Request for Aerostitch reviews

I had a stich for a couple months. Then it got hot here in Houston. That was the end of that. If I lived in a more reasonable climate, I'd definitely have another (used) one. It fit well, was comfortable, had plenty of ventilation (up to about 80 degrees) with the right clothing under it. If you are commuting or taking trips where you don't want to stop and put on a rain suit, it's perfect. If you live where it's HOT all the time, it's a little more difficult to stay comfortable. All that being said, it was really nice when it was cooler and I could just ride in some warm-ups and a T-shirt and never worry about being cold. And it has armor and reflective stuff. If you're getting it for a good price, you should pick it up. If you don't like it after a while you can sell it for what you paid for it (at least) on craigslist or ebay or the Beemer board. Hope that helped. Oh, and I'll probably be looking at the suit that firstgear has out right now since I don't have the stich anymore and I like the idea of a one piece for commuting.

I have an Aerostitch Darien Jacket (Hi-Viz Yellow). I've worn it in everything from 85 degrees to 40 degrees and been comfortable. I just remove the fleece liner if it gets too hot and open vents. I've also worn it in very heavy rains (lovely Seattle weather) and have always stayed dry. Overall a very nice jacket and I love it. The only thing I have noticed is the Darien is a little long, so it is more comfy to wear it on the Mutistrada vs. the Monster due to the riding position. If I rode the Monster exclusively, I'd probably get the Roadcrafter. I mainly wear it when it's cold and/or raining, otherwise I have a Vanson...Seattle never gets that hot though.

I also just got a pair of Darien pants. I haven't worn them yet, but the material is the same as my jacket so they should be just as waterproof. They are much more comfortable than my Tecknic Monsoon overpants, which make me feel like the Stay Puff Marshmallow Man. They seem to be just as, if not more, comfortable than my Joe Rocket Alter Ego overpants. The construction and armor appears to be far superior to both of those other pants. They will be my year round pants from now on.

I've got the Darien "Light" jacket and pants. In retrospect I think I should have gone with the heavier material in a regular Darien or Roadcrafter. But it still works well and is a great suit.

You asked what makes it different than other moto gear, so here's a short list:

- Design. These are probably the most intelligently designed moto clothes I've ever used. The pockets are all in the right places, the neck strap actually adjusts and works well, the zips close the cuffs but leave the adjustment just right, etc. etc. etc. They are clearly a) designed by people who ride, and b) refined over time with suggestions from owners

- Support. This begins with ordering, where you get real live, knowledgeable human beings (remember them?) who help you with your order and make sure the suit fits right. Then, if something bad happens (like it did to me) they will repair your suit for a very reasonable fee - I had the entire left arm of my jacket replaced. Plus the did some "upgrades" to the jacket to bring it up to current jacket specs. Nice. I think if you factor in the repairability, the 'stitch comes out being competitive vs. buying a new suit should something happen to your Cortech, A*, etc. and you need to replace it.

- Quality. The Darien has no crotch zipper, so it is waterproof, period. When I first got it, I put some seam sealer on the inside, mostly as a matter of habit, but I suspect I didn't really need to do that. Every detail on the jacket is nicely done, from the quality of the zipper pulls, to the reflective stuff that doesn't crack or chip.

To be balanced, here are the downsides:
- Cost. Yeah, they're expensive.
- Loose fit means the armor can slide around. Probably true with most textile jackets. The fact you can layer underneath means they aren't snug like a leather jacket, and in theory the armor could rotate around, although that wasn't my experience, but it was a low speed crash.
- Too many pockets! Seriously, you can spend 15 minutes hunting for something in a 'stitch because there are so many places you could have put it! [laugh]

Anyway, that's my 2 cents worth. If it fits well, I say go for it.