OK, so I took advantage of the 1stGear Riding Suit being offered here by a fellow member (BajaRon) for $*** delivered. You cant get it that cheap from the manufacturers website even, so it was a Great Deal (if it worked)
Well, Ive had mine for over 3 weeks now (as of 12/30/10) & promised to give it a review once I had time to actually test it out, so here goes.
Let me start by saying, IMHO For the price, YOU CAN'T BEAT IT!
THERMO TEXTILE 1-PIECE SUIT 100% waterproof, 210 denier Hypertex 120-gram polyester insulation Full storm flap closures on zippers, pockets and cuffs Cargo storage pockets Elasticized ankle closures and adjustable waist 2-year limited warranty
Ive ridden in 5-12 degree F temps for more than 30 minutes at a time, reaching brief highway speeds up to triple digits, and with only wearing normal clothes underneath, (long sleeve shirt & jogging pants) & the only thing that got chilled (not cold) was my neck area. While riding, the collar provides adequit wind protection with a full face helmet, but whenever I look down at my instruments, I can feel the cold air on my neck.
Ive read other posts talking about Balaclavas, but I havent really felt I needed one. I actually went out and bought one, and if I were going on a long trip in sub-freezing weather, I may use it, (thus still haven't) But Ive found for trips less than an hour, its not really an issue.
Ive been out ryding everyday that its been dry out. We had 2 weeks straight with below freezing temps, and I was able to ryde 11 of the past 14 days. Today, it got up to 37 & I went for a 100 mile ryde, just for fun. All was on the expressway & I was actually passed by a 2 wheeler, and the thoughts that went thru my head were, that guy looks miserable. He had no windshield, half helmet, scarf, at least 2 heavy coats & i dont know how many pants & gloves, but you could tell the guy wasn't having fun. Me, on the other hand, thanks in part to the RT-S's heated grips & adjustable windshield, along with my 1stGear Riding Suit, I WAS HAVING FUN!!! I love this suit!!!
The legs zip up half way for easy access for putting on boots & then have velcro to close over the zipper to prevent wind/water from get'n in & elastic at the bottom to create a seal around your boots.
The arms have velcro adjusters at the end, so I put on my bulky gloves and velcro them tight and get no air/water penetration at all.
Now for the drawbacks
NO HAND POCKETS:
The Suit has 1 chest pocket & 2 smallish front-leg cargo pockets. It has no pockets on the sides like you have on normal pants. So, when you come to your destination, & if you take off your balky riding gloves like I do, you have no-where to put your hands to keep them warm while walking in the cold to your destination.
COLLAR:
The collar could be another inch or so higher to help buffer the cold air when looking down, but that may just be me. I mean, if I had a shorter neck, it wouldn't be an issue, right? LOL As stated above, looking forward with normal driving, the wind wasn't an issue in the neck area.
BULK:
The suit is kind of bulky, but I don't think you can really get around this, for the wind/cold protection that it gives you. I'm 5'9, 175lb & ordered a medium size. The waist is adjustable with velcro strips and the top fits fine, but the legs bunch just a bit, but nothing major.
Conclusion: OK, so...... all that be'n said, I checked out 1stGears website www.firstgear-usa.com and they do have another riding suit (Expedition) that looks like they corrected the few issues that I mentioned here, but for $500!!!
For $*** delivered, I'm enjoying ryding every day thats dry no matter the temperature outside. I hope this helps some of you that have been on the fence about this product. I don't think you would be dissapointed, I know I'm VERY SATISFIED & can now enjoy Ryding my Spyder Year Round!!!
Update: 3/24/11 I ditto everything stated above
Update: 11/21/2013 I ditto everything stated above, however, I think I discovered the suits first real issue, at least in my personal use & experience. After 3 years/seasons of use in freezing/cold temperatures, I've rather shockingly discovered that the suits Water-Proofing properties were extremely compromised, and the suit no longer provides any real water/rain protection. This may be a known common occurence that over time, products such as this suit, will eventually loose their water-repellancy capibilities, but I personally was unaware of this fact. Needless to say, wearing the suit on a 600 mile trip while it was in the 40's and pouring down rain, within about 15 minutes of the beginning of the ryde, I started to feel cold running down the center of my back. At first, I thought it was just the cold rain water running down the outside of the suit from my helmet, but I soon discovered the water was INSIDE the suit. It seemed where ever there was a sewn seem, water would flow right thru it. After 45 minutes of ryding thru the rain, I was soaked to the bone and because of the cold water, I was freezing & had to stop & change into an entirely new set of dry clothes and alternative rain-gear that I had brought along, just in case. Since that experience, I tried applying two coats of Scotch Guard Spray sealant as recommended by a buddy & tried the suit again just this past Halloween, and it still leaked really bad. I'll try another type of Heavy-Duty sealant & see if that helps any or not.
