Well, I finally got to use my new gear and I first off want to say just how successful both garments are in terms of comfort and protection. I give both the pants and jacket two serious thumbs up!!
The FirstGear HT Overpants are the first I have owned that are perfect fitting. They are made for a female body and, if anything, may run a bit large for some. For me these pants fit perfectly, with enough room to mount and dismount the bike without feeling any seam stress. I love the fact that the liner for these pants can be worn as a separate garment, and actually look fairly smart, although I didn’t take the liner with me and instead wore my leopard print silk long underwear. (love the leopard print!) I was toasty warm for the most part, although during an extended period of high elevation, I could have used something a bit warmer underneath.
Separate pant liner can be worn alone.
While riding around the Tucson area in temps skirting 100 degrees F, I took advantage of the zippered vents on the front crotch area of each leg. On a naked bike I received plenty of air with these vents, although I’d like to hear from someone with a full fairing, regarding this vent. I would think a fully faired bike would probably eliminate any needed “breeze”. I was truly comfortable in these and did not feel HOT, although maybe when I use them in Sacramento with it’s extended hot days, they will be less than desirable and I’ll choose my mesh over the HT.
The bottom of the HT has an awesome rain liner with elastic at the ankles to keep any moisture out of your boots. I do like this feature and did get a chance to use it. I also like the fact that unlike Joe Rocket pants they are totally fitted at the bottom with adjustable Velcro closures to keep them from flapping or touching your exhaust. I have melted countless pairs of pants on my exhaust, simply because they are too wide at the calf/ankle. They also have a 3/4 length side zip for easy on/off and that you can open to add some additional air. The knees have adjustable CE armor and padded hip protection. The outer shell is made from waterproof/breathable 600 denier polyester Hypertex™ and much attention has been placed on the zippers and closures to keep moisture out.
Simply put, these are now my absolute favorite riding pants. They are priced competitively and can be found on motorcyclegear. com with a $30 promotional gift certificate to use on a future purchase.
The Kilimanjaro 4.0 is last year’s jacket, but one I got at a special price and am totally enjoying, especially when paired with my HT Overpants. I bought this jacket not only because of the awesome deal, but because I like how it fits better than the new 5.0. The jacket runs a bit large, and I imagine most women could go one size smaller than what you usually wear. It’s a bit less bulky than the 5.0, but let me say this jacket is ONLY for cool weather conditions as it’s definitely a warm jacket, though vented for warmer weather. The vents, in all their glory, simply don’t allow for enough air for this jacket to be used in warmer temps. There is ample armor and the outer layer is also made from high density 600 denier polyester. There is a stand alone jacket liner, which I traded out for my heated Gerbing liner. I figured with my heated liner, I was ready for most any crazy weather combination.
Stand alone jacket liner with the 4.0 w/nice fleece inside!
Strong reflective strip on jacket back!
For my Tucson area riding, I switched to my FirstGear Contour Mesh jacket also found on motorcyclegear.com, which I purchased on closeout for an amazing deal. This is also a very comfortable jacket, has decent armor, adjustable wrists for gloves, and a stand up neck which aids against bee stings. I wore this jacket exclusively when the temps were above 80 and was quite comfortable.
I know many of you aren’t into taking an additional jacket when touring, but I truly believe tis better safe than sorry when it comes to weather. I can’t stand to be cold, so I nearly always take my gerbing liner which in a pinch could be worn under a mesh jacket, but I usually have a textile jacket as well as a mesh. I am going to try and use my FG HT Overpant as my only pant this year, and I’ll let you know as soon as the temps rise.
In the meantime… dress yourself safely and properly.