Hot Weather Riding Gear

I often wonder about how the padding shifts upon impact and the ability of the garment to hold the padding in its proper place

The tighter the garment, the better it is at holding the pads in place but that increases the heat

Leathers, being stiff, naturally hold the pads in place and if they do shift the leather is itself a form of padding. Mesh garments, on the other hand do not have that quality

I think your closing statement is a bit of a sweeping statement... yes, I’m sure it’s true of an awful lot of the stuff out there, but if you buy from the good brands (like Rukka) then a mesh jacket can be as good as, or better than, all but the best leathers.

I also think that its worth remembering that comfort IS safety. The hotter and sweatier and stiffer and more dehydrated you are, the less safe you are !
 
Yes, sweeping. And yes, my mesh garments are "off the rack" with snaps and straps that do tighten the fit. I did upgrade the removable basic level CE pads with much better ones that are hard surfaced, thicker, and of greater area. That done, I've never been confident about the pad shifting problem. I like the breathability of the mesh garments' loose fit. That conflicts with a tight (and hotter) fit around elbows, shoulders, knees and hips. Loose cooler fit, ipso facto, the pads are likely to shift upon first impact.

Could be that I should spend more, or could be that Sothern California is just a lot hotter than your neighborhood, Nigel.
 
Hard faced armour...??

Armour is the wrong name for what we use really. It is really ‘impact absorption’ or ‘energy absorption’ but whatever we call it, it is actually better to be SOFT so that it absorbs impact and moulds to the body. Hard faced doesn’t absorb impact well. And it is not needed for abrasion resistance as that should be taken care of by the outer material of the jacket.

Softer armour that moulds to the body is also less likely to shift around. The good stuff is perforated and / or slotted to at least allow some air flow.

A product called D30 armour is probably the most popular upgrade armour in Europe. Worth googling.

Also, have you considered an under garment like the one below? I’ve not tried one, not really my thing, but many people like them:



I can count the times I’ve worn my mesh jacket here in the UK on my fingers. That’s why I couldn’t bring myself to buy one in the past!

But it paid for itself in the USA big time. The highest temps I saw were mid 40s Celsius (112-115 Fahrenheit). Probably not unusual for you guys, but for an Englishman it felt like Hell !!
 
I've got several mesh jackets and pants with the certified pads. What I wear mainly depends on who I'm riding with; yesterday it was supposed to be hot and we did 120 miles of coastal canyons at quick but safe pace; I took a chance and rode in a long sleeve T shirt, jeans, and dress boots.

I often wish that it was legal to ride without a helmet - for short trips, errands and such on hot days - shorts, T shirt and sunglasses. But can't, feels dumb to wear a helmet that way.

Hey John, it feels dumb because it is dumb :D.

Good to hear that you're getting some rides in again. I took a run down Latigo last week on the 961 wearing three season jacket, without liner and with vents open, over a T-shirt, along with armored cargo pants. I was roasting in the valley but nice and comfy in the cool along the coast. Seems like whatever gear we wear, it will still be a compromise.

Ken
 
I run an air conditioner for hot rides!


Hot Weather Riding Gear


Had it on for many a day last summer while riding across Canada on my modern Bonneville. You give it a full soak and wear beneath your vented jacket, I had a Triumph brand full mesh with armour. Works a treat at speed and even when walking a bout in the heat. Stays moist for a good few hours before a resoak needed.

For. Leggings, I typically use Saint brand Model 1 pants with knee and hip armour. These are CE level 2 rated. Have single layer Spectra material, which is slide rated for 6 seconds, which is on par with leather. But spectra is highly breathable and there is no liner to the pants.
 
I have a Klim Badlands Pro jacket and pants. It is pretty much four seasons stuff for me here in NZ. D30 armor everywhere, and a million vents.

It is fine in the low-mid 30s/90s, with a tshirt and light shorts under, but can get warm when stopped. And if it starts squalling it takes just a minute to do up the front vents.

I had a guy in a Merc pull out in front of me a couple years ago, and totalled my old Duc. i went over his hood and rolled on the tar seal, which is embedded with road metal (gravel) and quite rough. Totalled my Arai too, but the suit looked new and felt like a pillow when i landed (i actually thought that as i was rolling).

By far the best gear i have had.
 
