Frogg day afternoon

[Big IV]

Oss convinced me.  He appealed not to the rationale side of my logical brain, but to the cheap side of my wallet, and he convinced me.  He pointed out (and kept pointing out politely) that Frogg Toggs have become cheaper. If shopped correctly they do not only have to accompany rich motorcyclists, but can be enjoyed by the rest of us as well.

It is still true that I would rather be wet on a bike than dry in a car most of the time. My disdain for being shoved into a car still runs just as deep as ever.  I really do hate being trapped.

It is still true that I would prefer not to be wet when I ride. However, I rarely make that the definitive factor as to if I ride or not. Into every life a little rain must fall. Good tires. The best jacket possible and slowing down tends to counteract most rain.

It is still true that my sense of professionalism does kick in, so I tend to judge my morning commute not in terms of if I will get wet but instead in terms of when I get wet.  If I can make it work dry then I’ll be fine. Who cares if I get wet on the ride home? I have dry clothes at home. If I can make it to work earlier, even with getting wet, and have time to dry out before I have to deal with my coworkers then that is the same as being dry when I get there.

It is also true that I avoided Frogg Toggs because I am cheap. They were probably reasonably priced. But I am not reasonable. I’m cheap. They were not cheap. Reasonable probably. Cheap no. Now, the distribution and quantity of sales has reached a great point: the point where I can find them cheap on the internet. And we wonder why local business is failing.  Because I’m cheap!

So Oss emailed me in the middle of the last set of rainy days where I was coming into work an hour early so that I could dry before work and told me that Frogg Toggs are cheaper than they once were. That appealed to the irrational side of me that sees the world from a narrow view point in set truths and to the side of  me that is cheap.

I found a set. I bought a set. I paid a good price.  I was excited to give them a try.

Then they arrived. With their arrival was our return to the on-going drought.  They weren’t here when it was raining for a week (probably because I waited until the middle of the damp week to give in and order them).  Then it was dry. Beautiful dry sunny days with the Frogg Toggs shoved into the saddle bag. Some days I dug my thick gloves or my leather jacket out from around the pile of disheveled Frogg Toggs, but even in the cold it was still dry.  There is probably a truth there too that says something to the effect of, “when it rains you’ll have no rain suit.”  I am still turning that thesis into a truism.

This morning the weather man was calling for rain. Great! Finally!  I had been waiting!  I was over joyed at the possibility of finally riding in the rain.  The weather man even promised that it was raining right then, so I ran outside in zealous joy to play in the rain.   Much to my sour disappointment it was not raining. The air was full of heavy precipitation as if a cloud were lifting off the ground but this was not rain.

I rode in dipping into cool dry valleys and rising into slightly damp rises. Slightly damp at best.  The moisture was beading up on my dress pants and against my windshield but I was not wet.

Now, it is nearing lunch time. The day has thankfully progressed into being drearier.  The rain is actually falling. I have a little last minute paper work to wrap up. I need to finish a stack that is on my desk.  I need to follow up with a performance observation and be ready to discuss the evaluation. However, I am looking forward to the hours to come, when I can leave my comfortable office and head into the rain. I can suit up. I can wrap myself in the advanced technology that is the Frogg Togg and see what the fuss is all about.

I’m looking forward to finally having a Frogg day afternoon.

[Black Dog]

You will love the new Toggs 

Here's something I found a few years back, that will help keep them from getting ruined if they touch your hot exhaust.  A 'do it yerself' iron on heat shield (follow the link).

http://www.gadgetjq.com/froggtognomelt.htm

It's a bit putzy, but it works (and it's cheap insurance  )

Black Dog

[Big IV]

I wonder if I can make an 'extension' for the crotch and buttocks area where the pant is attached to the other pant to creat the pants.
I ordered the size that the chart told me to. I tried them on when they came in and they were fine moving around. One good throw  of the leg across the seat and away it ripped. Hard to tell if it is going to keep me dry when I'm feeling wet seat under me.
I may need to go pick up an ironing board cover.

[Detn8er]

More proof that cheaper is more than likely NOT BETTER!!! It's your money but if it were me I'd throw them in the trash and buy an actual rainsuit.

[Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005]

I had some and hated them...What a waste of money they blow up like the Michelin Man going down the road 

[Detn8er]

I had some and hated them...What a waste of money they blow up like the Michelin Man going down the road 

Yep and you rip the ass out of them and melt the legs off.....By the time you've patched them and made them functional you have enough time and money in them to have bought a good nelson rig suit or some other quality suit....  For me everything always comes down to 2 things, Time and Money.

[Black Dog]

I guess everyone has their own experience...  I've had mine since the first InZane in Paducah KY, and not only use them for riding, but for fishing too.

I got the style with the 'bib' pants, and short jacket, in a size appropriate for my big 270lb azz.  It took me no time at all to add the leg protection (my wife did it  ).  Ugly? Yeppers.  Do they billow up at times?  Yes again.  Do they keep me dry?  Hell yes, and that is why I got them.

Case in point...  Last year, on the way to meet Timbr, Chilli, RTaz, and the rest of the goof balls, from Michigan, I started from my house in the rain...  Hard rain.  The kinda storm ya see on the cover of one of Daniel Meyers books  .  I rode for over 200 miles in some of the worst rain I've ever ridden in...  When the sun finally came out, the only part of me that was wet, were the cuffs of my jeans, and a small bit of my neck.

Treat 'em right, don't expect them to hold up to a bar brawl, and for $45 ya can't go wrong.

Just my .02 

Black Dog

[Stitch_in_La]

I went with the low end cheap version, lighter take up less room.  $20 at Academy Sports.  Melted one spot on the right leg on the wifes Sportster, got a shoryt pipe that has the hot unshielded metal right there at your ankle.  Added some rain gaiters this year and I love it.

Charles