Frogg Toggs

The Frogg Toggs website says their rainsuits are breathable, yet 100% waterproof. According to their literature this is because the waterproof fabric they are made of has pores 20,000 times smaller than a drop of water. The pores let moist body vapors escape while keeping the raindrops out. I decided to test their claims to see if this was true. I got their most popular rainsuit, the Pro Action (PA 102) to test. My test showed their claims to be true and the product to be a very good value. The first thing that I noticed about the Frogg Toggs when I opened the box were how thin and light they were. They weigh less and fold up smaller than my polyurethane and nylon rainsuit. In the interest of visibility and in the interest of following my own advice about riding in the rain, I got the orange set. Because they are a mottled orange and white pattern, they look a little more pastel than I had expected. My wife assures me that I do not look like a giant peach, but I think if I would have known how pastel they are, I would have ordered a different color. While I may not like the color that much, the comfort and the small amount of space they will take up in my saddle bags more than makes up for it. I ordered the 2X size and there is plenty of room inside to slip these on over other riding gear. They also have a zippered leg which will allow one to get them on over one’s boots. I have to admit, testing this pair of Frogg Toggs during a drought presented some challenges. I waited and waited for some rain, but it just never happened. Not to be deterred by a lack of inclement weather, I put them on over my clothes, turned on the shower full blast and hopped in. I stayed in there for about five minutes and for a good portion of that time had the shower hitting me full blast in the chest. I’m pretty sure that a person would have to be standing in a hurricane to get anywhere near that much water on them, but that makes the test that much better. When I took off the rainsuit, was I completely dry? No, not completely, but I think that was my fault rather than the rainsuit’s. As it turns out, the material around the zipper is not made out of the same waterproof material as the rainsuit itself, and if exposed to a direct stream of water it will absorb some of it and pass it through to the other side. However, I neglected to close the velcro backed flap that covers the zipper and provides a barrier that protects the zipper from water. As a result, the zipper got soaked. Even so, it left a "damp" strip down my shirt, not a soaked strip. On top of that, I don’t think that anyone would encounter that much water aimed directly at one’s chest during the coarse of a normal rain shower, or even if one were travelling at highway speeds in a severe thunderstorm. So is the material 100% waterproof? Yes, it is. Another thing that I quickly noticed was how cool they are, compared to my other rainsuit. I imagine that’s due to the material that the Frogg Toggs are made from. It truly seems that the breathability of the fabric actually works to keep you comfortable and dry not only from the outside in, but from the inside out as well. It feels more like you are wearing a shirt and pants than like you are wearing a rainsuit, and I like that a lot. The only complaint I have, from a motorcyclists point of view, is that because they have a hood that’s rolled up inside the collar, the neck cannot be cinched up tightly around the neck. I would imagine that some rain could find its way inside as the water comes pouring off of one’s head or helmet. I don’t think this would be as much of a problem with a full face, or even half helmet, but for those wearing a shorty, this may allow some water inside the rainsuit. With the minor issue of the loose-fitting collar, I think this rainsuit is going to perform very well and the price is right. If you want a very light-weight rainsuit, I think you’ll be very happy with these. Meanwhile, if you are riding in the rain through Georgia and you pass a guy that looks like a giant peach, that will probably be me. Uzi Rider