Olympia Phantom one pice suit with thermal liner

[karl]

I like the visibility aspect of this bright Yellow moon suit. It is comfortable once you assemble it on you and is easier each time you do it. I got a heated vest with collar at Christmas time and tried to wear it with it and could not find a way to route the wire.
A trip to there web site tells me I need to make my own.
My personal upper temp tolerance for this outfit is around 85 deg more if the trip is highway or few stops. Airflow is good but you do need air moving for comfort with heat. Each time I have worn the suit with the liner I would take the liner off to keep from overheating and it packs down nice and small.

http://www.olympiamotosports.com/phantom/phantom.htm

 

[elizilla]

A trick you can use with this suit...

It's got the world's stickiest velcro along the zippers. You can go to the fabric store and get a spool of sew in velcro, and cut it into three inch sections. Use them to block about half the velcro from catching, and it makes the suit easier to get into and out of. If you decide you need to lock the flaps down more tightly due to the weather conditions, the extra velcro pieces are easy to take out. And if you leave them in there most of the time, then when the exposed sections of velcro start to get worn out and stick less well, you can take the pieces out and put the covered sections back into use.

 

[karl]

Thanks Katherine sounds good, any suggestions on where and how to make an opening for a cord?

 

[elizilla]

I never made an opening for mine - I got a patch cord and routed it through the zipper near the crotch, as a temporary measure that required no permanent alteration, and ran it like that for a couple weeks, to give myself time to think about how I wanted to do that. Then I decided the one-piece suit just didn't work for me, so I sold it and replaced it with the jacket/trousers combo.

What didn't work? Well, I was having a lot of trouble getting in and out of it, because I had a shoulder injury and some circulatory troubles (since improved) that caused me to get lightheaded or even pass out, if I stayed bent over for too long. Even when I blocked half of the attack velcro, it was just too much struggle.

It fit me better than my Aerostich, and kept the water out better. But the 'stich has it all over the Phantom for ease of donning and doffing.

 

[karl]

Mine was a "bit" stiff at first, on and off time are under 5 min. it is a much more deliberate process than a two piece. Cool weather all day ride it is my first choice.

 

[karl]

Weather here has been wet so the moon suit has been getting use on my commute rather than getting in and out of raingear. It got up in the eighties one day with 88% humidity. In that airflow is king. Must say it is working well .

 

[maxweljames]

How does the Olympia fair in wet weather? I've read mixed reviews, some saying it's ok, others saying they are soaked to the underwear in only light to moderate rain. I'm going to be replacing my leather jacket with either a textile jacket and pant (probably Tourmaster) combo or just a full suit and can't decide which to go with. Mostly it will be for cool/cold weather riding, but I like the idea that it could possibly be a substitute for rain gear. What's your opinions?

 

[karl]

So far It has kept me dry in every rain that I have encountered in the past year. It even works in hot and humid if you are moving and have airflow. City traffic or walking around at a stop will warm you up pretty quick. I have not washed the outer shell yet but that time is coming soon it is getting a bit dirty.
Getting in and out has gotten easier with practice and it is my first choice for most road trips.

For the warmer weather around here the mesh gear is more comfortable.

 

[Chuck 500]

I have Olympia gear, though not the one-piece, for three years now. My jacket is the GT Air Transitions and the pants are AST mesh. I bought this suit wit commuting and maximum versatility in mind. Every this is sized to fit over street clothes. The jacket has a two part liner, water proof and thermal are separate. I can install the water proof and still not be excessively hot. The pants have a one part water proof/thermal liner. I have not gotten wet wearing this gear, in spite of some all day rain rides. I bought the suit in Norther VA but knowing i was moving to Houston TX I went for versatility. I gets cold and wet here in south east TX in the winter (I hear you laughing Karl) and brutally hot in the summer. I am still thinking of a dedicated rain suit to go over everything. The only reason is that the liners take a long time when you have to gear up and gear down several times during a day. As always

Keep the shiny side up,

Chuck

 

[Warren]