So, with this latest discovery, let me add this statement. In dry weather of any temps below 50, I STILL HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS SUIT. And for the first 2 seasons of use, the suit performed flawlessly as both my Cold Weather & Rain Gear combined. You just need to be aware that its water repellancy properties do become compromised over time. Maybe if I had treated it with a proper sealant, after each season of use, it would have retained its repellancy properties, I'm just not sure. I'm still trying other sealant products to find one that works, but until then, I still use our 3 year old Thermo-Suit every day for winter ryding, as long as its dry.
Last edited by CyncySpyder; 11-21-2013 at 07:16 AM.
Thanks for the honest review of this suit. I am thinking about adding it somewhere into my shopping list as well. I haven't seen it reach 5 degrees here in a very long time, so know this would keep me warm no matter what here in SC.
1stGear Riding Suit Review
OK, so I took advantage of the 1stGear Riding Suit being offered here by a fellow member (BahaRon) for $149 delivered. You cant get it that cheap from the manufacturers website even,
so it was a Great Deal (if it worked)
Well, Ive had mine for over 3 weeks now (as of 12/30/10) & promised to give it a review once I had time to actually test it out, so here goes.
Let me start by saying, IMHO for the price, YOU CAN'T BEAT IT!
THERMO TEXTILE 1-PIECE SUIT 100% waterproof, 210 denier Hypertex 120-gram polyester insulation Full storm flap closures on zippers, pockets and cuffs Cargo storage pockets Elasticized ankle closures and adjustable waist 2-year limited warranty
Ive ridden in 5-12 degree F temps for more than 30 minutes at a time, reaching brief highway speeds up to triple digits, and with only wearing normal clothes underneath, (long sleeve shirt & jogging pants) & the only thing that got chilled (not cold) was my neck area. While riding, the collar provides adequit wind protection with a full face helmet, but whenever I look down at my instruments, I can feel the cold air on my neck.
Ive read other posts talking about Balaclavas, but I havent really felt I needed one. I actually went out and bought one, and if I were going on a long trip in sub-freezing weather, I may use it, (thus still haven't) But Ive found for trips less than an hour, its not really an issue.
Ive been out ryding everyday that its been dry out. We had 2 weeks straight with below freezing temps, and I was able to ryde 11 of the past 14 days. Today, it got up to 37 & I went for a 100 mile ryde, just for fun. All was on the expressway & I was actually passed by a 2 wheeler, and the thoughts that went thru my head were, that guy looks miserable. He had no windshield, half helmet, scarf, at least 2 heavy coats & i dont know how many pants & gloves, but you could tell the guy wasn't having fun.
Me, on the other hand, thanks in part to the RT-S's heated grips & adjustable windshield, along with my 1stGear Riding Suit, I WAS HAVING FUN!!! I love this suit!!!
The legs zip up half way for easy access for putting on boots & then have velcro to close over the zipper to prevent wind/water from get'n in & elastic at the bottom to create a seal around your boots.
The arms have velcro adjusters at the end, so I put on my bulky gloves and velcro them tight and get no air/water penetration at all.
Now for the drawbacks
NO HAND POCKETS:
The Suit has 1 chest pocket & 2 smallish front-leg cargo pockets. It has no pockets on the sides like you have on normal pants. So, when you come to your destination, & if you take off your balky riding gloves like I do, you have no-where to put your hands to keep them warm while walking in the cold to your destination.
COLLAR:
The collar could be another inch or so higher to help buffer the cold air when looking down, but that may just be me. I mean, if I had a shorter neck, it wouldn't be an issue, right? LOL As stated above, looking forward with normal driving, the wind wasn't an issue in the neck area.
BULK:
The suit is kind of bulky, but I don't think you can really get around this, for the wind/cold protection that it gives you. I'm 5'9, 175lb & ordered a medium size. The waist is adjustable with velcro strips and the top fits fine, but the legs bunch just a bit, but nothing major.
OK, so...... all that be'n said, I checked out 1stGears website www.firstgear-usa.com and they do have another riding suit (Expedition) that looks like they corrected the few issues that I mentioned here, but for $500!!!
For $149 delivered, I'm enjoying ryding every day thats dry no matter the temperature outside. I hope this helps some of you that have been on the fence about this product. I don't think you would be dissapointed, I know I'm VERY SATISFIED & can now enjoy Ryding my Spyder Year Round!!!
