unless it is below freezing my hands are usually doing just fine. Those seem to fit the bill perfectly for a gauntlet that will keep me dry.

 

[Surj]

Thank you! The multitop gloves seem about what I am looking for. I have bark buster hand guards on my bars so unless it is below freezing my hands are usually doing just fine. Those seem to fit the bill perfectly for a gauntlet that will keep me dry.

That's generally how I roll too.

By the way, Lee just moved the Racer USA operation from California to Oregon, but there's good sizing information on the website. He's really supportive of the riding community in general—I'd order direct from him, personally.

Also, if it helps, the Racers seem to run a bit small—I wear an XL in Helimots, but am most comfortable in a XXL Racer. That has held true across several pairs we've tested. I almost forgot, I have a pair of their short-cuff summer gloves as well, and they're an XXL too.

 

[davidji]

As has been pointed out, rain gear is different from waterproof motorcycle gear.

Very little waterproof motorcycle gear is insulated. Aerostich Roadcrafter isn't. Of all the waterproof gear I've had, one had a little insulation on the removable Goretex liner. The others, any insulation they might have come with was removable, independent of the waterproofness.

I would buy a Roadcrafter for commute convenience, but not for its waterproofness.

I had actually intended to wear something else today, but when I got dressed it wasn't raining. It was raining by the time I left tho. I chose not to throw a rainsuit over the Roadcrafter, and I got soaked.

My BMW 2-in-1 gloves kept my hand dry, and my waterproof socks inside soaking wet boots kept my feet dry.

 

[bikeama]

These are great for rain proof gloves. I found a pair on Ebay and keep them in my tank bag. Use the gloves you like and keep them and you dry. I have the black one not the hi-vis model.

 

[Cornfish]

These are great for rain proof gloves. I found a pair on Ebay and keep them in my tank bag. Use the gloves you like and keep them and you dry. I have the black one not the hi-vis model.

Those look really nice!

 

[GPzPop]

what is alls y'alls strategy for keeping water rolling down your sleeves, soaking the gloves' liners from the top inward?

 

[budman]

I just went with quality rain gear in a very large size that fits over my riding gear. Advantage as far as stowing when I don't need it as I can get it to be pretty small. Purchased from REI. It is also super to insulate against the wind when very cold and also brightly colored.

 

[davidji]

what is alls y'alls strategy for keeping water rolling down your sleeves, soaking the gloves' liners from the top inward?

Glove gauntlets inside jacket sleeve. Unless you have really high bars.

That's a reason for external rain gear: it might be easier/faster to tuck gloves under a rain jacket sleeve than a motorcycle jacket sleeve.

 

[R3DS!X]

These are great for rain proof gloves. I found a pair on Ebay and keep them in my tank bag. Use the gloves you like and keep them and you dry. I have the black one not the hi-vis model.

water proof gloves, perforated leathers....:laughing