Motoport Kevlar first impressions (long, many pics...)

[Jabba]

Originally Posted by Photog

slight hijack--

Hey, have you had a look at the Icon armor jacket? It has a bit of sternum protection. I'm considering buying one. Since you've got the big bruise there, I was wondering if you thought it would've helped.

linky

ya know how the sternum is kinda on a pivot at the top??? I think mine flipped outa my jacket and banged along the gravel for a ways... nothing woulda kept that sucker in one piece. And who knew it was full of nerve endings!??? Owee, major fucking oweee.

[spagthorpe]

Gringo, thank you for writing up this review. Very nice, and it answers a lot of questions I have about the gear.

[mogwai]

Great review Gringo

I recently ordered an Ultra Cordura jacket to replace my Darien. The versatility of venilation, insulation and armor that you guys have been admiring sold me on this jacket.


I need to see their Ultra pants before ordering a pair; I had an older version of their overpants and was not thrilled by the inside zippers. They developed a bitching seam leak and the zipper stormflaps were always, well, a bother.

[Gringo]

Well it hasn't gotten above 90 here and won't for awhile yet, we're still surrounded by 58 degree ocean. But on Monday it did get up to a very humid 86 and I got a chance to see how the kevlar mesh would feel in such conditions.

It's quite nice. They advertise on their site someplace that it's like wearing denim, and that's about right - it ain't mesh, but there is a good flow of air and it never felt too warm anyplace. Over a T-shirt and shorts it was just about ideal at 86 when moving; I stopped to do a few errands wearing it and got a little warm, but hopped back on the bike and could feel my knees getting a breeze and blowing the sweat away very quickly, and after moving for about 5 minutes I ceased to think about comfort, nothing was calling attention to itself and I could concentrate on enjoying the ride. And I haven't even opened the vents yet!

Monday night I rode home wearing the motoport; but then I had to go to the city with thunderstorms threatening so I put the old 1-pc aerostitch on for waterproofness, and also because I know it's easy to lock up in my narrow left-side system case, which I haven't yet attempted with the motoport, much less with liners... 2 minutes into my ride in the stitch I was thinking 'Gawd, how did I live with this thing for so long?' Even at 55 mph I was so much hotter in that stitch - my knees were sticking to the inside of the (unvented) pads, my ass was hot, my forearms were hot and my elbows sticky - only my torso and shoulders, with all vents open and the neck zipped partway down, were comfortable. And the cordura is so constricting to wear after having gotten used to stretch kevlar's give when I move! It convinced me I made the right move, switching to the kevlar suit with separate liners. I carry them around when it might rain, but have yet to use them.

as always, YMMV. But I'm very happy with my purchase. It's kind of funny that folks at work now give me crap when I walk in wearing the motoport on hot days, having gotten used to seeing me in the 'stitch for years - I guess the motoport looks much hotter. If they only knew...

[urbancowboy]

this review was great. can anyone compare the motoport kevlar vs their cordura (1000 weight) and/or cordura light(620 weight)?
i'm looking at the ultra 2 pants and want to make sure i choose the right material.
how water resistant is this stuff WITHOUT the gore-tex liner?
thanks.

[LarryGS]

I have both Kevlar pants and jacket and Cordura jacket. I've found the kevlar is much more breathable and airy than the cordura. While I haven't been in a downpour in either, I have been in the rain. I think that in the high temps the Kevlar has been fine. Mine are treated with Scotchguard and seem to resist well, but the rain has been welcomed - to cool things off. I balked at getting the liners - price and didn't want to put them in once it's started raining. In the cooler temps the liners have been nice. Haven't tried/had to put them in during rain. I think any waterproof liner would do the trick. Cordura shed water well, with Scotch. treatment.
I've found that, lately, I just don't want to ride in the 90 + temps here in Colorado with ATGATT and haven't compromised on gear, just haven't ridden in the heat of the day.

[mr7q]

Originally Posted by urbancowboy

this review was great. can anyone compare the motoport kevlar vs their cordura (1000 weight) and/or cordura light(620 weight)?
i'm looking at the ultra 2 pants and want to make sure i choose the right material.
how water resistant is this stuff WITHOUT the gore-tex liner?
thanks.

The Kevlar mesh without the GoreTex liner inside is pretty lousy at repelling water, at least in its stock form. However, in warm weather, the jacket is not bad. Seemingly water can go where air can go...

[charleshmosesii]

Originally Posted by urbancowboy

this review was great. can anyone compare the motoport kevlar vs their cordura (1000 weight) and/or cordura light(620 weight)?
i'm looking at the ultra 2 pants and want to make sure i choose the right material.
how water resistant is this stuff WITHOUT the gore-tex liner?
thanks.

