Yes I own Chaps, no I am not gay or a member of the village people.

What I need to know is do any of you wear your chaps in the summer heat when you are trying to make some miles in a day. I am taking my first real road trip with my 2002 Road King in a couple weeks and going to be on interstate for like 650 miles. Wondering if the chaps would deflect enough wind to make me more comfortable or just heat me up and be something else to strap on the back of the bike. I have been all over my state and neighboring states. Driven 500 miles in a day all two lane, just never this long on interstate.

 

I have worn them on long trips in the middle of summer.

They were a STUPID purchase though, and I should have gotten leather overpants or Darien overpants, in retrospect.

 

Yes chaps do deflect a lot of heat but as soon as you stop the atract heat. Planning on wearing mine when going through death vally in august.

 

I wear chaps between 55F and 68F. Lower temps I go with touring over pants. Chaps do not help me as much below 55F. Summer time just pants.

 

Only time I wear mine is when I'm going 8 seconds

 

Below 50 only

 

I normally take them but in the summer heat, I seldom wear them.

 

When it is real cold. In the summer I tend to take my rain gear (takes up less space). It hold the heat in if cold, and keeps me dry if it rains.

 

They're good for cold weather, but in warm weather they don't allow your sweat to evaporate. I don't even wear mine in winter anymore. Flannel lined jeans or long johns under jeans seems to work great.

That said, it's my experience that on road trips, you can encounter all kinds of weather. A hot summer day gets cold when you hit higher elevations and rain. It's good to be prepared for everything. Rain gear, leather jacket. Chaps. Eye protection for day and for night. It's worth sacrifiicing some space reserved for clean clothes to have the gear you'll need for the road.

 

I wear em alot even in the summer. Helps with rain, wind and of course the dreaded road slide.

R. Todd