Winter Jacket Advice Needed

[SacramentoMike]

Sure, I know there's lots of discussion here and there on the board and over the years, but a couple reasons to start a new thread on the subject:

First, maybe there's something new under the sun since the last go-round. Second, I wouldn't mind hearing from somebody who has a jacket they loved but don't still wear--like you gained or lost a bunch of weight, or went for something you really like better. I'm fine with buying used if it's in good shape and has all the parts, but it has to do everything I'm looking for too.

So what I need is a warm and waterproof (not water resistant) jacket that has some flexibility--meaning a removable warm liner and plenty of ventilation that works when it warms up.

Not interested in a one-piece at all. I have a great pair of Klim pants for winter, but I want to upgrade the jacket. I'm thinking Klim again, but I'm open to considering other brands. Is anything as good as Gore-Tex, really? That can't be the ONLY waterproof material, can it?

Anyway, I'd appreciate your thoughts about what you have or have had, and loved or not loved. And if you happen to have something that fits the bill you want to part with, let me know that too. I'm about 6', maybe 6'1, 215, 46 or 48 in a sportcoat.

 

[Bugnatr]

Can't help you in the jacket dept but.....maybe there's something new under the sun since the last go-round.

What did you get ????

 

[CollingsBob]

I think that perhaps you should define the temperature range you want this jacket for. I ride when it gets cold, but I don’t ride in the winter because winter here is -40c...I stop riding when it’s +5c because the roads are too slick, not because I can’t dress for it.

So..Do you ride all winter, and if so how cold does it get? If you don’t ride all winter, then how cold does it have to be before you take a break?

I’ve been wearing a TourMaster Flex jacket & pants for the last 10yrs..liners in, with long underwear in the late fall, early spring when there’s snow on the ground but it’s only water resistant, not waterproof, not a big deal for our relatively dry climate..

 

[juniorfjr]

I just bought a first gear Jaunt t2 from New Enough for 139 dollars. Just got it yesterday and I think it'll be perfect for Alaska and colder weather.

 

[tcfjr]

I think that perhaps you should define the temperature range you want this jacket for. I ride when it gets cold, but I don’t ride in the winter because winter here is -40c...I stop riding when it’s +5c because the roads are too slick, not because I can’t dress for it. So..Do you ride all winter, and if so how cold does it get? If you don’t ride all winter, then how cold does it have to be before you take a break? I’ve been wearing a TourMaster Flex jacket & pants for the last 10yrs..liners in, with long underwear in the late fall, early spring when there’s snow on the ground but it’s only water resistant, not waterproof, not a big deal for our relatively dry climate..

i've also been wearing the Tourmaster Flex jacket for many years, and find it works really well for the type of riding I do. When it rains, I put on a relatively inexpensive waterproof outer jacket and overpants. When it gets cold, I add a Warm&Safe heated jacket, and when it gets really cold I can add heated glove liners. I always start out with an LD Comfort long-sleeve shirt and skivvies.

For multi-day rides, the ability to convert the Flex from a mesh jacket to a solid jacket in 3 minutes is a great bonus. In the spring and fall, there's a lot of days when you start out early in the morning when it's too cold to wear a mesh jacket, but by noon the temperatures have climbed to the upper 80's. On multi-day rides, you may start out in Southern California when even the morning temps are in the 80's, and wind up in Colorado that night with temps in the 40's, then down to Texas the next day with temps (and humidity) back in the 90's. The Flex makes it easy to move between jacket types, and the zip-off outer shell is small enough to stuff into even over-packed side bags.

 

[sapest]

Following tcfjr's comments;

My cold weather riding solution is a heated liner, and heated gloves.

Wear the jacket you like, get the armour you already have invested in, and add or subtract the heated gear when needed.

I recommend a heated jacket, ie with sleeves. Make sure the jacket has a heated collar. Spring for the variable controller so you can manage the glove heat separately.

