Jacket Rain Liners

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Like most of you, I have a jacket (Motoport mesh) with a removable rain liner. The only time I have used it is in cold weather when I use it to block the wind. By the way - I never bother to zip in the rain liner of my Motoport - I just put it on like a jacket, then the mesh jacket after that. Zipping it in is too much hassle.

I'm thinking about buying a new jacket/pants, and am reading up on the ones that are available. My next jacket will not be mesh. I plan on buying some sort of cooling vest (probably the new Macna vest from Twisted Throttle). From everything I've read, its actually better in super hot weather to have a non-mesh jacket with a vent or two open when using a cooling vest - its a way to keep some of the cool air in the jacket.

Some of the newer jackets (like Olympia's) have rain liners AND a thermal lining, plus a venting system such as seems to be needed to make proper use of the cooling vest.

My question is this - do any of you use the rain liner in your jacket when it rains? I have not, mainly because it seem counter intuitive to put a rain coat on INSIDE your other jacket. It would seem as though rain would run down to your waist, then inside your pants. I have not, and have an Olympia rain suit I put on.
 
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Doug

I went around that question by buying the Olympia AST2, which is already rainproof. The liner is just a thermal you can use in cold weather.I wont go into all the details, because Anthony at Revzilla does a good video breakdown
I can already say I think Its going to become my go to jacket for all seasons
 

RedLdr1

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If you are considering buying a Macna Cooling Vest be advised their sizing is European and runs very small compared to North American sizes. I bought the 3XL to try and it was waaaaaay too small, maybe an XL at best. After discussing it with Twisted Throttle I returned it for a refund as they did not have any larger sizes. That was an expensive mistake after having to pay for shipping it to me and then back to them. This is one time I was not impressed with Twisted Throttle's customer service as their website still as of today states to order your t-shirt size, I went bigger and it wasn't even close! Someone up there needs to get their sizing guide corrected....
 
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The Joe Rocket Alter Ego 3.0 works great for me here in hot humid Florida where we have a thunderstorm every sumer afternoon. The mesh jacket has all of the protective armor built into it and the rain jacket goes on over that (on the outside). I commute to work 25 miles one way and the mesh is great 90% of the time. But when you need it, you can slip the rain jacket over the mesh in a second. No fuss, no muss. Like you, I don't zip the two together although you could if you wanted to. The rain jacket also has vents in it that you can open to adjust the air flow. To me it is a winner. The pants on the other hand are a big thumbs down. The rain liner goes inside so you have to take the pants off to first put the rain liner on. That is real jolly parked along side the freeway under an overpass, If they designed the rain coat to go over the mesh jacket, why could they have not done that with the pants???? Wendell
 
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Warren

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I carry a rain jacket in my top box. I don't bother with the internal waterproof liners. I did purchase the Macna cooling vest and plan on wearing it under my mesh jacket. It does not appear to me that it will work well if used under a standard jacket even one with a lot of vents. I ordered the S-M and it fits me fine. I usually wear a medium. I will be wearing it this summer and will report how well it works. I am skeptical but with the heat we have in Tennessee it's worth a try.
 

Marker

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The Joe Rocket Alter Ego 3.0 works great for me here in hot humid Florida where we have a thunderstorm every sumer afternoon. The mesh jacket has all of the protective armor built into it and the rain jacket goes on over that (on the outside). I commute to work 25 miles one way and the mesh is great 90% of the time. But when you need it, you can slip the rain jacket over the mesh in a second. No fuss, no muss. Like you, I don't zip the two together although you could if you wanted to. The rain jacket also has vents in it that you can open to adjust the air flow. To me it is a winner. The pants on the other hand are a big thumbs down. The rain liner goes inside so you have to take the pants off to first put the rain liner on. That is real jolly parked along side the freeway under an overpass, If they designed the rain coat to go over the mesh jacket, why could they have not done that with the pants???? Wendell
I also use the Alter Ego, but do not use the rain liner nor the cold weather liner. They just seemed too bulky and the rain liner too stiff. For rain, I use an outside two piece suit as I prefer not to get the jacket wet. My rain jacket now is a flourescent green so it will be hard to miss me now. For cold weather I have a heated liner and dial in the heat I need to keep warm.

By the way (and not to hijact the thread) I spend a lot of time in the winter near Ocala at an RV resort and have my NT, Kayak, and my bicycle there for the winter. I go back and forth from Ontario. Right now I am in Ontario and wishing that I was in Florida. I will be back there on March 1 and take a day or two to go over to the Daytona Bike Week activities at the racetrack. Perhaps we can meet up.
 
