Is Aerostitch worth the money??

[Pipes]

 Just blew a side zipper on my 10 year old Joe Rocket Ballistic 2.0 overpants and was wondering if the extra money for some Aerostitch Darian overpants is worth spending?  Not interested in leather!  I can get the same basic pants at Dennis Kirk for 150 bucks or switch to the Darien for 300 bucks.  I am also looking at a new jacket in the very near future.  I have had an interest in Aerostitch for a while but is it worth the cash?? 

[feltonjohn]

I have had my roadcrafter for about 5 years with no complaints. I recommend you ride up to Duluth and check out their gear and service for yourself. You get a 10% discount for taking a nice ride and buying in person! I think it is worth the money.

[Pipes]

I have been to the store in the past but the price was way out of my budget.  Now I can afford to get it but wondering if it is worth the extra money.

[Aprilian]

'Stich gear lasts longer than any other textile brand I have owned
I usually sell my used stuff on ebay for more than 50% of retail and then buy new
Ebay has deals occasionally so you could buy cheap, try and then decide.  http://motors.shop.ebay.com/sch/eBay-Motors-/6000/i.html?_nkw=Aerostich

[Vander]

I personally am not a fan of Aerostich... mostly because of the high prices.

Lots of other solid textile choices out there:
Olympia
Teiz Motorsports (the Navigator line is getting great reviews)
Rev It

... realize I'll probably get blasted for not supporting the "stich" as I have many friends that love theirs.  I'm just agreeing with your hesitations to take the plunge.

[Tumbler]

I have always liked Aerostitch gear but it took me a while to pull the trigger on getting a suit due to the pricing of their stuff.

I bought mine in the summer of 2010 & haven't regretted it since.  I should wear it more often but need to get the sizing checked.

They have had to adjust the suit one other time & did so without charge to me so I'm a fan of the customer service they have provided.

But like Vander said, there are other quality manufacturers out there so it's worth checking them all out.

[Tim...]

Rode with 10 German's on an Edelweiss ("Canadian Rockies") tour many years ago.  They were so impressed with my Aerostich over pants and jacket, six of them ordered  similar before returning to the Motherland.

You get what you pay for.

[snowflap]

In my opinion, yes, Stich makes great stuff and they stand behind it. I bought my Darien pants in 2001 while in town for my 10-year class reunion and had a 20-25 mph lowside while wearing them in April 2002. They scuffed a bit, but I used them as-is for 10 years. It took until 2010 for them to start leaking throught the right knee area where they were damaged.

I was in Duluth over Thanksgiving last year and brought them to the store. I showed one of the technicians where it was leaking. After looking at them, he told me that the service life was about done - showed me the discoloration of the pants around the knees and told me that abrasion resistance is in tact, but the Gore-Tex lining is no longer very effective with vapor control/waterproofing. He told me I must have had them a while ... I told him when I bought them, 10 years prior.

He put a Gore-Tex patch on the area (lower leg) and also glued on some new velcro for a knee pad that has been missing for 3-4 years. All was done while I waited and drank a few cups of coffee, and the charge was $0 10 years after the sale. I was thanked for being a customer.

[Vander]

Here's my example of above and beyond customer service from Teiz Motorsports:
I had an issue with a Teiz jacket... a common failure that they had been experiencing with a pocket zipper jamming.  They ended up refunding me entirely for the purchase price and I was able to keep the jacket with the busted pocket zipper.

Teiz Motorsports and some great stuff, too.

[Stinger]

I picked up the two piece Roadcrafter. I have ridden in weather with icicles hanging from my helmet to 112 degree temps across the desert.

I should get up to Aerostich and pick another up sometime. It's been twelve seasons and over 100,000 miles.

[Pipes]

Thanks for all the input!!  I did some research on Aerostich and Teiz gear.  I will most likely go with Aerostich because of the longevity of the gear and it is water proof.  The Teiz gear is not waterproof and I would spend most of what I saved on rain gear.   I could always buy the same Joe Rocket gear I had but I am looking to up grade.  Thank you all for advice!!

[Vander]

The Teiz gear is not waterproof and I would spend most of what I saved on rain gear. 

Dang man... I didn't know that.
They used to come with a pretty high tech breathable rain liner.

I wouldn't mind a review from you after you get your new Aerostich gear... possible?

[Deplorable, thank you!]

Dead cow.....The ultimate in crash protection, but stich or whatever has its place too...

[Vander]

Dead cow.....The ultimate in crash protection, but stich or whatever has its place too...

Dead kangaroo, I thought.

But that's for abrasion protection.  More stuff happens in a crash (impact, penetration...etc.) and in my opinion, leather is NOT always the best way to go.

[Deplorable, thank you!]

IMpact protection comes from the armor.


Slide protection comes from the material and leather of some sort will always be king.

You sure don't see any racers wearing stich.....