The jacket I have has zippered compartments to store the leads that feed the gloves. Off the bike, I have often worn the jacket in the cooler evenings, so you get a secondary use from the same gear. Win, win.

-Steve

 

[bigjohnsd]

Call Alex, buy the jacket that matches your pants so that they can be zipped together.

Electric jacket is your friend. I bought Gerbing, wish I'd bought Warmnsafe. I have electric gloves as well, I don't use them often, they work ok when dry, don't work worth a shot when wet.

I have a pair of electric pants as well, I find them too bulky.

For cold weather, down to freezing, I wear Heavy Merino wool underwear bottoms under my Klim Latitude Pants, I wear my LDComfort long sleeve top, my Gerbing Electric Jacket nd my Klim Latitude Jacket. It is important to wear the jacket right over the base layer. I have a down puffer jacket that I can wear over the electric jacket but have never had the need.

Goretex is superior to all other membrane systems.

Hope this helps Mike.

 

[bigjohnsd]

Tour master Flex - I did not find these to be waterproof or even very water resistant. The concept of convertible garments was nice but I found having to remove the garments alongside the road to zip in the liners was a PITA.

 

[BigOgre]

No jacket recommendations but put me in the Steve and John camp. Whatever waterproof jacket you decide to go with, skip the whole idea of one with a liner and sub in a heated liner in it's place. This will give you comfort in a wide range of temperatures with no more thoughts of layering. Use it cranked up in the very cold, as a liner without even plugging it in if you'd like, or slip out of it easier than unzipping something from the jacket. And I too wear mine off the bike as needed. As a plus, Warm & Safe has a waterproof heated liner that might open up some options for you when choosing an outer shell however I'd personally still go with Goretex.

 

[puppychow]

Klim. My latitude 840D jacket is great for the winter, as far as wind and rain protection is concerned, but it came with no base or insulation layers, so you have to buy them separately. I just use my heated vest underneath, might upgrade to a full heated liner at some point.

I bought it in Jan 2013, and almost 6 years later shows no discernable signs of wear and tear.

 

[SacramentoMike]

Can't help you in the jacket dept but.....maybe there's something new under the sun since the last go-round.
What did you get ????

I just meant since the last time this came up for discussion here--as it has a lot. My current favorite for the cold is that yellow jacket from Adaptive Technologies that the maker donated a stack of half-price coupons for at Montrose. I like it, but it isn't really waterproof. Also doesn't vent much when it gets warmer. Still looking . . .

I think that perhaps you should define the temperature range you want this jacket for. I ride when it gets cold, but I don’t ride in the winter because winter here is -40c...I stop riding when it’s +5c because the roads are too slick, not because I can’t dress for it. So..Do you ride all winter, and if so how cold does it get? If you don’t ride all winter, then how cold does it have to be before you take a break? I’ve been wearing a TourMaster Flex jacket & pants for the last 10yrs..liners in, with long underwear in the late fall, early spring when there’s snow on the ground but it’s only water resistant, not waterproof, not a big deal for our relatively dry climate..

Good point. We seldom see freezing, so I'm ok riding around here any time. I keep out of the mountains nearby, not for temps but for snow unless it's just a day ride. On the upper end, my Olympia mesh takes over from around 60 or even lower (um, about 15 C?). But like it's been said, you start out in one range and it gets cold or hot at will. And I don't pull a trailer.

Tour master Flex - I did not find these to be waterproof or even very water resistant. The concept of convertible garments was nice but I found having to remove the garments alongside the road to zip in the liners was a PITA.

Completely agree. That's one reason I don't wear my kevlar mesh Motoport gear much. But kind of the same with outer rain gear. I have a very good set from REI, but unfortunately it doesn't fit well over the gear I have when I'm all layered up like the Michelin Man. Hell, all I want is the PERFECT riding jacket!

And thanks, John. I have a message out to Alex to see what he recommends too. Suppose I could check into Warmnsafe as well.

