Alternative Riding Jacket to Aerostich?

[Hacksaw]

I've got the Darien Jacket with liner and pants. I can open the under arm vents all of the way (took practice), liner too. Back vent is a no go while your riding. Depending on the weather conditions I keep the back vent open or semi open, then regulate air flow with the under arm vents. I've got 30,000 miles on it in three years. 100% waterproof if you care for it properly. I like it a lot. The only thing I don't like about it is the collar. Most Jackets have felt inside of the collar. The Darien doesn't. It rubs on my neck. I probably need to add some felt.

[102624]

Just love my 1 pc roadcrafter. Don't wear either of my Vansons (textile or leather) hardly at all anymore. Better than anything I've ever had. Just can't open/close vents myself with it on - sometimes I can with the underarm vents. Usually I just get the lady behind the register at the gas station to do it. Still better than anything I've ever had. Oh, I hate 3/4 jackets, had a Hein Gericke Paris -Dakar once, nice, but didn't like the 3/4 length.

[rojam]

It 's SO humid here that nothing helps- except keep moving. JR Phoenix helps for summer, although I really like the First Gear vented.

For the rest of the year, the Belstaff Discovery is GREAT. Not too hot in mild weather, and very snug in winter. I like the way the put internal baffles to keep drafts down.

Pockets everywhere.

A VERY well thought out jacket.

[RichEdwards]

Usually I just get the lady behind the register at the gas station to do it

Yes, I do that too. Always gets a sly smile when I ask a female clerk if she'll open my zipper.

[76990]

I bought a First Gear Kilamanjaro in the spring of '02 and have been very satisfied riding in all weather conditions. Stay warm, dry, and reasonably comfortable in hot temps.

Regarding the neck flap that a few posts have mentioned - there is a small elastic loop on the inside of the collar that allows you to fold the flap inside and it stays tucked away. It took me over 1/2 a year before I saw the thing! Check it out.

[97543]

take a look at Clover product. I'm very impressed with quality and fit. Expensive but not as much as the stich.

[jgr451]

Hmmm lots of talk about good jackets..I bought a First Gear Kilimanjaro in 1998 at the Montana rally and had the privilege to test its crashworthiness on the way home.It works!It was very durable and I got my local seamstress to patch up the various scuffs with material which First Gear was good enough to supply when I called them with my tale of woe.I find it hot though in really hot weather,the vents not working all that well...it is real handy for pockets and a camel back etc.I still wear it quite happily.I also have a Joe Rocket summer weight,armoured and made of a windy material which I like for day trips in really hot weather.It is not real handy as it does not pack very small.
What a world!Where compromises must be made because you just can't pack everything.

[GlobalRider]

Originally posted by Dave92029
I have owned several Aerostich riding suits over the years, and used to think that they were the best over all piece of riding gear.

Well with the passing of time new products are introduced and improvements are developed.

Well I'm still on the same Aerostich Roadcrafter II suit that I've had for just over 11 years now. A good all around suit, but then, I have nothing to compare it to.

I looked at a Darien jacket a few years ago that someone had at a rally. For the price and even at half the price, I thought it to be an unfinished product. No lining and all you saw were taped seams which from reports that I've read, start to unravel over time. Has the design changed or is it still as I saw it then?

I'd buy a Darien jacket and pants, but for me to fork out those dollars, I'd want to see a lined jacket and pants, a zip-out cool weather fleece lining in the jacket and new generation padding (not like those that look home-made in my Roadcrafter II).

In the near future, I'll be looking at either the high end Rukka or Dainese gear. I want an all-weather riding suit. The days of rainsuits are long gone unless you buy cheap gear. The Roadcrafter will be kept for good memories and for all the years that it served me well.

[Win3855]

I have a Belstaff Discoveryhere Use it all the time.

[pbansen]

I have a 1991 Roadcrafter two piece and a 2001 model. The Roadcrafter is just an excellent suit for protection, weather resistance and durability - I really don't think it has an equal.

I had a pair of Darien pants for a while and didn't care for the fit or finish. They were well made of quality materials, but as others have commented, the unfinished look and feel didn't make me want to keep them.

