Truly Waterproof Gear

[Fowlersrs]

After selling the SV1000 and riding to London in what I can only describe as a monsoon it's safe to say my textiles and one piece hein gericke waterproof no longer keep the water at bay.

I've seen that the only true waterproof kit is goretex gear with the layer on the outside so the water just runs off, this is the high end gear rukka sell right?

Is this kit truly waterproof and what stops moisture getting in via your neck area?

[chris-red]

I have 'Triumph' Branded Textile gear. It is VERY good. My jacket must be 7 years old now and still doesn't leak. In very heavy rain it will let water in round the next but I think that is almost unavoidable. I rode 100's of miles in heavy rain in Ireland, by the end I had 1 wet boot and lower leg, I think I didn't do the bottom of one of my trousers up well enough I think and a bit of dampness round the neck (next to nothing), the rest of me was bone dry.
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[DrSnoosnoo]

I have some Hein Gericke GTX trousers. They've kept me bone dry for over a year so far. Earlier this year I bought a IXS GTX jacket off ebay for £90 in as new condition. It come with one of those storm flap things you can put around your neck to keep the rain out.

The ways water get in are where I tuck the gloves under the sleeve, water at 60mph will work its way up there, unless you have a rubber seal and the other day in v. hard rain, I had a patch of wet on my shirt beneath about the size of two 50p coins.

I'd look on the second hand market, pay a bit extra to get the better condition ones and you're laughing. In my opinion anyway. I only buy brand new Gloves and Boots. I don't want my hands to live in where someone's sweaty hands have been and same about sweaty feet. It's only my boots that aren't GTX and I really really really want some.
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I'm Sam; Northern, Ginger, Lover
Did have: '95 ZZR600 '83 CG125 '97 ZZR1100 '15 Hypermotard 821 SP Do Have: '10 ZX10R

[Beehive Bedlam]

My rukka textiles are excellent only down side is they cost nearly as much as my bike.

[arthurmo]

I've had my Rukka gear for over 5 years now for the daily commute in all weathers and it's excellent. My jacket has neoprene on the collar and in winter I use a cold killer neck scarf and am always dry. It is pricey but you can get it from Germany for nearly half the price over here.

If you get the kit with cool written on it somewhere I don't know how but it really does keep the jacket cooler in summer using some nasa style science stuff*


*technical description
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ducati mutleystrada
Triumph Thruxton old and knackered just like the owner

[stinkwheel]

I buy real waterproofs and wear them under/over my bike gear. Army issue gore-tex is good and cheap.
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[weasley]

A while back I did a Bikesafe day with the Thames Valley Police. The ride took place in a monsoon. As we stripped off our gear at the end of the day the police riders were very amused by the variety of wet crotches, chests, legs, arms etc we were displaying, despite wearing 'waterproof' textiles. They were all bone dry.

So, whatever they wear.
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Yamaha XJ600 | Yamaha YZF600R Thundercat | KTM 990 SMT | BMW F900XR TE

[MCN]

[Andy S]

[esullivan]

Has been mentioned too many times already: Rukka. I've had my set for about three years now. I'm still dry, and they've had some punishing tests in Scotland and Ireland.

However, I'm not 100% convinced that they are worth the price. I haven't been blown away by the general quality. I have had to use the warranty twice on the trousers when the zips broke (first one side, then the other). They give you a loaner pair, but the turnaround is six to eight weeks. Assuming I keep these for the five-year warranty period, they'll have cost me roughly £180 a year. You can get a whole outfit for that (my first jacket and trousers cost £200) and often the cheap stuff works for a while before the seams start pulling apart, maybe even a year?

The Rukka have other advantages -- they're just generally easy to take care of. I wash them a couple of times a year -- normal detergent (not nikwax), tumble dry on low, no problem. And the jacket has been rock solid -- no zipper issues or whatever.

For me, I'm inclined to conclude that they were worth it. My first outfit didn't last a year, but I do more mileage than many and commute year round. It wouldn't have been worth it if I were a weekend/touring user, I don't think.
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Current: '14 VFR800X Test passed 31/10/12.
Previous: '12 NC700S, '11 CBF 125, '04 SH 125.

