Roadcrafter venting

[johnlt]

I have a Stich Roadcrafter jacket with the large “vent” in the upper part of the back under the reflective flap. I had always assumed that it was a vent for air to escape from the inside of the jacket but now I find that it is not so. Although there is a mesh mini liner at the opening on the rear, it is still under the wind-proof inner liner of the jacket so that air that comes in from the armpits or the cuffs cannot exit through that vent. Very surprising. I called Aerostich and asked about this and they confirmed that it only vents from the space between the inner liner and the exterior shell, not from the inside of the jacket where your body is. I guess that’s why it doesn’t “balloon” when riding with my pits and cuffs open. Has anyone else noticed this?

[snod]

Yes I had noticed that the rear vent doesn't really vent. To help keep the jacket from being "tight" against my back, I use the AeroStitch back protector. With it in place, it is the only thing that rests on my back. I think it gives me a little bit better ventilation. Venting is the RoadCrafters weak point.

[RussL]

I don't get it. If the back vent is only venting the area between the inner liner and outer shell, what exactly is it venting? I mean, what is in this space? Moisture from body heat? If the inner liner is porous, some air would make it's way through, correct?

[johnlt]

I don't get it. If the back vent is only venting the area between the inner liner and outer shell, what exactly is it venting? I mean, what is in this space? Moisture from body heat? If the inner liner is porous, some air would make it's way through, correct?

 

The inner lining is pretty tight woven nylon, not much air is going to get through. Seems like it is not thought out completely because the Darian does not have a inner liner and the back really does vent. I'm thinking of cutting out a panel of the back lining and sewing in a piece of mesh nylon.

[EddyQ]

Interesting find John. I've only had my suit this one season and did notice the air was rather still with all vents open. I never went hunting for a reason why. Yeh, I would think that back vent would do something if it could.

 

I guess that’s why it doesn’t “balloon” when riding with my pits and cuffs open.

 

So why wouldn't the suit balloon? I would think if the vent did work, then air would escape and lessen the chances of the jacket ballooning.

 

 

[EddyQ]

I'm thinking of cutting out a panel of the back lining and sewing in a piece of mesh nylon.

 

Or sew in a zipper that you can open it and close it.

[notacop]

Can't please everyone. The Stitch is perfect for me. I start thinking about the Gerbing when it gets below 70 degrees.

I guess that makes me a 1%er!

 

[CoarsegoldKid]

Yeah, you're a 1%er notacop.

 

JohnLT I checked my early 90's vintage Roadcrafter against others this past weekend. I confirmed that all others are mesh and mine is a solid non-mesh nylon. It sure doesn't vent. Which is why it's hot in that thing during summer.

[johnlt]

Yeah, you're a 1%er notacop.

 

JohnLT I checked my early 90's vintage Roadcrafter against others this past weekend. I confirmed that all others are mesh and mine is a solid non-mesh nylon. It sure doesn't vent. Which is why it's hot in that thing during summer.

 

Joe, mine has mesh under the vent but it just vents into the space between the liner and shell so it's not better. I didn't realize that when we looked at it.

[flat_twin]

Can't please everyone. The Stitch is perfect for me. I start thinking about the Gerbing when it gets below 70 degrees.

I guess that makes me a 1%er!

 

I agree but then I'm riding a R11RS and I find the roadcrafter has plenty of ventilation in the summer.

[BrianT]

Learn something new every day. I always thought this was a real vent but knew it didn't seem to make any difference with it open or closed. Jacket always felt the same and I just assumed that it was because of the flap over it not letting air escape. Now I know not to bother opening it. Seems like an odd design and I too wonder what exactly is it for. Why would I need to vent between the inner and outer liner?

 

Edit - I wonder if this flap design is the same on the leather Transit suit they sell. If so that means that it has zero vents. I thought it was bad enough with just the front zipper and back vent, but if it's the same means zero moving air. At least with the armpit vents on the Roadcrafter the air moves.

