My attraction to the Aerostich one-piece Roadcrafter riding suit (Stich) is born from years of commuting to work and traveling to and riding across different continents. In fact, I have been riding with ‘Stich one-piece suits for nearly two decades. During that time, my admiration for the ‘Stich has continually grown. Here’s what it has been like.

The Original Aerostich Roadcrafter One-Piece Suit

When Aerostich’s Roadcrafter one-piece suit was released, it was designed to protect motorcycle-riding commuters who wanted to ride to work in their work clothes. The suit had to fit over their regular attire, be comfortable, easy to get in and out of, and provide the degree of protection necessary for highway use. It was made from a mix of Cordura and Goretex (current ‘Stichs use TLTex), with foam and plastic armor (now there are two different types of armor to choose from) in the shoulders, knees, and elbows. In the so-called high-impact areas like the knees, shins, and shoulders, the thickness of the material increased significantly for additional abrasion resistance.

Stichs In North America

But what set it apart from most other gear out there was the way you could quickly put the suit on or take it off. Once you got the hang of it, it was easy to get into or out of the suit in 30 seconds or less, arriving at your destination in your usual work attire. As a bonus, the interior of the suit is fully lined. Because of this, the suit easily slips on over your street clothes without them binding up on your body and wrinkling the clothes underneath. That meant that you didn’t have to carry a separate set of work clothes and change out of your astronaut-looking gear once you arrived.

Making The Decision

I wanted to ride more, and the thought of commuting to work in business attire was very attractive. After all, I spent lots of time traveling to work, 5-6 days a week. It would give me more riding time than just on weekends and the few short weeks of vacation the company gave me. So why not add a moto component to that not-so-exciting journey? I decided to take the plunge and buy a Roadcrafter suit.

When it arrived, it was clear that it was a heavy piece of kit, heavy in material and somewhat heavy in physical weight. There was a short learning curve learning how to get in and out of it, but soon, it became clear that the claim that you could be in and out of the ‘Stich in less than 30 seconds was valid. Once the newness was out of the way and the suit broken in after a few rides, I was a believer. There would be many more day-to-day tests of the Stich, where I would learn more about the suit’s excellent attributes and little flaws. And because I liked the one-piece ‘Stich so much, I rode with everywhere I went. Commuting, sport touring, adventure riding etc. If I was riding on a motorcycle, I was almost always wearing my ‘Stich.

Wearing the ‘Stich

The more I rode in the ‘Stich, the more I liked it. Its positive traits far outweighed its negative ones. The suit’s utility became one of the biggest positives.

The thing is literally loaded with pockets. There are pockets on the front of your legs, on the sleeve of your left arm, just above your right knee, a small flap-covered pocket on your left chest, and a much larger zippered pocket on the right chest. I found the zippered right chest pocket excellent for holding documents that you need to get to quickly and want to be stored in a secure place. I’ll often put my passport or other “important papers” in there so I can get to them quickly without getting off the bike. Add in the two zippers that give you direct access to your pants pockets, and you have lots of places to put whatever you need to take with you.

There are also different Velcro patches on the suit where you can attach things like a map case (on your left leg), your emergency info (on your left arm), and a strap that secures the ‘Stich’s foldable collar in the closed position. There’s even an optional Velcro “shoulder mount” that you can attach your GoPro camera to. As a result, you won’t find yourself or your accessories flapping in the breeze as you ride along at reasonable or extra-reasonable speeds.

‘Stichs In South America

Hot/Cold Weather Riding

The ‘Stich is packed with zippered vents. There are two oversized vents under each arm and two zipper slider back vents that travel nearly across your entire back. Magnetic clasps allow you to secure the fold-down ultrasuede collar to either keep it open in hot weather or keep it closed when it is cold. It also helps seal out rain.

For hot or cold riding days, the ‘Stich is equipped with zippered vents that let in a reasonable amount of air and, when closed, block out cold drafts. That said, if it’s very hot outside, the thick material of most riding gear (other than open mesh) makes it challenging to stay cool. For temperatures over 85 degrees F (~30 degrees C) or so, if you are not moving, the ‘Stich gets hot, just like other riding gear. But for temperatures lower than that, the ‘Stich stays comfortable.

It also acts as a sound thermal barrier when it’s cold. I recently rode in Morocco in low 40-degree F (~5 degrees C) temperatures and with some thin layering. Other than my hands, I was warm and comfy, while some of my riding counterparts bundled up like Ralphie’s brother in the movie A Christmas Story, and even after that, some said that they were still cold. As we rode around Morocco and were able to put on and take off our ‘Stichs quickly and walk around in street clothes, many in the group wanted to know more about the Roadcrafter and said that they were interested in buying one for themselves.

