FYI...Deal on Riding Suit

[NooBiker]

I am looking seriously at buying one of these. For $300, I think its a good deal at 1/3 the price of the Aerostitch. Yes, id rather have the Roadcrafter...

FirstGear TPG Expedition Suit - 2014
Hypertex? waterproof and breathable fabric construction
Fully adjustable D30? Evo Pro armor protection at knees, elbows and hips; also features the Viper back pad
Diagonal main front zipper for ease of entry and egress
Strategically placed zipper-controlled venting throughout
Integral under-helmet rain hood in collar
Dual, one-hand adjustable waist belts
Internal cuff, rain gaiter

http://www.motorcyclegear.com/street/closeouts/textile_jackets_and_pants/first_gear/tpg_expedition_suit_2014.html

 

[charlie b]

I typically do not like one piece suits unless they have a full length zipper (like the stich). My old coveralls were good for that. But, not many mfgs make them that way for some reason.

Other than that, First Gear makes some good stuff. I had the Kilimanjaro jacket and it was really well made. Good for cold weather but the venting was not good for hot weather. PS the venting on that suit is better than the old Kilimanjaro (it only had chest vents, no shoulder/arm vents).

 

[junglejim]

I think charlie b nailed it. The First Gear suit has lots of good features IF they all work well. Fit and comfort are critical to your riding experience too along with function.

 

[Warren]

$300 is a great price. I like that similar to a Roadcrafter It has a waterproof shell rather than zip in or mid waterproof liners. What I don't like is the lack of pockets. The Roadcrafter has loads of pockets and I use all of them. If pockets are not a big deal this might be a good suit for $300 as long as you can get it in the size for your body type.

 

[swingshiftssuck]

I like the idea of a one piece...always concerned that my current stuff will not stay in place should I find myself skidding along the asphalt. As in any safety gear, it's all useless hanging in the closet so it has to be easy and comfortable or after a while we start making excuses for not using it. Eventually I'll buy a one piece but wouldn't chance a mail order....the fit has to be right.

 

[Laserdot]

Nice price and the features look good...I just wish they had a Banana version, I feel I need that extra Viz with these CA drivers. My Olympia suit is great for fair weather, and I get a lot of good days in the Bay area, but it leaks a lot and I get soaked on my 30 min commute. Needless to say I am looking for something drier for the winter months.

 

[charlie b]

Interesting comment on the pockets. I find I don't use them very much.

Front left pants pocket gets my wallet. Inside jacket pocket is where my phone goes (when it is not on the handlebar mount). Keys go in my right jacket pocket or pants pocket when not on bike. The rest are usually empty. I use my fairing pockets for a lot of stuff. On trips I have the tankbag too.

 

[banjoboy]

I have the Olympia MotoSport one piece I like a lot. A two piece is in many ways easier, but the 'onsie' is good for serious bad weather. Mine costs $480 and I think $300 is a very good price. Good luck.

Terry

 

[Chuck 500]

Interesting suit.

I am currently "jonsing" for new gear. I have an Olympia GT Air Transitions jacket and pants which is getting long in the tooth (6 years, 92,000+ miles). I have looked on line at the Firstgear Kilamanjaro. It looks intersting. Which Firstgear oants pair with it? The comments about it in hot weather are a concern since I am in Southeast Texas where we have summer 9 months of the year. Have the Kilamanjaro vents improved?

My first choice, so far, is Aerostich Two Piece Classic City, Hi-viz jacket and grey pants. The lighter body material may make it more comfortable here (a theory at least). I want a suit that is waterproof with out adding a rainsuit or liners. The GT Air is NOT waterproof. For a first suit buy, it has worked out very well though.

