[bajakirch]

This past year I finally upgraded to what I thought may be the final step of my Gear-volution: I bought a 2-piece Aerostich Roadcrafter riding suit. Having given it what I feel is a fair trial, my impressions are...mixed.

A little background: I've wanted a 'stich for several years, after hearing them glowingly recommended by everyone from moto-journalists to fellow forumites. Plus, I like the story of the plucky little motorcycle gear manufacturer from Duluth, MN, that's been able to withstand years of competitive undercutting from companies large and small. Earlier this year I had a little ching in my pocket -- not enough for a new Roadcrafter, but maybe enough if a deal popped up on something used. Lo and behold, my daily trolls of Craigslist paid off again, and I found someone locally selling one that looked like it would fit. It was even in the yellow color scheme I wanted and included a heated vest. So, for around half of what a new RC goes for, I ended up with one in my closet.

The Pros:

• It is definitely quality construction...at least, in my non-professional opinion. Zippers are quality, and easy to use with gloves on.
• It does tend to make one feel like a 'real rider', especially when a stranger walks up and comments on it. "Those who know...know."
• The GoreTex has proven to be waterproof in the few rain storms I've used it in. However, none of those were real toad-stranglers.

The Cons:

• Lack of pockets; more specifically, no inside pockets. This is a feature of even the cheapest MC jackets, so I'm unsure why they haven't included one. I miss having a secure, dry spot for my phone, for example, in an unexpected shower.
• It's hot. When temps get into the high 70s, I'm already thinking of swapping to my mesh jacket. I guess good waterproofing equates to meager venting.
• And yet, it's cold. Cooler days (for me, under 50 degrees F) require at least a fleece layer underneath. Arms especially.
• It's slippery. After washing the suit using the manufacturer's guidelines, I found myself slipping all over my seat. Mild braking would have 'the boys' uncomfortably tight to the tank.
• The yellow color is not the true Hi-Viz I prefer.

I'm probably not planning to give up on it just yet. But I have to admit, after using the Roadcrafter for a few months, I began to more frequently look somewhat longingly at my Tourmaster Transition 4 gathering dust in the closet. At the sub-$200 price point, the T4 certainly doesn't have the waterproofing or construction quality of the Aerostich. But it just may suit my riding needs better.

OK, shields are up. Let the first volley of shocked, offended responses fly.✋🤚

 

[RichDesmond]

I somewhat agree, although I've never owned an Aerostich suit. If I was still a diehard everyday bike commuter I'd probably get the one piece, the speed of getting it on an off would be a real bonus for that. But those days are long behind me. I have a First Gear jacket that's awesome and have never felt the need to look elsewhere.
I am interested in the Darian pants though. I've never found pants in another brand that check all the boxes, and the Dariens seem like they do. Plus, it's a good excuse for a road trip. ND, SD, MN and WI are the 4 states I have been to yet, and a trip to Duluth would make it easy to check those off.

 

[blaustrom]

Sell your two piece and get a one piece Roadcrafter instead. Make sure its the newer generation with watertight zippers. Better ventilation (but not like a mesh jacket!!).
No they are not supposed to be insulated either against heat or cold, your under-layer do that.
The slipperyness will wear off soon after washing. I was mine once per season, so no worry.
All the HiViz fabrics do fade, no matter who's gear you buy. They all don't make the fabric let alone the dyes that are out there. They are not UV resistant.

 

[Big Boy]

I've got a line on a Roadcrafter for sale locally. Message me if interested.

Mods - If this is against the rules please delete

 

[realshelby]

First I would say that the two piece suits take away some of what makes the 'Stitch so popular. Yes, two piece has advantages, but so does the one piece and I prefer the one piece over the two in an Aerostich. Mainly due to the ease and quickness of putting one on.
Pockets? Never a problem for me, plenty of outside pockets that seem to protect what little I carry on my person. But I do have gear with inside pockets and I can see where they would seem more secure.
Never will you hear me say non mesh gear is fit for over 80 degrees. I will tell you the Aerostich light/R3 unlined version is decent to 80, my "regular" version is getting hot at 70 degrees! Cold? Well at 60 and below I want layers of something on in any gear I wear. They block the wind as well or better than any comparable gear, and are not insulated. A heated jacket is a must have for me.
I trust the Aerostich to not pull apart at the seams or zippers in a crash. I also know it will last a very long time and that you can have them fixed up by sending them back. So, value is there.

