There's No Cure For Wet Hands

Blog Date - 18 May 2011

22 Years I've been riding.  22 Years of sunshine and rain and grey days.  You'd think the way any Englishman talks that it rains perpetually in the UK.  After 22 years of riding I know that is not the case, but when it is raining it sure feels like it.  I was a despatch rider for 2 years and a bike instructor for over 3, I know what it's like to get wet and stay wet.

Things have improved.  I'm not really certain as to why though.  On the one hand I could argue that motorcycle clothing has improved and waterproof gear is, for the most part, waterproof.  On the other hand it's true to say these days I have a little more money and can afford reasonable equipment to stay dry.  

Another thing that has changed is that I refuse to pay good money for gear that does not do what it says.  I'll only buy gear that states that it is waterproof.  I make sure there's a tag that states it's waterproof and when I get home I put the receipt and the tag somewhere safe.  If within 12 months I find there's even the slightest wet patch, usually around the crotch or on the elbows, I take the item, the receipt and the tag back to the place of purchase.  If they won't swap it I play holy hell and make thier lives miserable until they do.

There's one item that is never waterproof.  Gloves.  That's wrong actually.  The gloves themselves can be and sometimes are waterproof, it's the way they're used that lets the water in.  You see there's 2 choices.

You can put the gloves on "over" your jacket.  By that I mean put your jacket on then the gloves next.  Most gloves have a "flare" where the jackets sits in.  Whilst moving in the rain this works to stop the rain blowing into the sleeve, but when you stop at lights or junctions the water on the sleeve runs into the glove.  

You could take the time and effort to tuck the gloves into the sleeves, fasten the jacket over the flare.  That's a real time consuming pain, no good if you've just popped to the shops for some ciggies.  If you've a long trip it's worth the effort, but if heavy rain you'll still get wet.  The rain blows up the cuff of the sleeve and get the back down into the glove eventaully.  

The only solution I've come up with is to have a jacket where the gloves are integral.  Smashing, there's no issues with the glove/jacket interface.  Hmmm.  Imagine then trying to fasten the jacket with the integrated gloves already on.  Imagine having to remove the jacket at the petrol station just to get your gloves off.  It just doesn't quite work does it.

So I accept wet hands.  It's a fact of riding in the rain.  It's going to happen so deal with it.  

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