As part of their brand new line of gear for Fall 2010, Firstgear released a one-piece suit that boasts many of the technologies used in their high-end TPG line of gear but arrives at an extremely reasonable suit. The Firstgear Expedition Suit performs at a level of suits that are $1000 or more but comes in at the $499 price point. Firstgear did a brilliant job with the design of this suit, making it ready for all-season and all-weather performance no matter what Mother Nature has in store. It is great for the commuter but also for the hardcore adventurer. Check out our full HD video review below.
The Firstgear Expedition Suit is built large enough to wear over your clothes with plenty of room for base layers in the wintertime. The outer shell is 600D with the waterproof breathable element built-in; you will not get wet, and your sweat can evaporate through. The ventilation is absolutely incredible in this suit: 10 total vents; two chest, two thigh, two pit, two sleeve cuff vents and two large vertical back exhaust vents. All the vents and pockets in this suit are protected by YKK rubberized zippers to keep precipitation out. There are two pass-through pockets on the legs to access what you've got stored in your pants underneath. Two chest Dry Pockets are there for storing anything that you don't want to get wet, they won't let any water in. The main zipper is a two-way Scuba-style RiRi zipper that is rubberized and has two rows of teeth. All of this waterproofing beneath a double storm flap with a rain gutter.
For comfort and flexibility there are completely waterproof stretch panels (awesome, right?) built into the crotch, front and back of the knees and the back. There is also an adjustable belt for ideal fitment. The shoulders, elbows and knees are protected by CE certified armor that has 3 inches of up/down and 1.5 inches of sideways adjustability. There is the convenience of a zip that goes all the way from the ankle to above the knee which utilizes a two-way rubberized YKK zip and rests atop an internal double storm flap with a rain gutter. The cuffs of the pants feature elasticized internal storm cuffs that have silicone grips to hold tight to your boots and keep any water from creeping up your leg. For added protection from water, there is an integrated rain hood that tucks under the collar and fits under the helmet.
Little conveniences, like the adjustable collar that features a hook-and-loop lockdown system to prevent flapping, and the set-it-and-forget-it sleeve cuffs, really provide excellent bang for the buck with this suit. The back pad can be upgraded to d3o molecular level armor, it comes stock with temperfoam which is also in the hips. This is a straight-up knockout product from Firstgear, who continues to improve their line of ADV touring gear with each passing year.
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