Searching for the Holy Grail

We've been trying to find an all-weather, most-temperatures, textile
suit for a few years and failed miserably.

I'm currently using a Lindstrandt suit which is supposed to be all
weather but I find it too hot even in summer in the UK let alone in
southern Europe. Not black and vents at the front and it might be
better. It has proved to be waterproof, durable and comfortable
though.

The closest we came was Richa Air Vent suits which were very
comfortable, fine in hot and cold - heavy snow and very cold in
Andorra, 40 degrees in Turkey - but leaked like a sieve so we had to
carry waterproofs and I wasn't very impressed with the armour. They
also fell apart over a 10 week trip.

We're going on a much shorter trip shortly, just a couple of weeks,
but the temperature is going to vary significantly.

I don't really want to carry two lots of gear for each of us so, in
the absence of anything better, we're tempted to get another couple of
the Richa suits and treat them as short-term throways (assuming they
are still available). I thought I'd ask here first though just in case
the Holy Grail is out there somewhere...

(Yes, I know some of you just ride around naked when it's warm and put
your fur coats on when its cold but I'm after a textile suit!)

Kevin

 

Top-of-the-range Hein Gericke.

URL:http://www.hein-gericke.co.uk/shop/product_info.php/cPath/1_15_7/products_id/6799
URL:

 

As I was saying

URL:http://www.hein-gericke.co.uk/shop/product_info.php/cPath/1_2_99/products_id/4871

I might have slightly the wrong ones, but I'm in a hurry (dinner is
waiting). I've got the trousers - they absolutely rock. You can feel
the extra breathability once you're on the move.

 

Thanks Colin but they don't appear to have any vents.

I've had breathable stuff before and the Lindstrandt suit is supposed
to have a 'stay cool' liner but nothing beats a few vents IME even if
the air that's coming in does feel like it's from a hairdryer at
times.

How was dinner?

Kevin

 

HG cruise stuff is brilliant, what size are you?

I have a full suit for sale, vents, goretex the lot.

 

I've had lots of high gravity experience which has resulted in me
being squashed a bit. The result is I'm a lot shorter and, er, more
'well built' than you are!

I have a 29" inside leg and have never found any HG trousers that are
short enough although I'm sure I spoke to someone on TOG's tour who
had the same inside leg measurement and bought some HG trousers
recently.

Perhaps they've changed their range? If we get time I'll nip into
their Maidstone branch tomorrow to have a look.

Kevin

 

Ahh, you're that Kevin!

I understand matey

 

I've just bought a HG "King" suit in the fattest size they do.

So far I'm well impressed. OK, off the bike I look like a goth Teletubby
in a fat suit, but on the bike it's great.

I have a 29" inside leg also. I feel your pain.

If it helps, my father has a 26" inside leg and he looks very ridiculous
in his leathers

 

Ah. Well I have would have recommended an MJK jacket like mine, with
good vents, but GLF no longer import them.

 

I really like my Halvarsson jacket but I've never worn that anywhere
really hot so I'm not sure how that would fare.

Reasonably vented if you take out the reflective stripe around it, plus
it's comfy at least during UK winters.

Unfortunately it's already in one of the removal boxes, otherwise I'd
have suggested you drop by and have a gander.

 

I really like my Belstaff. Works in the hot and with the addition of a
jumper it works well in the cold.

 

Thought this was going to be about albino dwarf porn...

 

what is this, 1998?

 

I don't buy or class any bike gear as a 'Short term throwaway' (well,
apart from maybe gloves, which end up manky and disgusting)

Why don't you buy some cheap Aldi stuff, which seems short-term
durable, but meets the "throwaway price" criteria ?

Cheers,

Paul.

 

We bought Richa Boomerang jackets yesterday for just over £100 each.
If they last 12 months we'll be happy.

We also bought some Richa Air Vent trousers and a couple of pairs of
TCX Jupiter boots. The boots have been bought for summer/warm weather
use, seem quite comfortable and are apparently waterproof.They have a
hard act to follow as the Alpinestars Effex Goretex boots we've been
using for the last couple of years have been excellent - we've walked
for miles in them and they've never let a drop of water in. When the
Alpinestars are finally worn out we'll try some Daytonas as
recommenced by Lozzo and several other people here.

We arrived later than planned and the guy serving us at the Topgear
Superstore in Bexhill stayed an hour after the shop was scheduled to
close and was very helpful. We'd definitely go back.

Kevin