-
Home
- TV Shows
-
TV Schedule
-
SPEED Showcase
-
- NASCAR
-
Formula 1
- Auto Racing
- Moto Racing
- Cars
- Bikes
- Store
- Social
- Games
- Mobile
- Deals
- Videos
- Photos
- Home
- TV Shows
-
TV Schedule
-
SPEED Showcase
-
- NASCAR
- Formula 1
- Auto Racing
- Moto Racing
- Cars
- Bikes
- Store
- Social
- Mobile
- Deals
- Videos
- Photos
Gearbag
GEARBAG: Gator Skins Thermals
Ken “Hawkeye” Glassman warms up with Gator Skins...
Gator Skins are not just for riding your motorcycle. They’re great for any cold weather outdoor activity like snowmobiling, skiing, ATV riding, hunting, camping, or even just to sit in the stands at a football game. (Photo: Ken "Hawkeye" Glassman)
Everybody knows that the best way to keep warm in cold weather is to layer your clothing. The thought being that each layer will help to trap the body’s warmth between the layers, and with enough layers, it will keep out the cold. But that’s the way it used to be. Now we have miracle fibers available, that do the job of several layers in just one thin, comfortable garment, so you don’t have to bulk up to stay warm.
Such is the case with Gator Skins thermal underwear. These tops and bottoms are made from ultra microfiber materials developed by DuPont researchers. Then Gator Skins weaves it in such a way that makes it windproof, water repellant, and able to trap just the right amount of warmth from your body, while still being able to wick moisture away from your skin.
Understanding the technology about how all of that happens is beyond my pay grade, but I road tested the thermals this fall on my motorcycle, and they work very well. We all know that the wind chill factor combines the temperature and the wind speed to produce a temperature number that indicates how it makes your body feel. The higher the wind speed, the lower the temperature feels on your body. Riding a motorcycle creates that wind speed and can really chill your body. For example, if the air temperature is 40-degrees, and you’re riding at 50 mph, it feels like 25 degrees on our body. If the air temperature is 35-degrees, it will feel like a bone chilling18 degrees.
But with Gator Skins, you won’t have to bulk up like the Michelin man to keep warm while riding. I wore a pair of heavy jeans over the Gator Skins bottoms with the temperature at 40 degrees, and was quite comfortable riding around town. I wore the long sleeve top under different riding jackets, with their linings installed, and never felt cold. But best of all, I never felt damp or clammy under my jacket or jeans. And later in the day, when the temperature rose into the mid 50’s, I didn’t get too warm, or feel any perspiration on my skin.
If you ride in temperatures below freezing, you will probably want to wear something more than just denim jeans as your outside layer, but the Skins will still keep you warm and dry.
The shirt should fit comfortably loose, because if the material is stretched out, it will lose some of its water repellant and warming capacity. The sleeve cuffs are knitted to snug up to your wrists and keep the wind from creeping in, and the shirt has extra long tails, so it stays tucked in when riding.
The pants are worn a bit closer than the shirts, so they fit under your pants, and they run down to the ankle. There is no fly-front, so no air can get through the crotch area. I’d suggest washing the garments before the first wearing, so the fabric will feel soft and comfortable against your skin. They require normal cold or warm water machine washing, and either air dried, or cool tumble machine dried. The Gator Skins fabric cannot shrink, but if you dry it in a hot dryer, the weave tightens up, and will require a quick fluffing to bring it back to its normal size. I was really impressed with how well the underwear worked, and how comfortable it felt on my skin. And, if you’re like me, you prefer to ride with the least constriction of movement possible, and these garments allow you to leave some of the layers at home.
Obviously, Gator Skins are not just for riding your motorcycle. They’re great for any cold weather outdoor activity like snowmobiling, skiing, ATV riding, hunting, camping, or even just to sit in the stands at a football game. The Gator Skins top and bottom are sold separately and retail for $59.95 each, and they look like they’ll last forever. They also make a fleece lined neck warmer, glove liners, balaclavas for your head, and even boot liner socks, all made from the same miracle fiber.