[snod]

I figured that we ought to get an answer from The Rider WearHouse. I sent them the following message:

 

Fine Purveyors of what I consider the finest LD riding suites in the world:

 

Why does the rear vent in the RoadCrafter not penetrate the lining?

 

The reponse follows:

 

"Thank you for your question and kind comments. The lining in the RoadCrafter suit is breathable and does allow air to circulate through the suit, especially when the under arm vents are open.

 

I've owned a Roadcrafter jacket for about 10 years and have driven with it cross country many times in 100 degree weather so I'm "big" into circulation also."

 

 

 

 

 

 

[CoarsegoldKid]

Hum bug

[snod]

Hum bug

 

That's the right word!

[johnlt]

He obviously hasen't really looked at the lining. The arm pit vent is open to the inside of the suit, not open into the area between the lining and shell. The lining material doesn't really vent very much at all. If worn on the outside it would be called a windbreaker.

[UberXY]

Edit - I wonder if this flap design is the same on the leather Transit suit they sell. If so that means that it has zero vents. I thought it was bad enough with just the front zipper and back vent, but if it's the same means zero moving air. At least with the armpit vents on the Roadcrafter the air moves.

 

My Transit has a zippered vent under the reflector strip on the back. The jacket has breathable fabric making up the armpits. I was pretty comfortable wearing it this summer, but that may in part be because I rode an F800ST which has a lot of airflow due to a very small windshield. I've worn it in a range of 38 to 100 degrees, and heavy downpours. Works fine for me.

[johnlt]

I emailed this issue to Aerostich and received the below response from the founder:

----------------

John, cc'd - Thanks for your comments and excellent question. We decided to put a rectangular shoulder-to-shoulder mesh panel into all roadcrafters directly beneath the back vent about nine months ago. This will be added to production roadcrafters quite soon, but I don't have an exact date for this change. It will also probably be available retrofitted to current roadcrafters. I don't know the price but it will be reasonable and affordable. This update will be available in the 2012 Aerostich catalogs, but not formally announced until April, so please do not forward this message or discuss this change with others.

 

There are a number of reasons why there wasn't a mesh panel in Roadcrafter linings originally. One was cost and simplicity. We do not have the resources to do everything, and the price of the finished garment needs to be affordable to the market we are targeting.

 

Other reasons involve functional considerations. The lining fabric is quite breathable, in terms of passing moisture, but as you've noted, it's also pretty windproof because it's tightly woven. This was more important in the original design for several reasons. Roadcrafters have always been 'cooler than leathers' because the textiles used are fairly windproof, but not as good as leather. Roadcrafters are drafty, so the wind-resistant lining was needed as a second layer wind barrier. It's like the porridge in the children's story about the three bears. There is a 'just right' amount of windproofness for this garment.

 

About two years ago the vent zippers under the arms and in the back vent were changed to a rubberized water and wind resistant type. Last january the main front zippers were changed to a waterproof type. All of the old zippers allowed air to pass, even when closed. The new zippers don't. So the suit has become less drafty. This means we need to increase the draftyness when the vents are open. So it has become time now to put a mesh panel into the back of the lining just beneath the back vent zipper.

 

You are a terrific customer. Thanks for your business, and even more for your encouragement.

----------------

Looks like there will be a retrofit of a mesh panel available next year which is good news. Great company that has really "evolved" their product to fine tune it. I'll be waiting for their announcement so I can get mine retrofitted.

 

[OoPEZoO]

This update will be available in the 2012 Aerostich catalogs, but not formally announced until April, so please do not forward this message or discuss this change with others

 

Oops

[johnlt]

This update will be available in the 2012 Aerostich catalogs, but not formally announced until April, so please do not forward this message or discuss this change with others

 

Oops

 

Right, oops, I guess I missed that

[CoarsegoldKid]

Don't say a word. Pass it on to ADV.

[Glenn Reed]

Don't say a word. Pass it on to ADV.

 

You don't think they have undercover operatives watching here?

[na1g]

Ooops, indeed! JohnLT's next Roadcrafter suit will NOT have any vents.

 

pete