airvantage or comfortemp tops ?

[gasman]

Has anyone got either of these ? Both on sale in North Oxford BMW. I don't know which one works best. I think they'd be good for skiing, cycling etc as well.
All this hi-tech stuff, but not sure if it actually works !

 

[gavinbell]

if they are the thermal tops..both work well comforttemp for warmth, air for hot weather. particularily like the extra layer over the kidneys

gavin

 

[Mick Fagan]

A friend on our annual Mid-Winter Midnight to Dawn ride decided to manufacture his own air bag suit.

He stuffed plastic bubble wrap down his jacket as an insulating medium, this, after seeing the squillion dollar BMW unit.

According to him it worked a treat, he knows this as about an hour before dawn he hit a kangaroo, stepped off and most of the bubbles on the front of his jacket went pop. After that, he reckoned it was much cooler.

Mick.

 

[SilverFish]

AirVantage

I've got the Rukka AirVantage jacket.

I'll make comparisons with my Chilli heated waistcoat for ref:

Pros:
No need for electric supply or cords.
Will raise the temperature by about 2-8 deg Centigrade (rough estimate)
Looks smart(ish)
Can be worn off of the bike freely.
Is lined with the Outlast material, which acts as a temperature buffer. For example, if you were riding in the Alps during a nice sunny winter day and then entered a long tunnel, it would take the sharp temperature drop you encountered when entering the tunnel and even it out over about 5 mins or so.

Cons:
Not as warm as an electric waistcoat, so wont cover sub zero temps.
I found that the air bladders need topping up after an hour or so of riding.
When fully inflated, it adds about two inches to your chest size so need plenty of room under your top layer.
Also when fully inflated, is very stiff!

 

[Eurostar]

I have had the Comfortemp jacket for a year. It probably gets more use than any other item of clothing I have, on or off the bike. It really does regulate your temperature as it claims to do. (Mind you, it should do at that price.) Here in trendy London even fashionable young ladies seem to like it...quote. "oo, I like your structured top." One of them even took to borrowing it and wearing it around the house with nothing else on. Quite a good look actually. But of course I had to dump her for inappropriate appropriation of my best kit.

Of course it doesn't make heat - it just stores the heat produced by your body. For long rides in cold weather you still can't beat a heated vest for that toasty feeling.

 

[gasman]

Ho ho !
Thanks guys, sounds like the comfortemp jacket is the one for me !!