I had a Belstaff Merlin for a while that I bought in a weak moment during the races at Sears Point. Nice jacket for winter/cold weather riding, but too poorly vented to be usable during the summer. Great, weatherproof collar, though - best I've seen.

I had not been much of a fan of the BMW Rider Gear until I had a chance to wear some on a bike. It didn't do much for me in the store, but the riding experience was a whole different ball game. I used a Savanna II jacket and pants for a few days during the 80th anniversary celebration and I was very impressed - great materials, great fit and finish and great venting.

Very nice gear and some of it is on closeout right now at reasonable prices - I bought a pair of the Savanna I pants with the optional hip and thigh armor for about $200 delivered (2nd day air by FedEx). Not bad. By the way, when you buy the hip and thigh armor, you have to buy two sets - each has ONE hip pad and ONE thigh pad. Strange, eh?. Very good armor, however.

Pete Bansen
Truckee, California

[104857]

I find the Joe Rocket Tahoe does the job for me. Watrproof, (except when I leave the vents open) , breathable, pads, pockets,
liner. I live in Charlotte, NC & ride year round with it. I picked mine up new on E-Bay for $109.00

[richc]

I use a BMW Commuter jacket, waterproof, lined, excellent armor (back, shoulders, elbows), good vents. I don't think it'll save you any money over the Aerostirch Darien.

[Zaphod0808]

Mike:

The thread is a month or so since a posting, and you may have made a decision about a jacket. I'm happy with my choice. Although I have only my regularly worn leathers (Teknic jacket, Z gloves, Hein Gerike pants) and varioius bits of outdoor sports technical gear to have as a personal experience base when trying to decipher promo copy or testimonials on web pages, my choice of the Teknic Sprint jacket seems to be right on...for the first six weeks of use. I haven't ridden it through a car wash, but it has handled intermittant showers and foggy mist just fine.

I was really bummed that I couldn't see much of anything "in the flesh." "We can order that for you" got to be pretty silly, especially as I could order it for myself at a pretty hefty discount, but I digress...

I also have to say that cyclestuffusa.com had the best price, no fee on standard shipping and excellent!!!! service. We bought two Teknic jackets through them, the Sprint for myself and the Sequoia for my wife.

The Sprint is a little lighter than the Kilaminjaro, Savannah, Darien and Cycloak GT Pro. Maybe the Darien light would be a good comparison, but I've never examined one. I wanted something that could be year 'round. I rode in Montana in August. Standing around I was hot, but on the bike I was fine and I didn't go to a wet t-shirt. It's armored well, mesh lined, vented, pocketed, reflectivated, and a detachable insulation layer is also provided.

It was $225.00 to the door.

I don't think it can be beat!

PJ Wise, Nemah, Washington, #65985
'81 Alfa Romeo Spider Veloce -- Verena Ragazza
'93 BMW K1100LT -- Berrin Marte

[rottenbiker]

I am wearing the Belstaff Explorer jacket and pants are typhoon model. Love both!!! jacket has better venting then merlin, is similiar to discovery jacket and has removable fleece liner that can be worn as light jacket around campfire alone. Waterproofing is great, and can be resprayed after washing to help maintain waterproofing, very inexpensive to do as well as easy. I wore in IB rally and was in all temps and weather with it.

[munchy]

I bought a Belstaff Discovery Jacket last October to get me through a winter of riding. Superb quality and this jacket has it all. Lots of pockets, warm, CE in elbows, shoulders back, really lites up at night, waterproof as far as I can tell (Colorado doesn't get much rain). It has a unique removable neck guard that really works well in winter. T he underarm zips and back zipped vents work pretty well for riding in the summer, though it is really not a summer jacket when it is 80 degress out, but I wore it on my ride to the Top O' the Rockies Rally in July this year and was fine as long as I was moving. Paid about $360 from MAWOnline, later discovered www.britishmotorcyclegear.com and bought pants from them, very pleased with their response to e-mails so would recommend them. Excellent quality, stitching, etc. and would buy another of anything Belstaff makes.