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10 years ago, I was in the market for a leather 1 piece suit and wanted to know why some were 400 and why some were 2000+. So I did a good bit of research. Two of the main things you want to be concerned with when purchasing a suit are stitching types and fit.
Fit to you is most important, because a baggy suit will not slide. It will grab the asphalt and make you tumble. Also, when the suit grabs, it has a higher chance of blowing a seam, leaving you exposed. I've actually seen suits do this when I was on a forum in the DC area. Scary stuff.
As for the stitching, I tried a quick google image search to help explain it but came up with nothing. Anyways, the better suits have double and triple stitched seams in high abrasion areas. Meaning, the 2 leather panels come together (think of 2 leather strips laying on a table, not overlapping but making a 90 degree bend facing up, kinda like this: ____JL____ ) Then they stitch the 2 flaps together, then fold it down and stitch it to one of the panels of leather. That way, if you slide and burn up the exposed stitching on the outside, you still have another layer of stitching as backup. Triple stitching is similar, with another level of stitching protection.
I had a Spidi R2 Wind kangaroo suit last me 10 years. It was very expensive, but it was worth every penny. Very light, very thin (kangaroo leather) let me move effortlessly, it breathed really well and was super light weight. And yes, I have looked on Ebay for a good used set in my size. I replaced it with an Alpinestars suit (good suit) and immediately feel the differences between mobility, breathability, and weight and how it translates to how long I can ride on the track and how hot I get. I used to not need to take the Spidi off between sessions and people would ask how I could stay in my suit. Now I am rocking cow hide leathers, I know what they meant.
I'm not suggesting anyone needs to get a $$$$$ suit. It just depends on what kind of riding you do and the risk factors involved and how protected (and comfortable) you want to be while riding. Whatever you choose, MAKE SURE IT FITS SNUGLY.
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