Textiles or leather

[mattycoops43]

Hi guys n gals

Well, most people know I fell off a couple of weeks ago. I was wearing my textile jacket, which faired surprisingly badly for a 20mph slide. The under arm seam opened up and the arm wore through to my skin on my forearm. Stupidly I was wearing my normal cargo trousers as it was hot, so my legs didn't come off very well abrasion wise.

Well, a couple of lessons learn't. I won't be riding without gear again for one. Now, I am not nervous about getting back on when the cast comes off, but I was a bit surprised how badly the textile jacket came off at such a slow speed. It was a weise airvent, not the most expensive I know, but £100 jacket should be reasonably good in comparison with others.

My gear was insured, but not new for old, just for it's value. This means I have got full value for my lid and jacket both of which were only a few weeks old, but didn't get a lot for my boots which were old. Basically I have £280 to replace lid jacket and boots, but I am planning on adding a bit of cash into the equation, but have to be sensible as I am going to be off work for a total of about 6 weeks! Unpaid. This is another reason for wanting better gear.

Basically I don't know what direction to go in. I now have nearly new textile trousers, and an ageing furigan leather jacket which is in good nick but I can get a complete set of new leathers for what it will cost me to get furygan trousers that will match the jacket. or I can just get another textile jacket. I want my jacket and trousers to match and be safe. I think leather would be preferable but not sure if I can stretch to it.

I ride to work as long as the weather is not atrocious, but don 't have to ride if it's torrential, and I have a one piece rain suit too if I go the leather route.

Sorry to waffle on, but I really don't know what to get.

Also, I am a big bloke so have been looking on ebay, but there is nothing really that is my size, loads of 30" trousers etc so I will probably end up buying new.

Happy to replace boots with more ebay marvels, as thats what I had last time.

Thanks

Matt

[Throttled]

Your options really open up if you don't try and match. I don't match and I see loads of other riders who don't match either.

Are you anywhere near a J&S store

http://www.jsaccessories.co.uk/stores

Take your kit along and try out other stuff. My stuff does not match as in brand, but it goes together without looking silly.

[littlecat]

by choice? leathers every time...and full zips and armour at all times.

my size is just as hard to fit as yours, and i usually stalk ebay till i find something

[mattycoops43]

Cheers guys. I assume you mean mixing makes etc, not nleather and textile? I know you could mix fabrics, but reckon it would feel odd. I don't care what name is on stuff as long as it's good quality.

I might just start using my furygan jacket, but the only zip that fits furygan is a furygan one. However, I reckon I could make up a converter by buying a couple of zips to suit and then I could just get any trousers.

[nman1]

I answer these sort of questions a lot mate cus I`ve ssen the damage done to skin through bad gear. And had a couple of knock offs myselfe (stationary but still could have knackered my knees and ankles)

Leather all the way. I think I did a poll on here (or another forum, forgotten now) when I first took up biking and the general concensus was leather gear is best to stop abraision injuries. My instructors also wore it so I took a leesson from their book, so to speak. RST or Richa are reasonable kit and you can pick up trousers for about £80 and jackets for £150. I`ll have a look and see if I can post some links when I get a min. You do need the same make to be able to zip together. Try and go for good boot also. These will protect you ankle joints should the bike happen to fall on you in an off.

Here you go, check out this shop. They are pretty damn cheap.

http://www.topgearsuperstore.com/mega-c ... ser-1.html

[mattycoops43]

They look good! might go for some of those with my furygan jacket. just have to source a converter zip from somewhere.

[nman1]

It`ll cost you about £50 - £60 to get a zip changed on both garments at a proffesional alterations place. I went to a horse sadlers to get my zip repaired for £20

[Throttled]

Cheers guys. I assume you mean mixing makes etc, not nleather and textile? I know you could mix fabrics, but reckon it would feel odd. I don't care what name is on stuff as long as it's good quality.

I might just start using my furygan jacket, but the only zip that fits furygan is a furygan one. However, I reckon I could make up a converter by buying a couple of zips to suit and then I could just get any trousers.

 

I can see how biker jeans would go with textile or leather jackets, otherwise I meant mixing brands.

[techno]

I regularly mix leather trousers with a textile jacket that was before I bought textile trousers, however even now if lts likely to be dry but cold same textile/leather combo I also have never zipped my stuff together I just don't like it.

