Kushitani Ke-69 Gore-Tex Rainsuit
KUSHITANI KE-69 GORE-TEX RAINSUIT
CW EVALUATION
Extraordinary underwater wear
NOTHING PUTS A DAMPER ON MOTORCYcling like rain. But wet-weather riding only needs to be as uncomfortable as you make it. Because if you adhere to the Boy Scout credo—Be Prepared—not only will you stay dry, you just might enjoy yourself.
Being prepared, of course, means wearing a rainsuit.
And while you can purchase a cheap, plastic get-up at just about any sportinggoods store, it will be just as likely to keep moisture in as out. This means that when you perspire on a hot, humid day, the perspiration has nowhere to go. Sort of like a sauna on wheels.
Better rainsuits, such as the innovative Kushitani KE-69 outfit shown here, address this potentially sweaty dilemma. Made of windproof, breathable GoreTex, this two-piece Japanese suit utilizes the entire shoulderblade area as a giant vent; a polyester-mesh inner liner lets body heat circulate around the upper torso before being drawn out the back, while an overlapping flap holds water at bay.
The double wrist closures are no less clever; An elastic inner cuff tucks into your glove, while a velcro-closed outer cuff pulls over the gauntlet. The turtleneck collar and the storm flap covering the jacket's zipper are also secured with velcro.
Pulling the suit (available in sizes M-LL) on over your riding gear and boots is no problem, thanks to its twopiece design and velcroclosed, bell-bottomed pant legs. Dual plastic snaps just above the seat secure the pants to the jacket. Bright colors (red, orange or bluepurple), plus a small, reflective triangular logo on the jacket's back aid conspicuity.
Peripheral accessories include a hood and a carrying pouch. While you wouldn't wear the hood under your helmet, it's extremely handy for offbike use. (If you've ever spectated at a rainy sporting event, you'll know what we mean.) The drawstring-closed nylon carrying pouch gives you someplace to stow the suit when you're done wearing it, while simultaneously keeping it from soaking the rest of your tankbag's contents.
We've worn our Kushitani KE-69 rainsuit for over a year, and only have three minor complaints: The large shoulder vent tends to make things a bit drafty in colder weather; the elastic waistbands at the bottom of the jacket and the top of the pants don't allow for much flexibility in fit; and there's only one wallet-sized pocket, located at the right breast. Otherwise, we've been nothing but pleased. This is the finest rainsuit we've ever sampled.
Oh yeah, there is one other problem. While Kushitani is somehow able to offer its leathers here at fairly reasonable prices, the current yen-to-dollar exchange rate unfortunately makes the company's rainsuits astronomically expensive: Figure on paying $356 for the complete suit, $219 for the jacket alone or $137 for the pants. Yes, that's a lot more than you'd pay for a lesser suit, but if you consider that a rainsuit will protect your $1200 leathers from water damage, it doesn't seem quite that exorbitant. □
Because Kushitani Co. Ltd. sells direct to consumers, interested parties should contact the company's overseas department at 231 Mishima-cho, Hamamatsu-shi, Shizuoka-ken Japan T 430; phone 01181-53-4423977, fax 011-8153-4415530.