But I get not everyone is a big fan.

 

[Spec]

I like my Darian jacket and pants, bought them used at a third the price of new.
My pros and cons:

Pros:
They work for riding. You do have to subscribe to Aeorstich's way of thinking though if you want to be comfortable. For example, Unzipping the bottom jacket zip a bit and rolling up the jacket some stops the jacket from bunching up into your throat. That's actually the intended design, keeps the back of the jacket long for coverage.

I live in the desert and wear them year round. The jacket has the best venting of any jacket I've owned. Say what? Yep again the design is to unzip the sleeves and control the air flow with back vent. In motion air will inflate the jacket, works great with a wet vest when its really hot. I've got grey pants and they don't get hot. They create a micro climate I think, enough moisture escapes to not feel sweaty.

They're simple in design and construction. Just a tough cordura gortex shell with pockets for armour. Plenty of pockets for me. My jacket has internal chest pockets with zips along side the main zipper. I keep my registration insurance card and spare key in a zip lock in one and my phone in the other.

Easy to find good condition used. They seem to last forever, fade yes but don't degrade.

Made in America.

Cons:
Old school, I guess that's a con. Doesn't say Klim on them! New stuff is better engineered seems like. Solutions looking for problems kind of a thing!

The pants are tight over off-roady type boots. Hard to get the bottom leg zip zipped.

Hate the Aerostich hard armor stuff, not comfortable. Replaced with D30 stuff. Also the armour pockets wear through the gortex if the Velcro isn't lined up just right.


They work for me and I don't have a compelling reason to try something else. Maybe they will wear out at some point then I will reconsider!

 

[Big B]

Post #6....nuff said, love my AD1 pants and Darien light jacket....best all around gear hands down out there "for me bar none". I will get the Darien pants soon, yes they have fewer vents in order to be more waterproof, and yes they are made to be worn with layers of your choice, which IMHO is better than any factory liner. The slipperiness will go way with the britches, and once everything is broken in it's quite comfortable. No razzing from me, always a compromise with any gear, ya gotta do what works best for you.

 

[STCorndog]

Remember, the fewer vents and the better the construction, the less chance sliding down the road will expose your tender bits.

 

[Big B]

Remember, the fewer vents and the better the construction, the less chance sliding down the road will expose your tender bits.

Yes sir and Stich has a pretty good rep for holding up and saving your skin......literally.

 

[Bugzy]

Check the aerostich site to see if they can add some inside pockets for you. Pockets are optional extras the buyer can choose to add when it is first built, you happened to buy one that has none.

 

[BobW]

Never even been tempted. Gore-tex barriers are just too hot and sticky in warm weather and that is way to much money for a riding suit for a couple of months of the year.

 

[Cryoman]

My R3 light came with 9 pockets and 5 zippered vents. The collar opens wide and is held down with magnets. It's unlined, so I had to bundle up underneath for today's ride. The main zipper jams though. At somepoint I'll need to upgrade it.

 

[Big B]

Never even been tempted. Gore-tex barriers are just too hot and sticky in warm weather and that is way to much money for a riding suit for a couple of months of the year.

Really.......I don't ever feel hot and sticky in my Gore-Tex gear? But yeah I tend to do mesh in the 80's and higher riding locally, but on a long road trip I am always in my Stich gear. Rain gear doesn't breathe at all, but alas Gore-Tex does breathe.

 

[V-Tom]

A couple of points:

The two-piece Roadcrafter is as easy to get on and off as the one piece. It just has on extra zipper to work with. (Instead of one long zipper from collar to foot it has two, one on jacket, the other on the pants.)

My Roadcrafter R3 has velcro spots on the inside which will fit pockets. I use one of those pockets for my phone. The other is just a spare and rarely used. I'd have to double check on it but believe my old two-piece has an inside pocket. My R3 also has an upper pocket within the long right side breast pocket which can hold a wallet or phone. My wallet never seems to get wet there.

