Best Motorcycle Touring Suits

The Aerostich Roadcrafter has been around since the dawn of time. Shortly after the stone wheel was created, Andy Goldfine of Aerostich created the Roadcrafter. Ok, that may not be entirely true, but the Roadcrafter has been around for quite some time and is widely known as one of the most convenient touring suits on the market. Like the modular helmet, it’s easy to call the Roadcrafter nerdy or not stylish enough. But, like the modular helmet, once you use one, it’s hard to go back to whatever you were doing before. The R-3 is the third generation of Roadcrafter and is said to be 100% waterproof and will likely outlast your motorcycling years. Made of 500D Cordura Gore-Tex fabric bolstered by 1000D abrasion-resistant panels in key areas, the R-3 is meant to last through many a slide.

Not only is the R-3 built to last, but it’s built to be convenient. A zipper runs the length of the suit from collar to boot making it easy to jump in or out of. The R-3 features nine pockets for whatever you need to bring with you, vents for warm days, 3M Scotchlite panels for visibility in low light situations, and fit adjustment at the wrists, waist, and ankles. With men’s and women’s offerings in a plethora of sizes including short, regular, and tall versions, it’s easy to find the right size. Of course, if you do find yourself full fraught with questions you can read our review of the Roadcrafter here. If you still have questions, give the folks in Duluth a call and they’ll be happy to get you squared away.

Aether has brought subtle style and immense functionality to the motorcycle market which has rarely been seen before. Its stylish garments are much more than a pretty facade featuring D3O suites of armor, weatherproofing, and breathability on par with some of the most technical jackets from other major manufacturers. The Expedition jacket and pants are made from a three-layer abrasion-resistant, waterproof yet breathable Japanese field nylon. Both the jacket and pants are fully seam sealed to ensure waterproofing. Articulated elbows and shoulders along with a slight stretch in the pants allow the Expedition jacket and pants to have a tailored fit while remaining comfortable. Ventilation on the jacket is substantial with two vents on the front running almost the full length of the torso as well as two equally large vents on the back. Large armpit vents are also included.

On the pants, two vents are located on the inner thighs. Storage is ample with eight different pockets on the jacket and four on the pants. As mentioned previously, the Expedition jacket and pant receive the full D3O armor suite including shoulders, elbows, chest, back (CE level 2), knees, and hips. Visibility is enhanced by reflective piping throughout the garments. The jacket can be had in black, graphite, or poppy while the pants are available in black and graphite.

Expedition pants

The Alpinestars Revenant jacket and pants are juggernauts of the Alpinestars Tech Touring line. Four season capability, Gore-Tex Pro, Tech Air compatible, this touring suit is loaded with features and technology. Gore-Tex Pro uses a three-layer system which is bonded to ensure waterproofing without adding bulk while Armacor is used as reinforcement in the elbows, shoulders, knees, and lower legs. The jacket can be adjusted in numerous areas to ensure a great fit though if you plan not to use the Tech Air system, sizing down may be an option to consider. Large intake and exhaust vents can be found on the jacket and pants to allow air to flow in and out of the garments.

The Revenant uses CE-certified Alpinestars Bio-Air protectors at the shoulders and elbows and VE-certified protectors are also included at the knees. Both the jacket and pant offer plenty of large storage pockets including some of which are waterproof. The jacket also includes routing and a pocket for a hydration bladder. Reflective accents can be found throughout both the black and black/grey/red colorways. Keep in mind, the Revenant is designed as a technical shell. BYOBL: bring your own base (and/or mid) layers.

Revenant pants

All the long hours of research and development that must have gone into the Dainese Antartica jacket and pants apparently left little time for proofreading in the marketing department. Misspellings aside, the Antartica jacket and pants are the company’s juggernauts of touring gear. Dainese is using technology based on the study of the lines of non-extension in the human body which it has proposed to NASA astronauts to keep their suits light and comfortable during their journey to Mars. The Antartica features a removable inner goose down jacket making for warm rides in even the coldest extremes and can be worn separately also off the bike. The laminated Gore-Tex shell protects against the elements and, combined with the direct-to-the-body vent zip on the chest, gives the jacket and pants a versatile approach to all-weather touring. An inner adjustable lumbar belt allows for precise adjustment to fit. The outer pockets are designed to be easily used in the riding position. A Pro-Armor level 2 back protector and level 2 shoulder, elbow, and knee protection is also included. The pants also come with suspenders ensuring they stay up as you lose weight along your long arduous journey.

