- Joined
- Aug 31, 2007
- Messages
- 1,023
- Reaction score
- 10
- Location
- Beaumont, Texas
- First Name
- Ken
- Last Name
- Phenix
I suppose we're all obsessed in slightly different ways. For some, performance mods and track days are high on the list and others are into paint and farkles. My thing is touring and more specifically having the right gear for whatever Mother Nature and Old Man Winter throw at me. The most insidious is rain - Texas coastal torrential rain. Nothing works and breathes like bona fide Gore Tex. It has taken me years to finally confidently hold the rain at bay but now I'm ready.
Here's earlier posts of my incremental Gore transformation:
http://www.twtex.com/forums/showthread.php?t=82999
http://www.twtex.com/forums/showthread.php?t=81849
http://www.twtex.com/forums/showthread.php?t=71658
I thought I had the summer rain glove thing sorted out with the Dianese Veleta which is a super glove - just too short in the digits for me. So I found them a good home. I got on the phone with one of the gear geeks at Revzilla and had him try on all the summer weight Gore Tex gloves in the store, Rukka, Held, all of 'em. The answer was $ CHA CHING $ the new Roadstar from REV'IT! I was the first to review this glove on their site. The price still scares me but they're simply amazing - fit, feel, everything.
The only non-goretex piece left was my old Dakar pants, bullet proof since 2007 - just not waterproof anymore. I had been wanting the matching pants since getting my Defender jacket in 2012 but couldn't get my mind around the price. I was talking with a REV'IT! rep about something else and he let it slip that the Defender will not be back in the 2015 lineup. Feet to the fire, I snagged the last pair in my size and color. I asked for a break, alright I begged for mercy! They took pity on me - but not a lot.
REV'IT! Defender GTX Pants
Here's my review:
They're short on storage but I don't use the pockets much anyway. The big thigh vents are nice but the buzz is the Gore Tex liner. As I mentioned, I don't like the cuffs - they seem unfinished and the velcro can snag the liner if you're not careful.
The good news is the legs open enough to get my boots on without using the zippers.
Otherwise, I'm very pleased. I like the higher waist of the Defender pants. They feel great on the bike but would ride down a bit when walking. Adventure style suspenders were the answer. Heck I just couldn't let the Klim and Rukka guys have all the fun so a quick trip to Duluth Trading Co did the trick. Perfect! The hardware was too bulky so I cut off the big honkin' clamps and sewed the "braces" right on. Now I'm all set.
The suspender mod came out pretty clean. I planned to do a double velcro setup like Rukka but it would have been too thick. They worked so well I knew I'd never ride without them so I just sewed them on.
I also ordered the SasTech hip pad upgrade and shoved them in with the tempur foam pads that came in the pants. Feels good.
Lastly, when I spoke to the REV'IT! rep the other day, he had just come from a meeting with the Gore people. I learned that even Gore Tex liners should be washed in Nikwax and that tumbling in a warm dryer actually rejuvenates the fibers. That's good to know. I would never have gotten my liners near the dryer.
So now I'm Gore Tex lined neck to toe winter and summer and hopefully will leak no more.
Here's earlier posts of my incremental Gore transformation:
http://www.twtex.com/forums/showthread.php?t=82999
http://www.twtex.com/forums/showthread.php?t=81849
http://www.twtex.com/forums/showthread.php?t=71658
I thought I had the summer rain glove thing sorted out with the Dianese Veleta which is a super glove - just too short in the digits for me. So I found them a good home. I got on the phone with one of the gear geeks at Revzilla and had him try on all the summer weight Gore Tex gloves in the store, Rukka, Held, all of 'em. The answer was $ CHA CHING $ the new Roadstar from REV'IT! I was the first to review this glove on their site. The price still scares me but they're simply amazing - fit, feel, everything.
The only non-goretex piece left was my old Dakar pants, bullet proof since 2007 - just not waterproof anymore. I had been wanting the matching pants since getting my Defender jacket in 2012 but couldn't get my mind around the price. I was talking with a REV'IT! rep about something else and he let it slip that the Defender will not be back in the 2015 lineup. Feet to the fire, I snagged the last pair in my size and color. I asked for a break, alright I begged for mercy! They took pity on me - but not a lot.
REV'IT! Defender GTX Pants
Here's my review:
They're short on storage but I don't use the pockets much anyway. The big thigh vents are nice but the buzz is the Gore Tex liner. As I mentioned, I don't like the cuffs - they seem unfinished and the velcro can snag the liner if you're not careful.
The good news is the legs open enough to get my boots on without using the zippers.
Otherwise, I'm very pleased. I like the higher waist of the Defender pants. They feel great on the bike but would ride down a bit when walking. Adventure style suspenders were the answer. Heck I just couldn't let the Klim and Rukka guys have all the fun so a quick trip to Duluth Trading Co did the trick. Perfect! The hardware was too bulky so I cut off the big honkin' clamps and sewed the "braces" right on. Now I'm all set.
The suspender mod came out pretty clean. I planned to do a double velcro setup like Rukka but it would have been too thick. They worked so well I knew I'd never ride without them so I just sewed them on.
I also ordered the SasTech hip pad upgrade and shoved them in with the tempur foam pads that came in the pants. Feels good.
Lastly, when I spoke to the REV'IT! rep the other day, he had just come from a meeting with the Gore people. I learned that even Gore Tex liners should be washed in Nikwax and that tumbling in a warm dryer actually rejuvenates the fibers. That's good to know. I would never have gotten my liners near the dryer.
So now I'm Gore Tex lined neck to toe winter and summer and hopefully will leak no more.