Waterproofing new leathers?

[MedicalBiker]

So I'm still in my 1st year of riding, have recently moved from textiles to leathers purely for a safety point of view rather than aesthetics or anything. Purchased myself some RST Blade jacket & trousers, and some A* SP8 gloves (although I'm struggling to find inners that actually fit inside these!).

I commute about 7 miles to work, I'm just wondering if there is any way to add some waterproofing to the leathers. I don't mind getting a bit damp in a shower but am just wondering if I can improve it at all.
I currently wear some of my rugby skins under the trousers and a hiking base layer under the jacket with either a tshirt or long sleeved top.

I've got leather a cleaner and a conditioner but I don't think these waterproof do they?

[ZX-7R]

I would just go for a one or two piece lightweight waterproof oversuit.

In the dry i use two piece leathers,and if rain is forecast i wear a waterproof textile jacket instead of the leather one with waterproof trousers over my leather jeans.

Not a believer in waterproofing leathers myself.

[davebike]

Leathers are not waterproof whatever you do

Ware and over suit
or get Cordura gear

Me I gave up on leather 20 years ago
____________________
Dave
NC750Xdct + others at work !
davebike1@gmail.com

[Ste]

An inexpensive oversuit is what you're after.

[Silver_Fox]

Ghetto glove inners? Try thin latex gloves. They transformed my 2 hour ride home at *70mph on Sunday


*other speeds are available

[Ste]

Ghetto inner gloves are gloves nicked from your local go karting place.

[Silver_Fox]

Woo. Yay

[Ste]

Smiler: If leather isn't waterproof, why are cows not full of water?

[davebike]

Leather is just prosesed skin OK very thick skin but like our skin it is not waterproof
Skin is designed to pass water sweat etc
____________________
Dave
NC750Xdct + others at work !
davebike1@gmail.com

[Ste]

[BTTD]

I've used Nikwax for years. The milky milky white fluid, not the wax stuff.
Numerous applications (like every evening for a week) does a pretty decent impression of waterproof. I have a 10 year old heavy leather jacket that I've ridden in torrential rain without getting wet at all which surprised me. I thought I'd get some dampness through on some of the seams, but it was fine. The cheap waterproof over-trousers I had were a different story and I ended up with cold wet balls and soaked jeans.
I think the jacket did well as there was a flap covering the front zip, and otherwise minimal stitching (not lots of panels).

Waterproofing your leathers will at the very least stop them soaking up the rain and taking quite so long to dry out. Well worth doing in my opinion, but if it's hammering down I do have a pair of army goretex overtrousers and a plastic over jacket.

For light showers, I would say it could be enough. Not expensive to try out, just give it a few coats of the stuff to start with.

[Rogerborg]

[doggone]

Leather can be made more waterproof at the tanning stage and regular treatment will help keep it that way but 'shower proof' is a better description.
It will itself gradually become wet even if water doesn't get inside for an hour or so.
Seams will inevitably let wet through especially after a bit of wear.
You can get leather gloves which are more or less waterproof due to how they are constructed.

As above, you need a lightweight oversuit or at least over-trousers which ideally fit under the seat or something.

[MedicalBiker]

[Pjay]

[Silver_Fox]

https://static.fjcdn.com/pictures/Oh_cbbc6e_1585329.gif

[BTTD]

[talkToTheHat]

I use nikwax gloveproof on my waterproof gloves as it stops the outer getting as wet through and doesnt make them slippery. My rst jacket and trousers are a matt finish, so i use carr day and martin leather dressing, its like saddle soap but doesnt shine. If the leather is supposed to be shiny belvoir saddle soap. Don't use either on fully analine leather, is ok on semi analine. My trousers leak through the sporty stretch panels, the jacket is now decently showerproof. Beyond withstanding a shower, it's a cheap 2 part rainsuit, or waterproof textiles, or both.
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Bandit. does. everything.

[charlieh777]

there is a leather varnish on the market that can waterproof them

[talkToTheHat]

That's a bit vague. I wouldn't use a leather varnish on motorcycle leathers though, they are supposed to be flexible and a bit breathable.
____________________
Bandit. does. everything.

[bamt]

I'm not sure what they've done to them, but I have a pair of BMW Leatherguard Goretex leather trousers. The leather on them never wets out like my (non-Goretex) leather jacket does, but they do appear to be breathable. After a really wet day they are damp but dry quite quickly.

[MedicalBiker]

[Rogerborg]

[Matt B]

[MedicalBiker]