Returned my Aerostitch Darien Jacket and Pant

[dcarver]

Ended up returning my Darien set up; they just did not fit me right, even after careful measurement and multiple phone calls with Aerostitch. The suit quality was very good; it just didn't seem to fit me. The kneepads in the pants were protecting my shins, the jacket collar was over my mouth, the jacket 'skirt' was too big and obtrusive on the FJR. Sigh.

So, I'm in the market for another pant/jacket combo that fit over street clothes. Armor a must. A good fit even more important so I'll have to try the product on. Changeable from cold to hot weather.

Suggestions? And what large stores in your area carry a good selection of riding gear within 500 miles of San Luis Obispo, CA?

Thanks guys and gals!

 

[HIGHLANDER]

Ended up returning my Darien set up; they just did not fit me right, even after careful measurement and multiple phone calls with Aerostitch. The suit quality was very good; it just didn't seem to fit me. The kneepads in the pants were protecting my shins, the jacket collar was over my mouth, the jacket 'skirt' was too big and obtrusive on the FJR. Sigh.
So, I'm in the market for another pant/jacket combo that fit over street clothes. Armor a must. A good fit even more important so I'll have to try the product on. Changeable from cold to hot weather.

Suggestions? And what large stores in your area carry a good selection of riding gear within 500 miles of San Luis Obispo, CA?

Thanks guys and gals!

Roadrider in San Jose has the biggest selection in the area, ( Tourmaster, First Gear, Fieldsheer, Alpinestar, Icon ) along with Cycle Gear also in SJ ( Joe Rocket, Dainese, Frank Thomas, Hein Gericke, Alpinestar, First Gear etc ) .I think CG also has another store in Redwood City. Check the websites and see if they have want your looking for.

Both these places have a good selection in stock that you can try on.

There is also a good place in San Fran., Motostrano has some good gear.

 

[Groo]

I've had my eye on one of these for a while... in Black/Gunmetal.... a couple friends have them, and I've been really impressed with them...

Belstaff Challenger jacket

 

[Velvet Sledgehammer]

Hey, I have the same question! I've had a 2 piece Roadcrafter suit for many years and I want to replace it. My biggest problem with the suit is that the pants rub the paint on the tank. With the butter-soft paint on my new FJR, this is already a problem.

Is there such a thing as a suit with soft areas where it rubs the tank?

 

[machmann]

Call Wayne at Cycleport and order the air mesh jacket and pants.You can order jacket liner if you want. I love the stuff and every friend who has bought it has liked their stuff also.

 

[charismaticmegafauna]

Carver, you've already got a considerable investment in Aerostich (time, if nothing else). They must know what doesn't fit you by now? May I suggest a Roadcrafter jacket and Darien pants? And, don't forget they offer many alterations -- tho, true, it may be somewhat difficult over the phone.

 

[black mamba]

I've got some of the Darien pants and one of the Darien coats. Had more than one discussion with Aerostitch to make sure the knee pads were positioned high enough. Everything fits very well. My favorite coats, though, are a couple of Belstaff ones that I picked up at Bikeweek this year. This Belstaff stuff is fantastic.

 

[TheAxeman]

I'm with DCarver on this one. I've got an Aerostich Darien jacket, pants, and heated jacket and think its good stuff but its definitely not my first choice when it comes to everyday riding. I feel its one of those items that most people rave about because its easier to justify the price that was paid for it. There is an awful lot of comparably good equipment out there for a fraction of the cost. And lets face it...if you figure in the amount of time, effort, ups charges, and aggravation to send an expensive item back and forth in order to make it fit right, your better off finding a good local shop, trying some stuff on that fits like a glove, and buying the most expensive thing off the rack.....my 2 cents.

 

[BlueBear06]

Hey, I have the same question! I've had a 2 piece Roadcrafter suit for many years and I want to replace it. My biggest problem with the suit is that the pants rub the paint on the tank. With the butter-soft paint on my new FJR, this is already a problem.
Is there such a thing as a suit with soft areas where it rubs the tank?

Try getting the TankSlapper for the areas where the suit rubs. Nothing like a protective barrier!

