- Said more than a few Roadcrafter suit wearers...
When the Roadcrafter was first designed in 1983 it was intended to be an easy-to-put-on-and-remove armored coverall for commuting, constructed along the lines of a leather rider’s suit, but made using lightweight, breathable, abrasion-resistant waterproof textiles. Because of those priorities and considerations, it was never expected to be, or presented in our marketing materials as a perfectly waterproof rain suit, or to be ideal for extended rides and severe rain exposures.
We were looking for Roadcrafters to be able to handle about a 20-minute daily commute during a typical moderate rain, while still being much easier to wear on an everyday basis than heavier and harder to change into non-water-resistant leather gear. This is why all Roadcrafter and Roadcrafter Classic suits were (and are) fully lined like leathers, and why, because of the lining being stitched-directly-to-the-outer-fabric construction, and the easy entry zipper arrangement, they may sometimes leak slightly in the crotch in some wet-weather situations.
About seven years ago the original Roadcrafter coverall was superseded by a more advanced R-3 model, and was renamed the ‘Roadcrafter Classic’, and it remains in production today. Many riders still prefer its fully lined design even though it isn’t perfectly waterproof and does not meet today’s ‘Rainwear Without Compromise’ Gore-Tex waterproofness test standard. (That formal certification standard did not exist at the time this suit was created.) All Roadcrafters and current Roadcrafter Classics come with detailed instructions teaching how to easily apply a liquid seam sealer to a few vulnerable areas, which, if carefully done, almost entirely eliminates the wet weather vulnerabilities of this design. These instructions are also downloadable here. Even a slow drop-drop-drop leak every minute or two may cause a large, wet area after an hour or more in wet conditions. It can help to arrange the way the fabric folds across one’s lap in ways which do not help pool or gutter rainwater runoff directly into the zipper and its adjacent stitching.
The newer R-3 armored coverall design is fully waterproof and meets the ‘Rainwear Without Compromise’ Gore-Tex standard. Because this design is unlined, a few internal high wear-points may develop after long and hard use which may allow small leaks. But repairs, if needed, are simple, inexpensive, and easy. A heat-activated seam-sealing tape (or a liquid sealant as above) can easily be applied over any small worn areas which eliminates associated leak (or leaks). This occurs only after lots of hard use. Further information about this and all other maintenance and repair procedures is available during business hours (central USA time zone) at 218 722 1927 or repairs@aerostich.com.
- Mr. Subjective, 4-21
Seems to me like a lousy attempt at an excuse for a design flaw. Man up and say that you are going to fix it.
A couple tricks I’ve learned in 20+ years of living with a Roadcrafter Classic: first, give the suit a wash-in DWR treatment once a year, “whether it needs it or not.” That means even when it’s new. This gets into places like the armpit zips in a way that dabbing and such may not (it also helps if you’ve sewn any patches to the suit). Second, when preparing to ride in the rain, resist the temptation to zip it together into a coverall; this seems to reduce the amount of overlap between pants and jacket. While straddling the bike, pull the pants up as far as possible; think Walter Brennan. You’re not trying to be fashionable here. The spread the jacket down over it, trying to avoid creating valleys that can hold water. Before getting off, check to see if any water has puddled on the jacket, and if so, gently persuade it to drain off to the sides. Pay attention to your collar—in particular, make sure there’s nothing sticking up that can wick water down into the suit. Finally abandon all hope if you’re riding in the rain at highway speed with a sidecar—the wind blast from the hack (assuming it’s on the right side of your bike) will lift the rain flap and funnel water through the zipper :(
I purchased a Roadcrafter in 2008, while living here in SE Asia. We have no seasons here, only dry season, which still has rainy days, and monsoon season, when it rains every day for at least one hour. My Roadcrafter was used everyday for commuting, and did leak in the crotch area, sometimes badly. In, I believe, 2010, I went down when a cement truck turned across the road in front of me. I escaped with bruises and some scrapes. Thanks to my Roadcrafter. The suit, however, looked bad. I sent it back to Aerostich for repairs, and it came back looking brand new. And, wonder of wonders, it no longer leaks, anywhere! Thank you to Andy and his crew.
I carry a piece of raincoat fabric in a pocket of my my two piece Roadcrafter suit (at least 15 years old), and when it is raining I’ll hook it over the waistband of the pants and spread it across my lap like an apron so the water running off the jacket doesn’t pool or run onto the zipper. It works pretty well.
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