Bmw Comfortemp Underwear
BMW ComforTemp Underwear
CW EVALUATION
Undies über alles
REMEMBER YOUR MOTHER’S ADMONItion to always wear clean underwear? Well, those apparel-meisters at BMW have one-upped dear ol’ Mom with thermal underwear containing PCM, or Phase Change Material.
Quick glance, the ComforTemp setup looks like an ordinary two-piece thermal undersuit. Big difference is neoprene, wetsuit-like material sewn into the top’s yoke and upper arms, and the pants’ upper butt and thighs. Herein resides the PCM, best described as microscopic “pellets” that store and release heat under various circumstances. When body temp rises, the pellets internalize the heat, then as temperatures drop, some kind of tiny “thermostat” kicks in and the PCM releases the stored heat.
DETAILS
BMW North America P.O. Box 1227 Westwood, NJ 07675 800/831-1117 www.bmwridersapparel.com Price..........$270 Alps A Who knew you needed underwear with acronyms? A ComforTemp gloves, vest with zip-on sleeves also available »owns Big-ticket items, undergarmentally speaking Endless SCUBA jokes
Sounds like PR mouth-boogie, we know, but simply put, the ComforTemp gear, available in unisex sizes S through XL, is designed to keep you warmer when it’s cool and cooler when it’s warm. This it seems to do quite well, though you’ll want out of the stuff in 85degree outings. Nor does it obsolete the electric vest on really cold runs. For everything in between, though, ComforTemp is a great foundation to a “systems” approach to riding apparel. We’ve been using ours in conjunction with BMW’s Savanna nylon suit and zip-in Gore-Tex liners, and weather/temperatures simply haven’t been a concern. Although, riding jacket off during coffee stops, you do look a little like an extra from the set of “Sea Hunt.” □