Antartica pants

“A favorite of ’round-the-worlders and those who ride beyond the horizon, the Kathmandu jacket and pants are a great combination for taking the road less traveled,” says Firstgear. The Kathmandu jacket and pant represent the more reasonable budget-conscious end of the adventure gear spectrum. Made from 420-denier ripstop nylon and 300-denier high-density nylon with Hypertex treatment for waterproofing the Kathmandu is built to withstand whatever your touring adventure calls for. D3O protectors are included in the shoulders, elbows, hips, and knees while the included back protector is made from a EVA foam. For warmer temperatures, the thermal insulating liner can be removed on both the jacket and pants while vents on the chest, back, armpits, and thighs can be opened for airflow. The collar features an adjustable closing mechanism as well as a rain hood to wear inside of the helmet to prevent rain from dripping down your neck.

Also included is a removable 1.5 L hydration pack with routing for the tube to the right or left side of the jacket. Storage is plentiful with waterproof pockets to keep your stuff and things dry. The jacket and pant can zip together, have multiple points of adjustment throughout, and the pants come with suspenders. The jacket is available in either black and grey or high-viz yellow, black, and grey. The pants are available in any color you would like, as long as it’s grey. Also something to keep in mind, the pants are designed to be overpants rather than tighter fitting dedicated pants.

Kathmandu pants

Icon’s Raiden DKR jacket and overpant are made from a DuPont Teflon coated 800D and 1200D honeycomb ripstop material backed by a mated Hycor waterproof membrane. D3O armor is included in the shoulder, elbows (three position adjustable), back, hips, and knees (also three position adjustable) for impact protection. The DKR jacket features a full length removable Thermolite liner for warmth. Once things warm up, the DKR jacket has two vents on the chest, two vents on the back, and armpit vents. Other niceties include routing for a hydration pack, 3M reflective accents throughout, removable suspenders and stirrups, and subtle styling that Icon hasn’t always been known for. Both the jacket and pant are available in black or grey.

Raiden DKR pants

Known for its adventure gear, Klim’s Badlands Pro jacket and pants could be considered overkill for a touring ride, if such a thing exists. The amount of tech, features, and thought that went into the Badlands Pro can make your head spin. This is just a brief overview. The Badlands Pro is constructed of FPL 400, 500D Karbonite ripstop, and Superfabric all backed with Gore-Tex Pro top-of-the-line waterproofing throughout. Aero Pro D3O armor is used in the shoulders, elbows, knees, and hips while traditional D3O is used in the back (CE level 2) and coccyx.

To be a true four season suit, you need to able to hunker down in it during the bitter cold and open it up when riding through sweltering heat. The Badlands Pro jacket has a staggering 12 vents throughout while pants have four. Intake vents allow air in to circulate as the exhaust vents on the back allow warm air to escape. Storage is also plentiful with a total of 16 pockets on the jacket and two cargo pockets on the pants. There is a pocket and internal routing for a hydration system and an internal kidney belt to help stabilize the load should you fill even half of those 16 pockets. Reflectivity has been placed strategically throughout the garments for low light visibility. The jacket is available in black, grey, light grey, and tan. The pants are available in black, grey, and tan. For more information on the laundry list of features that make the Badlands Pro so badass, hit up www.klim.com.

Badlands Pro pants

The REV’IT! Offtrack jacket and pants are designed to be a more off-road focused three season jacket and pant, but there’s no reason why you couldn’t wear it on-road, too. Although this suit leans toward use in warmer climates, depending on where you plan on riding, you could easily use the Offtrack year round. Both the jacket and pants have separate removable waterproof liners and thermal liners. Should you find yourself in warmer weather with the liners removed you have a large panel of 3D mesh across the shoulder blades that wraps around to the front of the collar bones. This panel coupled with the large adjustable chest vents are going to allow for plenty of airflow through this jacket. The outer shell is comprised of 450D, 3D air mesh, polyester 600D, polyester ripstop, Softshell 3L, and PWR|shell mesh. REV’IT!’s Seeflex CE level 2 protectors are used at the shoulders, elbows, and knees with Seesmart hip protectors. The back protector is not included but the Offtrack jacket is compatible with the Seesoft CE level 2 insert from REV’IT!. The Offtrack jacket is available in four colors: silver/green, silver/blue, silver/red, and sand whereas the pant is available in black or black/silver.

Offtrack pants

Just when you thought it couldn’t get more expensive, the Rukka gets Realer. At a combined $2,200, the Rukka Realer jacket and pants top this list for the most expensive adventure suit. The Rukka Realer is designed to be an all-season touring suit leaning toward cooler temps. The outer shell is made up of Gore Stretch and Armacor with Gore-Tex Pro three-layer waterproofing. D3O Air protectors are found in the shoulders, elbows, chest, hips, and knees while the Rukka All Back protector meets CE level 2 for back protection. The Gore Stretch material allows for a svelte fit without encumbering movement. Full-length thermal liners are included in both the jacket and pants and can be worn on as a standalone jacket and pants if you wish. Four waterproof pockets are found on the jacket with two on the pants. From a ventilation standpoint, the jacket has four chest vents and two vents on either side of the torso while the pants have vents across the thighs.

Realer pants