If I end up buying still another jacket, look for a closet clearence sale around here soon.

 

[Bugnatr]

Whew....I thought maybe you bought a BMW or some such thing. If you go heated (good idea) be sure to buy a full jacket liner and not just the vest like I did once, my arms would get cold without heat.

 

[ElectricFJR]

To all of you Klim wearers out there, is their gear really worth 4 -5 times what a good Alpinestars of Tourmaster set costs or is it just hype? I've been a loyal Alpinestars customer for many years and their gear holds up very well and has many of the same features as Klim (well, maybe not as many pockets).

+1 on the heated gear--once you go with heat you'll never go back. Definitely extends your riding season.

 

[JamesW]

First Gear 2XL rain gear always in a waterproof bag year around on the bike. No matter the circumstances these can go on over everything I am wearing at the time. Velcro strapping to go around the ankles.(and wrists).

 

[bigjohnsd]

To all of you Klim wearers out there, is their gear really worth 4 -5 times what a good Alpinestars of Tourmaster set costs or is it just hype? I've been a loyal Alpinestars customer for many years and their gear holds up very well and has many of the same features as Klim (well, maybe not as many pockets).
+1 on the heated gear--once you go with heat you'll never go back. Definitely extends your riding season.

I went through a lot of gear before I bit the bullet and bought the Klim. Klim, like many clothing companies, has a Minimum Advertised Price (MAP). My experience leads me to believe that Klim can be purchased for less than MAP of one makes a few phone calls. My recommendation to call Alex at Black Hills Moto stands. I have had and have re-homed Hein Gericke, First Gear, several Tourmaster, a Kilimanjaro jacket or two. The Klim is going on to the it's fifth riding season, still waterproof, looks a little grubby around the edges might replace this winter if I can talk Santa into helping out.

 

[Pterodactyl]

We took a tour of the Klim HQs in Rigby, ID last summer. Our guide was the motorcycle product line manager. It was impressive. I think Klim gear is at the top in quality yet still over priced. Ive avoided getting any Klim gear even though Spousal Unit has been wearing it for three years. (She bought a pair of pants at Rigby after trying on 17 pairs). But I have decided to give Klim a try and will be getting a Latitude Jacket for Christmas. Thanks for the lead John. I will give Alex a call.

 

[FJRay]

I'm on my third Kilimanjaro in the last 20 years in the PNWet. All have been waterproof as long as I zip up everything. Still have an old one I use in the winter for snow work. JSNS.

 

[samamoto]

...So what I need is a warm and waterproof (not water resistant) jacket that has some flexibility--meaning a removable warm liner and plenty of ventilation that works when it warms up. ...
...I have a great pair of Klim pants for winter, but I want to upgrade the jacket. I'm thinking Klim again, but I'm open to considering other brands. Is anything as good as Gore-Tex, really? That can't be the ONLY waterproof material, can it?...

I think you answer to yourself here, go Klim. Other Goretex gear if you can't find good fit. Jacket will match (ish) your pants.

I've had in the past other brands, nothing lasts like solid Goretex. Other fabrics will fail in 3-5 years (or less) depending on how much you use them. Goretex will eventually fail too but they make it easy to replace it. Example: my wife is on her 4th pair of GTX hiking boots now - each lasted about 2 years, other in same conditions as she uses them never last half a year, Gore always replaces them without any issues. I'm riding an older model Badlands Pro jacket all year long, in Jan it will finish 3rd year and going strong, no complaints what so ever. My experience with liners was that they work but are pain to put on or off based on weather forecast on given day. Solid shell lets me ride with regular office cloths and nothing else under the shell all year long. If you really want other brand I'd go Stich or Rukka - still only the models with baked in membrane, no liners.

 

[dravnx]

I did the First Gear, Tourmaster route. Finally bought myself a set of Klim Badlands for my birthday 4 years ago. My biggest regret was that I didn't buy them sooner.