Two-Piece Cordura Waterproofs Comparison - Motorcycle Clothing Reveiw

12th November 2007

Riding Kit: Two-Piece Cordura Waterproofs Comparison

Blimey it's cold out there. Martin Gelder compares mid-price Hein Gericke "Journey" winter waterproofs with the lower cost "Aqua-Pore" equivalent from Frank Thomas...

Is it worth spending the extra money on an expensive winter riding clobber, or can you get the same warmth and comfort from a cheaper alternative? I found myself pondering this very question during a particularly wet 500 mile ride last autumn, and resolved to try and find out the answer.

Generally, I've always gone for the more expensive option, working on the basis that I ride nearly all year round and rely on good biking gear to deliver me to my destination in a warm, dry and fit state to get on with what I'm supposed to be doing.

In the past this has meant getting down to a days work in the office, more recently it's meant sitting in business meetings or walking about in the fresh air doing the journalist thing. Either way, arriving with a big wet patch round my crotch or suffering from chattering teeth and numb knees is no-no.

My requirements are for a two piece jacket and trouser set that is guaranteed waterproof, has a zip-out liner, has at least one waterproof inner pocket, comes with body armour on the elbows, shoulders, knees and back, that can be worn over normal business clothes and taken off fairly swiftly, and that is comfortably enough for day-long riding.

Hein Gericke "Journey" Jacket (left) and Frank Thomas "Aqua Pore" Jacket (right)

For the last 12 months I've been wearing a Frank Thomas "Aqua-Pore" suit, bought for about £160 from my local bike shop. For the three years before that I'd used a similar specification but more expensive Hein Gericke "Journey" suit that would cost about £330 today.

Same Difference

Starting with the similarities, both are made of a tough nylon type outer fabric with an inner waterproof membrane that claims to be breathable, keeping rain water out but letting sweat escape from inside. Both have padded zip-out liners to allow the suits to be used in a variety of temperatures, both have zips to attach the waist of the trousers to the inside of the jackets, both have enough pockets for every eventuality, and so on. Both come with body armour and various areas of reinforced material on the elbows and knees, but luckily enough I've not had to test the crash-resistance of either suit.

Hein Gericke "Journey" Jacket and Trousers, about £330

Fit and Fiddling

As you might be able to tell from the smudgy and blurred photographs dotted around the page, the Hein Gericke suit is tailored to fit someone sitting in a fairly relaxed riding position, while the Frank Thomas one is… well, it's shaped for someone with the normal number of arms and legs, but that's about it. I'm slightly under-height for my weight but found that the belt on the Frank Thomas jacket was much too high, ending up well above my waist if it was tightened up.

However, the Frank Thomas jacket has a more practical inner pocket than the H-G one, accessed from the storm flap covering the zip without having to unzip the jacket itself. Both jackets have huge pockets below the waist at the back of the jacket; big enough for a spare set of gloves or a rolled up pair of unlined waterproof trousers, but the Hein Gericke also came with a removable neck warmer (not shown in the photos because I've removed it and put it somewhere… safe) that made a big difference to snugness on the coldest days.

Warmth

New jackets are always warmer than old ones, as the insulation material seems to pack down over time, reducing their ability to retain heat. Having said that, the Frank Thomas suit seems slightly more wind proof; side winds from a certain direction would sneak through the flap over the zip on the Hein Gericke jacket but have yet to penetrate the extra Velcro fastening on the FT jackets zip flap.

Frank Thomas "Aqua Pore" Jacket and Trousers, about £160

Waterproofing

After three years use, the Hein Gericke suit was starting to absorb and hold water on the bends of the arms and around the crotch. The trousers had leaked when new but they were replaced by Hein Gericke with no hassle whatsoever and the new set had been fine. However, it had started to feel as though the outer Cordura material was letting water through and leaving the inner membrane to do all the work. Fine in theory, but in practice it was leaving my arms and bum feeling very cold and clammy on short rides and was a real pain on longer trips; distracting at best, and a real energy-sapper. To make matters worse, once wet it felt as though the inner "breathable" membrane was then making sure that it took longer than expected for everything to dry out.

After a miserable winter and one of the wettest summers on record, the Frank Thomas suit has proved itself completely waterproof. Actually, it's proved itself *too* waterproof. The Aqua-Pore breathable membrane doesn't work anywhere near as well as the Hein Gericke version, and on quite a few occasions I've arrived wetter from sweat held inside the new suit that I would have done if I'd ridden through heavy rain in the older one. The Frank Thomas suit is just too sweaty to be practical.

This isn't a problem while riding in the depths of winter, but if you need to do any non-motorcycling activities (?) while wearing the jacket - strolling round an outdoor bike show, walking from a bike park to the spectator area at a race track, queuing for a burger and a coffee at an autojumble - you can expect to generate your own sub-tropical micro climate inside the jacket, complete with damp patches where you don't really want them.

I hadn't realised how good the breathable membrane in the Hein Gericke kit was until I started using the Frank Thomas gear in slightly milder weather.

How Much?

Hein Gericke "Journey" Jacket and Trousers

Cost: Jacket about £200, trousers about £130 - Total £330

Frank Thomas "Aqua Pore" Jacket and Trousers

Cost: Jacket about £90, trousers about £70 - Total £160

Conclusion

So which is best? If they both cost the same amount, the Hein Gericke combo would win hands down. No question. It's better made, more comfortable and more practical.

If you want a suit that will only be worn in winter, and if all you're going to do while wearing it is ride a motorbike, then the Frank Thomas gear is much better value at half the price of the Hein Gericke suit.

The Hein Gericke suit leaked after three years, despite efforts to re-proof it. Until then, I would say it was at least twice as good as the Frank Thomas kit for the use I was putting it to. So ultimately I have to say it was better value despite being more expensive.

The Alternative

There is, of course, an alternative. Both companies make genuine Gore-Tex lined suits which may well prove more waterproof and breathable over a longer life, but this comes at a price. Hein Gericke's "Cruise" jacket costs £400, the trousers £330. I've got bikes that cost less than that…

The alternative, alternative is a cheap unlined waterproof suit worn over decent leathers. Not as practical if your riding comes before and after a day of work, but better in many other ways.

Anyone got their own recommendations?

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