Mesh vs Textile vs Leather

This topic is probably the most popular. But I've noticed something -- 10% Mesh, 40% Textile, 50% Leather, and most of the time only comfort is discussed. I'd like to start this topic off discussing the crashworthiness of each type of material -- because, for some reason, its easier to find an online pharmacy selling cocaine than it is finding what Rocktex, Hypertex, etc. actually made of (and what the actual abrasion tests are). I, myself, have a Joe Rocket Alter Ego textile/pants combo and Blaster 2.0 jacket. But I'm concerned when I read the label and its made of 100% polyester, when I occasionally hear that polyester melts to your skin. It makes me want to sell my textile jacket/pants and get something thats not. Thats why I want everyone who has personal knowledge of these materials and brand/style specific crash tests to accommodate them -- In all areas. <<-- What has saved Your ass?

I Wear Draggin jeans http://www.dragginjeans.net/

Never liked leather Trousers.. and frankly people think im ghey anyway.. 

I wear a Marlboro Race Rep Leather jacket, Real 100% leather , Tough as week old Bread

I wear Leather /kevlar Gloves , Leather with Kevlar Knuckles, Great Hand protection , and a legal knuckle Duster

Dont wear motorcycle boots , there next on the list , but being a size 12/13 hard to find a pair i like , i just wear trainers , but if i fall , im going try and land on my shoulder

I wear a armored mesh Icon Max Jacket.Saved my ass a week after I got it.I wear River Road Mojave Mesh Pants with CE armor,Power Trip US Army Abrams Gloves,and NITRO MATRIX BOOTS.

I have a pair of Draggins cargos - they're kevlar lined.  As for crash testing there's a film on their website of a guy being pulled on his arse behind a drag car. 

I recently retired the draggins in favour of a pair of Hornee jeans.  They have far more kevlar lining in them and they look just like a pair of designer jeans (unlike the draggins that are hardly fashion items).  They're great (once you get past the retarded name  ), because you don't have to look like super-biker-man at the pub (unless you want to!  ).

yeah get hornee 

Icon mesh jacket for me.... luckily I haven't had to test it out yet, but I like the feel of it.  I feel comfortable in it with all the extra padding and guards throughout the jacket

I had a Joe Rocket Riot, the POS fell apart on me with daily use.  Doesn't instill much hope for it's crash-worthiness.  It's back to my leathers for me.

My Icon mesh,helmet on tank,going a few miles to my grandmothers house.I was wearing steel toe hikers.I have since upgraded the pants and boots.They're listed above. 

Good ol fashioned cow hide saved my a_ s! From what I have read in various MC mags, the testing has shown that cowhide had the best shred/shear or abrasion resistance followed by textile then mesh having the least. Then of course they went on to say that correct fitment was most important in the effectiveness of safety gear.
I use a Coretech GSX Leather/Textile hybrid jacket. Leather where you need it and real fine super tough mesh on the chest to provide air flow, and some small scoops on the top of shoulder to force the air down your back, surprisingly these scoops work awesome, the helmet companies should study that design if they really want to keep our heads cool!
I would not worry about the whole polyester melting thing, if you are sliding across pavement fast enough to melt the textile that is the least of your worrys!
Remember any real padded cycle jacket no matter what it is made of is still stronger than your skin.

Wow, those draggin jeans are about $235.00 to order and Hornee Jeans I can't even get in my state. They only carry them in about 6 U.S. states. Anyone know where else I could look to get those?

Ebay

I can't speak from experience - and hope I'll never have to - but I found the info on Motoport's site really helpful when I first started researching gear. Especially true of their "Save Your Hide" Guide. They've redone their website lately but the old site used to have citations for these numbers:

http://motoport.com/Page.Asp?Id=19

The dictionary is also helpful:

http://motoport.com/Page.Asp?Id=5

I know exactly what you mean though - half the names you read on gear tags mean nothing but sound like they're fabric of the future!

I wear a Rev'it Ignition jacket, Rev'it Mistral pants (as overpants), Frank Thomas boots. The Ignition jacket was a nice compromise since I couldn't afford to buy a jacket for each season. It's a mesh/textile body but leather in the "crash zones."