 

[dcarver]

Thanks for all the input. Went to PowerHouse in Paso Robles, they have Joe Rocket and TourMaster. The tourmaster Flex jacket looks promising. Flex Jacket. It can be configured from a true mesh jacket to a fully cold weather jacket with full rain protection. It has body armor too.

Also going to look at CyclePort and the Belstaff jacket per Groo.

 

[smitty141]

Wow, I thought Belstaff was out of business... Thanks I like there stuff...

 

[Groo]

Those Challenger jackets are really sweet... assuming you can get the right fit, they may just be what you're looking for.

 

[Toynut]

Dcarver,

PM Twowheelnut on the Cycleport clothing. He bought a matching outfit for his wife and is very positive about the product. :thumbsup:

 

[Toecutter]

Don, after careful consideration of your inquiry, I'd make the following recommendation about Cycleport Gear:

I would not buy anything else to ride the street. It's quality material and well-built. With the water/wind proof liners, it's comfortable year 'round. I wouldn't waste my money on their insulated jacket liners. I use different weights of polyester fleece to achieve adequate insulation from cold. I have ridden in temps of near freezing and didn't need heated garments. Eve's a different story there. For hot, Under Armor or equivalent attire is good underneath the mesh shell. Exposed skin under the mesh in hot is not a good thing (too much evaporation = heat stroke).

Update- Eve has warmed up to her suit much better since I removed the thigh padding (she couldn't push the pants down to use the restroom before) and showed her the pictures of the pretty blonde girl with road rash.

That said, I would not recommend buying this stuff unless you first speak with Wayne Boyer (the owner), arrange a ride-in fitting and also ride in to pick the stuff up. That way you can try it on in front of him, on the bike, and make sure it fits properly before accepting the merchandise. We met him for a fitting, and neither of our suits fit right when I received them (alterations and return shipping was covered by him). If you are not close enough to make the journey twice to Escondido (which we ended up doing), I'd recommend shopping elsewhere for safety gear.

 

[Toynut]

Sorry about that Don, :blush: TWN was SUPPOSED to be Toecutter!

 

[Geezer]

Seems like I say this whenever someone asks about gear, but I have the First Gear Kili jacket and HT overpants and like them a lot. My daughter liked mine so much that she got the same thing, except her jacket is the newer Kili 3. They are comfortable, have a zip out fleece liner in both the jacket and pants, and are waterproof so I don't carry raingear. I did get a little wet last time I got caught in the rain, but I think it was because I didn't have all the vents closed up tight.

 

[Uncle Bud]

Hi All,

Fieldsheer for me... I have both the two-piece and the new one-piece suits. They both work very well!!!

I received the one-piece (Highlander) suit two days before my Four-Corners Tour and 10/0ths on my way to Hyder, AK and I was impressed...

YMMV, but I like mine!!!

 

[DJW]

Ended up returning my Darien set up; they just did not fit me right, even after careful measurement and multiple phone calls with Aerostitch. The suit quality was very good; it just didn't seem to fit me. The kneepads in the pants were protecting my shins, the jacket collar was over my mouth, the jacket 'skirt' was too big and obtrusive on the FJR. Sigh.
So, I'm in the market for another pant/jacket combo that fit over street clothes. Armor a must. A good fit even more important so I'll have to try the product on. Changeable from cold to hot weather.

Suggestions? And what large stores in your area carry a good selection of riding gear within 500 miles of San Luis Obispo, CA?

Thanks guys and gals!

DC,

I did exactly the same thing 2 weeks ago. I ordered a Darien Light suit hoping to use it in the summer instead of the 2 piece roadcrafter that I've worn for the past 10 years. But as you say, the collar is too high and the pants weren't comfortable. The roadcrafter zips together so there isn't a tight waist on it and the jacket is much shorter and better fitting. I'm not really fat (6', 180) but the darien pants were tight in the waist when worn over jeans. Looks like I'll be ordering another roadcrafter because nothing else feels right including a bunch of tourmaster/joe rocket/vanson/fieldsheer pieces that I've tried on at various dealers. Anyway my suggestion is to try a roadcrafter. Good Luck!

Dennis

 

[seldon]

I really like the Broch Cool jacket and pants. The pants fit over the jeans easily. The armour for the jacket and pants are purchased separately and are strapped in place with velcro straps. Here is the web site if you are interested. brosh.com