RST Jackets - warm, fully waterproof & high quality?
Discussion
I generally like RST stuff and with the puffy liner in the RST textile jacket I had was good (as well as being fine after 2 sort of 40-50kph crashes) but how wet you get has depended more on the bike. Eg the faired stuff I had (Suzuki GS500Fs and Honda CBR600F4i) when I had it generally kept dry in the rain unless was stopped - but in stopped traffic and on nakeds I would get soaked. I have Ixon jacket and gloves now and I'm very happy with them but it's been really dry and I'm now a coward so I haven't been caught in any wet weather since I got them a year or so ago.
Gortex, gortex, gortex everyone w
ks off over gortex
Through clever marketing they have positioned themselves as the go to material but there are other materials that do the same job and cheaper.
Google fortnine
As for your jacket wetting out, have you tried washing it then reproofing?
Or just treating the outside with a DWR product?
ks off over gortexThrough clever marketing they have positioned themselves as the go to material but there are other materials that do the same job and cheaper.
Google fortnine
As for your jacket wetting out, have you tried washing it then reproofing?
Or just treating the outside with a DWR product?
I've used Berking Balistik suit for the last 4 of 5 years through some truly horrific weather inc a full weekend of constant, torrential rain in Wales, sheet rain in Belgium for hours on end etc and it hasn't failed once. Some of the reviews mentioned it was the warmest suit they'd tried at the time. I can't fault it really. Plus it's laminated so no messing about with the awful drop liners.
I got an Oxford Montreal jacket and trousers for £260, in January, and its been very good. Nice and warm at 5-10C, has zips to allow air through. Did let rain through the front zip in heavy rain once but I suspect speed and wind combined made that happen. Trousers have permanently attached bracers which I didn't think I wanted but they are useful when walking around on trips.
I bought a cheap-ish laminate jacket from Spidi a few years ago, I'm pretty happy with it. The laminate stuff sheds well, dries well overnight and keeps the rain our in all but the most torrential of weather. I've never had a good fit with RST, but the stuff seems well enough made, I imagine if you purchased from their laminate range you'd have a similar experience.
All jackets, regardless of manufacturer, regardless of price, will leak. Some will do it after a few days, some will do it after a few years, but they'll all do it. Mine isn't leaking yet, but when the day comes, I carry an offensive bright fluo yellow rain jacket to go over the top of it. Sure, it'll be a sweaty mess if you ride in 30°c heat and rain for eight hours, but for an hour or so it's fine and 100% waterproof.
GSA_fattie said:
Gortex, gortex, gortex everyone wks off over gortex
Through clever marketing they have positioned themselves as the go to material but there are other materials that do the same job and cheaper.
Google fortnine
As for your jacket wetting out, have you tried washing it then reproofing?
Or just treating the outside with a DWR product?
Other membranes may well be similar but the control GoreTex have over garment manufacture and probably design makes them much more effective and durable. I don't think it's just marketing but happy to be proved wrong. If I want waterproof I now only buy GoreTex.ks off over gortexThrough clever marketing they have positioned themselves as the go to material but there are other materials that do the same job and cheaper.
Google fortnine
As for your jacket wetting out, have you tried washing it then reproofing?
Or just treating the outside with a DWR product?
Over the years I've had various own brand membranes from well known manufacturers and they've all leaked very quickly, even expensive Dainese gloves, various boots that SportsBikeShop were kind enough to replace and eventually refund and various jackets and trousers from Halvarsons, Alpinestars and Dianese.
Currently have Klim laminated jacket and trousers with GoreTex and they have been brilliant, completely dry everywhere and breathable enough for India.
My RST gear was generally waterproof but despite what the label says, it is not breathable in any way
Off road or in warm weather, I got soaked in sweat
Having done a wet Isle of Man weekend when the others were in klim gear, I was soaking and cold and they were warm and dry
I then bought klim latitude in good condition off eBay used £350
I wouldn't consider going back to RST mostly due to the excellent venting of the klim
Off road or in warm weather, I got soaked in sweat
Having done a wet Isle of Man weekend when the others were in klim gear, I was soaking and cold and they were warm and dry
I then bought klim latitude in good condition off eBay used £350
I wouldn't consider going back to RST mostly due to the excellent venting of the klim
KTMsm said:
I then bought klim latitude in good condition off eBay used £350
Bingo. Got myself a full Rukka suit in top nick for £500 off ebay. Beats the crap out of all the other stuff I've had, including RST.Not tried Klim personally but same league there or thereabouts (although I was eyeing up some new Klim Outlander boots today - £320!!!)
I've had mine nearly 9 years and it's still in great condition and I use it regularly. Still shower proof, still wind proof, still warm in the winter and light enough for summer rides with the liner removed and still cleans up like a new jacket after stuffing it in the washing machine.
Does that tell you anything you need to know?
Does that tell you anything you need to know?
I bought a two piece RST Ventilator 5 which comes with a seperate waterproof and insulated inner.Primarily I wanted something that was completely vented in the summer months.I came from a Rukka two piece that was just too hot and the waterproof zips were crap.
The RST has been great and unless it’s really low temperatures,so less that 5 degrees,I’m comfortable with just the waterproof lining and some undergarments.
In anything other than lightish rain,its obviously crap,so I wear a two piece Richa rain warrior suit.Its been a good compromise.
The RST has been great and unless it’s really low temperatures,so less that 5 degrees,I’m comfortable with just the waterproof lining and some undergarments.
In anything other than lightish rain,its obviously crap,so I wear a two piece Richa rain warrior suit.Its been a good compromise.
Billyray911 said:
I bought a two piece RST Ventilator 5
Me too but it's not really relevant to a discussion on warm / water proof gear 
I'd mention that I went straight through both elbows of my RST jacket in a 45mph off - split / ripped the seams - you'd wonder why they weren't patched - it's a piss poor design
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