CajunZX-12
Parking Attendant
Posts: 11
|
posted March 30, 2003 06:47 PM
Hot weather leathers
I'm looking at purchasing new leathers soon. Which one's are better for hot weather riding??
  
|
Zhooligan
Moderator
Post Whore Extraordinaire!
Posts: 3829
|
posted March 30, 2003 06:58 PM
My Vanson full perfed set is cooler then my Joe Rockets. And of course Vanson can make them to fit if needed.
____________
To those who do not count their life in years, but in how life
has touched them in the past and how much it can hold in the
future; -- Youth is forever.
|
jonwright
Needs a job
Posts: 2416
|
posted March 30, 2003 08:55 PM
Got full perfed custom Vansons. If you are indeen in Lowsy-anna I wouldn't ride without full perfed.
No question.
Also cooler than textiles - any of them.
The only ones that might be close are the jackets that are meshed. But I question the durability and keeping the armor in place in the 'unlikely event...'
My perfed leather pants are just as cool as jeans.
Another tip is to buy cool max undies. Yep - I have Nike shorts and a bike shirt that I wear under the leathers. Much cooler than a T shirt.
I look like a friggin' dork when I take my jacket off, but that's okay. I'm used to it anyway.
j
|
frEEk
Administrator
ummm... yeah
Posts: 9660
|
posted March 30, 2003 11:52 PM
i'd have to disagree on the textiles comment jon. i have (had) a kevlar 1 piece that left me cold many times cause it breathed so well, even with copious amounts or armour all over the place. having said that, no textile suit is gonna give u the protection of a good leather suit, despite all the claims to the contrar. at least that's my experience. definitely the cheaper textiles are garbage. i had a cheap cordura one that wasnt much better than a ski jacket. but my kevlar suit (Cycleport) held up pretty well, and of course the aerostitch suit is reputed to perform quite well in crashes also.
|
GG
Expert Class
Posts: 187
|
posted March 31, 2003 02:26 AM
Vanson has a new Textile Jacket called the "Vent" Looks good. I'm trying to make the same decision. I thought about the fully per'd Vanson jacket
or the Vanson Cobra.
|
jonwright
Needs a job
Posts: 2416
|
posted March 31, 2003 07:33 AM
Haven't tried the Kevlar jackets, nor the Aerostitch. The jackets I've tried were all brutal - course - they were weather proof which would of course limit breathability.
I have the Cobra - and I like it fine. Kinda wished I'd gotten the GP armour now instead of the plain foam. Since it's bigger you have to go up a size or so in the jacket. The lady at the factory fitted mine so damned tight I don't have room to swap 'em out.
Another thing is that the Cobra doesn't fit well with jeans - my jeans run under the belt line of the jacket and it doesn't look right - plus my belt will rub on my tank.
|
Zhooligan
Moderator
Post Whore Extraordinaire!
Posts: 3829
|
posted March 31, 2003 07:54 AM
Just remember the textile versus Leather issue. The textiles will survive crashes pretty well, but just because the textile won't melt at 400 degrees you will. The leather provides both abrassion and heat protection as you slide. The textile sytems, kevlar etc. may protect you from rash but the guys I have seen with big get offs on the pavement have been burnt severely by the transfer of heat. There is a reason for Roadracers using leather.
Just a reminder.
____________
To those who do not count their life in years, but in how life
has touched them in the past and how much it can hold in the
future; -- Youth is forever.
|
deathpulse
Pro
Posts: 1688
|
posted March 31, 2003 09:15 AM
On a more asthetic note - I really like the looks/fit of my vanson leather jacket.... Now I just need to get the matching pants. Vanson is REALLY high quality stuff and it seems to fit better and better with age, as the leather "wears in".
