Olympic Phantom One Piece Suit

[skyway_rider]

Hey Fred. I got my Darien Light about a year ago. Sounds like I just missed out on getting the collar magnets and snaps. That figures. Anyway, mine does have the soft collar but not magnets or snaps....nor the ability to cinch up the sleeves. I would not care about that as much as having the collar magnets. I wonder how much I could get for my Darien on ebay? Might just wash it up and see. Or I might go for the one piece Darien Light Roadcrafter. I know it also has the magnets and collar snaps. Little stuff like that makes a big difference. It sounds nit picky but these things make a difference. It's like when looking for another car or truck, I take notice of the cup holders and where can I sit my bacon egg and cheese biscuit? Glad your Darien is working out.

[bldrman]

Well Fred, I guess I'm following in your footsteps! I've also been wearing Darien pants with a variety of jackets. Most recent is a now older Kilimanjaro, which is really a nice jacket. I also have the original Tourmaster transition jacket, which I use as a mesh jacket for local rides. After the Phantom debacle, I ordered a Tourmaster Epic jacket from Revzilla on sale for $150+. It is also Hi Viz, but it has a lot of black accents on the shoulders, arms, and back to break up the gaudiness. it came yesterday, and it fits very well. I'm happy so far, but then again the first rain drop hasn't hit it yet! I don't feel quite so much like Chiquita Banana in this, and I'll still have black pants. I strongly considered the Darien jacket, but it looked like it didn't have all the features it might have had at that price point. The only flaw I've found with Tourmaster in the past is that they skimp on their zippers. Syd

[Paco Bulto]

My Tourmaster Transition 2 is not mesh. If you have one that converts to mesh, it must be the Flex. My Transition 2 has zippered vents that have way too much velcro, for my tastes and the sleeves are too tight, with too small of an opening at the wrists to flow any air up the sleeves. It is a good cool weather jacket and the hi viz looks good, but it is too hot in warmer weather and if it rains, although it kept me dry underneath, it weighed a ton, as the outer layer soaks up the water before it gets to the waterproof barrier. Not a bad jacket for the price. It took quite a bit of contemplation on my part to convince myself, but I finally decided to bite the bullet and spend $437 for the new Darien Light and am very happy with that decision, after riding over 7,000 miles in it since I got it in June.

BTW, I also like the improvements in the newer Darien AD1 pants, as they fit me better, not as baggy, have velcro flaps on the front pockets so your stuff does not fall out when you drape the pants over a chair after the ride and the pocket on the front of the left leg is really, really handy, as I keep my wallet there and it is simple to get to it at gas stops, etc.

[skyway_rider]

I just looked on Aerostich's website plus their 2012 catalog here at home and neither says the Darien Light jacket has the magnets or collar snaps. But obviously it does. They need to start advertising the actual features of their jackets. My DL is Hi-Viz. I often get asked if I'm a fire fighter. I just say "why yes I am. I saved ninety eight people in the World Trade Center on 911". Just kidding. But I do get asked if I'm a fire fighter.

[bldrman]

You are right about my old Tourmaster being the Flex. I did wear it to Taos in 2010, and carried the panels in case I needed them. Of course it was so hot that they never came out of the luggage. The jacket was comfortable though.

I will see how this works out. Who knows, there may be a new Darien outfit in my future? Syd

[skyway_rider]

After using the Roadcrafter one piece suit for a number of years then using the Darien Light jacket with First Gear pants I see both set-ups have their pro's and con's. My idea of getting away from the one piece is that I often would wear the Roadcrafter into a restaurant while on a motorcycle trip. Putting the suit back on was risky as I could easily maim ten or twenty people in the process....so I thought just having to deal with a jacket would be easier, however, looking back it was nice to get out of all the moto gear when off the bike and also I have to say it was easier and quicker getting in and out of the Roadcrafter than it is to put on separate jacket and pants. I also worry about a jacket riding up on my body in a crash if I end up sliding backwards. No worries of that in a one piece suit.

[Paco Bulto]

I just looked on Aerostich's website plus their 2012 catalog here at home and neither says the Darien Light jacket has the magnets or collar snaps. But obviously it does. They need to start advertising the actual features of their jackets. My DL is Hi-Viz. I often get asked if I'm a fire fighter. I just say "why yes I am. I saved ninety eight people in the World Trade Center on 911". Just kidding. But I do get asked if I'm a fire fighter.

Yes, I noticed in their email ads that I get that they don't show the sleeve straps and don't mention the collar improvements. I do recall getting a sale flier earlier in the year that told about the updates for 2012 and it mentioned the Darien updates. I got an email from Andy a while back after I sent some feedback to them about the new jacket. I'll send him the suggestion that they update their advertising.

Nobody has asked me that question since I have been wearing my hi viz Darien, but that did happen several years ago when I had a red Darien jacket. I walked in to pay for my gas and the lady at the counter asked me if there had been a fire.

[Paco Bulto]

After using the Roadcrafter one piece suit for a number of years then using the Darien Light jacket with First Gear pants I see both set-ups have their pro's and con's. My idea of getting away from the one piece is that I often would wear the Roadcrafter into a restaurant while on a motorcycle trip. Putting the suit back on was risky as I could easily maim ten or twenty people in the process....so I thought just having to deal with a jacket would be easier, however, looking back it was nice to get out of all the moto gear when off the bike and also I have to say it was easier and quicker getting in and out of the Roadcrafter than it is to put on separate jacket and pants. I also worry about a jacket riding up on my body in a crash if I end up sliding backwards. No worries of that in a one piece suit.

My problem with my Roadcrafter is that I got tired of geting wet any time I rode thru heavy rain. I understand that they now have waterproof zippers, but they still run up the inner leg. The Darien pants design with the zippers on the outer leg, covered by flaps have proven to be totally waterproof for me.