Tourmaster Transition Series 2 Jacket

So folks. Back in August, I was in a Bike shop for whatever reason. I don't remember now. But this caught my eye, and I was never happy with the Joe Rocket jacket I had. Simply put, the JR was not water proof regardless of their claim. If I wanted to stay dry, I had to wear a rubber backed nylon rain suit. Cumbersome and bulky, but it worked

But this was a sharp jacket. And I like the hi vis aspect of the bright lime colour. And their labels guarantee it to be waterproof, which I have not had much luck with. Most you know I ride in some real shit weather. But I was really hoping to be pleasantly surprised so I bought the jacket. Of course, here in Canada, we make far too much money so we always pay more. Mine cost me $257.60 with applicable taxes.

Tour Master :: Textile Jackets :: Transition Series 2 Jacket

I wore the jacket when it was cooler and loved the fit and the warmth. But sure as hell, when I commuted to work on the freeway in a down pour for an hour, I got wet. Both arms on the inside from maybe 3 or 4 inches above the inside of the elbow, to maybe 5 inches below the inside of the elbow. Both arms consistent with each other. The chest and upper abdomen also got damp. If you consider the geometry when you ride a VFR, you will recognize that these areas are very consistent with the flat areas subject to the hardest rain and wind. So it was back to wearing the rain suit. I figured no sense fighting where I don't expect to be satisfied.

Then I thought what the hell. Tourmaster advertised on their garment tags that this product is water proof. To me than means water does not penetrate the material. This jacket did not meet that claim. So the e-mails started.

Initially I ran into snags making what I considered to be satisfactory contact with the people at Tourmaster. But eventually that was all worked out, and I cannot say I don't share some of the blame here. In any event, things started when I was dealing with a specific member of their staff. I got forms via email to fill out that required obtaining an RMA number (whatever that is) from them. A couple months have passed, several e-mails have been exchanged and I still do not have this number so the jacket sits hanging ready to be shipped off. And I have not been told that they will cover the shipping costs.

Now I will say, that everyone I spoke with or had dealing with were polite and courteous. And the specific staff person I was dealing with is presently away on business. I suspect he is doing the rounds with the Motorcycle Shows. But surely someone fills in for him in his absence.

I have sent of one more e-mail to Tourmaster suggesting that enough time has gone by and it is time to get things moving. I am expecting to report to all of you a very successful end result showing that Tourmaster is a good corporate citizen and when they discover that a client has been waiting an unreasonable time, they will grab the bull by the horns and correct what needs to be corrected.

Stay tuned.

 

Good luck Randy. Hope it all works out.

 

I am somewhat confident we will work this out so long as the people at Tourmaster get focused on this particular problem. What is most troubling is that right now "nothing" is being done. So I can't even have an opinion on the end result.

I had a discussion with Shoei on my new helmet that was not keeping the water out. The end result here was there was was not to expect the helmet to perform anyway other than the way it did. It met their design standards. I would have rather found a solution that satisfied my concern that water was getting in the helmet, but they did not advertise it as such. That helmet was designed for max airflow. The more airflow, the more opportunity for water to get in. I accepted that and moved on. I still love that helmet, and if I were to buy another new one today, it would likely be the same one.

So lets see where this goes. The ball is now in their court. I will keep this thread updated on the results. I think it is important that the manufacturing community start to understand that the consuming community are starting to educate each other in their experiences with products they spend their hard earned money on. This thread could be a positive thread in Tourmaster's favour.

 

I will follow this one with interest Randy and good luck. I had the same problem with a GPI Moto vented jacket (made in Pakistan, I think) that I bought last year, e mailed the manufacturers and the importer and got no response. The annoying/stupid thing is that I wasn't even expecting it to be waterproof, they were the ones who put a "100% waterproof" sticker on it! When are these guys going to realise, we are not stupid we generally know what will keep rain out and what won't, and stop making what are basically false claims about their products.

