Textile Overpant Suggestions

**Daboo** · 02-06-20

Okay, I guess it is about time to start a new thread on overpants. The "similar threads" started in 2007 and finished 8 years ago in 2012.

So my Olympia XMoto pants are still functioning, but the rain liner is leaking in the crotch area. All good things must come to an end, and while I can buy a new rain pant that should work, I want to look at completely new pants.

It appears that the selections are changing a lot from what I saw years ago. I like the idea of an "overpant", but that seems to be going out of style. An overpant as I understand it, is one that is sized to fit over your jeans. That's handy for the times you ride to church or the prison and want to take the riding pants off. Standing in the parking lot in my skivvies

hopping around on one foot while I take off my boot to get the pants off

...in the rain...would make a good comedy video, but wouldn't happen twice.

I like the design of the XMoto pant in that it has a panel that unzips and tucks away. What you're left with is the top of the thigh being mesh and giving you some ventilation in the summer. Close it up, and you keep a little warmer. Add in the rain liner and you can stay warm enough to ride in the winter. It's a four season pant.

So what do you recommend? Do you even use an overpant? Or do you just leave the riding pants on till you get home or to your room?

Chris

**Daboo** · 02-08-20

Originally Posted by Daboo

...So what do you recommend? Do you even use an overpant? Or do you just leave the riding pants on till you get home or to your room?

Chris

Interesting...44 people viewed this thread, yet no one had an answer to the quesiton above. I guess they ride in their skivvies?

So here's what I found. For my immediate needs, my Olympia XMoto pants started leaking a little in the crotch area. I'm not surprised. I've had them since 2013. Waterproofing on the XMoto pant is accomplished by a separate destination layer rain pant. At first, I thought that was a dumb idea, but I grew to appreciate it over time. You could pull the rain pant out in the summer and get some air flow through the Cordura pant material. And when it was really hot and you opened the panel over the thigh, you got a lot more air through. I thought to myself that if I ever lost the rain pant or it was ruined, I'd simply buy a new rain pant.

So that's what I did. I ran into a problem finding a rain pant that would open with a full length leg zipper. Like motorcycle riding pants, most rain pants often only come with the ability to open the bottom 10 inches to slip your foot through. That probably works okay with golf shoes, but not the much larger riding boots we wear. But REI had a rain pant that came with a full length leg zipper and in Short sizes. So that's what I picked up.

Why didn't I just buy a new pair of riding pants? Because the features I had in the Olympia pants can't be found till you are up in the $300-500 price range...and there's nothing worn out in these. And so many riding pants are not "overpants". They seem to be designed to be worn without anything but underwear under them. Even buying them in a larger size to leave room for your jeans or slacks, doesn't alleviate the problem of getting your foot and boot through the bottom.

Chris

**ccramerusc** · 02-08-20

I love my Firstgear HT Air overpants. The mesh is great in summer with shorts underneath. It's also great for over nice pants for commuting. The rain liner was also been flawless and keeps you really warm. The knee pads are great, but I had to make hip pads out of a D30 back pad (I cut it to the size of the hip pad pockets), as it came with foam. Other nice options are the pass through zippers so you can get into the pockets of the pants you have on underneath without taking the overpants off. Also, the sippers on both the overpant and the waterproof liner go way up past the knee for easy on/off.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk

**Richard230** · 02-08-20

I have a closet full of over-pants, both textile and leather, none of which are still on the market.

**Daboo** · 02-08-20

Thanks, Cramer. Like all good things, the Firstgear HT Air overpants aren't made any more. Looks like there's a possible replacement though. The Firstgear Rover Air Overpant. We'll have to watch in case it becomes discontinued. The FG Rush Air pant is not the same. It is designed to be worn only over underwear. So The Rover Air is the only thing that comes close to a 4 season overpant.

Chris

**308bever** · 02-08-20

sorry, didn`t comment coz i only have a cheap light rain pants, but i AM watching for good replies too (((-:

**Daboo** · 02-08-20

Another feature I like about my Olympia XMoto pants is the color. Why are mesh clothes black? Black is the hottest color to wear in the sun, and the whole purpose of mesh gear is to cool you down. I don't know how much cooler the gray on the XMoto pants is, but it has to help.