|
frEEk
Administrator
ummm... yeah
Posts: 9660
|
posted March 31, 2003 10:55 AM
the melting issue is actually the one i am most conflicted about zhool. i have heard the warnings about heat transfer & buring many times from reliable sources, but when i went down at 50-60mph, i got ZERO burns. didnt even feel warm. i did get a nice bruise, but thats just cause i landed & slid mostl on my hip. the material looked kinda melted; not sur eif that was the kevlar or the lycra & nylon mixed in there. i suspect the suit i have is a far higher percentage of kevlar than most, so maybe thats the difference.
jon, my first textile suit was alsoo one of those weatherproof ones, including a plastic lining. it didnt breath at all and thus always left me sweaty in the heat. & it wasnt even very weatherproof at all. the kevlar suit breathed very well, better than a tshirt, but i'm certain it woudlnt do anything to keep out the rain, tho i never actually used it in the wet. the aerostitch is said to be great in wet & hot, but it must be because of generous vents. goretext may breath, but not like cotton or another loose knit fabric. put it this way: it breaths, but it doesnt let a breeze thru, so it's not gonna do all that much to keep u cool.
personally i'd only use textile suits for more relaxed riding. my kevlar suit looks like it will do a fine job to about 60mph in any crash, perhaps to 80 or even 100mph in certain crashes, but i dont think it would hold up beyond that, so truly spirited riding is out in my books. i'v seen so many leather suits that went down at 100mph+ and had the same or less damage than my kevlar suit at 50. textiles: great for extended touring where comfort is priority #1, but not for high speed runs.
|
jonwright
Needs a job
Posts: 2416
|
posted March 31, 2003 03:50 PM
frEEk sumed it all up very well.
|
Zhooligan
Moderator
Post Whore Extraordinaire!
Posts: 3829
|
posted March 31, 2003 11:00 PM
Freek if you are lucky enough to slide on the armor (ie hip pads etc.) heat will be disapated by the armor. But My simple answer to this is go throw apan on the stove and pick it up with your textile suit and then try it with leather.
This said I have both type myself. But I don't wear my Areostich suit with just my underware on. I have a full set of cloths to act as a liner or extra layer. The same with my Kilmajaro coat and pants. I have been down on the race track at speeds in excess of 150. I slid for just about ever. I found that the heat would build up and I had to roll from side to side and look for cool spots. I had some red spots where the heat got me some, but overall I came through it safely. A kevlar or some other synthetic suit would have burned the hell out of me. I certainly believe protection of anykind is better then none, but given my choice I'll take leather.
____________
To those who do not count their life in years, but in how life
has touched them in the past and how much it can hold in the
future; -- Youth is forever.
|
frEEk
Administrator
ummm... yeah
Posts: 9660
|
posted April 01, 2003 12:10 PM
zhool, damn good point about the armour! never occurred to me. the spot on my hip where i hit & spent most of the time sliding was on a piece of armour. half thickness armour mind u, but still. in the case of this particular suit, theres hardly any surface that is NOT protected by armour. it is quite simply the best protected suit i'v seen. i did _some_ sliding on teh unarmoured rear too, but the rear seems to be extra thick, and i didnt slide on it long and not till nearer the end of the slide so the speed was reduced. not much damage to the seat as a result. hey, thanks for pointing that out. in any case, i do agree about leather being superior, as much as i wish it were otherwise. being a veggie, i tr to avoid leather where i can, but this simpl isnt a case where theres an acceptable option for the track or track speed days.
|
Zhooligan
Moderator
Post Whore Extraordinaire!
Posts: 3829
|
posted April 01, 2003 09:00 PM
I wisj there was an equal or better alteranative to leather. Just because cleaning leather is a pain. And it is plenty expensive. I am not a vegatarian, and certainly like my steaks, but I am always interested in manmade alternatives when available.
____________
To those who do not count their life in years, but in how life
has touched them in the past and how much it can hold in the
future; -- Youth is forever.
|
Green Streak
Parking Attendant
Posts: 5
|
posted April 02, 2003 07:46 PM
The 2 piece AGV suite I got out in Laguna in '01 is nice and breathes fairly well in the heat(Phoenix).
|
|
|
HOME
NEW TOPIC