Summer Overpants Suggestions?

[bpreynolds]

Looking for the coolest - temperature I mean  - overpants for Summer riding that still has armor.  I've even considered motocross pants but by all accounts they shred and burn quickly on a street bike or in a wreck.  I've seen suggestions for vented racing leathers but jeez I can't remotely imagine how those would be cool.  No need for waterproofing and even don't want it; I have a pair of so called waterproof Tourmaster overpants with a removable liner but even with liner removed the membrane gets waaaaay too hot. 

Amended post:  I'm looking for overpants to wear mainly on commute back and forth to work, something I can put on and take off quickly.  The above pants work fine for me when touring or on day rides; I just wear a pair of running shorts beneath; yet, on work days this is just too much changing in and out and/or packing too many clothes, so a pair of very cool overpants is mainly what I'm asking for here since I have riding/touring days covered with the above setup and running shorts beneath.

[rocker59]

I like Olympia mesh gear.

I have a pair of the pants that convert to shorts and they have been great in hot temps.


http://olympiamotosports.com/products/mesh-tech-info/

[toma nova]

My FirstGear mesh-tex pants have been great.  I wear textile Rev it for 8-9 months and switch over the good CE armor to my FG mesh-tex pants and jacket for July-September.

I've had two low-speed lowsides and the pants have held up with almost no damage. The lower legs are textile and take an iron on patch just fine.  The pants flow tons of air and feel very sturdy - way better than jeans (and cooler).

The only negatives are no hip armor and only one small pocket on the right thigh.  I would definitely buy these (and the FG jacket) again.

Tom

[Sheepdog]

It gets pretty hot here in Louisiana, so I feel your pain!  Draggin' Jeans work pretty well and look okay off the bike. The same goes for khaki Royal Robbins tactical pants (they have double fabric in the knees and seat and armor pockets at the knees...plus the light color reduces absorbed heat). However, for  true overpants that just work in the heat, nothing I've tried works better than Aerostich Darienlight pants in Khaki. The side zips allow excellent venting, they have numerous armor options, the light color reflects heat, they're waterproof, and are sized to fit just about anyone. Service after the sale is first-rate, too.  I wear them with shorts on really blazing days. The only downside is the hefty price..

[pyoungbl]

nothing I've tried works better than Aerostich Darienlight pants in Khaki. The side zips allow excellent venting, they have numerous armor options, the light color reflects heat, they're waterproof, and are sized to fit just about anyone. Service after the sale is first-rate, too.  I wear them with shorts on really blazing days. The only downside is the hefty price..

+1
The key is to wear light weight shorts that will not absorb moisture, and nylon/poly underwear.  You don't want any cotton next to your skin because it will soak up sweat and then start to chafe on your skin.  This has worked for me up to 103F.  As soon as I get off the bike I take off the overpants and look like a dork with my shorts and riding boots.  Who cares, I know that I won't look good with skin grafts and they last forever.

Peter Y.

[bpreynolds]

+1
The key is to wear light weight shorts that will not absorb moisture, and nylon/poly underwear.  You don't want any cotton next to your skin because it will soak up sweat and then start to chafe on your skin.  This has worked for me up to 103F.  As soon as I get off the bike I take off the overpants and look like a dork with my shorts and riding boots.  Who cares, I know that I won't look good with skin grafts and they last forever.

Peter Y.

This is a fantastic suggestion but it did make me realize something I likely left out in my initial post; that is, bike geared day rides or touring I'm totally okay with in terms of my tourmasters - I just wear running shorts underneath.  And too, similar to what you suggest, I've found that the best shirts are, you guessed, my jogging shirts to wear underneath - they whisk away sweat and allow airflow in.  But what I should have said in my initial post is that I have that end of my Summer riding covered; yet, what I most need is a pant for my  daily 30-40 mile commute to work since I can't, or won't, wear all my running gear underneath and then have to change into work clothes at work and same routine at the end of the day.  It's much easier to just have a good pair of Summer overpants I can whip off upon arrival at work and back on before leaving for home.  Maybe I'll amend my initial post to better reflect this.  Other great suggestions here too already. 