Make sure you’re getting the authentic Gator Skins by going to www.gatorskinswisconsin.com Trust me, in Wisconsin, they know all about cold. Gator Skins are Made in America by a veteran-disabled owned company.
Such is the case with Gator Skins thermal underwear. These tops and bottoms are made from ultra microfiber materials developed by DuPont researchers. Then Gator Skins weaves it in such a way that makes it windproof, water repellant, and able to trap just the right amount of warmth from your body, while still being able to wick moisture away from your skin.
Understanding the technology about how all of that happens is beyond my pay grade, but I road tested the thermals this fall on my motorcycle, and they work very well. We all know that the wind chill factor combines the temperature and the wind speed to produce a temperature number that indicates how it makes your body feel. The higher the wind speed, the lower the temperature feels on your body. Riding a motorcycle creates that wind speed and can really chill your body. For example, if the air temperature is 40-degrees, and you’re riding at 50 mph, it feels like 25 degrees on our body. If the air temperature is 35-degrees, it will feel like a bone chilling18 degrees.
But with Gator Skins, you won’t have to bulk up like the Michelin man to keep warm while riding. I wore a pair of heavy jeans over the Gator Skins bottoms with the temperature at 40 degrees, and was quite comfortable riding around town. I wore the long sleeve top under different riding jackets, with their linings installed, and never felt cold. But best of all, I never felt damp or clammy under my jacket or jeans. And later in the day, when the temperature rose into the mid 50’s, I didn’t get too warm, or feel any perspiration on my skin.
If you ride in temperatures below freezing, you will probably want to wear something more than just denim jeans as your outside layer, but the Skins will still keep you warm and dry.
The shirt should fit comfortably loose, because if the material is stretched out, it will lose some of its water repellant and warming capacity. The sleeve cuffs are knitted to snug up to your wrists and keep the wind from creeping in, and the shirt has extra long tails, so it stays tucked in when riding.
The pants are worn a bit closer than the shirts, so they fit under your pants, and they run down to the ankle. There is no fly-front, so no air can get through the crotch area. I’d suggest washing the garments before the first wearing, so the fabric will feel soft and comfortable against your skin. They require normal cold or warm water machine washing, and either air dried, or cool tumble machine dried. The Gator Skins fabric cannot shrink, but if you dry it in a hot dryer, the weave tightens up, and will require a quick fluffing to bring it back to its normal size. I was really impressed with how well the underwear worked, and how comfortable it felt on my skin. And, if you’re like me, you prefer to ride with the least constriction of movement possible, and these garments allow you to leave some of the layers at home.
Obviously, Gator Skins are not just for riding your motorcycle. They’re great for any cold weather outdoor activity like snowmobiling, skiing, ATV riding, hunting, camping, or even just to sit in the stands at a football game. The Gator Skins top and bottom are sold separately and retail for $59.95 each, and they look like they’ll last forever. They also make a fleece lined neck warmer, glove liners, balaclavas for your head, and even boot liner socks, all made from the same miracle fiber.
Make sure you’re getting the authentic Gator Skins by going to www.gatorskinswisconsin.com Trust me, in Wisconsin, they know all about cold. Gator Skins are Made in America by a veteran-disabled owned company.
2013 Yamaha FJR1300
LATEST HEADLINES: MOTORCYCLING
-
BIKES: 2014 Star Motorcycles Bolt
Ken “Hawkeye” Glassman rides the brand new Star Motorycles… -
BIKES: Neale Bayly Rides Peru Tests Eclectic Group Of Willing Participants…
Final original series produced under SPEED™ banner premieres… -
GEARBAG: The ICE Device
For $10, they send you five small capsules, 10 data forms, an ICE… -
BIKES: AMA Go Ride! Month Wraps Up
AMA Go Ride! Month in April 2013 concludes today after a month-long… -
BIKES: 2013 Honda CB1100 First Ride
Check it out as MotoUSA gives Honda's concoction of old and new-school… -
BIKES: Kawasaki Videos Win Four Awards At NY Festivals
Two Kawasaki promotional videos have been recognized as being among… -
BIKES: Organizational Changes For MAG Media Group
MAG Media Group (MMG), a division of Motorsport Aftermarket Group,… - More News
