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Olympia gear, what would you buy?

shrek

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Location
Waxahachie, TX
First Name
Sam
I have a Teknic mesh jacket and some old Fieldsheer mesh pants for summer that seems to work pretty well. In the winter I have a Killamanjaro jacket and the same old mesh pants with the liner in. I can live with my summer gear, but the Killamajaro is not as warm as I had anticipated.


So... that being said, let's just say I'm on the market for new riding gear, but the only catch is it has to be Olympia. What gear is going to perform the best in the cold? What has the best form/functionality and all round ease of use? And/or any other pro/cons.
 
I have two sets. AST Jacket with Ranger Pants, cool to cold weather, comes with line. Olympia Airglide Jacket and Pants for summer.
 
I just got a pair of Airglide pants this year and they're great. Very warm with the liner in. If my winter riding doesn't change from last year, I could see using them year-round.

--sent from a ridiculously complicated mobile device--
 
I have the Airglide pants and jacket and cannot compare to other brands, but I am happy with them..
 
Anybody got the Moto X jacket and pants? They seem to have a lot of nice features.
 
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Take it from any old man that has been riding year round for over 30 years. To bet the cold you need an electric liner. I layered up for all but the last three years when I bought my first liner and started kicking myself for not getting a sooner. JMHO
 
I just wore an Olympia Phantom suit on a 4000 mile trip.

It kept me mostly dry and mostly warm. It didn't completely cope with all-day rain (like 8-10 hours out in the rain) and I got chilly at 8000 ft in Wyoming when it was in the mid-30s, but it did pretty darn good otherwise. I certainly survived riding all day for 10 days in some pretty adverse conditions, I just wasn't snug as a bug for all of it.

It's certainly more than enough for Texas weather, other than the stuff it's genuinely dangerous to ride in (torrential downpours, hail, icy roads, etc.). I'd absolutely buy another one.

Only real gripe is it's not really good above 90 degrees, and the neck chafes. You have to close the neck down properly to keep the rain out, and it will rub your neck raw in a day. I solved that by using a Rev'It wind-blocking neck thingy under the neck of the suit.
 
I know I'm breaking your Olympia only rule, but nothing, of any brand, will keep you as warm as this:l]

About that, I got a call this last week from Olympia, it seems I had entered the "Take the Olympia challenge" giveaway. When I did it I thought nothing will come of this, I never win anything and forgot all about it. Anyway my name was drawn for the May grand prize, which is any 1 or 2 piece suit:mrgreen:. That's the reason I said Olympia only, I can't beat the price.
 
Second Dave's recommendation. For staying warm when it's cold out, get a Phantom. It makes you feel invincible when it comes to bad weather.

DSC00388.jpg
 
I like my summer Olymipa one piece suit and with my gerbings wear it through some fairly cold temps. If I was going to pick one for dedicated winter riding
It would be the non vented one price.
 
About that, I got a call this last week from Olympia, it seems I had entered the "Take the Olympia challenge" giveaway. When I did it I thought nothing will come of this, I never win anything and forgot all about it. Anyway my name was drawn for the May grand prize, which is any 1 or 2 piece suit:mrgreen:. That's the reason I said Olympia only, I can't beat the price.

Can't argue with that! Congrats.
 
I have all Olympia riding gear. The suit is:

Jacket: GT Air Transitions. Jacket has four panels that open to mesh. Also has numerous vents for adjusting air when the vents are closed. There is a "two stage" liner. One is water and wind proof. Second adds thermal liner. This makes for a versatile jacket usable over a wide temp range. Jacket has CE armor in shoulders and back.

Pants: Airglide. Pants are mesh with a thermal waterproof liner, CE armor in knees and foam hip pads.

I bought these in northern Virginia the first year I started riding. Rode through a winter up there and only missed riding when the temps were below freezing. Hear in Houston I use the suit year round. Low temps around 40 are doable for me before adding additional sweaters or thermal base layers to the mix. As it gets warmer, remove liners and open vents. Over 100, I close the panels again.

Waterproof liners are effective. I have ridden 61/2 to 7 hours in fog and rain. Was cold (because temps were lower than forecast and I needed a sweater) but dry. the jacket hand pants have never leaked (knock wood).

Hope this helps,

Chuck
 
I'm working down the road from Moto Liberty right now, gonna try to get by there tomorrow and see if they will let me try on some gear.
 
Anybody got the Moto X jacket and pants? They seem to have a lot of nice features.

I have the X Moto jacket and freakin love it! I got it in November. Rode the 26 miles to work daily with just the Jacket, all 3 parts, on the super cold days, except when there was ice. Riding to work at 6 am. Was never cold. When it was warmer as I opened front and rear vents. Lots of air flow. Opening the arm vents was too cool for me. I'm sure the jacket wont be great in 100 degrees, but at 85 it was fine.

My only issue is the seperate rain liner. The outer is VERY water resistant, even after a few washings. I wish it was waterproof, but understand it wouldnt be a cool in hot weather if it was. With the rain liner, I stayed completely dry in a hard driving rain for ~3 hours. All in all, AWESOME jacket, Highly recommended.

I got it at the Motoliberty in Dallas. Great people who are more than willing to help any way they can, just ask.
 
I ride in the Airglide jacket and pants. Overall I like the pair though the zippers can be a little fussy. The biggest drawback to the jacket is the neck is uncomfortable, but that is easily overcome by wearing a Polartech jacket under the rain liner. Expect to be comfortable to freezing.
 
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