Base Layer under riding gear?

[Kiwithl]

Hullo,

New to riding in Thailand. Just got some mesh riding gear. 

Does anyone wear a base layer of moisture wicking coolmax type fabric to help remain cooler and dryer? Does it work?

Cotton T shirts soak up the sweat but don't dissipate it so well. Might be ok when the wind's flowing through but what about when you stop for a whatever and start sweating? Doesn't take long...

In Australia I wore wool, natural and great for hot and cold weather, moisture and body odour wicking but Lazada doesn't have wool...

[canthai55]

Under my Mesh gear I wear nothing, unless it is cool in the morning - which in the North it is.

Then a T and fleece.

Couple of years ago it was 6 and 7 C in the morning, then the full N. American setup - long johns, fleece top and bottom, down vest.

Brought my Leather jacket back last year - that will help a lot.

[VocalNeal]

I have some synthetic running shirts. I just use one of them outside my pants/trousers so the wind can evaporate any moisture that gets wicked down there. Same goes for balaclava under the helmet is is outside the jacket at the neck.

My balaclava and some sleeve things which I have are by Working Wicking. Shirts by Prayuk Sports 

[bobbin]

I use the coolmax type fabric as a base layer..just makes sense.

 

Upper body only of course.

[bobbin]

5 minutes ago, VocalNeal said:

I have some synthetic running shirts. I just use one of them outside my pants/trousers so the wind can evaporate any moisture that gets wicked down there. Same goes for balaclava under the helmet is is outside the jacket at the neck.

My balaclava and some sleeve things which I have are by Working Wicking. Shirts by Prayuk Sports 

Thanks.. I never thought of using my moisture wicking sleeves..

[pseudorabies]

I brought a HyperKool evaporative vest with me from the US when I moved here.  To use it you soak it full of water before wearing it. To be honest I'm not completely sold on it.  At least not yet.  If stuck in traffic, moving at low speeds I think it actually makes me hotter.  At higher speeds, say 50kph+, maybe it helps.  I feel like it would work better if there was more airflow through the vest.  I've started leaving the vest's front zipper open. Hopefully that will help a little bit more.  FWIW I wear a Joe Rocket mesh jacket that flows a ton of air.  I guess if I really wanted to measure how well it is working I could weigh the vest before and after my ride to see how much water has evaporated.

 

Anyway, I'm looking forward to the next brief cloudburst during my ride....

 

[bobbin]

53 minutes ago, canthai55 said:

Under my Mesh gear I wear nothing, unless it is cool in the morning - which in the North it is.

 

So i guess you are washing your kit regularly, since even mesh gear only works while you are moving...

[richard_smith237]

I just wear a ‘climacool’ type T-shirt under a Rev’it Airwave mesh jacket....

 

In the high heat and humidity in slow moving traffic the heat is overwhelming... I’ve used the motorcycle once in two weeks (also because the roads are quieter and I can drive to places easily now). 

 

The heat is a real issue when riding in Thailand, its removes a great deal of the convenience and enjoyment. I’m not about to stop wearing my ‘riding gear’ and start zipping around Bangkok in shorts and a T-shirt but I get my many do. 

 

 

 

[richard_smith237]

Who’s with me in designing an AC cooling jacket ?????

 

Something that can be plugged in the same manner an element can be heated, there must be some tech whereby an element can be cooled !!!! 

 

I’d pay good money for such a jacket, especially when combined with the conventional safety properties of a riding jacket. 

[bobbin]

4 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

I just wear a ‘climacool’ type T-shirt under a Rev’it Airwave mesh jacket....

 

In the high heat and humidity in slow moving traffic the heat is overwhelming... I’ve used the motorcycle once in two weeks (also because the roads are quieter and I can drive to places easily now). 

 

The heat is a real issue when riding in Thailand, its removes a great deal of the convenience and enjoyment. I’m not about to stop wearing my ‘riding gear’ and start zipping around Bangkok in shorts and a T-shirt but I get my many do. 

 

 

 

Unfortunately (for me) I only wear the kit on the highway rides..  in town, in the daytime, it's just unbearable to suit up..

 

I know, ATGATT.

[papa al]

19 hours ago, canthai55 said:

Under my Mesh gear I wear nothing

Ditto for papa.

After ride, pro onto a hanger

and a good hose off in the shower.

[malathione]

23 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

Who’s with me in designing an AC cooling jacket ?????

 

Something that can be plugged in the same manner an element can be heated, there must be some tech whereby an element can be cooled !!!! 

 

I’d pay good money for such a jacket, especially when combined with the conventional safety properties of a riding jacket. 

The tech exists and has for a long time: Peltier devices. But the issue is that it has one cold side and one hot side. The hot side needs heatsinks, etc. Frankly, I would not want chunks of metal embedded in my riding gear.

[Kiwithl]

Got top and undies, cheap enough. Don't fancy the nude under gear idea myself. Although that hose off idea doesn't sound too silly. The jacket, pants and skin?

[Kiwithl]

And not tucking in the balaclava and shirt is a good idea too, I think. Dunno for sure cos haven't tried it yet.

[richard_smith237]

On 4/27/2021 at 1:18 PM, bobbin said:

Unfortunately (for me) I only wear the kit on the highway rides..  in town, in the daytime, it's just unbearable to suit up..

