At a glance, Aerostich’s new RoadcrafterLight one-piece suit looks strikingly similar to the original Roadcrafter suit made famous for its innovative design that allows riders to gear up in just seconds. Constructed from 200D Gore-Tex high tenacity nylon, the company’s new suit is actually quite different though, and features a number of other improvements, including a new cut, completely waterproof zippers, a snap-down collar and adjustable impact pad positions.
Designed as a suit that is more comfortable and convenient for motorcycle riders who commute daily, and for warmer conditions, the RoadcrafterLight appeared to be the perfect suit for us. Tired of the somewhat impractical gear we had been wearing (with little ventilation) we gave the team at Aerostich a call and put in an order.
When our RoadcrafterLight suit showed up, it didn’t disappoint. As is the case with the Roadcrafter, getting in and out of the RoadcrafterLight takes just seconds, and our 46 long example fits well, going over our street clothes with ease. Yes, you read that correctly. The company not only offers an array of sizes, but they also offer each in a short, regular or long length—perfect for those especially long or short in the inseam.
In comparison to the original, the new one-piece suit is exponentially lighter. And according to the company, the 200D Gore-Tex nylon material still provides two-thirds the abrasion resistance of the Roadcrafter. Because we planned to use this suit daily, we chose to spend the extra $100 and order the company’s optional pad set as well. With the set come TF3 elbow, shoulder and knee pads, all of which were easy to fit thanks to the Velcro offerings and adjustable positions within the suit. And in conjunction with the double-layer shoulder, elbow, forearm, knee and shin areas, the pads will offer sufficient protection in the event of a crash.
Aside from how practical the suit is, what impressed us most is the amount of pockets/storage the RoadcrafterLight offers. In fact, there are a total of seven outer pockets, each very generous in size. We found that the chest pocket, cargo pocket and right thigh pocket provided more than enough storage room, with ample space for all the essentials we would normally load a backpack with. Each of the pockets is seam taped too, and water-resistant zippers ensure your phone and other accessories won’t get damaged should the weather gods turn on you.
From a structural standpoint, the new waterproof zippers look to be more than up to the challenge, although we weren’t able to test them given the sunny weather we’ve had of late here in Southern California.
And while things still got a tad bit warm in the RoadcrafterLight during our commutes in 90-degree weather, the suit’s ventilation does an adequate job of flowing air. The underarm vents especially cool things down within the suit, and the two-way back vent does a sufficient job, although it was deemed ineffective when we did resort to wearing a backpack.
Our only gripe with the new suit are the color options; while the hi-viz colors are a plus, more than just the two choices would be nice (for now, the suit is only offered in grey with hi-viz accents or hi-viz with grey accents). Still, you can’t argue with the practicality of the suit. And for just $667 ($767 with pad set), the RoadcrafterLight offers a great alternative for the everyday rider looking for something that is comfortable and more suitable for warmer conditions.
For those riders looking for even more protection both from the elements and crashes, the company offers a number of other accessories, all of which are reasonably priced. The optional boot rain covers, sleeve map pocket, hip pads and back protector are all options that fit the suit easily and come to mind.
DETAILS
Aerostich RoadcrafterLight one-piece suit
Retail: $667.00 ($767.00 with pad set)
36 regular; 38–52 short, regular or long
Aerostich
www.aerostich.com