I have worn mine 3 times now at about 35 degrees and ALL you need is normal clothes, which is nice.
I find it better to unzip the legs and get in with the boots on as you said. When I go in without my boots on it was a CHORE to tie my boots because the material bunches up if you bend over to tie your boots.
I,m 6 and 212 (46 chest) and XL was just right but the legs are kinda baggy. Would make a good MOPP Suit?
Great quality for the price ( You sort of feel like your about to exit a Lunar Rover!)
All kidding aside it does a Great Job and there IS a INSIDE left chest pocket big enough for your wallet, cellphone and keys.
If its in the 40,s I would probably layer up because it may be tooo warm?
The temps here around Memphis, TN in the winter range greatly. Today 12/30/2010, it was in the low 60's. Tomorrow the projected temp is the high 40's, with a 30 something wind chill. Mornings are usually in the 20's and warms to the 40's in the afternoon during Winter.
Would this be a good suit to wear over my work cloths and remove and leave in the bike when I got there?
The price sounds hard to believe, but I am definately not complaining.
Thanks so much for your info. tdoug60
This is deffinately a cold weather suit. With an RS/GS without a full shield or heated grips (as with the RT-S/or mods) I'd think you would be good using it with temps up to 50F, due to the wind-chill factor & you can always unzip the front some to allow some air flow. Anything above 50 & I wouldn't suggest it as you'd probably be sweat'n your off.
I know when I wore it to WallyWorld to get the R/C Spyders for other members, it was 23F for the ryde, but after 15 minutes in the store, I was overheat'n & 1/2 strip'n
It IS A BULKY suit! IMHO, you could wear it in the am/night when cold & as long as you don't have anything in the Frunk, store it there. I haven't tried, but I believe it would take up the entire Frunk, tho you could probably push it down so some of the air dissipates and fit something smallish on top.
I know tonight, it was 53F & I loaded Teddy up & we went for a ryde & I didn't wear the suit & was glad I hadn't cause I woulda roasted my off.
Not sure if this answers your question or helps, but it's the best info I can provide you. Like most things with ryde'n, it's personal choice
2008 GS SE5 in 2008
Traded at 43,000 miles for a left over
2010 RT SM5 in 2011
Traded at 57,000 for a left over
2014 RTS SE6 in 2015, which has 35,000 miles
Oct 19th, 2017, totaled 2014 RT while killing a Javaline
Dec 12th, 2017 drove a 2017 F3L home. What an awesome machine!
Sorry Im no for ya there. Ive never been a passenger on a & my passenger is Teddy & he doesn't say much. Maybe someone else can provide that feedback for ya
totally with the review. I flew to AZ to pick up my wife's RT-AC and drove it back to Oregon a couple of weeks ago and I would have frozen off my privates had it not been for this suit. I picked one up on the way home when I went through Sacramento and was so impressed with it that when I got home, I went to the local two-wheeler dealership that offers 20% off to Rose City Motorcycle Club members and got one for my wife for under $130. If I want armour, I'll wear my Aerostich Roadcrafter one-piece...if I want warmth, I'll wear the FirstGear Thermo Riding Suit, fer sure!
I e-mailed bajaron on Sunday, 1-2-11, and ordered a Firstgear Thermo Suit. Ron sent an invoice and I actually completed the Paypal payment for it yesterday, 1-3-11. I was shocked when the UPS truck pulled up and delivered the suit today, 1-4-11. Talk about fast shipping. WOW! I don't think I've ever ordered anything that was shipped that fast. Good job, Ron, and thanks.
I couldn't give the suit much of a tryout today since it was 59 degrees but I rode about 10 miles with it on. It was toasty warm at that temperature and I'm looking forward to wearing it on a colder day.
I had a chance to give the Firstgear Thermo suit a little better test ride this morning. It was 43 degrees when I left and 50 degrees when I got back a little more than an hour later. Now, I know that's almost a heat wave for you hardy folks in the frozen north, but around these parts, that's pretty cool riding temperature. I was warm as toast. This is a really warm riding suit. By far, the warmest outfit I've ever ridden in. It's very light weight to offer so much insulation and is flexible and easy to move in. It's not that easy to get in and out of but that would be true of any one-piece riding suit. I like it a lot.
The temps here around Memphis, TN in the winter range greatly. Today 12/30/2010, it was in the low 60's. Tomorrow the projected temp is the high 40's, with a 30 something wind chill. Mornings are usually in the 20's and warms to the 40's in the afternoon during Winter.