[bpreynolds]

I like Olympia mesh gear.

I have a pair of the pants that convert to shorts and they have been great in hot temps.


http://olympiamotosports.com/products/mesh-tech-info/

I'll definitely take a look at these.  The Motorcycle Superstore Warehouse is here in Louisville and while it's a warehouse store per se for their overstock/returns, it is also one of their warehouse storages for online sales so I can ask to pull anything online out of storage to check fit and/or purchase.  I know they carry Olympia.

[rocker59]

I'll definitely take a look at these.  The Motorcycle Superstore Warehouse is here in Louisville and while it's a warehouse store per se for their overstock/returns, it is also one of their warehouse storages for online sales so I can ask to pull anything online out of storage to check fit and/or purchase.  I know they carry Olympia.

If it's dedicated for commuting, look at the one-piece mesh suit.  Easy to step in and out of, and have your street clothes underneath.

[Dilliw]

I use overpants in the winter but in the summer I just put my Khaki's in my gym bag, wear my Olympia mesh pants,  then change when I get to work.  I've tried it both ways and this just works better than the extra layer when it's hot.

[not-fishing]

Wow thanks for the pointers guys.  Right now in California it's 100 degrees so that ride home get's a little warm with California traffic.

I'm going to look into the overpants rather than going nekkid down below.

[Chuck in Indiana]

Compacc had their Slider overpants on sale last year. I'd undergrown my riding stuff  so I thought I'd give em a try. They were cheap, (Guzzi content) so I didn't expect much. I was pleasantly surprised. Kevlar in the high stress areas, nice hip and adjustable knee pads. The zippers go *all the way up* on the overpants and the liners, making them a cinch to step in and out of. The waterproof liner is.  Such a deal for around a hundred bux..

[dilligaf]

What Rocker said or take the car. No such as "cool" in the summer.
http://olympiamotosports.com/products/mesh-tech-info/ 
Matt

[bpreynolds]

What Rocker said or take the car.

NEVER!!!!   

If it's dedicated for commuting, look at the one-piece mesh suit.  Easy to step in and out of, and have your street clothes underneath.

This is a great idea and dunno why I had not thought of it previously; however, a quick glance at the superstore site tells me the cheapest one with armor is $350ish.  Me so cheap.  And hot. 

[Chuck in Indiana]

NEVER!!!!   

This is a great idea and dunno why I had not thought of it previously; however, a quick glance at the superstore site tells me the cheapest one with armor is $350ish. Me so cheap.  And hot.

The Kid and I were in Canada eh? walleye fishing in cold and rain. We were in the cabin eating walleyes when one of the guys said, "How much did you pay for that Gore tex rain suit?" I told him 150 bux. He said, he'd never pay that for a rain suit. When I said, "Says the guy that is bitching about being cold and wet" the cabin erupted in laughter. Comfort when in the wild or on a bike? Priceless.. 

[ChuckH]

I use a pair of Aerostitch Protekt Jeans (P/N 2829) with the removable Pad Set (P/N 2815) on my local rides.  They are well made, feel good and look like normal jeans without the pads installed.  They also have them in Khakis, which could be used for office wear.

[yourfavorite]

I've been looking for a pair myself. Right now I've got my eyes on the Revit Airwave Pants. I don't know that Revit classifies them as overpants but they look like they could work great.

http://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/revit-airwave-pants

[Noguzznoglory]

Any one have any real experience ("experience" meaning an unscheduled dismount) with the aerostitch protekt or any of the other Kevlar lined jeans. Looking at a pair myself and wondering how much protection one could expect

[charlie b]

I wear Draggin or Diamond Gussett kevlar jeans to work.  Have been for about 6 years now.  I usually do not put the armor in them but it is easily added (it attaches with a velcro strip on the Draggin jeans).  Yes, it is a risk as it means I have no knee or hip impact protection.