The problem with the kevlar-lined jeans is that they're great for abrasion but do nothing for impact. But it always relative, right? Armored pants > kevlar jeans > jeans > shorts

Depends on the weather..Early spring,It's still dark when I head into work so out comes the cafe leather jacket.Since the weather has gone to temperature of the surface of the sun I wear a Joe Rocket Ballistic series jacket.Or I opt for the bulletproof 100% cotton T-shirt.

Up top I wear a Scopion EXO700 kevlar helmet.And Alpinestars mesh gloves,Boots are hiiking boots.Jeans for sure no shorts!

I picked up a FRANK THOMAS XTi Leather Jacket for my riding.  It's a heavy sucker, but I feel pretty safe in it.  I still need gloves, but couldn't afford to get everything all at once.  Any suggestions on some reasonably priced gloves?  I was in shock when I saw "good" gloves were $70-80+.

i wear my old army camo pants..free.  i have crashed with a pair of them on and they hold up well.  triple stitched and heavy material.  you can get them for 5-10 bucks.  i have a mesh jacket for hot days and i am confident it will protect me.  my leather jacket has been in two crashes with me and has held up very well.  the only problem i ever had was a blow out in the pinky finger of a pair of icon gloves.  ever since then i alway check the armour on the pinkies because those are the fingers that will most likely make contact with the pavement.  my two cents.

Yea and we all know if you loose your pinkies fingers you can't pick your nose. 

Quote from: SecondsFromTheFall on June 12, 2008, 02:59:47 PM
Wow, those draggin jeans are about $235.00 to order and Hornee Jeans I can't even get in my state. They only carry them in about 6 U.S. states. Anyone know where else I could look to get those?

I can't help you with where to get them from, but a biiiig word of warning before you order them in on the net - their sizing system is totally rooted.  I take a 32 trousers and my Hornees are 28!  And they are not tight in the slightest - the sizes are just completely out of whack.  I have another mate who has a pair and his are 4 sizes out too.

Something to be aware of, because other than that they're awesome.

My gear is now crash tested.

Perforated leather armoured pants (my knee would have suffered very badly w/o the armour...it's just badly bruised). I probably should look into hip padding. My armoured Alpinestar textile jacket protected well. I have some bruises on my arms, but nothing ripped or rashed. I do prefer all leather, but  my leather jacket's too big now, and I haven't replaced it yet. The textile held up extremely well, though, and I do wear mesh in the summer.

My feet came through unscathed thanks to Daytona moto boots. My helmet's toast, but my head's intact (Scorpion EXO-700 Crackhead...almost new  I will be replacing this helmet with another exactly the same...I love skulls...  )  My gloves are also armoured on the knuckles, and they and my hands came through unscathed, too (other than tweaking my wrists and thumb pads after the--ahem--abrupt stop).

I honestly don't know how folks make it though with injuries AND rash. It's pretty miserable w/o the rash. I was only going about 30/35, but  my body's pretty banged up just from hitting the freeway. I can't imagine hitting it at 70/80mph. Ouch. ATGATT. 

I have personally crash tested Dainese 2 pc. leathers and they held up really well. Even after all the sliding, I continue to wear them as there was no structural damage. Shoei RF-1000 for a helmet and Sidi Vertigo Air boots also held up really well. Gloves are also really important, I had Dainese Helracers and the palms ripped apart, but no damge was done to my hands. Having been down without gear on a scooter at 25 mph taught me to almost always wear gear, as looking down and noticing that you dont have skin on your knees is both strange and painfull.. just my 2 cents.

Hi Noobrider,

Leather is the best material for motorcycle gear.  It has the best abrasion resistance and only Kevlar has better tear resistance.  Most "textile" gear is made up of some version of 2000 denier nylon.  Leather lasts 3-5 times longer than 2000 denier nylon in similar testing. 

Normally, textile gear is 1 crash only gear.  Good leather gear won't show more than a little dirt or a little rough spot after the first street-speed getoff.

Personally, I prefer heavily armored leather.  Yep, its hot, but I know my hide is as safe as it can be.  The fact that it is hot has never stopped me from riding in the summer or particularly changed my riding habits.