#1 Thread starter
I've been considering a Stich as part of my Harley gear, long before I ever bought the Viffer or joined this forum. But after searching and reading all the related threads, I couldn't decide if I wanted to be fitted over the phone or order online. Since I live in Metro Detroit which is about a 12 hour cage drive to Duluth, I decided to visit the factory and get fitted. So this past Sunday I drove up I-75 to northern Michigan, crossed the Mackinac Bridge, hung a left thru Michigan's Upper Peninsula, then thru a sliver of Wisconsin to Duluth. Spent Sunday nite there and was at the factory at 8:00 on Monday morning when they opened. Since they have a first class website and catalog IMO, I was naturally inclined to think I would be visiting a modern factory operation as I drove up there. What I encountered...the visuals...was quite different, although it certainly doesn't diminish the great customer service I received...they really go out of their way to accommodate walk-ins and were very generous with their time. I guess it goes to show how the lore and well-deserved reputation of the suit and great marketing can conjure up in our minds an image of a modern factory setting that was at odds with what I was looking at as I drove up to the building. It's actually a nondescript old 3 story warehouse type building...with an almost "old dry cleaners" look on the inside. There was a subdued Aerostich logo sign on the building, but even as I entered I had to look around to see if I was in the right place because I still wasn't sure at first...I kept thinking "is this really it?" My mind said 'shiney steel and glass' but my eyes told me 'ancient.' So it's a reminder there's truth in not judging a book by its cover.
In addition to the employee lunch room and vending machines, the first floor is contains their ordering area with a bank of PCs, a fitting area with racks of stock 1 and 2 piece suits in all sizes/various colors used for fitting, a mock-up of a bike with 'pegs' (actually a long rod that extends out each side of the 'bike') that can be repositioned along the bottom of the 'bike' according to your riding position (it wasn't perfect, but it was good enough), and the Aerostich store, with many (though not all) of their catalog items. I forgot to ask, but I was guessing that floors 2 and 3 are probably where the suit construction, storage and shipping is done.
I ended up getting the 1 piece Roadcrafter Hi-Viz with silver ballistics. I also got the hip pads, but held off on a back protector pending more research into what I really want. I wear a 44R, but went up to a 46 for more room in the shoulders and torso. I needed alterations to move the knee pads up 2 inches, which also served to shorten it 2 inches in the legs, so that solved the length problem, and took an inch off the sleeve length. Should be here in about 5 weeks...hopefully the initial fitting alterations will prove to be correct and preclude the need for more. Of course, that's one of the reasons I drove up there.
Judi was my customer service rep and did a great job...they also get a 2nd opinion from another fitter before writing up your order, and won't charge your credit card until it's ready to ship. Walk-ins get 10% off the total purchase. That was an $80 value, plus free shipping (probably a $15 value) and no tax (would have been $50 for Michigan), so the total savings was about $145 or so. It nearly paid for my 2-day trip, since gas, food and hotel came to about $160.
All in all a great trip and well worth it if you have time and live within reasonable driving distance of the factory, don't want to deal with the uncertainty of phone/online ordering and fitting, or deal with the subsequent hassle of mailing back and forth for alterations. I'll post a review when it arrives and I get some miles on it.
In addition to the employee lunch room and vending machines, the first floor is contains their ordering area with a bank of PCs, a fitting area with racks of stock 1 and 2 piece suits in all sizes/various colors used for fitting, a mock-up of a bike with 'pegs' (actually a long rod that extends out each side of the 'bike') that can be repositioned along the bottom of the 'bike' according to your riding position (it wasn't perfect, but it was good enough), and the Aerostich store, with many (though not all) of their catalog items. I forgot to ask, but I was guessing that floors 2 and 3 are probably where the suit construction, storage and shipping is done.
I ended up getting the 1 piece Roadcrafter Hi-Viz with silver ballistics. I also got the hip pads, but held off on a back protector pending more research into what I really want. I wear a 44R, but went up to a 46 for more room in the shoulders and torso. I needed alterations to move the knee pads up 2 inches, which also served to shorten it 2 inches in the legs, so that solved the length problem, and took an inch off the sleeve length. Should be here in about 5 weeks...hopefully the initial fitting alterations will prove to be correct and preclude the need for more. Of course, that's one of the reasons I drove up there.
Judi was my customer service rep and did a great job...they also get a 2nd opinion from another fitter before writing up your order, and won't charge your credit card until it's ready to ship. Walk-ins get 10% off the total purchase. That was an $80 value, plus free shipping (probably a $15 value) and no tax (would have been $50 for Michigan), so the total savings was about $145 or so. It nearly paid for my 2-day trip, since gas, food and hotel came to about $160.
All in all a great trip and well worth it if you have time and live within reasonable driving distance of the factory, don't want to deal with the uncertainty of phone/online ordering and fitting, or deal with the subsequent hassle of mailing back and forth for alterations. I'll post a review when it arrives and I get some miles on it.