 

I know, ATGATT.

 

I’m definitely ATGATT....  any off will simply cost me too much if it results in any necessary recover time (where I can’t go to work - i.e. broken arm, leg, serious road rash etc)... Riding is already a significant compromise. 

 

I may do a 7-11 run 1km down the road with just Gloves, Helmet and trainers... but still shorts and T-shirt (never flip flops) - I never hit a main road with out full gear. 

 

An AC jacket would be amazing !

 

 

[richard_smith237]

On 4/28/2021 at 12:47 PM, malathione said:

The tech exists and has for a long time: Peltier devices. But the issue is that it has one cold side and one hot side. The hot side needs heatsinks, etc. Frankly, I would not want chunks of metal embedded in my riding gear.

 

The ‘heated skiing coats’ don’t have ‘chunks of metal’ rather they have flexible threaded elements which are a malleable as the fabric and heat up.....   If there were an equally malleable metal for material which could be intertwined within an inner layer of fabric which under ‘power’ (battery or plugged into the bike) could offer ‘chilling / cooling’ properties..... 

 

... this obviously requires some serious materials tech....  I don’t think the technology is there yet - anything involving ‘cooling’ something seems to involve the compression of gasses and are thus too bulky for a jacket. 

[malathione]

1 minute ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

The ‘heated skiing coats’ don’t have ‘chunks of metal’ rather they have flexible threaded elements which are a malleable as the fabric and heat up.....   If there were an equally malleable metal for material which could be intertwined within an inner layer of fabric which under ‘power’ (battery or plugged into the bike) could offer ‘chilling / cooling’ properties..... 

 

Yes, but heating is different from cooling. It is desirable for the jacket to absorb the excess energy in the form of heat. In the case of cooling, the excess energy must be absorbed and dissipated by something other than the fabric or your body, that means heat sinks if it is to be done efficiently.

 

Peltiers do not use compression or gasses. It is the property of the materials employed that allow them to have a cool and hot side.

[jackdd]

16 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

The ‘heated skiing coats’ don’t have ‘chunks of metal’ rather they have flexible threaded elements which are a malleable as the fabric and heat up.....   If there were an equally malleable metal for material which could be intertwined within an inner layer of fabric which under ‘power’ (battery or plugged into the bike) could offer ‘chilling / cooling’ properties..... 

 

... this obviously requires some serious materials tech....  I don’t think the technology is there yet - anything involving ‘cooling’ something seems to involve the compression of gasses and are thus too bulky for a jacket. 

The problem is that this is just not possible physically. Unless you can overcome the physical limitations of our reality, there is no easy solution to this problem.

[richard_smith237]

5 minutes ago, jackdd said:

The problem is that this is just not possible physically. Unless you can overcome the physical limitations of our reality, there is no easy solution to this problem.

 

Not yet...  the tech will come though....  as material science develops.....  (hopefully sooner rather than later - next week would be good !)./

[jackdd]

14 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

Not yet...  the tech will come though....  as material science develops.....  (hopefully sooner rather than later - next week would be good !)./

No, it won't, due to physics.

To generate heat all we have to do is use energy, so generating heat is quite easy.

But we can't just use energy and generate "coldness".

All we can do is "move heat away", but we still need to get rid of this heat somehow, that's how a fridge, an aircon, or the aforementioned peltier element works.

 

The closest we can come to "generating coldness" is through evaporation, but that's not really effective and requires a fluid (water) as "fuel". If you are feeling too hot poor some water over you, this will cool you down a bit and is currently probably the best solution we have.

 

 

[papa al]

 

Pouring cold water down inside back collar works great.

[Randell]

That what I do just a shot down the back of the neck  very refreshing and with the vented mesh seat cover it doesn't uncomfortably pool up in your saddle area so to speak 555

[VocalNeal]

19 hours ago, Kiwithl said:

And not tucking in the balaclava and shirt is a good idea too, I think. Dunno for sure cos haven't tried it yet.

 

Also my riding pants/trousers are from Korea or Japan so are made for Asian bums and are a bit wanting in the crotch to waist department and they ride a bit low. So having ones underwear exposed is also beneficial.

[richard_smith237]

10 minutes ago, Randell said:

That what I do just a shot down the back of the neck  very refreshing and with the vented mesh seat cover it doesn't uncomfortably pool up in your saddle area so to speak 555

 

Does’t the vodka evaporate too quickly in the heat ????

 

Also... it adds to the mess of walking into EmQuatier not only a hot sweating mess, but reeking like a 10am wino... 

[papa al]

6 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

Does’t the vodka evaporate too quickly in the heat ????

 

Also... it adds to the mess of walking into EmQuatier not only a hot sweating mess, but reeking like a 10am wino... 

If the alcohol has done evaporated, how can it be smelled?

[Kinnock]

I now have a mesh jacket with body armour that has a reflective silver, perforated outer shell.   Much cooler than my old black and red mesh jacket.  

 

I just wear a climacool running shirt under - makes riding anywhere (except in Bangkok traffic jams) bearable - but in traffic jams when stuck under the BTS I still feel like my inside are going to boil out of my ears.