MSR Xplorer Adv Gear

[AZJW]

@Hollybrook I'd be interested in your impressions of the jacket collar comfort after you take a 6+ hour ride.  I have a 2021 model Carlsbad (M) and really like the jacket fit and function, but found after a few longer rides that the collar started to irritate my neck. ( details in the last paragraph of the second linked post I put at the top of page 1).  Realizing it's still probably winter where you reside, a long ride might be around the block a few hundred times until conditions allow to venture out.

[Hollybrook]

@AZJW it's going to be a while until I ride without a thick neck gaiter, but I'll let you know as soon as I do. 

[Hollybrook]

Got the Carlsbad tall pants in and like them as well as the jacket. This was the right choice for ME and my body type. 

[smd3]

I just got my MSR jacket in yesterday and wore it for my commute today. 
 

It’s super stiff and will hopefully break in. Especially the collar and lower arms.  
 

I like the fit. I’m short, 5’6” about 135lb. I bought a small. 
 

I'm a little worried about the fine mesh that holds the armor. It’s thin and looks like it might be delicate. 
 

my other concern is the arm sleeve zippers at the cuff. The zipper wants to unzip on its own. It’s only a little bit, but it’s sort of a pet-peeve of mine. 
 

overall it looks and feels well made.

[Hibobb]

13 minutes ago, smd3 said:

It’s super stiff and will hopefully break in

I felt like the Tin Man in the Wizard of OZ in my Darien jacket.

Aerostich actually says to tumble thiers in a dryer with some tennis balls.....

[Hollybrook]

A number of people recommend tumbling stiff riding gear with tennis shoes in the drier. 

 

I was happy that my new Carlsbad gear is not so stiff that I felt like I needed to do that. If I had kept the MSR gear I would have. 

[AZJW]

Gee, I don't know. I think I'd be tempted to just let the gear break in while riding.

 

Dryer Bean - Mr. Bean GIF - Mr Bean Bean Mister Bean - Discover & Share GIFs

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[jdub289f]

Ok! The verdict is in. I'm choosing the Carlsbad pants over MSR!

Here's my breakdown:

Overall fit 

-I have a 36" waist and currently weigh 225 with Clydesdale legs. Carlsbad was a little better for me there because the upper legs are slightly bigger. Feels a little more roomy and more potential for layers if needed. My inseam is 32," and I tried both brands in regular lengths which were just about the same. For the waist, the MSR has a little more adjustability because it has the the ratchet style closure vs the two buttons on the Carlsbad. BUT, with only the zipper pulled up, the MSR starts off slightly tighter. The MSR is also stiffer than the Carlsbad, but I'm sure the MSR will break in. Winner - Carlsbad.

Protection

-The padding in both pants have identical shape. So upgrading the pads in the MSR gear would be no trouble at all. I have seen people complain about the knee pads being sewn incorrectly in the Carlsbad, but issue didn't seem as bad for me. The placement if the knee pads is just ever so slightly more to the outside on the MSR. The finer mesh holding the padding in with the MSR concerns me with long term use. The superfabric in the knees of the MSR is definitely tougher, so the exterior knees will probably hold up better in a crash. Leather on the inside of the knees has similar coverage and feel. Not to mention the Carlsbad has level 2 pads already. Winner - Carlsbad.

Ventilation

-This subject I won't have much input on. They both have back of the thigh vertical vents in the same spot, but the front vents on the MSR are almost horizontal vs the Carlsbad has them vertical. Also the EVent fabric on MSR might run cooler than Goretex. Winner - Undetermined.

Price

-There's really not a major winner here. Just comes down to budget. I was fortunate enough to get a one-time 30% off code from Klim with their first responder and military program. So that in conjunction with the cost of upgrading armor in the MSR, the price actually becomes pretty close at that point. 

Warranty

-Klim has a great warranty program from what I've heard as well as their crash replacement program. There is no mention of any MSR warranty on the Rocky Mountain website that I have found. I've heard people complain about Klim customer service, but the few emails I've sent have been responded to within the next business day every time. Winner - Carlsbad.

 

 

Now in terms of the jacket! I decided to just go straight to the Carlsbad jacket, trying on both a L and XL. I chose the XL due to being not as tight for me on the front of the armpits when I reach for the bars. I have an average torso in terms of fat content, but my shoulders are a little on the bigger side. The XL gives me room everywhere for layering or pocket storage. I know Big Rock Moto had a complaint of the upper adjusting strap on the MSR being a little uncomfortable, but the Carlsbad doesn't have that. I don't see myself needing to cinch up that spot anyways. But with that said I love how the XL fits on me and I can't wait to ride in it! Sorry I have no comparison to the MSR jacket. 

 

Anyways I hope this helps with your decision!

