Oh I care... and listening. I'm still subscribed to this thread and reading every post. I appreciate everyone's input and I'm also happy others are getting something from this conversation.

Thanks Tom for your recommendations about the MEC Physique. We are bringing a similar jacket, the Marmot DriClime Catalyst. It's very warm, light, warm in wind, packable and good in light rain. For the anticipated Central American mid-day downpours, we also have breathable outter shells, the MEC Hydrofoil.

Cheers!

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» “What do you expect to find there? Well, if I knew, I wouldn’t go there!” — Jacques Cousteau

So .... you've never actually owned a Gerbing then?

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Patrick passed Dec 2018. RIP Patrick!

I love it when someone hijacks the post and asks something totally unrelated, like: Hey MountainGuy - how's that new 800GS working for you in South America? Issues? did you ever get your v-strom racks converted over to work on that thing?

And, how did you manage to keep the weight gain to only 10 lbs.? You weren't working out, were you?

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quastdog
Chiang Mai, Thailand

"We are bringing a similar jacket, the Marmot DriClime Catalyst. It's very warm, light, warm in wind, packable and good in light rain. For the anticipated Central American mid-day downpours, we also have breathable outter shells, the MEC Hydrofoil."

Very nice gear, looks like you are well sorted and much better organized than I. And most times the best gear to use is the stuff we already own! I do still prefer the puffy jacket to soft shells though, it is just a fair bit warmer and packs to about the same size. Personal preference in the end.



"So .... you've never actually owned a Gerbing then? Only your homemade Anglo-Argentine electric rig? And I'm guessing you've bettered the Gerbing product on your first try?
Do you still use it?"

Lol, the ugly feat of Anglo/Argentinian/German engineering was sent home in the post but was sorely missed a couple of days up north. You are speaking to the converted though, electric gear is great stuff as you say, it is indeed a bit surprising that it is not more common in other countries (outside of North America) where is gets chilly. I would've bought some, but you can't really find it anywhere in South America.

"Actually, Beer and meat make you colder (initially, anyway) As a Canadian I'm sure you know all this "cold stuff", right? (like Mother's Milk, eh?)"

You are right about that stuff making you colder, that's why we also bring along whisky.

We are probably somewhat used to suffering in the cold though, it's the hot temps that I can especially use more experience and advice from the crusty old desert dogs



"I love it when someone hijacks the post and asks something totally unrelated, like: Hey MountainGuy - how's that new 800GS working for you in South America? Issues? did you ever get your v-strom racks converted over to work on that thing?

And, how did you manage to keep the weight gain to only 10 lbs.? You weren't working out, were you?"

Hey Chuck, I couldn't stop riding the damn thing and made it to Alaska a couple of weeks ago. Great ride, no major issues, and did finally finish making the crash bars and made the luggage racks fit. Lol, kilos, lbs, sometimes getting them confused is not a bad thing. How's SA? Matteo mentioned that you guys hung out and watched the GP when in Cape Town.