Thoughts and comments welcome,

Chuck

 

[Warren]

Since I spend most of my time commuting by motorcycle my one piece R-3 works well as I put it on at home and remove it in my office.
I was concerned when I went on my trip the the Smoky's what I would do with it when I stopped to eat or get off for whatever reason.
In the past I would just take off my jacket and leave it with the motorcycle or wear it in the restaurant and then hang it over the back of my chair. Both are considerable less convenient to do with a one piece.
I ended up wearing it into the restaurant and just wore it while I ate.
At one point when I was really hot I unzipped the long zipper down to my knees and I was able to slip my upper body out of it and just let it hang behind me while I ate.
Still not as convenient as a two piece. I did take a cable and lock with me so that I could lock it to my bike if I wanted but taking it off and putting it on in a parking lot was not something I wanted to fiddle with.
Others with more experience probably have other solutions. I have only had my R-3 for about 6 months so I am still learning to live with it.

 

[Warren]

Interesting suit.

I am currently "jonsing" for new gear. I have an Olympia GT Air Transitions jacket and pants which is getting long in the tooth (6 years, 92,000+ miles). I have looked on line at the Firstgear Kilamanjaro. It looks intersting. Which Firstgear oants pair with it? The comments about it in hot weather are a concern since I am in Southeast Texas where we have summer 9 months of the year. Have the Kilamanjaro vents improved?

My first choice, so far, is Aerostich Two Piece Classic City, Hi-viz jacket and grey pants. The lighter body material may make it more comfortable here (a theory at least). I want a suit that is waterproof with out adding a rainsuit or liners. The GT Air is NOT waterproof. For a first suit buy, it has worked out very well though.

Thoughts and comments welcome,

Chuck

Chuck, I have a Kilamanjaro. I think it is the second generation. I bought it about 4 years ago. It has vents in the armpits, the back and the shoulder. It is a heavy, hot jacket. I only wore it in the winter. I don't think it would be a good choice for Houston unless its just for the cooler months.

 

[NooBiker]

I don't commute, so I just think that a one-piece would be great. I just can't decide if I need more or different gear...probably not.
Currently I have a Joe Rocket ballistic jacket that I wear with x-element riding pants. Love the jacket, pants are cheap and functional... wore them both on a 5 hour round trip at 96 degrees and for an entire day in the rain. It was miserably hot even with great venting, but so is anything in that kind of weather. The scorpion mesh jacket I have is much better in the heat, and I usually just wear jeans with it.

 

[Phil Tarman]

I'll pop in with my opinion (and maybe reignite an old discussion!). I've got a FirstGear Kilimanjaro that I bought when I got too fat to wear my 'Stitch Roadcrafter. The Kilimanjaro has been an acceptable jacket. I've ridden with it in 100+F heat and been hot but when I had my LD Classic long-sleeved shirt and short underwear on, I was fine as long as I drank lots of water.

I can wear the 'Stitch again now and it's still my favorite. I can't get in and out of in 10 seconds like their Japanese guy can, but it's not bad for me to get it on and off. I can certainly get in and out of it quicker than can the Kilimanjaro jacket and the FirstGear pants I have.

I like the pockets on the 'Stitch much better. On my Kilimanjaro, the Velcro on the right pocket won't keep the flap down (even though my billfold has never gotten wet even in heavy rain. I've had a couple of the vent zippers on the Kilimanjaro fail -- the left arm and the right shoulder. But I can still wear it and it mostly keeps me dry.

The Kilimanjaro is definitely warmer in cold weather and considerably warmer in cold wet weather. With my electric jacket, I'm OK down to about freezing in the 'Stitch -- below that I need to have on something a little heavier under the jacket than fits easily (until I lose a bit more weight).

The Kilimanjoro has kept reasonably warm down below 20F as long as I had the electric jacket and wore something light over the electrics.

For me, the 'Stitch is the winner.

I am a convert to the theory that in hot weather, you need to close your vents and never/ever wear a mesh jacket in temps of over about 94F. Air above that temperature is hotter than your skin temperature and can raise your core temperature and cause heat stroke or at least some degree of hyperthermia. A lot of fluid intake is also essential in higher temps.

When I rode across Southern California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas on my Epic Ride, I was in temps of 113F and with the vents closed and about a liter of water poured up my arms and onto my chest, by leaving the cuffs unzipped and zipping the vents all closed and only unzipping the collar a couple of inches, I was cool for some of the time and comfortable all of it.