Having thought about it in this country it actually makes most sense. Imo

[Ali in Austria]

Due to the nature of an Airtex type jacket, it is likely to be trashed in an off but the armour should do its job.

I only ever where textile or kevlar these days.

Over the years I have spent a fortune on gear that doesn't work and when I got in to serious regular touring I invested in a Rukka suit. Not cheap but it is now 7 years old with many thousands of miles behind it and still does its job. Surprisingly it still fits but that may be because I was already a Lard Arse when I bought it. Two low speed offs on ice with initial impact in the same shoulder area have resulted in a barely visible bobbling of the outer material.

Textile suits such as Rukka have a much denser weave than most and will put up with much abuse, even low to mid speed offs. They don't come cheap though.

The Kevlar in denim style jackets and jeans will keep their integrity but won:t protect you from friction burns and as for an impact with the tarmac or an object, without some form of armour, they offer no protection. The latter applies to any material including leather of course. The Denim style material will shred very easily destroying the garment in question. I have tested them in anger and they did a good job but chest armour might have prevented the 6 broken ribs and punctured lung. If I had secured the cuffs I probably wouldn't have had a bad case of Road Rash on my forearm, but it was a hot day,

I've seen even expensive leather suits fail under duress, seems splitting etc.... and in my view they aren't the be all and end all.

The most important thing is that whatever you wear it must fit well, securing properly around the wrists so it doesn't ride up, the same around the back and ankles and that the armour sits naturally in the correct position when on a bike.

Be wary of jackets with zip off arms. I have seen some ugly injuries caused by the zips.

[rennie]

I have never, in 30 odd years of biking, been able

to get leather trousers that actually fit me!

I tend to wear all textiles nowadays but I

went to Spain and back wearing textile

trousers and leather jacket.

they did zip together at the back though!

Your gear can be as "safe" as you like but if it's

not comfortable it sort of defeats the purpose

[mattycoops43]

I know what you mean Rennie.

Well, I had a bit of a result yesterday, went to my local bike place after doing some research on the net, but was not going to buy without trying on, on the net!

They had a last set of last years richa gear left, and it just happened to be my perfect size, and it was reduced a LOT so I am getting that!, fairly subtle set in black and grey, full armour, nice quality leather, when zipped together it's perfect height for me and with the money I saved by getting my helmet replaced for half price off a clearance site, my insurance cheque will cover the leathers with a bit left over for boots!

Should have seen me trying to get into the jacket, cast on one hand, gammy shoulder on the opposite side, was quite funny, but I was determined to get stuff that fitted perfectly!

[nman1]

Result, you`ll be pleased with the Richa kit.

[Boothy]

Richa are very good for the money, my first jacket was Richa and lasted over 2 years of being used everyday. Just don't wash it with a red neck tube in the pocket.

[techno]

Richa are very good for the money, my first jacket was Richa and lasted over 2 years of being used everyday. Just don't wash it with a red neck tube in the pocket.

2 years my spada was 6 lol

[mattycoops43]

Richa are very good for the money, my first jacket was Richa and lasted over 2 years of being used everyday. Just don't wash it with a red neck tube in the pocket.

2 years my spada was 6 lol

 

Yep, I will be disappointed with 2 yrs! My Furygan leather jacket is over 20yrs old and going strong, but just looks so dated now!

[mattneighbour]

I had a major spill on the A1 in torrential rain at, ahem, 65-70 mph (officer). Not totally my fault as a car and trailer switched lanes on me with no indication, I panic braked and lost it. Anyway:

I was wearing Richa textile gear and it performed flawlessly. Some pieces of gravel came through a glove and I bruised my elbow and foot but that was all. The A&E doctor was amazed at how well the textile gear had protected me. Pity the paramedics had to cut it all up! I replaced it with Richa again (but a nicer design).

[mattycoops43]

Being wet obviously means less traction between road and textiles as well as between road and tyres! I think it depends largely if you are sliding on your actual armour, in which case the textile will wear through, but the armour will still protect, or just on textile.

All accidents are different, I think partly it's pure luck as to how you happen to land, and what you hit. I don't think leather is a save all, I just think they maybe have the edge slightly in the sliding stakes!

