Riding in the Rain

[sfcdjevans]

In this I epistle I seek the wisdom of those from the Northwest. I have prided myself in riding in all weather. Well almost all weather, as once the potential of ice exits I no longer tempt fate. We don't really need to discuss that interesting ride to the Salmon River Resiviour last spring which proved conclusivly that frozen slush with sand in it is perhaps the greatest wind breaking material of all time.

I've got purchase gear and stuff I've made myself that has solved all of my problems save one. Gloves. Or better put, keeping my hands dry. I've got Gotex gloves from Held, Gerbings and Alpinestar. I've got overmitts from Riders Warehouse. I've got several jackets. I've got a dedicated rain jacket.

What I'd like is a rain jacket that has zippers on the forearms that would allow me to get into my rain jacket and then put on my overmitts and then zip up the forearm closed. The overmitts work great so long as you ride fast and never slow down or stop. Any of you who have used overmitts know why. So what do you guys, who rides in the rain more than you in the NW, the English perhaps, do to keep your hands dry?

[sarnali2]

I'm afraid, young grasshopper that even after nearly 40 winters of dirt and street riding in the wet and cold that answer eludes me yet.....

The best I've done is Triumph Explorer Gore-tex gloves over an Aerostitch jacket cuff. That combination works for about the longest time yet eventually the dreaded little cold trickle can still be felt around your wrist. The saving grace of the Explorer gloves is that they keep your hands warm even if they're wet.

Another combination I used with some success was Tourmaster Winter Elites over a leather jacket, then a Dutch Harbor rain jacket over that. The Winter Elite's have a waterproof nylon mitten shell in the wrist that you pull over the leather glove and works quite well.

Be aware though, that I only got 15 years of almost daily use out of the Tourmasters before they started getting holes in the leather.....Actually there's a different version out now and I don't know how well they work but I do know the Triumph ones work well.

[mscuddy]

Plastic trash bags and duct tape.

[Kenneth_Moore]

Originally Posted by mscuddy

Plastic trash bags and duct tape.

Remember to cut the eye and air holes in the top bag before departing.

[sfcdjevans]

The plastic bag advice sounds like what my dad would have told me, a Depression Kid don't you know. Both made me smile. The answer remains to watch NOAA radar and plan ahead. It's a PITA but putting on gloves and overmitts before putting on the rain suit remains the best answer.

I don't believe that Tourmaster could have found a smaller zipper on their Elite Rain Jacket. Try putting that zipper together with lobster claw mitts.

Perhaps a suggestion to the manufactures to include zippers on a rain jacket akin to what almost all pants and overpants have or a flap on the forearm that would go over the end of overmitts and velcro to them would do some good. It will probable go over as well as my recommendation to Marlboro to make a pack of cigarttes that mixed 10 menthol with 10 regular cigarettes. Noone was interested.

[sachiwilson]

If you pull your coat over your gloves, the rain will run right up your sleeves. There's a REASON that overgloves (or heck, any good glove) will be designed with a gauntlet to go OVER your coat.

[sfcdjevans]

1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10

[pplassm]

Neat avatar. Jus sayin'.

[longride]

Originally Posted by sfcdjevans

The plastic bag advice sounds like what my dad would have told me, a Depression Kid don't you know. Both made me smile. The answer remains to watch NOAA radar and plan ahead. It's a PITA but putting on gloves and overmitts before putting on the rain suit remains the best answer.

I don't believe that Tourmaster could have found a smaller zipper on their Elite Rain Jacket. Try putting that zipper together with lobster claw mitts.

Perhaps a suggestion to the manufactures to include zippers on a rain jacket akin to what almost all pants and overpants have or a flap on the forearm that would go over the end of overmitts and velcro to them would do some good. It will probable go over as well as my recommendation to Marlboro to make a pack of cigarttes that mixed 10 menthol with 10 regular cigarettes. Noone was interested.

If you really needed zippers in there, you can add them yourself. It wouldn't be that hard to add zippers, but zippers are another avenue for water entry unless they are sealed well.

[seruzawa]

Originally Posted by longride

If you really needed zippers in there, you can add them yourself. It wouldn't be that hard to add zippers, but zippers are another avenue for water entry unless they are sealed well.

Even comes with a helmet.