Toranado, while you have shown on this forum you a very thoughtful and intelligent Gentleman , I just don’t understand why you continue to claim you rode across Canada ... the fact is you made it almost half way , I’m sorry to belabour this but ,”Come on Man” ... you missed the Provinces of Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland on your ride and that is a good portion of our great Country .... ... on another note I do like the sound of the soaker vest and pants , we have been having humid days down here with unseasonably high temps 30C plus and I am finding even my Resurgence Gear Pekev jeans are feeling warm .... thanks for posting the details ... Anytime you care to finish that ride of yours I will surely host you and act as local guide , back in spring of ‘17 when I rode from British Columbia across our entire Country less Newfoundland , including P.E.I. and Cape Breton Island it took me 16 sleeps , and I was old man then ..... becoming more crotchety all the time !
 
I also have a Rev'it ignition 2 jacket and pants. Hybrid mesh/leather. It is cool, but much much less armor and only one arm vent. And it has irritating internal rain liners Stupid design. I rarely use it anymore.
 
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i see lots o folks in this here nekkid o the woods ..mostly on HD... in hot weather riding gear...........tube tops short shorts flip flops Na#i style helmets wife beater shirts no shirt and leather vest straining to contain beer gut.......etc etc/// for me it's boots of some sort.. jeans.. a day neon glo green long sleeve tshirt and AGV Valentino Rossi replica full face with visor up........but that's just me
 
Yes I had a mesh suit with rain proof insulating liner , tried it one season and sold it on Kijiji ( buy & sell) and got the Klim Apex and Klim Latitude pants , I‘m thinking Torry’s soaker vest would work perfect under the Apex jacket , just mentioned it to my wife , she going to order one for me for my B’day later this month , I think the wet vests are great idea !
 
Yes I had a mesh suit with rain proof insulating liner , tried it one season and sold it on Kijiji ( buy & sell) and got the Klim Apex and Klim Latitude pants , I‘m thinking Torry’s soaker vest would work perfect under the Apex jacket , just mentioned it to my wife , she going to order one for me for my B’day later this month , I think the wet vests are great idea !
There are more fancy types where you actually pour water into a capped bladder on the vest, which then diffuses through the material. Advantage is no actual wetness on the inside surface, so you don't have to get underlayers damp. Would have one of these myself but could not find one for less than $150-$250 USD....too rich for my blood.

Here's a re-fillable one now on offer from HomeDepot....didn't see these offered last year:

 
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There are more fancy types where you actually pour water into a capped bladder on the vest, which then diffuses through the material. Advantage is no actual wetness on the inside surface, so you don't have to get underlayers damp. Would have one of these myself but could not find one for less than $150-$250 USD....too rich for my blood.

Here's a re-fillable one now on offer from HomeDepot....didn't see these offered last year:

Don't know about you northern hemisphere guys - but I remember when I was a kid, everyone in the bush (far from cities) used to hang a canvas water bag on the front of the car. Water would soak through the canvas and would evaporate in the apparent wind caused by the car's speed, thus cooling the bag, Whenever you stopped you always had cool water ready at hand.
Haven't seen one for ages.
Same principle as those vests you're discussing.
 
On the occasional day that it got too hot here in the U.K. back when I was racing, I used to use an oversized tee shirt, soak it in water and wear it over my leathers.

It worked very well. Of course, it only lasted a short time, which was fine for my needs but wouldn't help on a road trip.

My point is, these devices don’t necessarily have to be worn under biking gear, next to the skin etc, they can still be effective worn on the outside.
 
Don't know about you northern hemisphere guys - but I remember when I was a kid, everyone in the bush (far from cities) used to hang a canvas water bag on the front of the car. Water would soak through the canvas and would evaporate in the apparent wind caused by the car's speed, thus cooling the bag, Whenever you stopped you always had cool water ready at hand.
Haven't seen one for ages.
Same principle as those vests you're discussing.
Same principle as the old school wine skins people would carry on walkabouts.
 
This site was in the NOCNZ newsletter this month. Safety tests and ratings for impact, Burst, Abrasion and Breathability on jackets, pants and gloves.

 
It is great to see the independent test results, just a pity i bought a new pair of armoured jeans a week ago and now find, despite all the manufacturers advertising puff, they ony achieved a 2 star rating.
 
It is great to see the independent test results, just a pity i bought a new pair of armoured jeans a week ago and now find, despite all the manufacturers advertising puff, they ony achieved a 2 star rating.
My Klim gear wasn't tested as far as i could see. But my gloves did well!
 
My Klim gear wasn't tested as far as i could see. But my gloves did well!
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Sounds like it might have been an off butGloves are an essential part of riding kit.. You will not necessarily bang your head but try falling off without your hands scraping the road.
 
Comfy looking bike , the gear looks good as well ! Assume that a Duke GT ? or The Beast !
Yes, SDGT. Bought 3 years ago to replace my main rider. It's a hoot, I just can't look at it very long. have to avert my gaze to the Norton.
 
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