Protection?  You won't get road rash where the kevlar is.  If you add armor then you'll have the same protection as most riding pants.

A couple guys have added the off road style shin/knee armor under the jeans (the kind that straps to your leg).

Before I got my mesh pants I used the jeans for long distance stuff as well.  It worked and I feel offered as much protection as the mesh pants.  I just didn't like having to pack several pair for a trip as the jeans are really bulky, even without the armor.

[Noguzznoglory]

I'm currently wearing mesh over pants but they're so loose I have real doubts the pads will be in the right place if I were to go down. Looking at the Kevlar lined but have seen varying opinions on the protection

[Francis]

I use these...no complaints so far!

http://www.bohn-armor-pants.com/catalog/index.php

[ChuckH]

Any one have any real experience ("experience" meaning an unscheduled dismount) with the aerostitch protekt or any of the other Kevlar lined jeans. Looking at a pair myself and wondering how much protection one could expect. 

I have no "real experience" myself and, quite frankly, I'm hoping that it never happens.  I figure these Protekt Jeans are more protective than a normal set of jeans but not as good as my Roadcrafter pants.  That is why I normally use them on my shorter, less aggressive rides.

However, I would suggest you go to the Aerostitch website and look for comments about this product -- or -- contact Aerostitch directly by phone and ask them what customer feedback they've received.  I've always found 'Stitch employees to be very knowledgeable about how their products stand up in a real world environment.

As always, ride safe.

[Sasquatch Jim]

  Same thing I wear in winter,  Patch pocket shorts and tank top T- shirt with headband, and velcro close tennis shoes.
 Most of my friends wear flip flops.  One I saw rode up to the coffee house on the obligatory Ruckas and walked in barefooted.
 I looked at the Ruckas and saw that he had sodded the floorboard with 2 inches of dirt with grass growing for the comfort of his feet.

[lucydad]

In the summer:  kevlar slider jeans, and under neath heat-out shorts.  Usually a cotton t-shirt under mesh armored jacket by Tourmaster.
Vented leather gloves.  Shoei, and my boots with air-vents also.  When its really hot:  don't ride.  Switch to heat out shirt sometimes, but I like to wear my neat-0 looking t-shirts with logos and sayings...avoiding stuck in traffic in sun on tarmac is critical.

[Guzzistajohn]

I have firstgear mesh pants that have zippers to the hips so they are easy to take off at stops when it's hot with shorts underneath. I've stopped and jumped in the lake or creek to cool off here in the Ozarks many times.

[frizzit]

I purchased the Rev It overpants in white at the beginning of last season, mainly for the liner and the warmth factor for Wisconsin spring weather.  I have found them to be a bit warm in the summer, but not unbearable.  The white option reduces heating from the sun, like the HT air over pants I did try.  The are available at Cycle Gear, which makes the decision easier if you get to try them on.  They are a bit baggy, but all in all made to fit over whatever you are wearing.  I would like to be able to cinch the knee pads in place like my elbow pads on my mesh jacket, but you only get waist and foot adjustment.  The velcro knee pad adjustments eventually allows the knee pads to drift south.  Sometimes the knee pads tap the cylinder heads if I drift forward in the seat.  I do not like the extra sliding on the seat with extra layer of fabric.  If you are a bit of an aggressive rider you loose a bit of the seat control.  They are easy to get on and off with the inner leg zipper, also a bonus as an outer leg zipper may fail in a fall.  All in all they are "Fine" and I prefer keeping my skin on.  They were the best that I could find locally~ish (Schaumburg IL).

IMO just go faster to get more air flow.   

[mgfan]

I wear the original draggin jeans, made in Australia, and can verify that they will slide through 50 ft of gravel with no damage to them or me. Kevlar in the knees, hips and bum. What else do you slide on.