Leather or Textile Jackets | Page 2 | GTAMotorcycle.com

Leather or Textile Jackets

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Leather all the way.
I have a combination leather/textile jacket from Power Trip http://www.power-trip.com/ that is great for riding in the heat of summer. The jacket has fully removable front and back panels with armor elbows, shoulders and back.





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If you fall at any speed of significance with a textile jackets it will leave you nasty scars. I have seen it on some people I know.
Leather is far superior.
It is your body to have for life.
 
If you are going to go textile and can afford it look for textiles that use 1000+ denier cordura nylon its been shown to have similar wear/tear properties to 1.4 mm leather, usually you find 500 - 650 denier polyester which is a fair bit weaker in both abrasion and tear resistance. however as others have said just about any decent textile will be better than riding in jeans.
 
Leather 100%, I dont kill it nearly as hard when I'm wearing my textile. Textile just isn't as safe (but good alterative to a T-shirt on a hot day).
 
Leather allows you to slide across the ground in the event of an accident.where textiles grab the asphalt and can cause you to roll over&over breaking your arms or feet ect...I have had 4wipe outs 1at hi speed in Halliburton...leathers are the best bang for your buck!
 
I forgot to mention... I choose a Joe Rocket ALTER EGO 11.0 textile, high-vis jacket. I don't expect to race anytime soon... as an M1 holder, I'm not even allowed on the 403 yet. I went for comfort and high-vis. The bright neon yellow/black jacket is like a beacon and I like that. It's also the most high-tech piece of clothing that I own with four layers (3 of them are removable) with mesh that keeps me cool.

I'll admit, leather would have been 'cooler' for style. I ride a Rebel... the leather jacket would have been a nice touch but I choose safety and comfort over style this time.
 
Blues hurler said:
Well, I'll be the lone dissenter. For the street, I find textile to be far more practical. You can wear it all year 'round, hot or cold, rain or shine. It's lighter in weight, lot's of hi-viz options, styles, etc. I did have one low-speed accident in which it held up perfectly. Wouldn't wear it on the track, but I don't spend time on the track. So it really depends on what you mean by "better." And it seems like a lot of guys who say that they'd never wear anything but a leather jacket are perfectly happy to wear jeans with it, and maybe even sneakers, so the "protection" argument seems a bit of a red herring sometimes...;)
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Even if you don't spend ANY time on the track, leather is the best protection for motorcycling PERIOD! Textile apparel is only a cheap band-aid until a Newb can afford to buy a leather outfit. Yes, I said outfit. I am in full leathers head to toe every time I am on the bike because I have been hit by cars, I have hit cars, deer, cats, dogs, bats, rats and a few other things in my 25 years of riding sportbikes.
I've seen the seam of an arm tear half way around the shoulder of a textile jacket from a rider high-siding in a parking lot (a Joe Rocket jacket actually) at 15 km/h. Good quality leathers will not fail in this manner due to the seams being "rolled" which means that every seam in the outfit is protected by a layer of leather over top of it. This is not the case with textile outfits. Say whatever you want about textile but it doesn't measure up to leather in ANY regard, and that's not just an opinion, its a fact. Leather can be somewhat comfortable if it is altered by a shop like I+M leathers in hamilton (Ivan's daughter Jennifer is carrying on the business) so that it fits you properly. Perforations can be added later too if you bought leathers that aren't perforated, or zippered vents can be put in. I have rarely seen where a textile jacket fits a rider well enough that the padding will not rotate if the rider hits the ground. Textile jackets usually fit like a jean jacket that can move around when it is needed most. Textile riding gear is a waste of money for anything much more than use with ATV's or trail bikes. For those who are serious about protection, get a set of 2 piece zip together leathers made at IM leather for about $800 with any colour scheme you want and full armour! Textile/leather combination jackets rarely have actual kevlar in the textile areas, it's usually junk called "ballistic nylon" which is not much different than spandex!....the biggest problem with this is that the areas where this lousy material is used is in the armpits and crotch area to provide comfort, cooling and flexibility, which is also where the largest arteries in your body are!!!!!!!! yes, this stuff is easily torn and you bleed out in a matter of a minute or two because you thought you could get away with inferior protection. I don't agree with you at all, I don't think that "protection" can be misinterpreted so easily.
 
sri_dawg said:
Did a quick search before posting to see if there are any other threads on this, couldnt find any. I would love to get a Honda Racing Jacket, just wondering about material here. What's better? Can someone list the pro's/cons of the different types (leather, mesh, nylon), safety being paramount of course.
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I own both and as was said on an earlier post... Look at the application for the day.

On the track, although I do not participate, I would prefer leather. I personally own a mid weight leather jacket and in truth find at times it is a bit heavy. In the event of rain I have, in the past, had to pack rain gear to assist in trying to keep the leather dry. Many will argue that leather is waterproof as it is a skin. It may not get to your skin however will take on moisture and takes a while for it to dry out in the event of a downpour while enjoying your ride.

Prior to buying textile I also did a lot of research into a reputable brand. Some of the research was a simple asking the question, "What do you wear and how do you like it?" My brand of choice is Olympia. I own the AST and find it is light weight, high-vis (I own the yellow), as well offers all the venting padding and protections of other manufacturers.

I purchased the riding pants as well and find that quite often I will wear only the riding pants as they do not vent as well as the jacket....the jacket is fantastic. Both are waterproof and tested. I have about 45000 km on my jacket and pant combo and have decided that I do not need raingear. This is my third season without raingear with no regrets.

As for riding style, I also find that when wearing leather vehicles do not give me the time of day, or the room to move. The high-vis stuff...cars will keep their distance. Olympia offers a few different colours. I also have a light style Olympia jacket in red. All the jackets come with reflective piping through the back and sleeves.

In a word...

TEXTILE
 
I would say Leather. Why? Much more protection from RASH. A good leather jacket can last you for many years if you take care of it.
 
Leather is no doubt more abrasion resistant, but without armour you might still break bones form the initial impact. Along with abrasion resistant, gear needs to protect you from the elements and be comfortable. You unique combination of these three will dictate your choice.

I wear a leather jacket but when the temp goes above 22C I would faint in leather. It is simply too hot. Leather is also heavy, not waterproof and expensive. Leather needs armour for impact protection. When it is cold leather does not insulate. A leather jacket offers poor protection if it is not comfortable and you leave it in your closet when you ride.

I wear my textile jacket when it rains, sleets or when it is cold. It is hiviz yellow and very easy to see. Textile is light and very versatile, warm in the winter and waterproof. There is an inner quilted vest as well as an inner waterproof liner. You zip layers in and out as you see fit. With armour the jacket provides adequate protection from initial impacts and abrasion protection.

I wear mesh when it is hot. The ventilation is unbeatable above 25C. The jacket has armour, and it is the armour that will cushion you from the initial impact. I believe that the mesh will survive a single crash and slide over pavement, but, like a helmet, would need to be replaced.

For those that question the protection of textile and mesh, look at:
Does Motorcycle Mesh Gear Melt in a Crash?

These are real life examples of riders who have crashed in textile and mesh, and their results. Since all crashes are unique, empirical evidence may be the best proof we have. ALL jackets are excellent in certain situations. ALL jackets are poor in certain situations.
 
If you are going to wear mesh in hot weather be prepared to drink a lot more. Mesh causes you to dehydrate a lot faster than when in leather.
 
NealT said:
If you are going to wear mesh in hot weather be prepared to drink a lot more. Mesh causes you to dehydrate a lot faster than when in leather.
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Why would that be if it's cooler than leather?
 
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