On my ride to Key West, the temperature was 95--102F and even with lots of water in me and some on me, I was never cool, but I was also never in danger of heat stroke. I think I might have been in a mesh jacket.

My 'Stitch is as old as my NT -- five years and about 85,000 miles. It's dingy looking and the left pants zipper has broken, but it'll last me and protect me for a lot longer.

The problem I see for me with suits like the First Gear one is that a size that fits my chest and waist would be six or seven inches too long in the legs.

 

[Warren]

Phil, I think your reference about not wearing mesh when it gets above 94? applies to rides where you are going to be in the saddle for several hours. When I commute on urban streets in hot weather, 95?+, it is far more comfortable to wear mesh than it is to wear my R-3 with the vents open or closed and I am certainly not going to be pouring water up my sleeves onto my dress shirt. My commute is 30-45 minutes and I have never felt like I was going to have heat stroke wearing a mesh jacket or armored shirt. No two riding situations are the same so its difficult to give one size fits all theories.

 

[Phil Tarman]

Warren, you're absolutely correct about the difference between long rides and a commute like yours. I'm sure I'd wear a mesh jacket for your ride and I agree you're in no danger of hyperthermia.

Thanks for the distinction!

 

[orend]

ya' I've purchased most of my stuff at that link; fair price and quality brands.
btw, how about Amazon $199, though ?
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias=aps&field-keywords=firstgear+riding+tpg+suit&rh=i:aps,k:firstgear+riding+tpg+suit

 

[Warren]

That's a different riding suit. More like an insulated rain suit. No armor.

 

[dnktng]

I am looking seriously at buying one of these. For $300, I think its a good deal at 1/3 the price of the Aerostitch.

http://www.motorcyclegear.com/street/closeouts/textile_jackets_and_pants/first_gear/tpg_expedition_suit_2014.html

Thanks for the heads up. Great bargain and after one ride, I think my Kilimanjaro jacket and HT Overpants will be getting a long rest.

 

[Comanche]

I guess its time I did a review of my gear - but this will be shorter than a full review.

I'm with Warren on wearing mesh in a hot commute. I've owned Motoport mesh jacket and pants for years, and that is perfect for commuting.

Not so for long rides. After reading Phil and Falcon AF's points about textile, and wearing LD Comfort underwear, I broke down and bought a (very) expensive Klim Latitude jacket and pants. Yes - expensive, but as the commercials for the ladies' hair coloring say, I'm worth it. (BTW - I just checked on Revzilla, and the Misano version, which is the one I have, is being closed out.)

First - it truly is waterproof. I have ridden in a number of toad chokers, and come out bone dry. You say I could do that with a good rain suit, which I did for years (Olympia gear), and it was okay, but I got tired of suiting up when seeing rain in front of me, then burning up from the heat when it didn't rain enough to cool off.

Second - Phil is right. On a really hot day, I close all the vents except the arm pit vents, soak my LD, and ride in comfort. Even then, you don't always have to do that as there are lots of vents in the Latitude.

The utility of the Klim outfit can be illustrated by my ride to Houston last weekend to see my daughter. That's about a 700 mile round trip. The ride up was on 90+ temps, and I was fine with vents open, but not wetting the LD. That is, until I got to the Houston area, where it rained the entire weekend. I was totally dry, and didn't have the hassle of a rain suit. Same deal on the way back - rainy until I got south of Houston, then hot sunshine after that.

Phil is (as always) right about the inability of anything to cool you in high humidity, wet LD or not. But, mesh doesn't help either - you just dry out faster.

I am very happy with the Klim two-piece. It is very well made. My only small complaint is that none of the pockets are big enough for the large smart phone I carry. My jacket is hi-viz, and that hasn't faded.

Okay - I suppose it is time for me to wash it (at least according to my wife), but I like the lived-in look.

 

[Fireman1028]

I bought the First Gear suit from motorcyclegear.com last year. I wore it on my Iron butt ride in October. It was a pretty good suit. Fairly stiff out of the box. The D30 armour is a nice touch. I ended up sending it back for a refund and ended up buying a Joe Rocket Alter Ego Pants and Jacket.