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HEAD
Marisa's Klim TK1200 helmet.
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Her New Favorite Helmet - Marisa now has the Klim TK1200 Karbon Modular Helmet, and she adores it. It's light-weight, comfortable, it vents well in the heat, and closes up tight in the rain and cold. It also features a Transition visor which automatically adjusts to different lighting environments. At first we were doubtful it would work, but it really is fantastic!
Marisa and I both decided early on to go with modular helmets. We'd heard from experienced motorcycle travelers that having a flip-up helmet can make you more approachable when asking people on the street for directions. And that has turned out to be exactly right. Plus, there's no need to take your helmet off for basic things. Neck Buff - Like myself, Marisa also wears a Neck Buff. But whereas I wear mine like a scarf to protect from the wind, she wears hers on her head under her helmet to keep her hair in place. And for cold, she wears a Fuzzy Warm One. |
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Previous Helmet (Also Good) - Marisa started with a Schuberth Modular Helmet. She loved it, even though she said it could get hot since the vents didn't do much. But it did block a great amount of the outside noise, and was comfortable.
It was black, and when it was in the sun for a long time, Marisa swore it shrank on her. Or maybe her head was swelling, who knows. |
Her old Schuberth helmet.
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What's up with the numbers on the back of your helmet?
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On our old helmets, we had our license plate number on the back, and we did this for Colombia. The law there is that in order to prevent motorcycle robberies, all riders must have their license plate number clearly marked on their helmet. Though this does not apply to foreigners, we didn't want to have to try explaining that to the Colombian officer who just pulled us over and is looking for a bribe. So we just got it done anyway.
If you're headed to Colombia, this is something to consider. |
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SHOULDERS
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Awesome New Gore-Tex Gear - Marisa has now upgraded to the Klim Women's Artemis Adventure Jacket. It's the first Klim jacket for women that was designed by women, plus it's Gore-Tex and entirely waterproof. And it really is. We've tested it through hail and thunderstorms, mud and dust, and this jacket absolutely holds up to all the abuse.
Because it's made of waterproof Gore-Tex, Marisa was concerned at first that the jacket would be too hot in extreme heat. But we got to put that theory to the test while riding through Arizona at the height of summer. And because the jacket as 10 vents, Marisa says that the breeze went right through it. One of the things Marisa likes a lot about the jacket is the way it fits her. It has a nice feminine form to it, and it comes down low over the hips so wind doesn't blow in while riding. The neck closes up tightly so that rain doesn't get in, but it can also clip open to allow for good air flow. Marisa got the "mint green" color, which she loves. And now that she's gone Gore-Tex, Marisa says she might not be able to ever go back. |
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The Original Jacket - Marisa's old Spidi H2Out Motorcycle Jacket was good, but not perfect. It came with useless rain and thermal liners, but the outside layer served her well for years. It had all of the important features of a good motorcycle jacket - vent zippers, adjustability, and shoulder and elbow body amor. The only other major issue with it was that without the rain liner, it was no longer waterproof. Marisa had to put on separate rain gear over it whenever we rode through the rain.
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KNEES
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Waterproof & Awesome - Before heading to Alaska, Marisa wanted to get a pair of motorcycle pants that were warm and truly waterproof. So she went for the best of the best, and got a pair of Gore-Tex Klim Women's Artemis Adventure Motorcycle Pants. They are a matching set to go with her new "mint green" jacket, and after heading up to the top of Alaska and back again, she can now safely say that they are 100% waterproof.
Not Waterproof, But Comfy - Marisa is also thrilled to test out her brand new Klim Women's Outrider Motorcycle Pants. They're like jeans, but with protective padding, so they fit her comfortably, and are breezy for summertime. |
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As Comfortable As Jeans - Since she was unsatisfied with the fit of her first motorcycle pants, Marisa bought an Uglybros pair for our Africa trip, and she loved them!! They were form fitting, comfortable, and had removable protective pads on the knees and hips. She believes Uglybros has put a lot of thought into making women's riding pants, instead of just making a pink version of the men's pants that don't actually fit women.
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Original Pants - Marisa used to wear a pair of way-too-big Joe Rocket motorcycle pants. They just simply did not fit her properly, and she admits that's her fault for purchasing the wrong size. Plus, the front buttons never stayed snapped.
TOES
Motorcycle Boots
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Hard-Core & Indestructible - Marisa now wears the Sidi Adventure 2 Boots, and she loves them. Sadly, they don't make them in women's, but she just bought the smallest size they make in men's, and they fit her well with room enough for thick socks.