‘Stichs In Europe

Riding In The Rain

If there’s one elephant in the room that people want to discuss, it’s whether the one-piece Roadcrafter ‘Stich is waterproof. Earlier versions of the classic Roadcrafter did have problems with water leaking through the large main zipper, leaving you with something that became known as “Aerocrotch.” When riding, water tended to pool at the base of your lap, and over time, water could seep in, leaving your crotch wet. I don’t have to tell you that it’s not a pretty sight when you arrive at your destination with the mid-section of your pants wet.

Over the years, Aerostich has tried to solve this problem by experimenting with different zippers, stitching, and sealing. They claim that their third-generation Roadcrafter 3 (R3) is 100 percent waterproof. Unfortunately, after more than an hour of riding in the rain, I occasionally still have a problem with rain seeping in. Part of the problem may be the way that the ‘Stich fits you. Sometimes, the ‘Stich’s material can form a little bowl around your crotch when you are riding. I find that if I ensure that the material is lying flat against my body, I don’t have a problem. As insurance, if I know I am going to be riding in the rain for more than an hour, I wear some cheap rain gear under the Stich, and I don’t have to worry about water, period.

Roadcrafter Variants

Over the years, the original 1-piece Stich has evolved into different models. Today, you can buy a Classic Stich, Roadcrafter 3 Standard, and Roadcrafter 3 Light one-piece suits. Without going into all the details (you can get all the info at Aerostich’s website), the differences are basically abrasion resistance, whether the suit is lined (Roadcrafter Classic) or unlined (R3 Standard and R3 Light), and the suit’s overall weight. The Roadcrafter Classic Stich offers better abrasion resistance due to its heavier fabric, but it wears warmer. The Roadcrafter 3 models are unlined and offer somewhat less abrasion resistance but wear cooler.  All three variants come with your choice of TF 3 or TF 6 impact armor in the shoulders, knees, and elbows. If you want additional spine, hip, and chest protection, it is available at extra cost.

Sizing

Roadcrafter ‘Stichs come in sizes separate sizes for men and women. Men’s sizing runs from 34 to 54 and is available in short, regular, and long. Women’s Roadcrafter 1-piece suits come in sizes 2 to 20 and are also available in short, regular, and long versions. If off-the-shelf doesn’t fit you, Aerostich has several adjustments they can make to make your suit fit your body. You can call them at +1 218-722-1927 (for men), +1 800-222-1994 (for women), or email them at service@aerostich.com, and they will be happy to help you decide which size will work best for you. To help you get started, they also have an online sizing tool where they take your info and suggest the best sizing for you.

Keeping It Personal

All Roadcrafter one-piece suits are made in the USA by craftspeople from the US. You can see that from the very tidy construction of the suit. Each person who has a literal “hand” in building your suit signs their name on a tag inside. In the case of my current R3, Bobbie, Fred, Jordan, and Karen G. used their skills to make my quality piece of riding gear.

Roadcrafter Uber Fan?

As you can probably tell from the tenor of this article, I am indeed an uber-fan of the Roadcrafter one-piece suits. As I said earlier, I have been wearing them for nearly two decades and have no real complaints. I still own my original Roadcrafter, and it still functions well. It’s been on the pavement, dirt, gravel, and sand of four continents and hasn’t missed a beat.

Interestingly, most moto-oriented pictures of my wife Kim and me show us wearing Aerostich Roadcrafters. Other pictures show the ‘Stichs draped across the bikes while we walk around in comfortable street clothing. Nearly everywhere we have gone, we have worn an Aerostich Roadcrafter. So much so that when I recently posted a social media picture of Kim and me at the top of a rainy Tizi n’ Tichka pass in Morroco, ADVrider editor Zac commented, “And representing Aerostich…” because we’re always wearing ‘Stichs. While we don’t represent Aerostich, we certainly like their Roadcrafters.

‘Stichs in Morocco

Other Things

It’s interesting to me that some people will not try or wear a Roadcrafter one-piece suit because they think it’s ugly. Personally, I don’t care what I look like in a ‘Stich. I want to be comfortable, wear street clothes, and have a degree of additional protection. For others, it’s more of a big deal, and that’s fine. But there is something to be said about being utilitarian and not a fashion model.

For example, about a year ago, I attended a manufacturer’s motorcycle launch. As we lined up to ride on the first cold morning, I emerged in my Stich, ready to go. One of the ride leaders knew me and knew that I was from Vermont. Without batting an eyelash, he said to one of the other ride leaders, “You know what I like about guys from Vermont? I like that they don’t give a (expletive) about how they look.” As I looked at many of the other riders with more “fashionable” gear, I quietly smiled to myself. Because you know what, he was right, and I was happy about that.

Full disclosure: My type of adventure riding concentrates more on traveling to unfamiliar places, visiting new countries, and interacting with different cultures than it does riding hardcore hero sections of hugely gnarly terrain at high speed. Nope, I’m not looking to race or severely test my riding skills (been there, done that). I’m looking for new experiences in new places regardless of what form the road in front of me takes. Whether it is paved, hard-packed dirt, gravel, or sand, I’m ready to go.