 

RMA=Return Material Authorization

They may stop being nice when the manufacturers warantee expires which is part of the deal with an RMA.

This may help keep you dry:http://cdn.static.ovimg.com/episode/277831.jpg

Somebody may have to wade through all six million hits on Google for waterproof motorcycle clothing to keep Randy dry.

 

Interesting - I bought the same jacket last year but haven't battle tested it in the rain yet - cold wise I think ithe jacket ROCKS. Sucks to hear about the rain but I don't ride in it often.

I had the same problem with Zero Gravity and a POS windscreen they sent me - customer service blew. It sucks but I hope they do you right - or in Canadian.....in your Favoure

 

Some good points here. Especially about how an attitude "could" change once the warranty expires. But I have kept all the e-mails which have an electronic signature attached...or something like that. But I am going to take the point of view that the glass is half full and the tap still running. If I am not successful in attaining a reasonable solution, well then there will be a retired person really pissed off, and that he appears to have a few people listening on a quite large forum.

I have had lots of luck when it comes to finding waterproof gear. Unfortunately that luck has always been bad. Over the few decades I have been bicycle riding, working in the police force, riding a motorcycle, I have tried at least a dozen or more different Gortex and Gortex type products. I have only met with success with two pair of Gore Tex boots that kept me dry. And I am not convinced it was the gortex doing this. Don't care either. I was dry.

But in this case, which just happens to be Tourmaster, everyone is the same here, "they" advertise the product as water proof. They did not say water resistant. This is the issue. Accuracy and truthfulness in advertising. Regardless in what you believe about government regulations, truthfulness and accuracy in adverting needs to be regulated. Otherwise our arguments for purchasing products produced at home, thinking they are of higher quality than the off shore stuff, fails. Either that or it is high time the consumer got off their collective, passive asses and take these corporations to task.

As JSzczesniak alluded to, (christ you need to change your handle) this particular jacket is a very nice jacket. Appears to be made with fairly good quality otherwise. Warm and comfortable. I love the jacket. But I got wet. And I am feeling frustrated that Tourmaster seems unable at this point, to grab hold of this problem and follow up in a timely fashion with the complaint. They are in a great position to prove me wrong on this and if they do, I will post up. If I find a good product, you bet your butts I am going to share with you, fellow member of this site, my findings, especially when they are good.

I have had success with the Better Business Bureau in the past. They cannot force any corporation to do anything, but with their involvement, I had success in getting reimbursed for items of mine I shipped with a large international transportation company, that were left at roadside in the middle of now where, in a broken down bus, for three days with no security, and it was broken into an my golf clubs and gear stolen. Replacement value was well over $1000.00 but I was after what I paid which was less than $300. I got it. So the BBB will be kept as a last card to play. I don't want to involve them if there is just a miscommunication somewhere here.

 

There is a reason that you are the UFRR Prime Minister .....
- who did you buy it from and have you gone to them yet? Or did you buy online? Either way - you are correct - Water Resistent and Water Proof is a big difference in knowing you are going to get soaked versus thinking you aren't. GET EM RANDY!!!!

 

I bought from a reputable smaller motorcycle shop. But most of these things you are required to send it back to the manufacturer for testing. If something had fallen apart on this withing a week or two, then yes, I would take it back to the dealer and let them worry about it, but Tourmaster is taking the line that this could be a manufacturing error that can be fixed rather than the material failing to meet their claims. So the end result, it need to go back and Tourmaster needs to take their next step. Which is talking far too long. This the reason for this post in the first place.

 

Have you looked at the Aerostich range? They have an extremely good reputation. Not cheap, mind you, but very good.

 

Yes I have looked at them. Others as well. And they do come highly recommended. But I heard good things about Tourmaster as well. And I do have a few pieces of Cortech Baggage who are one in the same company I think. So, the reputation is their to tarnish. I have even seen a Joe Rocket jacket exactly the same as mine being tested with a high pressure hose and the person stayed dry. But in the real world, we ride in high pressure water for long periods of time. Now make your garment stand up to that before you advertise it as waterproof.