These boots are Gore-Tex and are seriously waterproof. They are also pretty stiff, but that's what we wanted, something with ankle support on both sides. And she says they're still comfortable to walk in. Not even a week after buying them, we had a pretty nasty spill on the Colorado BDR, and Marisa's left foot twisted all the way around under the pannier. But she was 100% fine, and we think it was due to these excellent boots! The one problem is that they are squeaky. I can hear Marisa coming from a mile away. |
Comfortable & Flexible - Marisa used to wear BMW Allround waterproof boots, and they served her for nearly four years. But like all boots over time, they stopped being waterproof, and the zippers started malfunctioning. But most importantly, these were touring boots, and for the amount of times that we were going off road (and falling), she wanted something that was a bit more rugged and with more ankle support.
Shoes
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Simply Perfect - For non-motorcycle shoes, Marisa has been wearing KEEN Whisper Sandals since we first left on our trip. After wearing them literally every day for four years straight, they still held up! These shoes are remarkable!
Eventually, they got a little ratty, so we bought new ones of the exact same shoe. They are great for hiking, or walking around town in the heat because they're sandals. And if it's a bit chilly out, she puts on a pair of thick socks underneath, and is good to go (though she might look weird). |
Socks
Although Marisa's feet don't usually stink as much as mine do, if it's been a long hot day, even her feet will smell up a room. But Marisa has discovered that her feet stink much less with Smartwool Socks. For this reason, they are by far her favorite socks to have while motorcycle riding.
And if it's extremely cold out, Marisa will switch into her Klim Hibernate Socks. They are pretty much as warm as it gets.
And if it's extremely cold out, Marisa will switch into her Klim Hibernate Socks. They are pretty much as warm as it gets.
Hands
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Gloves for the Heat - Because Marisa uses her hands frequently on the back of the bike for camera work as she takes footage, she chose a pair of Fingerless Motorcycle Gloves for warm weather days. Since they don't protect her fingers very well, I'm opposed to them, but she loves them.
Gloves for the Cold - For Alaska, Marisa used my way-too-big-for-her Klim Powerxcross Guantlet Snowmobile Gloves hand-me-downs. Despite being ten sizes too big, she liked them because the gauntlet strapped over her sleeves, and she was able to fit her FirstGear Heated Glove Liners inside with plenty of wiggle room. She is currently looking into new gloves for the cold. |
Marisa's Klim Snowmobile Gloves
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FOR RAIN
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Gore-Tex is Great - Back in the dark ages, we used to have non-waterproof jackets, and therefore needed to put on separate rain gear over it. If you're on a strict budget, this is still a practical way to go.
But for our latest set of adventures, Marisa and I have finally reversed course on our no Gore-Tex decision, and got top-quality Klim jackets and pants that are Gore-Tex and completely waterproof. Marisa is now wearing the Klim Women's Artemis Adventure Motorcycle Jacket and Pants, and she's super happy about them. They are comfortable, warm, and totally waterproof. She has even sat on a soaking wet seat cover for hours in the rain and her butt was totally dry. And best of all, there's no more stopping to put on rain gear on the side of the road. Separate Rain Jacket - But because there are times when we want to go hiking in the rain, or walking around town in the rain, and don't want to wear our motorcycle jackets, Marisa purchased the Klim Women's Eclipse Packable Rain Jacket. It's also Gore-Tex, but packs up small and light. |
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Before Gore-Tex - In the beginning, Marisa and I decided not to invest in top-of-the-line Gore-Tex gear, and instead went with cheaper rain gear that we could layer on over our other garments. It was a lot of trial and error, and maybe because we'd always gone with cheaper items, we were never truly satisfied with our rain setup.
For both the jacket and pants, Marisa used Columbia Gear which she says "worked". The jacket cut the wind well, but was only waterproof up to a point. In a torrential downpour, only the pants held up well. |
Warning: Not Waterproof - Marisa and I previously had Ascend rain jackets and pants, but these were terrible. Marisa actually got pneumonia in Colombia using this jacket. After that, in Ecuador we got into such a horrible storm, that I was cold and wet for hours afterwards and seriously worried about getting pneumonia myself. We have both since ditched this rain gear, but please keep in mind, this was a long time ago. It's possible the company's products have improved.
FOR COLD
Heated Gear
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Heated Jacket Liner - For the first four years of our journey, we were constantly crossing the equator, and didn't need to worry too much about cold weather. But on year five we decided to head to the Arctic Circle in Alaska, and realized that investing in heated gear might be a good idea. And we were right.
Marisa's Firstgear Heated Women's Motorcycle Jacket Liner kept her warm on the coldest days, even when she got sick and had a fever on the road. She LOVES her heated jacket liner, and says that it feels like she's slipping into a warm bathtub every time she plugs it in. |
Heated Glove Liners - Marisa also now uses Firstgear Warm and Safe Glove Liners which plug right into her jacket. They don't get crazy warm like the jacket, but definitely make a difference on cold, windy days.