[BADDANDY]

I bought the MSR Xplorer pants. I've been searching for an affordable waterproof pant for some time now to mate up with my waterproof Scorpion EXO Optima jacket as for some reason they don't offer one. The jacket is so perfect to me I bought 2! One Hi-viz for commuting, the Grey/Red for cool temp BDRs. My goal was to find a pant as a waterproof and lighter DAKAR pant as my jacket. Also, the DAKAR venting works best standing, but inclimate weather is more for sitting. These will be used for cool fall to winter to cool spring. Not for the summer heat BDR weather we've had the past few years. I have mesh gear and FROGG for that. I'm getting back a bigger tax return than expected, so bit the bullet on a grey pant.
Looks wise, they're alike. Reviewers say they're sized like KLIMs, NOT! Both are 36Rs, but the Xplore feels more like a 34R. I prefer a tad baggy pant, this is not. Hopefully it'll loosen up a bit with use. I lose any room with just a fleece lined spandex thermal layer. I do feel the fit with the armor will be more protective as there's no wiggle room, not tight, but conforming. I've never wore a pant that feels this comfortable in the knee area. I actually always felt my DAKARs were heavy, nope, these feel heavier.
Now for the weird part. This pant does not feel as one. More like assembled from 5 different sized pants. Perfect waist, but above the waist rear material gaps open about 4" when sitting. DAKAR has bungy material to keep it against the back. Tight above thighs. Loose below thighs. Conforming knees. Perfect below knees to cuff. Way too flared cuff. I'm at tightest snap and cuff is just as it would be as a straight leg. Length seems correct.

At least they don't look as bad on me as they do on Big Rock Moto and Dork in the road.  Almost as good as RMATV.
I'm about 90% comfortable keeping these pants with the hope they'll loosen up a bit after tomorrow's commute. I'll use suspenders instead of tightening the waist as this kind of gets rid of the tight feeling below the waist. I'll also be sewing in a zipper for the jacket to alleviate a possible rear rain funnel.
For offroad riding, I always wear an armored kidney belt, brace like knee/shin guards and padded shorts so included armor will be removed then.

Edited March 28, 2023 by BADDANDY

[BADDANDY]

I rode to work today 38° at 0530 w/aforementioned thermals and 58° on the way home w/out.  This is a typical year-long commute temperature spread here.  These will definitely be cold/cool 0°-70° weather pants as they don't flow heaps of air thru the vents, sitting or standing.  I even withdrew my DAKARs for sale.  They'll be used for when it will be too cold to wear the mesh gear.  
The Xplorer pants w/suspenders felt good riding the bike so they're keepers.  And for winter riding, I can now ditch the huge/thick non-waterproof pants I've used the past 15 years.
I found out today at work there's no loop to hang the pants so will be sewing one in along with a jacket zipper.  I had to do this with the DAKAR's too so it's not a negative.
The MSR gray is a bluish gray where' as my jacket gray is a grayish gray.  Still matches better than my DAKAR's dark green gray.

[Zebco Kid]

Hello.

 

I'm late to "the party" on this conversation.

 

So I've been riding with an Aerostich one piece suit for about 30 years (The same one!). I've always liked the one piece, as it forced me to wear protection, even when it was hotter than hell outside. I just came back from a training in the desert, and 5 days in Baja. I decided that the time had come to get a two piece. Not because I want to ride with just the pants, but because it's easier/more practical when taking breaks to simply take off the jacket.

 

Rocky Mountain is backordered on the blue/orange jacket, and I wasn't supposed to be able to order it until November. I put myself on a waitlist. One week later, I received an email that they're in stock. So now I have both the pants and jacket.

 

One of the features that I really like about the MSR pants is that they easily fit over my Gaerne G12 boots. And...they comfortably fit inside the very same boot. Lots of pants can do the latter, but not the former. As far as the stiffness of the fabric goes, I found one washing relaxed the fabric a bit...and removed the really uncomfortable stiffness. I'm sure over time and abuse, it will get better.

 

I like the fact that the rain protection is integrated into the pants and jacket. I'm happy not to travel with a separate set of rain gear. I can't speak to the level of protection. It seems equal to my Aerostich, and I did fracture my shoulder due to an "unplanned stop" in one vexing corner (we can connect that to overconfidence on the last day). Was still able to ride the remainder of the day, but I've been licking my wounds (healing) for 4 weeks now.

 

Much like the Tenere, there are certainly "better" motorcycles out there. However, just like the Tenere, for the money, nothing comes close. I must say that when I'm riding, I'm not thinking about any of the comfort stuff. I'm just focused on the ride...and everything feels good and I'm having nothing but fun. And that...my Tenere friends...is priceless.

 

Cheers.

 

ZK