Most Efficient Liner Under Leathers

xroad · 10-16-2008, 08:16 PM

Having moved from a 3/4 fabric jacket to a waist length leather jacket, I can no longer fit my lumpy fleece jacket into the leather jacket. I am now shopping for a tighter fit liner. Another fleece, but smaller? A down vest? One of those heavier blue diamond stitched liner you see consruction workers and linemen wear? What will provide the most warmth?

If it is to be a jacket, I would have to cut the sleeve to elbow length. The leather's forearm is very tight.

Cam · 10-16-2008, 08:37 PM

IMO a heated vest is probably the "best" way to go if heating is your primary concern. The Jett vest is battery powered and does a good job warming the body. For the non-electric variety a Polartec micro-fleece would be my suggestion. If wind is an issue which I am guessing is not under leather, a Windstopper version is also a good idea. Down won't work very well as it relies on loft to trap the heat which makes it a fairly bulky affair.

xroad · 10-16-2008, 09:28 PM

Thanks for the info. Electric is definitely in the schedule. Passive warmth comes first, active warmth follows. Beside, my paranoid fear of a electric vest/jacket failure in the middle of the night middle of nowhere middle of winter with no place to buy the passive warmth to get to safety makes me want the passive backup.

RoundTrip · 10-16-2008, 09:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xroad

Thanks for the info. Electric is definitely in the schedule. Passive warmth comes first, active warmth follows. Beside, my paranoid fear of a electric vest/jacket failure in the middle of the night middle of nowhere middle of winter with no place to buy the passive warmth to get to safety makes me want the passive backup.

Layers. I like Patagonia Capilene but there are quite a few good brands out there. Choose your base layer for how cold it is and then a Gerbings jacket on top of that.

Good for me down into the low 20's with minimal bulk.

-jeff

sqchram · 10-16-2008, 09:46 PM

I use Under Armor Heat Gear (long leggings, and generic Wal-Mart equivalent long-sleeve shirt) under leathers for hot weather. They serve multiple purposes, disperse perspiration to keep me cool, keep my skin from sticking to knee/elbow flex areas, and let me slip in and out of my jacket and suit pants easily.

Under Armor makes a Cold Gear line of clothing too, thin but effective for the bulk I believe is the goal. I've not tried personally, but have a look.

I understand that silk has very desireable thermal properties for its weight and bulk as well.

squish · 10-16-2008, 09:53 PM

Downs not going to work if it's all compressed.

I've had really good luck with windblock fleece vests
I get them just a touch snug but not tight
I wear them along with a high tech long sleeve shirt
Keeps me warm down into the low 50's on shorter rides.

You can also use a light windbreaker over the leather
The does two things it keeps the wind off the leather (leather transfers or radiates heat more then textile jackets do) and it has a some air pockets built in.

It's also easier to wear the jacket of the leather then take it off it if warms up.

Don Coyote · 10-17-2008, 01:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xroad

Thanks for the info. Electric is definitely in the schedule. Passive warmth comes first, active warmth follows. Beside, my paranoid fear of a electric vest/jacket failure in the middle of the night middle of nowhere middle of winter with no place to buy the passive warmth to get to safety makes me want the passive backup.

If its just for emergency backup to an electric system, a down coat would pack light and small and could be worn on the outside if needed. How fast you could ride in such a situation might depend on the coat's construction, but it shouldn't be hard to find one with enough wind resistance that would let you limp home without dieing of exposure.

My 15 year-old First Gear leather jacket brought me home tonight in the lower 30s F with just the snap-in liner vest (polyester staple fiber according to the label) and a sleeveless t-shirt. The fleece balaclava with neck coverage is key. Only discomfort was from my summer gloves letting wind up the sleeves.

Boston12GS · 10-17-2008, 04:18 AM

You could get pretty good, if un-stylish, back-up cold protection by wearing a wool sweater or down jacket over your leather jacket and a plastic raincover (to block out the wind) over the sweater.

