The Aerostich Roadcrafter Two Piece riding suit is the ultimate all weather riding suit for the most serious of riders. This is world class equipment that has been developed for world class riders in the real world. It is the benchmark for long distance endurance riders around the world.

Easy On / Easy Off

One of the first issues riders learn to live with is how much trouble dealing with protective gear can be. Just one time pulling a wet vinyl rain suit over even wetter boots and denim pants will make most riders long for the shelter of a freeway overpass rather than donning proper gear. After the rain stops, that wet pavement becomes more of a risk than the discomfort of battling the rain gear zippers. This is where the Aerostich Roadcrafter shines. Most of their advertising says that their suits can be taken on or off in under ten seconds! Heck, there is even a set of instructions on their website for quick entry and exit. My experience has been that even with muddy boots and a tired body, fifteen seconds has been the longest it has ever taken me. Why is that a big deal? It is a big deal because the thought of fighting that wet vinyl rain suit on while standing on the shoulder of an Interstate Highway, or standing on one leg in the parking lot at work, causes a lot of riders to shun protection for their entire riding career! Making safety easy is a good thing.

Making use even more desirable is the fact that Roadcrafter suits are designed to be worn as a daily commuter, or general purpose, riding suit. While others clench a Burberry trench coat over their Brooks Brothers charcoal pinstriped worsteds, the stylish rider zips an Aerostich in about the same amount of time.

Most riding suits tend to wrinkle any business wear they are supposed to protect. Roadcrafter suits have been designed to minimize wind flutter and drag at higher speeds, be light and compact enough to pack away or carry to the office, and still be loose enough to wear over street clothes without adding tell-tale creases. I know that I had always found it entertaining to be the only one in my office with dry pant cuffs at the start of a stormy business day. And all this time I will bet you thought only James Bond could step off a motorcycle and be impeccably dressed!

Isn’t That A Lot Of Money For A Rain Suit That Leaks?

When riders first become aware of high performance gear like Aerostich, their initial reaction is a lot like when they first see the price tag on a top-of-the-line, high performance BMW, Ducati, Harley-Davidson or Honda. The problem is one of education. Moving from an 80% solution to a 99% solution in any equipment involves a whole lot more than moving from 50% to 80%. In other words, while both are fine equipment, there are reasons why a Ferrari costs more than Pontiac. It is the same concept as when that man who wears those Brooks Brothers suits already understood that he might have to pay more for better than average goods. So when you can wring an extra 20% out of your motorcycle you also need gear capable of providing another 20% of performance.

Ability for quick entry and reentry does require a compromise. As a rain suit, the Roadcrafter performs with the best. Constructed of 500 Denier Gore•Tex® / Cordura Nylon, the bulk of the suit should be considered totally waterproof. The beauty of Gore-Tex® is that air passes through the material and water does not. Advertisements say that it has something to do with molecular sized passages, and I believe that means that “pieces” of air are smaller than “pieces” of water, and Gore-Tex® holes are smaller. That also means that perspiration gets out and rain does not get in. But there is a price to pay for the easy on / easy off zipper closures. Riding at highway speeds in extremely heavy rain, on an unfaired motorcycle, you should expect some leakage through the zippers within an hour to an hour and a half. Riding behind a windshield and fairing should never allow any rain to slip through them; I know it does not present any problems while riding on my BMW R 1150 RT. Putting this into perspective, my longest commute was 45 minutes when I lived in the Washington, DC area. That should be well within potential non-leaking time. Even so, I do recommend carrying a light vinyl rain suit for total protection any time you plan to cover more than one or two time zones in a single trip on an unfaired bike.

Back to the Ferrari, maybe it is not a better vehicle than the Pontiac for taking the kids to soccer practice, but it sure is for covering vast distances in a very short time! One size might not always fit all, but unlike others on the market, the Roadcrafter does fit most environments.

Protection

Roadcrafter construction of 500 Denier Gore•Tex® / Cordura Nylon is used to provide maximum protection during the accident you do not want to happen. Armor is standard in the shoulders, elbows and knees. Optional armor pads are available for the hips and spine (including a larger one for competition use), along with two different sizes of “knee sliders” to better match with riding styles. That is the visible stuff. Not readily seen are the anti-abrasion properties of the suit itself. During the initial design of their suits, Aerostich tested proposed materials by dragging filled sand bags behind trucks to simulate sliding down the pavement. Those tests later inspired a cover story in Cycle Magazine.