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Tourmaster Flex III for the very reason suggested. I really like a mesh jacket. The Flex III had the rain/wind "liner" on the outside. The bonus is it turns the mesh and armor into insulation as well. It came with a quillted cold weather liner but I don't use it. Instead I carry a sweatshirt for cold weather. For REALLY cold (below freezing) I have a fleece lined sweatshirt.

I would have the Flex III pants as well but they weren't out when I bought pants so I just have the Venture Air's. When cold or raining I pull on my rain pants (Frogg Toggs).

Unless I go where there is a LOT of rain I'll keep my mesh stuff (and yes, I wear it in the desert at over 100F).
 
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I do not like the idea of a Rain Liner, I what the rain to be stopped on the outside. With a liner the jacket becomes wet, so I weather clears, you remove the liner and have a wet jacket.
 
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I have a very good hi viz rain suit, but carrying rain suit is a PIA for space and you invarribly have to stop to get into it, since going to the Stich Roadcrafter I have quit carrying a rain suit, likewise with the Langlitz. With a good application of leather dressing it will do a very fine job of shedding wet stuff. I have mesh pants & jacket, but I very seldom even think of them. They just take up space on the gear rack. Probably for the money the Areostich Roadcrafter , or Darrion are the best single suit available. Mixed withelectrics and LD comfort you are good for most anything you want to ride in weather wise, I bought one of the new cool vests, but I will with hold any plus , or negative about it until spring and summer.At that time as Rick and others have said either it works or it will be for sale, or catch dust on the gear rack
 
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By the way (and not to hijact the thread) I spend a lot of time in the winter near Ocala at an RV resort and have my NT, Kayak, and my bicycle there for the winter. I go back and forth from Ontario. Right now I am in Ontario and wishing that I was in Florida. I will be back there on March 1 and take a day or two to go over to the Daytona Bike Week activities at the racetrack. Perhaps we can meet up.[/QUOTE]

Gary, sounds like a plan although I am going up to JAX for the IBA party that's held during Bike week - but we might be able to make it work - give me a shout out when you come back. Wendell
 

karl

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I have a mesh jacket with a water resistant removable liner. They pack down small I have worn mine in the wet and it has kept me from getting soaked a few times. Just air dry at normal road speed for a while before removal.
 
OP
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Okay - and thanks for the input:

  • We have two of you who own jackets with rain liners and you use them.
  • We have four of you who wear an external rain suit.
  • Then we have those who might be classified as "Other" - RedNigel's jacket is already rainproof as is Chris' (Daboo), Wendell and Charlie have jackets that came with external rain covers, and Eldon with his 'Stich. (I figured I'd hear from Phil and Rick about the 'Stich too.)

Many of you mentioned the Macna cooling vest. There has been considerable discussion in other threads about mesh vs textile with vents. Most likely, I will try the Macna under my Motoport mesh at first. If it works, but seems to dry out too quickly, I'll be tempted to try a regular textile jacket with arm vents.
 

Rob

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I have the Olympia X-Moto suit in Daboo's video link on the first page - that reminds me, as I've been meaning (all winter) to write a review on that thing. It's somewhat unique because it has such large vent panels all over that can be open or closed. It is, essentially, a full textile AND a (nearly) full mesh setup in one.

Yeah, internal rain liners make so very little sense but that seems to be how most of them are set up. I use mine and it does keep me dry. It's awkward to pull over, take off your riding jacket and pants in the rain, to put on rain liners.

I have external rain gear from motocentric I can put over everything, but I stopped carrying it on the bike because I never used it. The only times I ever wished I had it was the one, maybe two times I was caught riding in frog stranglers. The internal liners work fine and keep me dry, but the outer jacket is soaked. Stuff dries out fairly quickly if you ride out of the store, lower the windshield, etc. But if you go all the way to your destination in the rain, then you have a soaking wet jacket with you. BobAgain and I were alternating turning on the heat, then the ac in the cabin at the SE OH meetup to try to create warm, dry air to dry out our stuff. He was in a mesh jacket for the downpour :)

For small trips I don't bother with the outer liner, but for long trips, I should get into the habit of packing it (at least the top).
 
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The beauty of the AST2 is that I no longer have to think about rain on my torso. Just my legs and feet, so as Mama Gump used to say, "one less thing"
 
OP
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Comanche
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The Olympia AST2 jacket might work for your purposes. I have only worn it through the winter so far.
Chris
That's tempting, Chris - especially with the closeout prices.

