Hot weather gear ...what do you wear ?

[Sibbo]

Summer will here in a few months for us but our American contingent is enjoying it now .How do you keep cool and have safe gear as well ?

Any recommendations for jackets ...

How do ''mesh'' jackets work ?

[Deleted User 287]

I have mesh jacket and pants made of Kevlar my Motoport. http://www.motoport.com/_product_106903 ... lar_Jacket

I like the jacket better than the pants, the pants are a bit uncomfortable, but then, I've never had a pair made from Cordura to compare.

There was not a lot of noticeable damage to the pants when I crashed 3 years ago.
I wasn't wearing my mesh jacket, though, I was wearing a Cordura full-length coat made by Lookwell that took the brunt of the EMT's scissors.

On a night like tonight, coming home from work in 58°F (14°C) temps, it would be pretty chilly on that 20 minute ride, even with the rain liner and thermal liners installed. And on that Motoport jacket, you have to put the rain liner in first, and then the thermal liner into the rain liner. Not an "either or" proposition.

It does kick ass in the heat, though. It can be over 90°F (32°C) and still be comfortable.
Wet down your shirt underneath and it feels cold!

If I were to do it again, I would get a good-quality Cordura with good armor padding and save a couple of hundred $.

*Unfaired bike subjectivity.

[Sibbo]

Ok ,thanks .I've got one of these cheap and cheerful jackets for when it's cool .Good armour , quilted removable inner etc http://www.aldi.com.au/au/html/offers/2827_18707.htm but I'd cook in the Summer .Over 32 C is standard here .

With the jacket you linked to,do you wet it or open vents ? Excuse my ignorance but all this new gear is VERY new to me and I want to do a lot more riding this Summer .

[Gryphon]

The mesh jackets work by keeping the direct sunlight off your skin while allowing airflow around your body for cooling/evaporation. When it's over 100F (24C), I wear my coolvest, http://coloradocoolwear.com/CoolVests.htm, under the mesh and it's tolerable. The mesh jacket still has armor at the elbows, shoulders, etc... for protection, but with the airflow coupled with the coolvest, makes the ride much more enjoyable. The phase-change crystals in the vest stay functional for several hours. Here in the midwest, I've always been able to find someplace to rewet them after 4 hours. By then I needed a break anyway.

[Deleted User 287]

With the jacket you linked to,do you wet it or open vents ? Excuse my ignorance but all this new gear is VERY new to me and I want to do a lot more riding this Summer .

No, no vents, it is as open as possible, 100% of the time, unless you have the liners in.
The pocket linings are a thin, silk-like material, and all of the armor is perforated to allow airflow.

There is armor in the back, shoulders, elbows and chest, all of which is removable via velcro closures.
On the really hot days, one would probably want to remove the chest panels, as they are probably the least likely to be needed in a single-vehicle crash, and block most of the airflow.

And no, you don't wet the jacket, just whatever you are wearing underneath.

[dwerbil]

Best deal for the money.....
http://www.forestry-suppliers.com/produ ... oling+Vest

I have two of them. The vest works great down here in Texas as long as the humidity isn't really high. In 100f temps, it cools me enough to wear a protective jacket in relative comfort. The above site has been around for a long time. Good place to buy.

[Major Softie]

I much prefer perforated leather to mesh - FAR more protection. When it's well over 100F, perforated is too hot without an evaporative liner of some sort, but I virtually never ride in that kind of heat. Mesh is much cooler sitting still - if you're stuck in a traffic jam in the sun, perforated is nearly as hot as vented leather - but I don't have that problem where I ride either.

Saw a guy on his Wing just yesterday: $600 helmet, Hawaiian shirt, and Bermuda shorts. I don't like mesh, but it would certainly have been a vast improvement over his gear.

[Jeff in W.C.]

I much prefer perforated leather to mesh - FAR more protection.

I would say it depends on the mesh. I have a Kevlar mesh suit that is probably better than leather. On the other hand, I had a cheap mesh suit that didn't hold up well at all with a low speed crash.

[Sibbo]

Best deal for the money.....
http://www.forestry-suppliers.com/produ ... oling+Vest

I have two of them. The vest works great down here in Texas as long as the humidity isn't really high. In 100f temps, it cools me enough to wear a protective jacket in relative comfort. The above site has been around for a long time. Good place to buy.

Thanks guys ,I just ordered one of these .

[She'llbe]

I've got Olympia mesh gear. Rode it down to Tumut last September, it was cold and wet. This gear kept me very warm and dry!!!! It's also great in 35*Celsius.