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What I Wear and Why

Posted June 13th, 2011 at 06:37 AM by gfloyd2002
Updated April 15th, 2012 at 02:45 PM by gfloyd2002

My gear selection is based on two things - I want to be safe, and I want to be cool. Not like Fonzie, like an ice cube. I live in the tropics, and my daily riding - even in Winter - means sweltering humidity. So I've chased breathable gear that is maximally protective, and in a lighter color to help with the heat. I think I've come up with a good combination of gear. And while I've got more gear than I list here, this is my normal commuting get up.

Helmet: I wear an Arai Vector in Ninja green, with a smoke visor. I used to hear an HJC IS-Max flip up, which was very convenient with glasses, but I found that the Arai worked well for my glasses. And there is a reason you don't see Snell-rated flip ups -- they can't take the shot to the chin. 19.4% of all impact on a helmet is to the area vulnerable on a flip up. So, I moved to a full face helmet. Now that I have the Arai, I can't even put on the HJC. The interior is so soft on the Arai, and the fit is fantastic. Safety of Arai is great, too - they have internal standards that go beyond what is typically measured. Quality, safety and fit -- great factors in a helmet. I've gone with another brightly colored helmet, too. My old one was white, this one white and green (with some black tribal). Really an attention getter, something that can decrease accident risk by 25% according to studies on helmet color.


Earplugs: Moldex PuraFit 6800. Ear protection is a must - repeated exposure to sounds about 85db over the long term causes hearing damage, and motorcycles have been demonstrated to harm rider hearing over the long term. The gradual nature of onset makes this sneaky dangerous, and the way to combat it is with earplugs. The Moldex plugs are inexpensive (about 10 cents per pair), comfortable and do the job well. I've got a jar of 200 sitting by the door and put them on every ride.


Jacket: REV'IT Turbine Jacket (with SAS-TEC). I think the ultimate mesh protective jacket. CE level 2 armor throughout, superfabric ceramic woven abrasion resistance (offering better resistance than leather), dynex mesh and great quality of construction. Too expensive, but my other mesh jacket was already showing signs of wear at 6 months . . .


Pants: REV'IT Turbine Pants. Same as above with the jacket. Fanstastic protection with CE level 2 armor and woven ceramic abrasion resistance. One warning -- the ceramic on the knees is doing a job on the paint on my tank, a major design flaw. I'll be happy if I ever go down in these, but in the mean time, I need a stomp grip pad pronto.


One Piece: Teiz Mojave II. I also have a one-piece mesh suit I use for commuting. It's quicker and easier to take on and off than jacket and pants, and has great safety features. 1680D ballistics in the abrasion spots, amazing air flow, CE armor that adjusts and stays where it is supposed to, and build quality is top notch. Super comfortable and I feel like I'd be well protected in a getoff.


Gloves: Held Air Stream. The ideal summer glove. Held quality and protection, with tons of venting. Superfabric on abrasion bits, reinforced pinkie, kangaroo leather.


Boots: I have fallen in love with my Tourmaster Solution 2 boots. Super comfortable, waterproof and they just won't wear out. Last summer I moved away from them to some cheap BiLT boots (which are pretty decent actually), but I keep coming back to the Tourmasters. They do everything, give good protection and they fit like they were custom made for me. Only $100, too.



Socks and Underwear: Breathable is just as important or more important here, but you rarely hear anyone talk about it. Why even have breathable boots if your socks are going to hold in heat and sweat? Especially in the heat and humidity, comfort will depend on what is on your skin. For socks, I use Under Armour summer boot socks ($9) - breathable, wicking socks for $10 less than motorcycle socks, and work better while lasting longer. For undies, I go with Ex-Officio fast drying, breathable underwear. Never chafed in tens of thousands of miles riding. Here is a picture of me in them . . .
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Comments

  1. Old Comment
    akima's Avatar
    Cool like ice cube?


    Didn't have him down as your style... hmm.



    Good read. I'm going to check out some arai helmets I think. My helmet has the CE stamps on it, but was cheap (£60) and I've accidently dropped it to the ground once.
    Posted April 29th, 2012 at 05:52 AM by akima akima is offline

 

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