Product Update Olympia Air Glide Overpants

I have been using First Gear HT Overpants which were initially very
satisfactory. They kept me dry and had winter liners for the cold days
but they didn't wear well. After the first year the seam in the crotch
started leaking and continued to deteriorate, the pockets ripped out
after about 2 years, and after 8 years I decided I really needed new pants.

Based on a recommendation by Jim Glimpse, the local Olympia distributor,
I now have a new pair of "Air Glide" overpants. These are attractive and
well fitting pants. The only drawback I could see is that the outer
shell is not waterproof, waterproofing is achieved with the inner liner
(an attractive pair of pants in their own right). The problem with an
endurance rider having to don an inner liner is the time required. While
this is a serious drawback I decided I wasn't all that pleased with the
waterproofness of the First Gear pants and it was time for a change.

My first ride of the season was to the IronButt Association Pizza party
in Jacksonville, Fl. This is an annual event that occurs the last Friday
of the Daytona Bike week in March.

I left out of Raleigh Friday for my 500 mile trip early in the morning.
It was still dark and the temps were in the mid 30's. I donned the
Olympia Air Glide pants with the liner.

I was impressed with the way the pants kept me warm. The weather was
chilly until almost Savannah, Ga. It warmed up quite a bit but not so
much that I wanted to stop and remove the pant liners. I think they
would have to go if I knew I was riding very long in 80+ temps.

The weather Saturday morning was a balmy 80ish in Jacksonville so the
pant liners were removed. This warm weather really sold me on these
pants. The mesh allows plenty of air flow. The First Gear HT overpants are
NOT warm weather pants, even though I have worn them in 100+
temps. The trade off of having warm weather pants is well worth the time
I may need to spend donning the pant liners in cool or wet weather.

Thankfully there was no rain on this trip so I will have to report on
wet weather riding on a future report.

Look for more updates. I am off to the Cape Fear 1000 this coming weekend.

--
Mike Langford [aka Pete]
Raleigh, NC
IBA#341
http://employees.org/~mlangfor/
The mysteries of life?
"it's faster horses, younger women, older whiskey, and more money"
Tom T. Hall