jacket size??

[armyash]

I'm not the biggest guy in the world 36'' chest on a suit but that doesnt mean 36'' bike jacket.

tried on a couple of jackets today 40'' was the best fit it was spot on. 38, the zip had no chance lol

in terms of sizes what is a 40'' S,M,L?

all pretty confusing seeing as blokes as usually pick up a top off the rack look at it for 2 seconds and know if it will fit or not lol

[chiz]

Depends on the manufacturer I'm afraid. I've got five bike jackets, only two are the same size and that's only because they're both from Hein Gericke.

You could look on the manufacturers website as some of them have sizing charts on their site somewhere.

[Colin the Bear]

If it ain't got 4 x's I don't even bother.

[Throttled]

I bought one size up so in the winter there is room for another layer and in the summer a loose fit allows air to circulate.

[queen bodecia]

Throttled, just be careful of that. A loose fit may mean that in the event of a spill, the armour moves around and does not protect the vulnerable parts it is designed to protect. In fact armour that has moved can in itself contribute to injury. With motorcycle clothing you should always aim for a snug but not restrictive fit.

Back to the OP, there seems to be a whole world of difference between motorcycle clothing sizes. Most of the off-the-peg stuff made in Pakistan (Alpinestars, Dainese, FT, RST, etc.) comes up very small. I have found more realistic sizes with HG and Halvarssons gear, but there really is no substitute for trying things on and getting advice for a good fit. Fit is far more important than brand.

With textile clothing look out for a Cordura or Ballistix outer shell with kevlar reinforcements and weatherproof features such as Goretex/Dryway. Avoid polyester outer shells, they are not particularly resistant to abrasion and readily melt due to friction. They are cheap for a reason.

[Remy]

Really you need to try them on, they come in all shapes and sizes - when I went to get some ladies clothing I ended up with several different sizes, none of which was my usual size (12)! Even different style jackets within the same make of clothing fitted differently.