This morning faced the torrential storms to ride to work. My so called waterproof gear lasted all of 2 minutes before becoming as waterproof as a fcuking tea bag :mad:

Have SIDI black rain evo boots that filled up like a bucket (even though they have always been rated as one of the best waterproof boots), an oversuit that let the water straight through and gloves that turned into sponges.

In normal rain which is usually fairly light in comparison to this morning they all work fine. But to me its no good if you ride in heavy rian for that gear to then let you down. Waterproof should be waterproof in any amount of rain, not fail when things turn extreme like this morning :rolleyes: In fact when the rain eased off and went back to what would be considered normal I felt the water stop leaking through but it shouldn't have leaked in the first place :mad:

By the time I got to work my leathers under the suit were soaked though and my underwear and t shirt was like I had just got in the bath with it on :rolleyes: Very uncomfortable indeed.

I really want to sort out some proper gear but I just don't trust any manufacturer anymore, not even gortex as I don't think true waterproof gear really exists, none I have had have ever protected me in the sort of rain I faced this morning!

I want something really heavy duty for all year riding - does anyone know of anything that they know works even in the heaviest of rain for long periods of time?

spare pants and t shirt in a plastic bag!

Tiggs they were in a plastic bag in the bottom of my rucksack, the rucksack got a puddle in the bottom of it from the rain that somehow leaked through the bin liner my spare clothers were in, and there is no hole in the bin liner!

I have some Frank Thomas gear - and some waterproof overgloves. I look like a prat - but i spent 2 days in this type of weather driving down to the S of France and only my neck got wet - so something wrong there mate. I never got water coming in through the fabric - just down the neck!

Jza

lol..

I have to admit I chickened out this morning.. I don't normally but had a crap nights sleep and couldn't face it so took the car :)

The only thing I have found to be near perfect is some textile gear.. I only have the jacket never got around to the trousers, I leave the leather jacket at home and take the textile (Spidi) jacket if it looks like rain and have a cheap pair of over trousers which leak.. the textile trouser to match would probably make it far better.

I bought some waterproof socks from a walking shop.. the boots get wet but the feet don't. Although no good by the time you want to come home.

I then use summer leather gloves with rubber gardening gloves over them and tuck them into the sleeves of the jacket to stop run off.

Used to work for the 4hour journey from North East to South East once each way a week in all weathers.. the trousers seem to keep sweat in more than leak but only get damp..

B2Z,

I bought a Hein Gericke All Seasons jacket and trousers some 6 years ago and use them pretty much all year round and in all weathers. Only thing that got wet on me in the last couple of days has been my feet (old Aplinestars boots that just ain't up to it).

I've got an hours motorway commute on a CBR6 and its poured the last few days but, as i said, other than my feet i've been fine. I can feel the dampness starting to come through the jacket but that's probably largely down to age and the fact that its covered some 5k a year.

Oh yeah, and i'm not the best at keeping it clean either - it only gets washed once or twice a year.

Paul

Washed??

my gear gets washed when it rains.. :D

Buy some waterproof socks!!

Not too bad this time of year is it as it is not too cold.. but come October and your feet get wet it is flippin' freezing :)

B2Z

Sorry - forgot to say that my kit isn't gauranteed 100% either!

P

I dont even have any waterproofs :cry: Took one look at the rain today and thought b*ll*cks to that and jumped in the car!

Know what you mean, I have done 300miles so far this week in absolutely appalling weather.

Gloves - use Belstaff Thermosport, they are waterproof but all gloves will eventually let some damp through, trouble is they are too warm for this weather so really need waterproof summer gloves
Boots - Daytona Evo Sports (the gortex version at around £350), never let water in, even this week. Even the day after they are still completely dry on the inside, SUPERB
Waterproofs - use Belstaffs that cost me around £65 a few years back. Still completely waterproof but difficult to get the cuffs over the gloves which does get frustrating.

This month in Ride there are some tests on waterproofs.

I had some cheaper textile stuff that leaked badly - so bought Rukka Goretex Jacket and Trousers, and have Daytona Goretex boots. Dry as a bone in monsoon like conditions. It does cost a bit though - jacket was £280 reduced from £450 odd, and trousers £300 !! Works though. I use really thin gloves in these conditions that get wet but dry quickly.

i am sure magazine like RIDE has done such waterproof test.

i use rukka which so far has been pretty "waterproof" ;)

My mate bought a cheap oversuit from J&S Accessories for £50, it's known (by us) as "The Fartproof" because you can zip it up as you get on the bike, fart and smell it when you take it off at the end of your journey. If farts can't get out, water can't get in ;)

My mate bought a cheap oversuit from J&S Accessories for £50, it's known (by us) as "The Fartproof" because you can zip it up as you get on the bike, fart and smell it when you take it off at the end of your journey. If farts can't get out, water can't get in ;)

LOL :D Nice

I'll retract my statement about my stuff being waterproof - it failed in grand style on the M8 from Glasgow to Edinburgh last night. In its defence i will say that i have never seen so much standing water on the motorway.

Its a great sensation when the front end aquaplanes and every sinew in your body goes "back off" but nope you gotta keep the power on.

Paul

On tuesday I wore my Dainese Goretex jacket with an Alpinestars RJ3 Rain Jacket over the top, no water got through and the Dainese jacket stayed dry.

I wore a £20 pair of waterproof trousers from the local outdoors wear shop over my Dainese leather trousers, again the leather trousers stayed dry.

My boots were a pair of Sidi Vertebrae 2 with the leather trousers over the top of the boots; no water came through.

Frank Thomas Aqua Roo gloves, inside stayed dry.

I use a Lowe Alpine ruck sack which kept everything inside dry.

The only dodgy bit was almost loosing the Blade coming out of a roundabout :eek:

Actually the only bit that got wet was my neck.

I got a set of FT waterproofs 'thrown in' with a bike once. Can remember the exact name at this time of the night, but the stuff was guaranteed to the point that if you wore it over your suit and your suit got wet they would buy you a new suit. They also guaranteed it to withstand anything you could thow at it for 5 years. I went up the road in them one day whewn I had them about three years, tore them to shreds (but not me, ) took them back and the dealer replaced the entire kit. Ask your dealer about decent FT kit and see if they offer any guarantees

I remember driving in Koh Samui Thailand on a Moped with just my shades a pair of shorts & a T Shirt when the weather changed suddenly...

I remember driving through villages with the locals waving at me light I was some kind of deranged maniac watching me negate the flooded terrain and try not to come off.

All I can say is that it was one hell of a buzz and if it wasn't for my shades, I'd not have been able to see.

Not quite sure that would be very suitable on the M25 in torrential rain at 70mph :D

Thanks for the replies chaps. The expensive gortex suit sounds like it might have to be looked at again, looked at them before and couldn't afford them as the whole kit would have come to £600 at the time plus i'm still not sure i'd be happy riding in anything but leather for protection.

I do 25k miles a year and I would not compromise my kit, I will always wear leather with waterproofs over the top. Each to their own as they say.

I dont feel I am compromising by wearing Textile kit. The Rukka kit is very good. I know it wont be as abrasive resistant as the most expensive Leather, but I reckon it would be as good or better than most leather stuff, especially the cheaper stuff.

The best textile stuff is very expensive though. You get what you pay for whatever you buy.