BizJetGuy

I've put roughly 5000 miles on my Phantom one-piece so I figured it was time for a proper long-term review.

This is a fairly new product as it was released last year (2007) and, as a result, there aren't too many long-term observations on the suit so I'm laying one down in hopes that it may be informative to those in the market for a high quality one-piece suit.

It's my understanding that the Phantom was created as a lower-cost alternative to the iconic Aerostich Roadcrafter. And now for the disclaimer - I have absolutely no experience with a Roadcrafter so, for this review's sake, I cannot do a direct comparison. I'm sure that there are things that the Roadcrafter does better than the Phantom but I'll save that for those that have put miles in both.

I've broken the review into several catagories and tried to give an honest rating of each between 1 and 10.

Fit and Comfort: I am 6'1" 200 lbs and selected size Large after trying a few on last year. It's only somewhat "tight" when the liner is installed and since I was living in southeast Texas when the purchase was made, the liner spent most of it's time hanging in the closet. Now that I'm in cooler climes (central Indiana) I can see the liner getting a lot more use and, in hindsight, maybe the XL should have been chosen. Nothing that couldn't (or shouldn't) be solved with the loss of a few pounds, though, as the restriction is around the middle . Without the liner, I've got plenty of room without the suit feeling either too loose or too restrictive. Since I ride sans-liner in warmer temps - usually anything above 50*F - I ride with shorts and t-shirt underneath. When the expected temps are a little cooler, between 45 - 60*F, I'll augment by wearing jeans and a long-sleeve t-shirt and possibly a fleece vest (non-heated) underneath while having the option to open the vents if the temps start to climb through the day. Anything below 45*F and the liner is in. The liner is an excellent wind barrier and heat insulator. When you ride with the liner installed, you truly feel isolated from the elements and the only way I can determine the severity of OAT is by the bike's temp guage and by the wind on my neck. With the liner installed, the suit feels a little tighter and that could affect the clothing choices that are available due to bulkiness. It is important to note that I do not have heated clothing and the majority of miles ridden in the suit have been without the liner and in warmer temps so I'll have to follow up this review next year after some cold-weather riding and, possibly, integration with electrics. There are arm-length vents on both arms, vents at each chest pocket and two aft vents that, when all are open, provide very good airflow. No vents are in the legs and that's the only place the suit gets toasty in warm weather. If temps are going to be higher than 95*F, I'll leave the Phantom at home as it just gets too hot, even with all the vents open. Luckily, with my new location, those days aren't nearly as common as along the Texas Gulf Coast. In all reality, if it's going to be 90*+, I would recommend going mesh.

Overall rating for Fit and Comfort: 8

Convenience: The liner is a great component. If it gets too warm for the liner, which is highly likely with cool morning temps and soaring afternoon temps, it takes very little time to take out the liner, roll it up and throw it in the side bag or bungee it to the tail with a net. I can also roll up the suit and it fits (tight but it fits) in the pannier of the Futura. Another note: I've never attempted to roll up the suit with the liner installed so I'm guessing that it probably wouldn't fit. Pockets, pockets, pockets! This thing has more pockets than I have stuff. I've grown acustomed to using the waterproof thigh pockets for wallet, money clip, cell phone and, sometimes, SPOT Messenger. There are zippered pockets on the side that are great for change, earplugs, keys and other small objects. There is also an internal pocket in the liner that is specifically made for either a cell phone or MP3 player, pockets at the chest vents and a large pocket on the back that could be used for a platypus-type hydration pack without having to wear a backpack-like device. The legs have zippers that go all the way up to the waist and make entry and exit a drama-free event. One thing that I question is how to route wiring for electrics. There were no provisions that I can tell would provide a waterproof feed-through for electrical feeds for vests, gloves, etc. This prevents a full rating of 10.

Overall rating for Convenience: 9

Quality: After about 5000 miles and 15 months, with the exception of a few tough bugs, the suit still looks new. I have the pewter, not the retina-burning Hi-Viz yellow and I have seen no apparent fading. The zippers still feel as crisp as they did in the showroom and the velcro closures still stick like glue. Luckily, I have not crash-tested the suit but I have a large degree of confidence in it due to the liberal placement of ballistic cordura in the suspected trouble spots. OK, in all honesty, I did have a parking lot zero-ground speed tip over where I did end up on the asphalt. Between the armor and cordura, there was no damage to my person and the suit showed no evidence of the spill. The only thing I question with regards to the installed armor is the location, specifically, the elbows and knees. The armor seems to me to be installed directly in front of the knee cap with no perceived protection for the outside of the knee - the place you would expect to be an impact point. The same goes for the elbow armor. The armor can be adjusted up and down but there is no way that I've found to relocate it a little farther outboard to give the warm fuzzy. Another item that became apparent during my torrential drenching leaving the first day of the Indianapolis Moto GP displayed was the first leakage issue. I had ridden in hard rain before with no leaks but this was a little different. It was probably the hardest rain I've ever ridden in and I was riding in urban traffic - lots of stops at stop lights, signs, etc. and there's not much you can do when you're just sitting still in a deluge. I did get some crotch leak but I feel that it was probably induced by my hurried donning out in the elements. I don't have the confidence that I secured the velcro flap correctly so I'm not letting that affect my rating. This was also without the liner and I feel that the liner would have provided additional leak protection.

Overall rating for Quality: 9

Value: I paid retail on the suit which was several Franklins less than the Roadcrafter and feel like I got fantastic value for the money. I feel protected and comfortable and had a few bones left over to spend elsewhere.

Overall rating for Value: 10

In summary, this is a great suit. My overall rating averages out to a solid 9 out of 10 (YMMV). There are some minor things I would change (armor mobility, outlet for electrics, etc.) but I feel like this is a great option for racking-up-the-miles touring, commuting and quick blasts around the neighborhood.

__________________
Horn not working - watch for finger

seamus

I looked at getting one this year. Settled on a set of Olympia overpants instead. Very happy with them.

I didn't see it in there but are you rockin' the hi-viz?

__________________
Ducit Amor Patriae

Richard Herald, The Gentle Giant

For once you have tasted flight you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skywards, for there you have been and there you will long to return.
---Leonardo Da Vinci

BizJetGuy

Gray is how I roll...

I love the hi-viz but I opted for the "pewter" due to my concern about potential fading. I bought this thing to keep for a long time and my 1980's experience taught me that neon doesn't age well.

__________________
Horn not working - watch for finger