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Kevlar/aramid vs leather


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Hi all,


As I'm sure is the same for most, I'm finding this hot weather pretty unpleasant when riding.

I have full textiles and the trousers in particular are really hot and sweaty, I think they'll be great in winter with the thermal layer added but definitely not for summer.


I have been thinking of buying some aramid jeans (and saving for a leather jacket to go with) which I think would be better in the heat but am wondering if they do offer as much protection as leather, am I just putting off the inevitable and should just pay the extra for leather trousers now which I can add the jacket to soon.

What are your thoughts?


P. S I ride every day in all weathers.

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I haven't bothered with leathers for years.. I gave them up one hot summer when they were impossibly hot to wear.. and a real struggle to get off. I was sweaty and they seemed to be glued to my skin. If you were to buy vented leathers.. then you are buying something that has a fairly limited use in our climate.. unless summers like this are the new 'normal'. And you dont mind carrying waterproofs to wear over them if the weather turns.. and then stopping and putting them on.


Just my opinion, but i think textiles are far more suitable for hot weather than leathers.. due to the venting, but obviously you need to buy textiles that have this feature in abundance, where the vents can be opened in the heat.. and closed when the weather turns and its either cooler.. or even cold and wet. When you can increase the warmth by adding layers.. either as one that is zipped in, or extra layers as under clothing. similarly a waterproof layer.


Ive seen waterproof textiles that have vents on the lower legs.. thighs, below the shoulders.. arms and back.. so the air can flow through. Just a matter of deciding on a budget and looking at features you want and then reviews. couple that with wicking base layers so that sweat can be dranw away from your skin and rapidly evaporated which helps with cooling.


Personally.. I rate clothing from Scandinavia. so.. Rukka, Halverssons, Lindstrands, or from Europe.. brands like Rev'it. all of which go that extra mile with design and use of the best materials and generally excellent quality control. Add to that.. fully vented gloves. people often forget about gloves... but cool hands in this heat are a genuine boon. as is a helmet with vents that actually work. In my case.. I have a flip front helmet which is fantastic in this kind of weather... at moderate speeds. locking it down when I up the pace.

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I bought a Frank Thomas mesh jacket for this weather and it has been wonderful along with the Rukka mesh gloves. I use the new Hood jeans which have a mesh liner to allow air to flow around.

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My textiles are both richa but I feel like the jacket (witch is vented) is far better quality with two removable layers.

The trousers are not vented and although the thermal layer is removable they have a permanent rubberised waterproof layer, it works well, keeps the sweat in perfectly within 10 mins of wearing them.

Maybe I just need better quality gear, I just don't want to keep spending money if I'll end up in leathers and a waterproof suit in the end anyway.

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Leather is the best for slide protection but not for hot weather. I have ended up with about six different jackets and trousers and gloves to suit different times of the year and different weather conditions. A mixture of leathers and textiles. But I’m a bit of a kit collector.

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Why does nobody manufacture biking gear with water cooling/heating pipes running through??

Might look a bit like a space suit but would be quite useful.

 

This -


https://www.fc-moto.de/epages/fcm.sf/?ObjectPath=/Shops/10207048/Products/Revit-Cooling-Vest-Insert-Challenger/SubProducts/Revit-Cooling-Vest-Insert-Challenger-0003&Currency=GBP&Locale=en_GB&iccm=SOL_GB&utm_source=billiger&utm_medium=productlistings&utm_campaign=Solute_UK


There are various products which are saturated with water and help to cool the rider. Even a damp towel round the neck.

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Yeah the guy in the shop told me to buy revit jeans rather than dainese as the along with being fully lined the denim had woven aramid in there. That would explain why they're £180...

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Had a little look and out of the above mentioned jeans, revit were the only one's with layered lining throughout, which in my opinion stands a chance of being as good as leather all round but with the added bonus of being waterproof.

Only problem is they don't fix to a jacket, at least not as far as I can see.

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I wear jeans for most of the year when its dry/ light showers and carry some plastic over trousers for when the weather turns, personally I find them much more versatile for comfort and general use than leathers or textiles. I am aware that in an accident there is a lot more movement and chances for rotations etc but I doubt there are many roads apart from dual carriageways and motorways that you would be sliding on for over 5 seconds without hitting anything so the additional slide time on leather for me is not so relevant. My old jeans I have sprayed with Nikwax and it works for light showers in the summer where you know they will dry as soon as the sun comes out and I have purchased some pre-treated kevlar jeans for the more changeable months and they work great! I bought an attachment belt to connect to my jacket for both my leather and Rukka jacket and it stops any draft and will hopefully stop the jacket riding up in a crash.


I have a full Rukka textile set for the wet and cold days (winter) and the jacket I will wear until the needle goes above 16 degrees and then its back to leather jackets, I would always go for jeans over leather but that is my preference, one of my friends only wears a one piece all year round as for him that's when he is most comfortable. I work on the grounds that if I am comfortable (hot or cold) then I am a more focused rider and you would hope less likely to be involved in an accident due to being distracted from my gear/ temperature.


I would get a pair of jeans and some over trousers and go from there but that's just me :)

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Deffo Hood jeans......but the lining does make them warmer than normal jeans......look on their testimonials for how well they stand up to sliding up the road at speed..... :wink:

 

I've been using my Hood jeans in the hot weather commuting through London.

They are quite heavy but this isn't a surprise when you consider the denim, kevlar, armour in them.

Combined with my Merlin textile jacket I've not had any problem with the heat.


I did get caught in in a storm recently. Merlin jacket has a hidden mac that goes over the main jacket. Worked 100%. Hood jeans though absorbed every drop or rain and deposited it in my boots.

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  • 1 month later...

As Bikers we have a social responsibility. We have to wear leathers because there is a leather mountain in Europe and it costs a fortune to store the skins.


In many ways I know I am contributing to the problem by the number of sausage sandwiches I eat however the problem is growing and I do love sausages.


I can only see a future of larger and larger sofas to use up this mountain and then the nation will face increases in moving charges and larger houses will become necessary to hold the "Borrowers" sized furniture which will prove difficult to climb onto. The social problems will be immense.


Once the animals see huge quantities of skins being stored endlessly they may decide enough is enough and revolt. I am particularly concerned that monkeys and apes may get wind of it and break out of their secure accommodation where they can easily sustain a 40 a day smoking habit.


The writing is on the wall ignore it at your peril. By eschewing Leather goods we may see the end of human life as we know it on the planet.


Choose leather.

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