A large part of protection on a motorcycle is being seen. Reflective Scotchlite™ swatches on the back vent, the front pocket flap, and the ankle adjustment tabs provide visibility to all but the most distracted night time driver.

Understanding that truth is in results, another friend of mine was involved in a highway accident. Participating in that accident with him were two semi-tractor trailer trucks, all traveling at 80 mph speeds. His comments from the hospital bed were, “my helmet saved my life and my Aerostich saved my skin!” I do not know of anything else that could be said.

Are You Warm In There?

One of the reasons long distance riding legends wear Aerostich Roadcrafter riding suits is the ability of the Gore•Tex® fabric to pass air and not rain. Adding the airflow from the back and underarm vents returns a surprising amount of cooling. But what else would you expect from gear designed and manufactured in Duluth, Minnesota! I have found that when temperatures drop below 50F a fleece or electric jacket can be necessary. As temperatures near the century mark I revert to my mesh gear for maximum air flow. But you will need that fleece when you get to your destination anyway, and I do know veteran endurance riders who continue to shun mesh even when crossing the desert in mid-summer.

The Look

A well known endurance rider I know heard so many comments about his Roadcrafter looking like a “space suit” that he sewed a NASA patch over a chest pocket on his suit. In short, the Roadcrafter has the look of a one piece, coverall type garment. There is little bagging in the legs or seat because of true body tailoring. As opposed to other riding suits, it actually looks like it fits the wearer both on and off the bike! Ballistic areas (the ones that hit the pavement first during an accident) are offered in contrasting colors to increase visibility. The suit comes in a number of complementary colors, so the wearer can match the suit to either their intended motorcycle or intended style.

Colors?

Matching your style or motorcycle colors is pretty simple. Roadcrafter suits are available in five standard colors: blue, gray, black, red and yellow. The ballistic areas are available in blue, gray, black, red, yellow and a lighter gray. Not enough choice? Custom colors are also available on “special” order.

Sizing

Roadcrafter suits come in even number sizes from 34 to 50. While the website says that they should correspond to the “suit size” of the wearer, the conventional wisdom is that ordering a size larger is usually a good idea. Or, better still, using the measurement chart on the website should keep you pretty much out of trouble. Just remember that you might later want to wear bulkier clothes underneath. Should you still be unsure, all their suits are available as custom tailored items. Not being a “standard” size is not a problem – it is one of the things one should expect at that level of product. Velcro at the waist, wrists, and ankles facilitate a precise fit and lessen rain or wind leaks.

Closet Space

A useful riding suit comes with large and useful pockets. To anyone who has covered multiple time zones in a single day of riding, being able to lay hands on life’s necessities can really make a difference. In this case there are ten pockets. Each is sealable for extra weather protection, but still easily accessible when the riders stops at a toll booth.

Cleaning

All Aerostich products are machine washable (ballistic armor pads are all easily removable). Knowing that machine washing and wear can reduce water integrity, additional retreating products are available through their website.

Use Instructions

I do not know about anyone else but I lose the instruction manuals that come with most products. Aerostich maintains .pdf copies of manuals for their “Owner’s Guide” and “Repair Manual” on their website.

Ah, the Extras

Like any other product that strives for full performance across a broad market spectrum, there are a number of optional extras to better custom tailor the Roadcrafter to a buyer’s needs:

Forward Lean Ellipse: Fits between jacket and pants. Allows a two piece suit additional “bend” room for a more forward leaning riding position.

Bib Pants Converter: Zips onto pants, changing them to a “bib” design.

Left Sleeve Window Pocket: A detachable, clear window pocket that attaches to your left sleeve. It is a great place for a hand-held GPS, iPod, or small route map.

Left Leg Map Pocket: A detachable, clear window pocket designed to place a protected map page on your upper thigh.

Aerostich Label Patch: Advertising can be a good thing.

American or Canadian Flag Patch: Since many international riders use Aerostich products, many display their home country.

Support Before and After the Sale

The Aerostich website is one of the most comprehensive ones for riding gear. A prospective buyer can pretty much customize their purchase to their size and expected riding environment from resources available on the page. With so many options laid out, it can seem complicated, but with this serious an investment you do want all your bases covered. Should there still be questions or concerns, a toll-free number is posted. Their reputation for personalized customer service is widely known for being second to none. Aerostich will perform most all possible repairs on damaged suits at reasonable costs.

Long Life

This should be considered a long term investment. An Aerostich Roadcrafter suit should be expected to last between five to ten years, or 50,000 to 100,000 miles of extreme use.


Recommended: Yes