..Tom

 

[DesertBike]

Excuse any typos - it's hard to type while clutching one's pearls.

re: inside pocket, the R3 one-piece has provisions to mount an add-on interior pocket in a couple of places. Not sure about the 2-piece version of the Roadcrafter, presumably same deal? Would make sense. Should be "loop" side of Velcro strips on the inside of the jacket, on the 2-piece Roadcrafter.

Replies here from a couple folks wearing Darien or Darien/AD-1 combo in the desert. Makes sense. I have a friend who does cross-country motorcycle trips at least once a year, has done so for maybe 10 years, always wears his Darien 2-piece setup. I think he got a new one this year (or last?) in a different color.

Yes, the idea is that the Aerostich gear is only a shell. Up to you to add layers beneath.

This has pros and cons.

It's good in the heat because you can have just your base layer under it.

It's less convenient in cold. I prefer zip-in thermal liners.

I can't say a lot about waterproofing, other than as it affects ventilation. I wore Aerostich AD-1 pants for the last few summers, then tried some Rev'It Sand 3's. Much much cooler. Partly due to the leg vents, partly because there's no built-in waterproofing on the Sand 3's.

My jury's out, re: zip-in waterproofing liners. I suspect they aren't great in a downpour, and dealing with the soaked shell is probably miserable later, even if you stay dry. I got the "windproof/waterproof" liner for my Motoport jacket, but have so far only used it for the windproofing. Haven't had the chance to test it in rain yet.

I have and have had gear both with and without zip-in liners. I prefer zip-in thermal liners - more convenient for commuting.

If you're going to have built-in waterproofing, Gore-Tex is the one to have. The cheap imitation used in my Tourmaster gear ("Raingard") was little better than wearing a plastic bag. I'm still amazed I survived 2 summers in that Transition 4 jacket.

Aerostich offers both Yellow and Hi-Viz colors. Sounds like OP got Yellow. My Hi-Viz quota is filled by a Helite Turtle airbag vest, and yes it's faded notably over 3 years on the road.

 

[notacop]

I've got a 2 piece road crafter and had a Darien set. Won both at rallies so I got them free. Darien bit the dust, literally, in a get off in Utah. I didn't really care for the short fit of the Roadcrafter jacket and got a couple more Darien jackets used for low prices. I like the longer fit of the Darien. I use the Roadcrafter pants all the time I got suspenders to make them comfortable to wear and got the hip pads for them. The zippers aren't all that great and I've spent several hundred dollars having them replaced by Andy and friends. I'm on 3rd set of leg zippers and need to have the pocket zippers and velcro replaced but I think the charge is too high. Aerostich is good stuff and can last a long time but they do wear out.
Unless you can win one at a rally, keeping an eye out for used is the best solution. New prices have gotten too high for this pensioner.
Funny about temps encountered while riding and rider comfort. Being prepared for the eventuality of conditions you can wear ATGATT from freezing to scorching and still be comfortable without too many garment changes. A lot of it is mental. Simple things like having your heated gear at hand and having things like Wet Vests along along also can make the journey possible.

 

[STCorndog]

I use a second hand Motoport jacket. I bought the Kevlar mesh. I like that the mesh can be worn no matter how hot. The mesh is like riding naked if it rains though. So, my liner is an uninsulated Gortex jacket liner from another company. My warmth is from a long sleeve thermal underwear shirt and my electric vest.

There is no way for me to get around needing to stop and add my rain liner when it is warm and I don't want the liner on due to heat. I understand the popularity of a 1 coat does everything garment, but be prepared to compromise in comfort.

Motoport is ugly and stiff, but my 2 crashes in it went well for me.

 

[DesertBike]

Motoport kevlar mesh is stiff. The Stretch material is a completely different ballgame.

The mesh is also a good bit stronger than the Stretch, probably due to extra Kevlar fibers.

Despite "monsoon" season here in the desert, I haven't had to deal with waterproofing much. I use the waterproofing liners in my Rev'it Sand 3 pants mostly for additional wind blocking & warmth in the winter.