I almost get the feeling like the lack of full length leg zippers and the extra material needed for an "overpant" is simply to cut costs.

Chris

**ccramerusc** · 02-08-20

Originally Posted by Daboo

Another feature I like about my Olympia XMoto pants is the color. Why are mesh clothes black? Black is the hottest color to wear in the sun, and the whole purpose of mesh gear is to cool you down. I don't know how much cooler the gray on the XMoto pants is, but it has to help.

I almost get the feeling like the lack of full length leg zippers and the extra material needed for an "overpant" is simply to cut costs.

Chris

Probably so that they never look dirty! I'm with you, I intentionally bought my 3 season jacket and gloves in grey and wear a white helmet to help in sunny weather. However, my pants and boots are black.

Being from Seattle, I wouldn't have guessed that would be a big concern for you...

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**Daboo** · 02-08-20

Only if you stay in Seattle. 😄

Chris

**Royce** · 02-09-20

Only overpants I have ever worn are Aerostich AD1s. Wear them over jeans in cold weather, over shorts in warm weather. Bought my first pair in 1999 and had them repaired about ten years ago (had a hard slide on pavement/gravel, but Andy's folks fixed them nicely). Then I bought a second pair a few years ago and am still wearing them. They have been waterproof through day-long rains.

**TheMeteor** · 02-09-20

I have an old pair of Tourmaster overpants. It is my second pair and they do not make them anymore. Not the best durability but inexpensive and serve their purpose. My inner liner on the current pair ripped and I repaired with thread and a waterproof duct tape seal...lol. I use them mainly as my dirt riding pants today. I generally wear shorts under them in the summer so I can drop out of them and just have on shorts worn underneath. Riding boots switched to flip flops or Sketcher mules. Good setup if I head to a restaurant or shop and don't to standout in hot and dirty riding gear.

I am following this thread as I would like to find a good overpant replacement. I do have a pair of BMW pants and Aerostich (forget which Aerostich pant) but both are fully waterproof and great - but really true overpants.

**simsim** · 02-12-20

I'm currently using Firstgear TPG overpants; I had Firstgear H2out before that and SIDI in the past
Considering my body size/shape, I NEED the "long" version/model, so that restricts my choices significantly
And other than my non-breathable, old (more than 20 years) rainsuit pants, all the overpants I've owned/used have leaked/seeped...

**columbo** · 02-12-20

MOTOPORT USA

Expensive, but good stuff.

https://www.motoport.com/

**Sclarke** · 02-12-20

I second Royce re: AD-1 pants. I occasionally wear jeans under them, but more often a heavy base layer in cold conditions, shorts when it's warm. Totally waterproof, comfortable, they just feel right. Sent them to Duluth this winter to repair a small tear - they turned them around in less than 2 weeks for a reasonable cost which included a wash treatment. Hard to even spot the repair. Great company.

**rodzghost** · 02-13-20

I grabbed some Aerostich Darien Lights during a sale they were having. It's about an inch or 2 short on me, but I can live with it since I saved about 40% off retail. The full-leg zipper makes it super convenient for commuting. I've only tested it in some light rain, and so far it's been completely waterproof.

If I had the money, I'd prolly go for Klim's goretex jacket/pants combo ($1200). Or maybe grab BMW's Rallye Pro jacket (~$800). I tried both of those on at the BMW dealer me, and they were really nice. I'd pass on the Rallye pants tho, since they're not an overpant.

**padaek** · 02-14-20

Originally Posted by Daboo

Interesting...44 people viewed this thread, yet no one had an answer to the quesiton above. I guess they ride in their skivvies?

Chris

The only time I wear over pants are wet weather pants. I wear leather pants in winter and aramid lined jeans with armour in the summer. I once had a pair of textile over pants but that was 30 years ago. I used to wear them on the 120klm return trip from uni at night. I remember they were red and made by the Australian Dririder company. I felt like the Michelin Man when I wore them.

**Sundog52** · 02-14-20

I wear a legacy pair of Fieldsheer over pants (ATGATT guy). They are armored and built with CarboleX, PhosLite and RainGuard . When it gets wet, I cover up with additional rain gear if needed. If my destination is a stop-over (lunch break), I keep them on. For longer stays or formal dates, they are easily removed and stored. They do well on the GT in both Hot and Cold WX conditions. Hope this helps

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