The newer Nomad jacket, with the big vents in the arm and chest seems good. My only problem with it is that is waist length, which means I have to zip it to my riding pants. That seems awkward.

I have the Olympia X-Moto suit in Daboo's video link on the first page - that reminds me, as I've been meaning (all winter) to write a review on that thing. It's somewhat unique because it has such large vent panels all over that can be open or closed. It is, essentially, a full textile AND a (nearly) full mesh setup in one.
I've looked at that too.

In any case, I have good gear right now and most likely won't buy a new jacket anytime soon. I want to try the Macna cooling vest over LD first layer and my mesh jacket on top. If that seems like it might not trap enough cool air inside, I'll start shopping for a textile jacket. I have also been looking at the Rev'it Sand 2 - but they're kinda proud of it.

For rain gear, my old trusty Frogg Toggs busted a zipper a few months back, and I now carry Olympia's suit with me. Seems robust, but I have yet to use it in the rain.
 

Phil Tarman

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Just to keep from disappointing you, Rob, I'll chime in. With my 'Stitch, I've never gotten wet. I don't have to worry about carrying rain gear. With LD Comfort long underwear (long-sleeved top, short-legged bottom), I've been OK up to 112 in the west and reasonably comfortable into the high 90s in more humid parts of the country. When it gets cold, I need something like a windbreaker or a fleece jacket between the 'Stitch and my Warm n Safe heated jacket if the temp drops much below 40F, but if I've got that, I've been OK down to near freezing. And, BTW, Rick finally convinced me to try riding with vents closed on the 'Stitch in hot weather. With the LD comfort gear, it really did keep me cooler than I was with vents open.

For really cold weather, my RoadGear jacket and pants, with long under wear and the heated jacket have worked down to 10F on a fairly long night ride. I've never gotten wet with the RoadGear stuff either, but wouldn't want to wear it in real hot weather. It would probably be alright with the LD Comfort gear underneath, but it's bulkier and slower to get into and out of than the 'Stitch. But I don't think RoadGear still makes the gear I've got and what they make now doesn't seem to have as many sizing options.

One problem I've got right now is that I've gained weight and can't wear the 'Stitch till I lose some. :-(

The latest Iron Butt magazine had a test of a prototype heat exchanger that works to keep you cool. It was a fairly small device that didn't have too much of a power requirement and pumped a cold fluid through a jacket. It sounds as if they expect to sell them for about $600 and the guy who tested it has MS and can't ride if temps get above 90 or so. He loved it.
 

Warren

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Okay - and thanks for the input:

  • We have two of you who own jackets with rain liners and you use them.
  • We have four of you who wear an external rain suit.
  • Then we have those who might be classified as "Other" - RedNigel's jacket is already rainproof as is Chris' (Daboo), Wendell and Charlie have jackets that came with external rain covers, and Eldon with his 'Stich. (I figured I'd hear from Phil and Rick about the 'Stich too.)

Many of you mentioned the Macna cooling vest. There has been considerable discussion in other threads about mesh vs textile with vents. Most likely, I will try the Macna under my Motoport mesh at first. If it works, but seems to dry out too quickly, I'll be tempted to try a regular textile jacket with arm vents.
From what I understand the Macna vest does the evaporation and cooling on the inside of the vest against your body. It does not cool down the air space in your jacket. The vest has holes in it to allow air to travel to the inside layer to assist in evaporation. The outside of the vest remains dry. On the surface it appears to me that you want a lot of airfow going through the vest which a mesh jacket would provide. Of course the proof will be once it warms up and we can use them to see how it works in practice.
 
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I guess I'll add my $.02 worth.

When I got my first (and only) suit I was looking for maximum versatility. I lived in Northern VA then but knew I was moving to SE TX. The suit I selected was the Olympia GT Air Transitions jacket and AST pants. The jacket has a two stage liner for rain and cold. The shell opens to mesh and also has vents. The only negative comment I have on this set up so far is that the shell is not waterproof. While I have gotten wet, the one notable time involved riding 9 1/2 hours in pouring rain, in February. I bought a rain suit after that.

While the GT Air is good, it is now over 5 years and 70,000 miles old. I am "jonesing" for something new. Under consideration, Olympia AST, Aerostich 2 piece, Aerostich Darien, possibly First Gear.
 
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I have a FirstGear Kathmandu Jacket. I love it ...lots of vents for warm weather which really is cooler than my mesh jacket. It is wind and rain proof. Got caught out in a big rain and rode 100 miles home and with the Kathmandu over pants I stayed dry!
 
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