Also, I wear only a very thin polypro between my heated jacket and my skin--I want as little insulation as possible between jacket and skin, to expedite heat transfer. You need SOME layer between, because the jacket can sometimes get uncomfortably hot in spots and you wouldn't want it on your bare skin, also you don't want to have to wash the heated jacket any more than absolutely necessary.

JohnBoy777 · 10-17-2008, 04:37 AM

I can get down to about 45deg. or so in my leather A2 jacket by using a long-sleeve Under Armor T, a thin Polarfleece, my leather jacket and my TourMaster Sentinel rain jacket on top.... very comfy.

Colder than that, it's my Oly AST, which is warm and all, but I'm not a big fan of 3/4 jackets.

John

.

R_W · 10-17-2008, 06:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boston12GS

Also, I wear only a very thin polypro between my heated jacket and my skin--I want as little insulation as possible between jacket and skin, to expedite heat transfer. You need SOME layer between, because the jacket can sometimes get uncomfortably hot in spots and you wouldn't want it on your bare skin, also you don't want to have to wash the heated jacket any more than absolutely necessary.

+1

But I use a smartwool or icebreaker baselayer.

Patagonia has what they call a micropuff vest--it is a synthetic down kinda vest. Really warm for the size, doesn't compress TOO easy (down compresses too easily and loses insulating value). Might be able to fit under your leathers.

Another vest option is from www.riverswest.com They make stupidly warm fllece--it is thinner than normal fleece (about like 100 wt) but has a very wind/waterproof layer. The stuff is thin while wearing it, but does not pack as well as the Patagonia.

Just putting raingear over the top of the leather will help cut the wind and keep the leather warmer.

viajero · 10-17-2008, 08:26 AM

I went to REI a year or so ago looking for something to do the same thing. Found a North Face Wind Wall jacket, bought it one size smaller than what I would normally wear.

Wear it under my 1-pc leathers and under my 2-pc 'stich. It's just thin enough to fit, helps block wind and is warm on its own.

Another item I use under the leathers is the RS TAICHI one piece undersuit with Gore "wind stopper".

SpaceManSpiff · 10-17-2008, 10:21 AM

I have a Revit Lynx for this very purpose. Tighter fitting, windproof fleece. My other fleece gear is just too bulky to fit under my leathers. I am curious to see how it works.

Eyes Shut · 10-17-2008, 03:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by squish

Downs not going to work if it's all compressed.

I've had really good luck with windblock fleece vests
I get them just a touch snug but not tight
I wear them along with a high tech long sleeve shirt
Keeps me warm down into the low 50's on shorter rides.

I like the windblock fleece, too. I wear a windblock fleece jacket over an Icebreaker wool long sleeved t-shirt.

If the temps are in the mid-30's to 40's, I wear a polypro long sleeved shirt, an Icebreaker heavier wool shirt, then the windblock fleece.

10-16-2008, 08:16 PM	#1
xroad ^OP Studly Adventurer Joined: Jun 2007 Oddometer: 772	Most Efficient Liner Under Leathers Having moved from a 3/4 fabric jacket to a waist length leather jacket, I can no longer fit my lumpy fleece jacket into the leather jacket. I am now shopping for a tighter fit liner. Another fleece, but smaller? A down vest? One of those heavier blue diamond stitched liner you see consruction workers and linemen wear? What will provide the most warmth? If it is to be a jacket, I would have to cut the sleeve to elbow length. The leather's forearm is very tight.