[MCN]

[chickenstrip]

[barrkel]

I use Held's Quattrotempi pro-shell goretex stuff. I got the jacket very cheap from Germany (~150 quid for a jacket with 500 RRP) as it was a discontinued line and happened to still be available in my size. Based on my experience with the jacket, I paid 350 for matching pro-shell trousers - that was still a discounted price, just not as steep. I've been using the same kit for over 3 years so far, no leaks, and I've been all over Europe in them, including many thunderstorms, all around Ireland twice, to Scotland and back twice.

In daily commuting, I wear the jacket every day, but I only wear the trousers when rain is expected.

The jacket is getting a bit tatty at this point. The velcro from the tightening straps on my gloves has picked out a bit of fluff from the cuff. My scooter key has started to wear into the pocket seam, and it'll develop into a hole within the next year; I got a small hole in the pocket on other side before I started using a key wallet for my main set of keys.

I will definitely buy a similar level jacket next time, but I would try hard not to spend more than 400. When you put on a jacket two to four times a day, 345 days a year (I wear a different jacket when it's sunny enough), it will start to get worn out. YMMV depending on use.

louis.de, motoin.de, fc-moto.de, etc. are well worth checking for prices for high-end gear. Often there's discontinued lines with hefty price cuts.
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[Wonko The Sane]

I have to wash my HG gear in Nikwax tech wash and wax every 4-5 months to keep them waterproof

I do have a 'rain onsie' as my wife calls it that does a great job in heavy rain. I did however fall over when taking it off at work just as my manager walked into the office to find me laying on the floor laughing my head off.
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[Dave70]

All I can say is, don't buy Spada waterproofs.

Mine would be fine, if they hadn't sewn on some straps on the arms, leaving loads of needle holes in them, just so water can seep through. They're fine in a shower, however as I discovered during the Ireland trip, if you're riding all day in the rain, you eventually end up very wet.
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There ain't no devil, there's just god when he's drunk.

2012: R125 killed by white van. 2016 R125 killed by 30,000 miles of redline. Current: 2016 Kawasaki ER6f.

[Dave70]

Deleted because stupid double posting phone.
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There ain't no devil, there's just god when he's drunk.

2012: R125 killed by white van. 2016 R125 killed by 30,000 miles of redline. Current: 2016 Kawasaki ER6f.

[evilzed]

I encountered the same issues with my textiles and eventually gave in an bought some Dainese goretex textiles which have worked great so far, quite an investment but about the cost of a Rukka jacket.

[jjdugen]

Simplist, cheapest, absolutely waterproofist, easy to pack under a seatist. One piece nylon 'grow bag'.
I piss myself at the money people spend on so called waterproof stuff when a nylon one piece does the job far better and it keeps the cold at bay too.
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The CBR900RR has been sold. Aprilia Falco worms its way into my heart.
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[MCN]

[New Sarum]

Another vote for Rukka. If you ride a significant commute most days throughout the year plus touring, then it is worth the expenditure. I had my suit for seven years and in June of this year played a part in saving my life due to an accident in eastern Turkey.

[STONEY!]

another vote for Rukka here, got all my gear 10 years ago, luckily on trade so half the retail price!

If I were buying it again I would go for the laminated stuff with the outer being waterproof as although mine has never leaked it does get heavy/cold after a few days of riding in the rain.

[Jack the Lad]

The stupid design of most motorcycle gear means the outside material gets thoroughly sodden even if the bin bag inner liner does manage to keep you reasonably dry, so even if it 'works' you still need a plastic oversuit otherwise it takes ages to dry and you will still be putting on soggy wet stuff days after the rain has stopped.

My recommendation - workmen's hi-viz gear from Screwfix, Dickies or The Range. For about £30 for both jacket and trousers it is better fitting, more waterproof and more robust than any motorcycle specific 'waterproof' oversuit I've ever wasted money on, and for a fraction of the price. Just bung it on over riding gear and take it off when the rain stops.

[barrkel]

[monkeybiker]

Alpinestar drystar textiles are very good. I only have the trousers as I like to wear my leather jacket but in the rain I no longer get a wet arse.

[c-m]

For typical British weather most a goretex style membrane bonded to the outer layer will work quite well, and stop the item of clothing getting sodden.

The downside is that it doesn't breathe as well as a non-bonded or modular system, so more likely to be wet with sweat, though that's not such a big problem here where there are only a handful of warm days.