Aerostich Roadcrafter R-3

[Warren]

I purchased a Roadcrafter R-3 that I received last Friday. I have been wearing it for my daily commute and while its to early for a comprehensive review I thought I would provide a few comments.

It doesn't matter how good a piece of gear is if it does not fit well you are not going to use it. I am fortunate that my body is pretty well proportioned for my height and weight so the 38R I ordered fits me perfect. The arms and legs are the correct length and it fits with room to spare over my work clothes and has room for a winter layer when the time comes. I also purchased the optional hip armor which installed very easily. Without a liner all of the armor is easy to get at to adjust, remove or install.

I love all the pockets. It has more than any of my other riding jackets and pants and they all seem to be in the right place and are the right size as well.

Venting. The R-3 does not have a lining in it so the zippers under the arms and in the back open directly to your body and you can clearly feel the airflow. I am afraid however when it gets above 90? and with my airbag vest over it that I will most likely switch back to one of my mesh jackets. The R-3 should be good for anything under 90 however.

It raining out now so I should get a test of how it does in the rain on my way home tonight. One of the reasons I purchased the R-3 is for the built in Gore-Tex which should eliminate having to put on rain gear which can be a real hassle.

Putting it on: I watched the video and putting it on is very easy with the exception of starting the main zipper. As most of you know the suit zips from the top down. Bringing the zipper into the zipper pull from the bottom is awkward and being that its up around my chin I can not see it very well. Its like trying to thread a needle in the dark. It is getting easier with practice.

It is clearly a quality piece of gear with a lot of thought put into it. I can see why those that have them speak so highly of them.

As I use it more I will update this post.

 

[junglejim]

What a coincidence. I picked up my new R3 last Thursday. It is wonderful so far.
When I took my old Darian in last month for restoration and repair they told me "this is the last time we can patch this suit". I never crashed it, but it was worn out. So I ordered a new standard R3.

The R3 keeps cold air out better than the Darian. It vents better than the Darian in hot weather. Donning and doffing are much easier. And it is more comfortable. I have not tested it in the rain yet.

The only down side is that it takes more effort to connect my electric vest. I ran a cord through the port designed for that purpose. It is a tight fit. So I just leave the cord installed in the suit and coil it up in the pocked when not in use. To use electric clothing I have to plug the cord installed in the suit into the vest, then plug my coiled control cord into the suit cord and the bike. That is 3 connections instead of 1. I can live with that.

Warren said he thought that 90 degrees was the upper comfort limit. I rode at 90 degrees and was comfortable, but I was wearing shorts under the suit. I opened the leg zippers a bit and got good cooling on my legs, something I never had with the Darian. And last night when I came home from a Bike Night gathering in Duluth it was in the 40s and I was comfortable with my electric vest and a sweat shirt under the suit.

Warren, I practiced putting the suit on and off in the dark. That allowed me to learn how to start the neck-down zipper. It ain't that hard.
And yes, Warren, there is a LOT of thought built into the suit.

One feature of all the riding suits is that when it starts to rain I just zip up. No stopping to put on/take off rain gear. We have all had those days when the rain is intermittent and it goes from wet to hot and humid about every 10 miles.

I will be displaying the (almost) new suit at Spearfish, so folks are welcome to fiddle with the features if the want.

 

[Warren]

Jim, I was going to buy the light version but got the standard version as well. I decided I wanted the extra durability and crash protection. The 90? limit I mentioned is due to the airbag vest I wear. It adds another layer to hold in the heat and it also blocks the back vent from working very well. I rode it to work the other day without the vest to see the difference and it vented much better. Thanks for the tip about practicing the zipper in the dark. I will give that a try.

 

[NoVa Chris]

Other NT Forum posts convinced me to try wetting down a shirt under the Stich for really hot weather riding rather than using mesh. Precisely because the Stich has no lining, circulation inside the suit is excellent. I use a pair of LD Comfort sleeves. At stops, I dribble some water down the cuffs of my Stich, raise and wave my arms to slosh it around a bit, and ride with my cuffs open to catch the breeze. It's still hot, especially when stopped, but it works better for me than mesh. An airbag vest would get in the way of the circulation, though.

 

[Warren]

For touring the water approach works but for commuting not so much.

 

[NoVa Chris]

I take your point. Anyway, happy riding with your new R-3!

 

[bicyclist]

An old trick for you Roadcrafter newbs is to fill the pockets with ice.

 

[junglejim]

An old trick for you Roadcrafter newbs is to fill the pockets with ice.

Yep. That worked on the Darian too. I'd usually split a bag with some friends. The water goes to the outside not the inside.

 

[Phil Tarman]

Putting it on: I watched the video and putting it on is very easy with the exception of starting the main zipper. As most of you know the suit zips from the top down. Bringing the zipper into the zipper pull from the bottom is awkward and being that its up around my chin I can not see it very well. Its like trying to thread a needle in the dark. It is getting easier with practice.

You'll get the hang of that pretty quickly. My biggest problem (other than the fact that I'm too danged fat to zip it all right now!) has been catching my pants legs in the zippers as I put the 'Stitch on.

 

[elizilla]

I haven't tested my R-3 in serious rain yet. I am having similar trouble starting the zipper but I had no trouble with that in my previous Roadcrafter so I expect that as it breaks in and I get practice with this exact suit, this issue will go away. The other thing I am struggling with, is reaching my ankles to zip it down. I think I might send it back and get the back ellipse just to give myself more bending room. I also find that it doesn't slide on as easily as my old lined Roadcrafter did; I get caught on the edges of the armor, or get the armor twisted or folded, sometimes. I think this will also go away with practice. But I am a lot clumsier than I used to be, and getting a lot less practice than I used to get. It may take a while for all this stuff to settle down.

I have got into the habit of wearing jeans all the time, lately, and they add lumps and awkwardness under the suit. I should get some more of the stretch pants I used to wear under my old suit and see if that helps.

 

[jmoore]

My biggest problem (other than the fact that I'm too danged fat to zip it all right now!) has been catching my pants legs in the zippers as I put the 'Stitch on.

Phil, I will trade I get my beard caught just about every time.

 

[Dee G]

Thanks for the review! Spouses Darien light jacket is about done in. Mildly disappointed about that, I wonder if they can re-design the pads....the velcro not matching up perfectly is tearing holes from the inside of the jacket.

He's been thinking about a replacement for it.

 

[junglejim]

the velcro not matching up perfectly is tearing holes from the inside of the jacket.

That happened to mine too, but there are worn holes nowhere near the velcro. Stich re-installed my velcro once and repaired it twice. It is just worn out. Collar is a rag. The pants, however, are in pretty good shape.