Spidi Admiral Suit And Touring Gloves - MC Tested - Gear Box

Spidi Admiral H2out Suit
For 25 years, the one-piece Aerostich Roadcrafter textile oversuit has been in a class of its own. That changed recently when Spidi introduced its astonishingly similar Admiral suit. Like the Roadcrafter, the Admiral's Fastwear neck-to-ankle zipper lets you step into the suit's right leg and then snug yourself inside with two quick zipper pulls. The Italian suit's construction is also comparable, with a waterproof Cordura outer layer and windproof inner liner, plus armor, pockets, vents and reflective panels in most of the same locations. The main improvement is the Admiral's more tailored fit, thanks to its Micrometric adjustable neck closure, sleeve and waist belts, pleated flex panels above the knees and clever fold-out panels that extend the back of the pant legs when in an aggressive sport-riding position.

We wore our Spidi suit for a weeklong tour of the Colorado Rockies and found it to be every bit as versatile and easy to don/doff as an Aerostich. The Admiral's main zipper is better than the Roadcrafter's in that it's wind- and waterproof, and worse in that it's difficult to get started and prone to coming apart. That zipper also contributed to the suit being somewhat stifling in hot weather, though it was relatively warm in colder climes. Speaking of zippers, the pulls on the pockets and vents are too small to grab with gloved hands. As for the suit's crashworthiness, it only scores a B as the hip and calf wore through to the inner liner in a 40-mph low-side.

At $899.99, the Admiral suit is more expensive than a $727 Roadcrafter, but it comes with a back protector so you get more for your money. It's available in black only, in men's sizes M to XXXL. www.motonation.com

Spidi Sport Composite H2out Touring Gloves
Who said you can't use sport-riding gloves for touring? Certainly not Spidi. The Italian company's Sport Composite H2Out Touring Gloves are essentially leather roadracing gloves made waterproof. The Penta knuckle-protection system uses a strategically placed polypropylene cover to absorb shocks to the back of the hand and fingers, supplemented by padding on both sides of the hand and a Keramide-reinforced palm. The wrist is closed with elastic and Velcro, and there are reflective panels on the backs of the knuckles. We found these gloves to be comfortable and waterproof, if a bit hot. That meant the lining pulled out when we extracted our sweaty paws, which in turn made putting the gloves back on that much more time-consuming. They're available in black only, in men's sizes S to XXXL, for $139.99. www.motonation.com