Tan 'Stitch Colorfastness

[Brodie]

It's about time for a new 'Stitch.

The old one is going on 10 years old and about 170,000 (s)miles. I'm looking to get a tan color with Yellow ballistics. Way back in 2010 I got one of their shot run Lime-Yellow Darien jackets, and about a month later it was recalled because of severe color fading. It was quickly fading to a dirty white with a slight sickly greenishyellow undertone. I have seen highway workers wearing their Lime-Yellow vests faded in such a manner and jumped on the recall for a Yellow replacement; which served me well, up to and including the point of impact. It got cut off of me by the Paramedics; they sure love their scissors.

I have herd that Tan tends to fade a bit, but does it fade to a dirty white? Or will it still be a recognizable tan color after a few years in the sun?

Anyone have 'Stitch with this color? Please speak up.

Thanks !

Brodie

 

[SwollenRaccoon]

Last July, I ordered a tan one piece Aerostich R3, with black ballistics.  I upgraded to better armor, added a back protector, and had the sleeves rotated forward.  I received my suit last fall, and really like it so far.  I have several friends with older suits, a couple with gray suits, with black ballistics, and one guy with an all-black suit.  From what I have seen, the black fades to some sort of gray. The gray suits I have seen fade into a sort of green-gray, almost like a really faded olive drab.  With the tan, I realize that it will show bugs and dirt very easily (who cares?), but I figured that when it fades, it will just fade to a lighter tan color.  Time will tell.  Good luck with your choice.

 

[SwollenRaccoon]

Update: Oct 31, 2022;

Two full riding seasons (Minnesota riding seasons, so, pretty short) and about 10k or 12k miles with the tan one-piece R3 Aerostich, with black ballistics. It has many bugs on it, but the color, from what I can tell, hasn't faded. If it has, it's almost undetectable. Not as waterproof as I would like. I rode in a steady, medium rainfall for about 150 miles in August, and got SOAKED. Aerostich told me to wash/treat the suit every year to retain water repelling properties. I will try that when this season is over. Other than that, I LOVE the suit. Once I am on the bike, it disappears.

 

[Panman]

I have a Roadcrafter two piece in Tan, so far so good.

 

[RBEmerson]

I can't speak to tan, per se, but I'm the second owner of this suit. It's seen me through ugly weather, a low speed drop, and, five years after the attached picture was taken, left me with little to complain about.
View attachment Nufenpass.jpg
Nufenpass, Switzerland - 7/5/17

 

[keithq]

First thought is that you might get more responses if you spelled our Aerostich. I almost passed this by then realized what you were referring to. Don't have a tan Darien but I have had a blue one for close to 20 years and it is a bit lighter than it was so has held up really well. Sent it back in a few years ago for some retaping inside to keep the waterproofing up but otherwise, except for some of the reflective silver getting a little flaky, it is good shape.

Then I noticed a bright lime yellow new Darien that was a return and was on sale so picked it up. We shall see if I am still riding with it in 20 more years! But their gear is so much better than most other stuff I have tried, I fully expect to pass this down to grandkids...

 

[RBEmerson]

Yep, my reflector panel is looking a tad bit used, too. I haven't sent my suit back for work, but might just do it to add a bit of hook&loop for the first aid info pouch, to add a proper "Road Grimed Astronaut" patch (iron-on tape and the suit don't get along well), and sort out the panel behind the long zipper - down the leg it's gotten a memory for folding the wrong way (PO let it flop the wrong way, meaning spray can work through the zipper along my left shin).

It's a measure of the quality of these suits that they can be maintained, and last long enough to consider letting the next generation inherit it.

 

[SkooterG]

FYI, the original post asking about tan suits is a year and a half old.....

 

[SwollenRaccoon]

Yeah, I knew it was on old post, but since it was about the fading of a tan Aerostich suit, and fading generally takes extended time, and I had just bought a tan suit after he had made the initial inquiry, and (take breath) I had put two riding seasons into the suit, I figured it was an appropriate time to submit my own real-world results. I didn't mean to clutter up the internet with useless information.

 

[RBEmerson]

Uh, the OP may be quiet, but someone thinking about Aerostich suits, there's probably something useful above. Clutter? Nah. [/ grin]

 

[Bounce]

Aerostich and Colorfast in the same sentence? Someone must not have seen their options in red.

 

[keithq]

Hey, the front looks pretty good! And red always fade faster in daylight than any other color.

 

[Bounce]

I love it when people pay double over some options so they can then apologize for the company. LOL

Ever stood around a bunch of BMW riders and scratch your head about why they paid so much more than an FJR the the slight improvements?

 

[SwollenRaccoon]

Improvements? Mmm....not sure about that. And yes, I have ridden several BMWs. But I do love my Aerostich, even though they are too expensive.

 

[keithq]

They are expensive, but I have had one for over 20 years, so good value too.

 

[Bounce]

My First Gear Kilimajaro is going to beat that on age... I suspect on cost too.

It's just an observation that what some people consider "reasonable" can baffle those in different pay grades.

 

[Lawrence]

I'm 2nd owner of my Aerostich Roadcrafter 2-piece (mfg in '96) in Blue w/ red ballistics. I've personally got close to 150K+ miles on this 'stich (first on '90 Concours ZG1000 and now the FJR). Blue has definitely faded, sent back for 'service' once (almost 10 yrs ago?? deep cleaning, zippers, replace reflective strip, etc). Pricey yet, but quality (and my experience with service was top notch (years ago) so good value from my perspective. Enough so that I've bought a (used) replacement Roadcrafter in Red/black ballistics to match current black '08 FJR. I paid just under $340 in '17 for this latest suit, a '95 Roadcrafter with back protector that had sat in storage for 10 yrs and looks practically brand new
As for price - if you don't need custom sizing, and are very patient, I've found that you can get a used Roadcrafter in excellent condition for a decent price. Just as some folks get a new 'cycle every couple of years, and then replace suit and helmet to color match new bike, you can get low-usage 'stich for around 1/2 price of new (which equals fantastic value, in my book, if you are the type to keep/maintain stuff for decades.)

 

[Bounce]

Yep. That's exactly what I hear when standing around with a bunch of BMW riders who are simultaneously bitching about service/maintenance yet saying that their fleecing is mitigated by their being nice as they a rape their customer.

{the point is accurate, the hyperbole is the joke.}