Tourmaster said they have a spray booth or shower they test in. Well unless you mimic heavy rain in winds that are a constant 60 MPH + then your testing is flawed and your results are therefore seriously questionable. I am not saying I ride in 60 MPH winds. (well yes I am and have) but basically riding 60 MPH amounts to the same thing.

 

Very true.

I have a Joe Rocket Meteor 6.0 jacket which is laughably claimed to be waterproof. It ain't.

 

That's the one I had and saw on U-tube. And you have to believe what is on YouTube don't you?

I have to say though, that the Tourmaster was far better than the JR, but I still got wet through the garment.

 

Are you implying that teh interwebz may be less than a bastion of integrity?

 

SO an update. I finally got the RMA number which allowed me to send it back. They wanted me to pay the shipping back and they would cover its return. Well. I have great difficulty with that. UPS priority shipping is over $100.00 so regardless if they find anything wrong with this jacket, the price of the jacket just jumped by 1/3. or more. But Tourmaster gave in and paid the shipping. To be fair, I shipped it UPS standard which was 5 - 7 days rather than overnight express. I do want to be reasonable. Shipped it off tonight so we will see where it ends up from here. I really hope they do find a fault in the vents rather than the material failing to meet expectations. That can be fixed and Randy goes away being a happy camper rather than to find the material does not live up to the claim that it is waterproof. I should have an answer in a week or so.
Stay tuned

Anyone with a redcommendation for a very light weight and compact tent and sleeping bag compatable with touring on a bike? I prefer to stay dry in this too if it rains. I may have a month or montha nd half tour coming up in April May

 

Randy Check out REI - Save on Outdoor Clothing, Gear and Holiday Gifts for Family Fun

They got good stuff. I had a 3 season tent from them in the snow with about 2 feet of it on the rain guard the tent took it standing up. I did for some reason have a bit of water on the bottem of the tent floor but it could have been snow melt from boots and gear. Mind you the tent was not snow rated. And if you join as a member if you are ever and I mean EVER dissatisfied with it they will take it back no questions asked and give you credit to spend on another item. Oh your Canadian um I don't know how that would work at REI never hurts to ask.

How did you test the jacket? If you were close I can let you run around in the sprinklers at my house to test the Jackets Water Proof capabilities.

 

We have a store here called Mountain Equipment Coop (MEC) which is similar to you REI. But probably, store by store, bigger. They are huge into mountaineering, kayaking, biking hiking and everything except Betty Cr ocker Cooking. I do have a ...hear this everyone....rain proof back pack. It is a 75 Litre pack but it cost about $350.00 five years ago. It is now starting to allow rain in. But this back pack probably has about 80,000 miles of highway wind and shit over it so I suppose I am very pleased with that.

I tested the jacket in a very unique manner. I wore it while riding at freeway speeds for over an hour in the rain. Figured if I stayed dry during the testing period, I would also stay dry while riding at freeway speeds for over an hour in the rain.

 

Hmm I don't know if I can agree with those test methods. To logical. Hope the jacket comes back and the problem is fixed.

 

Turn on the sprinklers. I will be riding right past your place sometime in May doing the Border to Border Iron Butt Extreme....or trying anyways. But am trying to travel that portion of the trip in the middle of the night to hit the LA area freeway whe there is the least traffic and it is dark enough that people will not see me well enought to shoot at me.

 

Quick story about awesomme customer service from Fieldsheer.
A few years back I bought the mercury pants and wore them like twice. I prefer to ride in jeans.
Some stitching started to come loose so I called them they were a couple of years old by this time. Sent em back for a repair and they just replaced them with the new mercury II.
Hope yours works out with tourmaster. In my experience with bikes, golf, fishing, skiing the only thing tat keeps you dry is goretex. The stuff in my Kilimajaro (sheltex) works pretty good too.