[Guest]

ok leather or textile? Yesterday an accident happened right in front of me ,my wife and 6yo. daughter.

I live in the north east of thailand, where no-one wears a helmet, gloves or any armour,,ie. flip-flops.

A tzr 150cc was coming allong the road at about 70mph, accelerating as he changed up his 2strokke went quiet and his back wheel locked, he then fish tailed for about 12m then tryed to pull into the side but as he pulled left his back wheel slid out right untill he was sideways at about 50mph,he then highsided, he was thrown face first into the tarmac, after the first impact he went floppy and his head bounced another 3 times befor he started to roll of the road into the bushes,befor he stopped he was standing up and walking to his bike, he pulled off his full face, turned it round, looked it in the eye then put it gentaly to the ground took the bike by the right mirror and dragged it off the road,like it was a dead dog.I have a lot of first aid training and i cant stand and do nothing, i ran over, to find him standing looking at his right hand, it had a stone aprox.15mm diam. about 10mm deep, a little blood but nothing fast, so i bandaged it and sent him to the hospital, the doc. took the stone out,4 stitches,paracetamol and home for tea.He was drunk and going to buy more lao-kao (thai whisky), flip-flops,shorts,t-shirt , no gloves and a fullface,he told me he only put the helmet on coz he thaught it was going to rain, LUCKY,,,dosnt cover it, devine intervention.Ong is his name, i know him from my village

If he hadnt worn it i wauld have been picking up face of the road (not the first time)18 years ago the origonal owner of the bike died on it,then 3 days ago Ong baught the bike and rode it for 3days without checking anything.Leather or Textile,,Luck or divine intervention, i dont think it makes a lot of difference but the more you pay the better protection technology you get.on the other hand if you spill in textile it needs to be replaced. Leather can survive some spills

[dimmers]

Being wet obviously means less traction between road and textiles as well as between road and tyres! I think it depends largely if you are sliding on your actual armour, in which case the textile will wear through, but the armour will still protect, or just on textile.

All accidents are different, I think partly it's pure luck as to how you happen to land, and what you hit. I don't think leather is a save all, I just think they maybe have the edge slightly in the sliding stakes!

you've summed it up nicely there, i think it is all down to pure luck as to how you land, where you land, and what you hit! you could be wearing the best gear in the world, but if you fall off on to a patch of road with a load of sharp gravel/glass on the road then it's just going to shred your gear.

saying that, i always wear as much gear protection as possible, and am a big fan of strap on (please, no silly coments armour, as it is more likely to stay in place and protect what it's supposed to protect.

can be a bit of a pain putting it all on in the morning before the ride to work, but you soon get used to it.

Forcefield armour for me, there stuff is brilliant!

[Harrydh3]

this has worried me lol i got the lot (boots, gloves, trousers, jacket and lid) for just shy of 300 queens faces all textile apart from gloves

i had an off at about 20-25 mph and i came off unscathed and only a hole in my knee and elbow even though the bike landed on my leg... was in the wet mind

neways, my point is that maybe you already had a rip?

but imo its all luck, if its all made to a certain standard (which i think it is because you have CE approved armour so i assume some other legislation cover the rest of the jacket also?) it shouldnt make a difference.

All that said i think i'd feel safer in full cow

[mattycoops43]

My gear was all brand new and up to date.

[Colin the Bear]

All that said i think i'd feel safer in full cow

 

Horse is better and kangaroo is best. Kangaroo gloves and a hide jacket is my choice. I only wear bottoms if it's cold. Cow for comfort. It may be bullocks but who can tell?

[dimmers]

All that said i think i'd feel safer in full cow

 

Horse is better and kangaroo is best. Kangaroo gloves and a hide jacket is my choice. I only wear bottoms if it's cold. Cow for comfort. It may be bullocks but who can tell?

and stingray is better still, but is there a full stingray jacket around... probably not

[Colin the Bear]

All that said i think i'd feel safer in full cow

 

Horse is better and kangaroo is best. Kangaroo gloves and a hide jacket is my choice. I only wear bottoms if it's cold. Cow for comfort. It may be bullocks but who can tell?

and stingray is better still, but is there a full stingray jacket around... probably not

 

Probably good in the wet though.

You can get a stingray jacket here

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