I would go with the kevlar mesh, unless I lived in Alaska and didn't travel south perhaps. You can always layer up underneath (windblock fleece, thermal underwear, heated fleece, etc.) if it gets cold.

As far as rain:

• Probably all textile riding clothes absorb and/or pass through water. Don't bother trying to get rain protection from the suit. You need to get it from a rain suit that slips inside (rain liner) or outside (any rainsuit or jacket/pants).
• I no longer use the inside rain liners, I just use slip-over rain jacket/pants. Rain liners are too much of a pain to install on the road when it just started pouring on me, and, more importantly, while the rain liner may keep your body dry underneath, the riding suit on the outside typically or eventually absorbs some water and stays wet, and heavier, for maybe up to 2 days (in my experience).

[Gringo]

Originally Posted by charleshmosesii

I would go with the kevlar mesh, unless I lived in Alaska and didn't travel south perhaps. You can always layer up underneath (windblock fleece, thermal underwear, heated fleece, etc.) if it gets cold.[/list]

Well, I'm in southern Massachusetts, and I'm glad I got the stretch, not the mesh. This suit is always slightly cooler than the roadcrafter was for given conditions, judging from what I choose to wear underneath it. Although I have not yet needed the gore-tex liners for wind protection, I know that day is going to come, and for my daily riding, that'll be the one downside to this suit, climbing into and out of those extra layers and having to haul them around, hang them in the office, etc. The other night after our hottest day so far (94F), the weatherman was saying that Boston had already had the first 3 of its average of five 90F+ days in July, with an average of 3 more to come in August. That was the first time I've had all the vents open with just a T-shirt underneath, and it was great - even a little chilly at speed. I'm glad I invested for comfort the other 356 days of the year.

I do worry about the 'soak factor' for an internal rain liner - worried before I bought it, and wonder how it'll do when I do finally get it wet. When I wash the suit for the first time, I'm gonna run it through a second cycle and throw in a bottle of Nik-Wax wash-in waterproofing, in the hopes that'll coat the fibers and reduce water retention. But I want to get it wet once without the treatment, to compare... Heading off to VT for the weekend, possible T-storms Sunday on the return trip, so maybe that'll be my chance.

[Kaumajet]

Nice report Senor Gringo. Thanks for taking the time

[azabeemerboy]

I have had the Ultra Mesh jacket and pants with the light weight liner on order for 9 weeks. Hopefully I will get them this week!! After reading these reviews I am anxious to see them.

[LarryGS]

I had the chance to test my Motoport stuff in the rain, yesterday. Rode for 200 mi. in pretty heavy rain yesterday, in both Ultra Kevlar pants and jacket, with liners in both. It was kind of chilly out, so I stopped and went throught the pain of putting both in and was pretty happy that I did. The outer layers of gear got sort of drenched, but the inner layers stayed warm and dry. I think I stayed more comfortable than in my Aerostich stuff, though feeling about a lbs. heavier than when I started. I think that was because the rain didn't stop the whole ride and I hadn't done the Scotchguard treatment expecting that kind of soaking. Not sure that it would have made much of a difference, anyway? the gear is getting the "air-dry" treatment now, I think I'll be happy with the stuff in the rain. 'Stitch stuff is gonna go on fleamarket soon.

[modrover]

Originally Posted by LarryGS

I had the chance to test my Motoport stuff in the rain, yesterday. Rode for 200 mi. in pretty heavy rain yesterday, in both Ultra Kevlar pants and jacket, with liners in both. It was kind of chilly out, so I stopped and went throught the pain of putting both in and was pretty happy that I did. The outer layers of gear got sort of drenched, but the inner layers stayed warm and dry. I think I stayed more comfortable than in my Aerostich stuff, though feeling about a lbs. heavier than when I started. I think that was because the rain didn't stop the whole ride and I hadn't done the Scotchguard treatment expecting that kind of soaking. Not sure that it would have made much of a difference, anyway? the gear is getting the "air-dry" treatment now, I think I'll be happy with the stuff in the rain. 'Stitch stuff is gonna go on fleamarket soon.

Ooo... I'm looking for an Aerostich Roadcrafter suit (40R, but could go a bit bigger as well). I actually have a WTB ad in the fleamarket, but just thought I'd cover all my bases.

[Whammo]

Gringo,
Motoport should put you on the payroll. I'm gonna measure myself for some kevlar pants this weekend.
BTW have you heard of them doing a kev/mesh kev combo on a single piece of gear? Might be good for pants.

[mogwai]

I've been riding with the Ultra II cordura jacket for about a month now and am very satisified with my decision to ditch the Darien. Much more comfy in warmer temps and the liner makes it just as warm as an unlined darien for cool mornings. We've been very dry, and this new coat hasn't seen a toad choker yet.

I'm impatient with all the zippers and velcro, but the jacket gives me more options than any other I've owned.