I have a Savanah suit but wanted something that didn't require spending the day in riding pants. Just got the Darien pants - nicely executed with 500 denier cordura nylon and hard armour in most of the right spots. The 500 denier is sturdy but feels too light to prevent a real asphalt chafing if wearing shorts underneath. It is light enough to ride in NC summers and can be removed using the side zippers. Fit and finish is good but order the pants length 1 to 2 inches longer than your norm to fully cover street clothes pants leg. The Darien would be better without all the hook & loop (velcro) designed to accommodate other Aerostitch accessories. Also I worry that the velcro will deteriorate around zippers since the stuff is ususally made from polypropylene which is easily damaged by UV rays. In all though a nice garment that goes well with most all textile jackets and allows the flexibility to have street clothes under serious riding gear so as not to appear to be a poseur without a bike.
My Darien pants have been mostly bulletproof with just occasional leakage in the crotch if I don't position the storm flap just right. I agree about all the superfluous velcro.....wish the pants and the coat could be ordered without it. Jon
Really? Our weather isn't that different and I can't imagine wearig them on a hot day - no ventilation, and all black - way too hot, IMHO.
I wear Darien pants everyday. Of course it's perfect weather here all the time, but nonetheless, I wear them everywhere from very cold and wet to very hot and dry, and they are quite versatile. There is no perfect riding gear. Waterproof and good ventilation are pretty much polar opposites. It's like expecting a flat-chested woman to have nice cleavage. It just ain't gonna happen. If I lived in Atlanta, I'd probably be after perfed leathers with a rainsuit in the tankbag for summer.
Well, it's been raining lot here lately, but still a tad warm. So I've been wearing the Joe Rocket Phoenix pants. Got nice and wet going to the dentist on Tuesday. What the hell, at least they were wet from the outside in, not the inside out. Not so bad when you're moving, it's when you're waiting at a light that you can feel it getting through. Darien jacket with all vent zips open was fine. Aerostich deerskin gloves with three layers of waterproofing survived, 'though a bit damp. Wow, even with perforations, leather's got to be hot. I don't mind getting a Marsee vest and getting wet etc. for a long distance ride. But within the city, when you have to be semi presentable when you get to where you're going, it doesn't seem like such a good idea. I got some Cool Max t-shirts, but they don't seem to help too much. Really light gym shorts and a muscle t-shirt under hot weather riding gear work the best for me so far. I'm thinking San Joser wx is a little more forgiving that Atlanta's. I lived in Sacramento for about 8 years, and it was hot. But once you get out of the valley, it's a lot cooler, I seem to remember.