Would this be a good suit to wear over my work cloths and remove and leave in the bike when I got there?
The price sounds hard to believe, but I am definately not complaining.
Thanks so much for your info. tdoug60
This is pretty much exactly what the Thermo suit is designed to do. Put regular clothes on under the Thermo, ride to where you want to be, take the suit off and you're ready to go.
It's really a great suit for just about anything from work commute to cross country. A lot of people are leary because of the price as comperable suits can easily run twice the price. Not sure how Firstgear is doing it but the Thermo is the real deal.
Ive been ryding my RT-S everyday, for about the past 2 weeks, with temps from 18-35 mostly, a couple days up into the 40's. I ryde everyday to work, leaving at 530am, about the coldest part of the day and come home at 230pm, just about the best part temp wise.
I'll say it again, I LOVE THIS SUIT. Many of my co-workers think I'm INSANE. I try to explain about the advantages of the RT-S (Adj. Shield/Heated Grips) and that its all about being prepaired. I wear a full-face helmet, thermal socks under my work boots, and nicely padded gloves, but nothing other than my regular work clothes & of course, my FIRSTGEAR RYDING SUIT, & I dont have an issue with cold. Its a 19 mile one way trip, and I LOVE IT everyday. I actually look forward to GOING to work, and even more forward to LEAVING, no matter the TEMP.
Again, as Ron has stated, for the $$, I dont think you can beat it!!!
HAPPY RYDE'N EVERYONE !!!
I wore my thermosuit all last winter; down to 20 degrees. I was very warm with just clothes underneath. My son, a passenger, also wore one and never once complained about being cold. I think it's the best thing on the market
Still ryde'n everyday in all sorts of chilly temps, from overnight lows down in the teens to mid 30's during the day & still luv'n ryde'n everyday the roads are dry. I'll say it one more tyme, for $149. You can still be out ryde'n yur Spyder No matter the temps.
Picked up RT S from dealer after recall on steering and rear shock replacement. Temperature was around 32 so donned the First Gear suit and rode home running Interstate all the way (65 -75). It was so comfortable and warm it was unbelieveable.
BajaRon, hope you don't mind, but 2 guys at my local post office had to know about my FirstGear Thermo Ryde'n Suit & I gave them your screen name & told them to look you up. It was about 20F degrees when I went to the post office & they both thought I was either really NUTS & needed or I was really prepared. I told them about the suit & how warm it keeps you & they both want one I think I've said it before, but I LOVE THIS SUIT FOR WINTER RYDE'N!!!
i agree the suit is wonderful. i have ridden in the high 20s with nothing more than a couple of tee shirts, (a short sleeve under a long sleeve one) and jeans. stayed comfortable. in the old days i rode with a snowmobile suit. the only thing that keeps the bike in the shed is snow and rain in the winter. dry days are ride days. i picked up a pair of silk glove liners and gave them a try under my summer windproof gloves and the did a good job of keeping my hands warm.
Still ryde'n everyday in all sorts of chilly temps, from overnight lows down in the teens to mid 30's during the day & still luv'n ryde'n everyday the roads are dry. I'll say it one more tyme, for $149. You can still be out ryde'n yur Spyder No matter the temps.
found mine on sale, $125, best $125 i have spent in a long time.
First Gear has become, IMHO, the best riding gear for the buck.
I had tried the Expedition suit and it was great even though there was a zipper problem. They could not immediately replace it because they were redesigning the zipper so they sent me a pant and jacket in the TPG line as a replacement.
I have never seen gear as well thought out. For the first time in my life I don't hesitate to gear up and ride regardless of the weather.
One caveat that is not being mentioned though. The Thermal has no armor and minimal abrasion protection. Just keep that in mind if you are thinking about safety.
The Answer to 80% of your Winter Ryde'n Excuses!!!
$500!!!
Reply With Quote
Originally Posted by CyncySpyder
1stGear Riding Suit Review 
off. 
Im no 
& my passenger is Teddy & he doesn't say much. Maybe someone else can provide that feedback for ya 
totally with the review. I flew to AZ to pick up my wife's RT-AC and drove it back to Oregon a couple of weeks ago and I would have frozen off my privates had it not been for this suit. I picked one up on the way home when I went through Sacramento and was so impressed with it that when I got home, I went to the local two-wheeler dealership that offers 20% off to Rose City Motorcycle Club members and got one for my wife for under $130. If I want armour, I'll wear my Aerostich Roadcrafter one-piece...if I want warmth, I'll wear the FirstGear Thermo Riding Suit, fer sure! 
It's raining today so I didn't ryde...... I'm sad
& needed
