It's easy to get confused by marketing. So, let me give you my thoughts on the matter.

First, the ratings:
0-5,000 mm No resistance to some resistance to moisture. Light rain, dry snow, no pressure.

6,000-10,000 mm Rainproof and waterproof under light pressure. Light rain, average snow, light pressure.

11,000-15,000 mm Rainproof and waterproof except under high pressure. Moderate rain, average snow, light pressure.

16,000-20,000 mm Rainproof and waterproof under high pressure. Heavy rain, wet snow, some pressure. Think PNW.

20,000 mm+ Rainproof and waterproof under very high pressure. Heavy rain, wet snow, high pressure.

But as I will soon let you know - this really isn't all that important. Yes you get what you pay for, but is the best really the best option?

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Riding a bike under wet conditions hour at end is not like walking in the rain - the speed makes you exposed to very high pressure! If you want to feel confident that your gear is truely waterproof on a long wet ride, only the best will do - and it is really expensive (i.e. GoreTex)! Not only does the "whateveryoucallitbrantypeofbreathablesupertechfab ric" need to wothstand 20.000mm or more to keep you bone dry in heavy rain while riding, the seams that the the clothing manufacturer provides has to be top notch (taped, bonded, etc) with great quality control - really expensive. The seems, zippers and other closings are usually the weakest link, and you get what you pay for here as well. But again, do you really need it to be all that good?

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Breathability???
The breathability advertised is a lie! It works in laboratory conditions, but not very well in a biker's world. First off, for it to work the inside of the garment has to be hotter and more humid than the outside. Ideally, you should be sweating like a pig from exerting yourself, on a really cool dry day, with no dense outer layer outsdie the breathable fabric, and with all vents closed up and gaps sinched shut - then the vapor will pass through the fabric! Now, under what type of riding conditions would you actually do that?

Second, in rain, the outer layer of your motorcycle jacket/pant will be drenched by rain which, the inside vapor would have to pass through - effectively reducing the effectiveness of the breathability of the tech. These types of fabrics do come to their own right under conditions where you excert yourself in cooler conditions - hot and sweaty. That however rarely fits with the riding I do - if ever. Most of the time, we just sit there and bite our teeth through all the pins and needles hitting our face - rarely sweating much. And when it is hot and not raining, we open up all the vents.

To add to this, now that you are wet from both the inside and the outside, how long will that jacket take to dry out??? Now you are effectively wearing a vapor-cooler arround your entire body until it has dried out entirely... and under cool humid conditions on days with slow rides, it could take days! Brrrrrr!!!!

The breathability of the garment comes first and foremost from the vents in your garment, not the fabrics. And as these vents are closed up in the rain, what use is it? So, in short - breathability in the rain? Forget about it!

The breathability of the fabricis for when it doesn't rain, and then the vents does like 99% of the job anyways. So, a less waterproof fabric, that offers higher breathability might actually be beneficial (read the section below about alternatives). No sense in speding top dollar then for the most expensive brand of liner? But spending money on great craftmanship on integrating the liner in the garment might still be worth it - somewhat.

Removeable liner?
Removeable liners are cheaper than the stuff that is bonded to the outer layer, which again puts far greater demands on the manufacturer on the garment to get it right (very expensive). The removable liners are marketed for their versatility - in most cases it is BS. With changing climate conditions on a ride - having to stop in the rain, get drenched from the inside while having to take off your outer garment to zip in the liner??? And then having to take off the outer garments once agian to get it out when it clears? Most of us think it too much of h hassle and leave it in unless we ride in areas where it is both hot and the probability of rain in the forseable future is very low - because we may want the wind protection it provides even if it doesn't rain. In my case, the liner only comes out on day-trips where I'm certain the entire day will be warm and dry - or on longer trips where I will be riding in arid regions that hardly ever see rain.

Also, the removeable liner ads bulk...

The alternative
Now, the really good bonded stuff is expensive. I prefer it 90% of the time over the removeable stuff, but find the cost difficult to justify. I'm more adapt to spurge out for it than restrain myself, because I am stupid like that.

A good alternative, and often better, is to buy a garment that will keep you dry in light rain that doesn't last that long. In addition, carry an inexpensive rain suit in your luggage. (Remember, even if the jacket is so good that no water will pass through from the outside - if that outside layer gets drenched, it will cool you down forever). An inexpensive rain suit prevents all this. It keeps you dry and warm, and once the rain stops. This has been my go to option since the very beginning. Even if I now own great gear, I still brake out the rainsuit when it gets really bad. I'm left with the sense that I could have spared myself a lot of money by buying a cheaper jacket/pant, and not miss out on much.



What are your thoughts?

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