Jackets
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Best Down Jacket - Also for the recent Alaska trip, Marisa acquired a REI Co-op Stormhenge 850 Down Jacket. She believes this is the perfect down jacket. Not only is it extremely warm, but it's waterproof as well! She has hiked through rain and snow in this jacket and never got wet.
850 down is pretty much as warm as down gets. And it also has a down-filled hood that keeps her head warm, so no need for a hat. It has underarm zipper vents in case she gets hot, and because it's down, it compresses to be quite small. |
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Also Good Down Jacket - Marisa wore a Mountain Hardwear Down Jacket for years. It was small, light, and most importantly, warm. Only problem - because she bought it in a light blue color, it got visibly dirty very quickly. Eventually, the dirt and grime couldn't be washed out anymore, and too much washing destroyed the down.
Alpaca Sweater - Marisa gets cold easily, so although her down jackets have been great, sometimes she needed a little bit more. So while in South America, she bought an alpaca wool sweater and she lived in that thing for months. Paired with the down jacket, even the wind and snow of Tierra del Fuego couldn't chill her. |
Base Layers
Again for our Alaska trip, Marisa discovered the importance of having a good thermal base layer. She got the Klim Solstice 3.0 Shirt and the Klim Solstice 3.0 Pants, and she's been practically living in them ever since. They are super warm, but also breathable (the shirt has a thinner underarm area for better breathability). Marisa wears them underneath all her gear, as pajamas at night, or even just lounging around the hotel or camp.
CLOTHING
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You'd be surprised how many people have asked me how many pairs of underwear I bring. In fact, you might be wondering the same. Since we are 2up, on a single motorcycle, and packing everything we need to live and survive for years on end, that means we have very limited space. So if you're curious, here's the breakdown ~
We each get one small "canvas shopping bag" full of clothes. Marisa packs the following in hers ~
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EARPLUGS
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We have both recently learned the wonders of wearing earplugs while riding. Not only is it probably saving our hearing, but we've discovered that we can actually hear our music better with them in!
Marisa uses Eargasm Earplugs (yeah, that's a memorable name), and she absolutely loves them. They are specifically designed to block out wind noise while allowing in the sounds that you want to hear. Plus, they don't stick out so she can even wear them while sleeping if we're camped in a noisy area. |
TOILETRIES
For Teeth
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The Perfect Toothbrush - For many years, Marisa and I resigned ourselves to the fact that we wouldn't be able to travel with an electric toothbrush because it's big and heavy and needs to be plugged in... Until we discovered the Quip.
It's very small (almost the same size as a regular toothbrush), it's pretty light (only takes one AAA battery), and it lasts for months on that single battery. It even comes with a slip-on travel sleeve. And to top it all off, it's very affordable. Quips are simply the best in our opinion. |
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For Hair
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Hard Shampoo - One way that we conserve on weight and space is by purchasing bars of shampoo (Marisa bought hers from Lush, but other brands on Amazon sell them.). They’re light-weight, small, will never explode, and will last for many more washes than a bottle. And yes, they really do lather and act like regular shampoo.
TowelWe share a single microfiber towel that was designed and made by a friend of ours, her company is DryFoxCo. It dries fast, packs down tiny, and comes in very fun designs. If you purchase a towel, you can be happy with a great product, while also knowing that you've helped support a small, female-owned business.
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Other Extras
Of course, there's a few more things that Marisa brings in her toiletry bag. She has deodorant, a hair brush, a few items of makeup, lip balm, a small mirror, hair ties... Oh yes. And Marisa is blind as a bat, so she carries a pair of glasses for her, extra contacts, contact solution, and her contact case.
FEMININE STUFF
Marisa here, and I'm writing about this because other women interested in motorcycle travel have asked me what I do when it's my time of the month.
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First, let me say that many female motorcycle travelers I've met have chosen to take birth control that stops them from menstruating, and it has worked well for them. I had recently done the same, and it went alright, though not perfect. And it didn't stop my menstruation entirely.
I once considered using the DivaCup, which is reusable, eco-friendly, and you don't have to keep buying things. Unfortunately, it was not a good option for me. So you guessed it, I now once again go the old-fashioned way and carry lots of tampons with me, especially since I travel to countries where they are sometimes hard to find. |
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Also to keep in mind, we have been sponsored by the brands listed here and in the footer below. Of course, we try to be as honest about their products as we can be, and we would never promote anything that we did not genuinely like.
Also to keep in mind, we have been sponsored by the brands listed here and in the footer below. Of course, we try to be as honest about their products as we can be, and we would never promote anything that we did not genuinely like.