10-16-2008, 09:46 PM	#5
sqchram Adventurer Joined: Mar 2008 Location: Salt Lake City, UT Oddometer: 35	I use Under Armor Heat Gear (long leggings, and generic Wal-Mart equivalent long-sleeve shirt) under leathers for hot weather. They serve multiple purposes, disperse perspiration to keep me cool, keep my skin from sticking to knee/elbow flex areas, and let me slip in and out of my jacket and suit pants easily. Under Armor makes a Cold Gear line of clothing too, thin but effective for the bulk I believe is the goal. I've not tried personally, but have a look. I understand that silk has very desireable thermal properties for its weight and bulk as well. __________________ Gear Garmin Quest2 GPS Retro-Solutions 55W 5000K HID 12-Hour Insulated Hydration Reservoir Motovation Weighted Bar Ends TankSlapper Tank Protector JSD TRE Pro SpeedoHealer

10-16-2008, 09:53 PM	#6
squish Out of the office. Joined: Dec 2003 Location: Where the Ghetto meets the sea. Oddometer: 4,941	Downs not going to work if it's all compressed. I've had really good luck with windblock fleece vests I get them just a touch snug but not tight I wear them along with a high tech long sleeve shirt Keeps me warm down into the low 50's on shorter rides. You can also use a light windbreaker over the leather The does two things it keeps the wind off the leather (leather transfers or radiates heat more then textile jackets do) and it has a some air pockets built in. It's also easier to wear the jacket of the leather then take it off it if warms up. __________________ *On vacation for a spell*

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10-16-2008, 08:37 PM	#2
Cam Studly Adventurer Joined: Mar 2008 Location: Alpharetta GA Oddometer: 848	IMO a heated vest is probably the "best" way to go if heating is your primary concern. The Jett vest is battery powered and does a good job warming the body. For the non-electric variety a Polartec micro-fleece would be my suggestion. If wind is an issue which I am guessing is not under leather, a Windstopper version is also a good idea. Down won't work very well as it relies on loft to trap the heat which makes it a fairly bulky affair.

10-16-2008, 09:28 PM	#3
xroad ^OP Studly Adventurer Joined: Jun 2007 Oddometer: 772	Thanks for the info. Electric is definitely in the schedule. Passive warmth comes first, active warmth follows. Beside, my paranoid fear of a electric vest/jacket failure in the middle of the night middle of nowhere middle of winter with no place to buy the passive warmth to get to safety makes me want the passive backup.

10-17-2008, 04:18 AM	#8
Boston12GS Banned Joined: Dec 2005 Location: Boston/Maastricht Oddometer: 3,886	You could get pretty good, if un-stylish, back-up cold protection by wearing a wool sweater or down jacket over your leather jacket and a plastic raincover (to block out the wind) over the sweater. Also, I wear only a very thin polypro between my heated jacket and my skin--I want as little insulation as possible between jacket and skin, to expedite heat transfer. You need SOME layer between, because the jacket can sometimes get uncomfortably hot in spots and you wouldn't want it on your bare skin, also you don't want to have to wash the heated jacket any more than absolutely necessary.

10-17-2008, 04:37 AM	#9
JohnBoy777 Pseudo-Adventurist Joined: Sep 2007 Location: NE Ohio Oddometer: 833	I can get down to about 45deg. or so in my leather A2 jacket by using a long-sleeve Under Armor T, a thin Polarfleece, my leather jacket and my TourMaster Sentinel rain jacket on top.... very comfy. Colder than that, it's my Oly AST, which is warm and all, but I'm not a big fan of 3/4 jackets. John .

10-17-2008, 08:26 AM	#11
viajero Too old to be a nOOb Joined: Dec 2006 Location: Idaho Oddometer: 1,920	I went to REI a year or so ago looking for something to do the same thing. Found a North Face Wind Wall jacket, bought it one size smaller than what I would normally wear. Wear it under my 1-pc leathers and under my 2-pc 'stich. It's just thin enough to fit, helps block wind and is warm on its own. Another item I use under the leathers is the RS TAICHI one piece undersuit with Gore "wind stopper".

10-17-2008, 10:21 AM	#12
SpaceManSpiff Man of Mystery Joined: Mar 2007 Location: Tucson, Arizona Oddometer: 984	I have a Revit Lynx for this very purpose. Tighter fitting, windproof fleece. My other fleece gear is just too bulky to fit under my leathers. I am curious to see how it works.