Price and availability confirmed at time of publication. Subject to change, please visit the product website for the latest prices and availability.
1. Rain sucks, but this motorcycle rain gear are sure to help alleviate that. Road spray is always dirty, and always leaves a film on your faceshield. But there is help, thanks to Aerostich’s VeeWipe Squeegees, which easily wipe away the crud. Worn on the thumb or index finger of your left hand, they make riding in the rain safer (and lots more fun). Three-size pack fits all hand sizes and glove thicknesses. Contains one each: S, M, and L. $11.00. More info: www.aerostich.com.
2. If you’re a fan of the one-piece rain suit, check out the Teknic Chicane. Featuring PVC outer shell construction, it has heat-welded seams, a corduroy-lined collar, a zippered gusset opening on the legs and more. Sized to fit over your riding gear, it’s 100-percent waterproof. Price: $24.99. More info: www.teknicgear.com.
3. If you prefer a two-piece rain suit, the Firstgear Rainman Jacket shields you with 70-denier nylon and a full nylon slip lining. An integrated stuff sack is also a handy feature. Price: $74.95. More info: www.firstgear-usa.com.
4. Down below, Tour Master Elite Rain Pants keep your bottom-half dry with Tour Master’s five-step sealed-seam construction. These comfortable, fully mesh/nylon-lined pants have a 10in zippered leg closure and an elastic waistband with adjustable suspenders. Price: $29.99. More info: www.tourmaster.com.
5. Dry is good, and dry and warm is even better. These Nitrogen leather gloves from Joe Rocket feature a 100-percent waterproof midliner along with 80-gr Thermolite insulation, a gel palm and a shield wiper on each thumb. Price: $69.99. More info: www.joerocket.com.
6. Aerostich Triple Digit Rain Covers are the perfect over-glove if your favorite pair isn’t already waterproof. Their ripstop nylon laminated fabric breathes enough during rain conditions so your skin won’t get clammy, and also makes them useful as a cold weather over-glove. They pack small, and their three-digit design keeps hands warmer, provides good finger control for clutch and brake levers, and lets you be polite to Vulcans (always). Price: $47.00. More info: www.aerostich.com.
7. For the guys with big calves or those who want a shorter (8in) boot that is comfortable, armored and guaranteed waterproof, Cruiserworks offers the Short Zip. The waterproofing is literally beat into the boots, which costs more than spraying, but lasts longer. Price: $249.00. More info: www.cruiserworks.com.
8. If your favorite boots aren’t waterproof, try Tour Master Men’s Rain Boots. They’re made of a heavy-duty PVC-coated nylon, have an elasticized top, snaps and Velcro to seal out wetness, and keep your feet dry. Price: $19.95. More info: www.tourmaster.com.
9. These 19oz vinyl dry bags keep the water out, even if your saddlebags don’t. Fill ’em, roll ’em down to fit the height of your saddlebag, and then snap ’em shut — the closure doubles as a handle. You can also load them with beverages and ice and use them as a cooler! Size: 12in long x 6in wide x 18in high. Price: $12.99. More info: www.jpcycles.com.
10. ThinCase Dry Bag Saddlebags are waterproof saddlebags perfect for travelin’ lighter and faster. Featuring a narrow 4in profile these bags have obvious limits, but they will hold more than enough for most trips. Their “throw over” mounting system is secure, fast and versatile, and the roll-over seal and top-loading opening is easy to use and absolutely waterproof. A lightweight (but strong) system. Price: $147.00. More info: www.aerostich.com.
Road Test: Lessons in overkill from the MC staff
How I get suckered into things like this is beyond me. We go one week without rain and suddenly our publisher thinks we should try out our assortment of rain gear by putting someone in it, dragging them to the car wash and blasting them with a pressure washer.
So we did. And the result? Lets just say some pieces were more impressive than others. The Aerostich Triple Digit Rain Covers worked flawlessly despite a good five minutes of “getting the hose again.” They offer a surprising range of mobility, and their elastic drawstring top even has the perfect rubber tab at the end so you can grab it with your teeth and pull it tight. The Joe Rocket Nitrogen gloves didn’t immediately let any water through, but they became water-laden and heavy. Though my hands stayed dry during the test, once they were laid out to dry, the inner liner seems to have wicked up some of the water from the outer layers.
Though the Teknic Chicane one-piece suit didn’t make it to our offices in time for testing, we were impressed by the Firstgear Rainman Jacket, which only let water in at the collar that was already running down my neck. The Tourmaster Elite Rain Pants have zippered leg closures that allow you to put them on without taking off your boots, and despite repeated spraying, they never leaked a drop.
The Tour Master Men’s Rain Boots worked very well, though they were hard to get on and sealed up due to their snap-first-velcro-second design. Cruiserworks’ Short Zip boots were awesome. They kept my feet dry and snug and their soles offered a surprising amount of grip, even when wet. I’m definitely looking forward to breaking them in more fully and getting some miles on them.