I have Olympia gear, though not the one-piece, for three years now. My jacket is the GT Air Transitions and the pants are AST mesh. I bought this suit wit commuting and maximum versatility in mind. Every this is sized to fit over street clothes. The jacket has a two part liner, water proof and thermal are separate. I can install the water proof and still not be excessively hot. The pants have a one part water proof/thermal liner. I have not gotten wet wearing this gear, in spite of some all day rain rides. I bought the suit in Norther VA but knowing i was moving to Houston TX I went for versatility. I gets cold and wet here in south east TX in the winter (I hear you laughing Karl) and brutally hot in the summer. I am still thinking of a dedicated rain suit to go over everything. The only reason is that the liners take a long time when you have to gear up and gear down several times during a day. As always

Keep the shiny side up,

Chuck

In the summer I usually wear a ventilated jacket. The last storm I got into I got soaked. No surprise right. I agree about the liner in and out is a hassle. I bought a rain jacket that is large enough to go over my regular ventilated riding jacket to deal with any significant rain. Its easier to throw that on than trying to zip in the liner. It also rolls up and and fits in the pass through space pretty well.

 

[Phil Tarman]

I am still thinking of a dedicated rain suit to go over everything

Chuck, I've had two dedicated rain suits and I would not want to wear them around Houston. Mine (a rubberized nylon and then Frogg Toggs) were both hot and if the weather was hot, they kept me almost as wet with sweat as the rain could have gotten me.

One of the good things about the mega-bucks (and still-ugly) 'Stitch, is that you don't have to worry about other clothing options. I'll get to experience it Texas humidity in a couple of weeks when I'm down for my HS reunion.

 

[karl]

I agree with Phil on the rain suits. The only positive things I can say about them is they tend to pack small and in freezing cold they can make a good wind barrier.

Cold is relative, uncomfortable is just that. All of our gear is a compromise. Finding what you can get comfortable with is the key. I won't help you hanging in the closet.

Tomorrow the weather report is for scattered thunderstorms. I have about ten hours in the saddle planned. Temps 50's to 70's. I will wear this suit without the liner with an HJC full face that I know does well keeping out water with a pair of Tourmaster SC waterproof boots.

 

[elizilla]

It's amazing how well the ski stuff works for riding, and vice versa. When I first took up riding and had no decent cold weather riding gear, I wore my ski bibs on the bike. I still wear ski socks and base layers on the bike, and when it's super cold I wear my ski mittens. In fact I have some ski items I have bought purely for motorcycling and never actually worn skiing. Ski mittens with integrated face shield squeegie, thorlo socks, fleece longjohns, wicking turtlenecks, turtlefurs, etc...

I've also worn my riding gear on the ski hill. An Aerostich Roadcrafter or an Olympia Phantom draws fewer stares on the ski hill, than it does on the bike, and the armor is great when you take that inevitable tumble.

 

[maxweljames]

Thanks for all the great opinions everybody.

 

[karl]

Ah yes, we all have them and most of them st&*@.

 

[maxweljames]

It's kind of like news agencies, you can see a "breaking" news story on cnn, fox, msnbc, etc. and you get same number of different angles on the exact same happening. The trick is to glean from each one without just picking out what you want to hear.

 

[karl]

We tend to view the world through the lens of our own experience.

 

[karl]

Took the "Moon suit" to New Hampshire today with the weather report calling for "scattered" thunderstorms Spent about 11 hours in the saddle and about half of that was in rain. With the heaviest downpour stuck in traffic with water pooling in my lap rather than blowing over head.
Amazing music the bike makes, rain on the screen tupperware helmet and visor all have different tones. Still wearing the clothes that I had under it. They and my feet stayed dry.

 

[Phil Tarman]

Good deal! Good testimony! I, personally, enjoy riding in the rain ... about fifteen minutes after it starts and I ratchet myself down/up to fit it.

 

[karl]

The rain is the loudest thing this morning other than me tapping at the keys. Rode to work today with the moonsuit. Took the most direct route both ways and the suit worked as advertised. Getting in and out of it is far less a struggle than the first few times but is still a lot of stuff to walk around in. Folks at one time would give me some good natured ribbing about how bright it is. Today they just stayed away from me thinking there is something wrong with that boy with the weather today.

I may be nuts, but warm and dry.