Women's gear?

[ZeroGravity360]

Okay, this is mainly for my fellow ladies, because lets face it, you men don't have this problem (LOL) So I am finding I am "too big" for almost all the ladies gear! WTH! Most of the jackets I am too busty for. Anything I'm not too busty for isn't very protective. When I try men's gear on, it is always really boxy and not very flattering at all!! The same with pants, I cannot even fir a 3 XL in ladies pants! I am only a size 14/16 I am not HUGE! Have you ladies found anything that fits properly but is made for curvy women? I tried all my major stores, even ones online and I cant find anything in my size. I really do not want to have to buy mens gear, I still want to look like a woman!

[NevadaWolf]

*remembers original avatar and looks at current avatar*

Just curious, what brands are you looking at or have tried on? Your pic makes you look half the size of me, and I can find Olympia, Joe Rocket, and Tourmaster gear that fits.

Pants I usually do overpants cause I like wearing sweats in the winter, but jacket wise an XL Tourmaster, or 1 Diva Joe Rocket, or a 3XL Olympia fit me and are cut narrower in the hips and shoulders than my men's jackets.

Course, I like men's gear, so it may just be me.

This is a Olympia Motoquest men's pants 40 (42?) and Ranger women's jacket 3XL for comparison.



(Sorry, repeat pic. Only one in my new gear I have of me that isn't me being goofy)

[ZeroGravity360]

I am actually pretty "big"
46" bust
40-44" (depends on "the time") waist and
47" hips
its really hard for me to fit into "normal" women gear

[ZeroGravity360]

The joe rocket jackets, I really like them! but I heard mixed things about them. Are they good? Some people say yes some say no. Do you own one?

[snot]

I bought mens RS Tiatchi leathers. I am short and they fit me great.
Sizes vary brand to brand. Revzilla has a large selection for women. The other option since you are close is Barnacal Bills http://racingleather.com/ have leathers custom made

[NevadaWolf]

I own a Joe rocket Cleo and wore it once before figuring out mesh was a bad idea for riding in the heat. Can't comment on it's crash worthiness since it never went down.

Been in the closet since this ride.

[ZeroGravity360]

Wait, mesh is bad in the heat? I thought it was good for hot weather riding.

[NevadaWolf]

Only up to a point. Once temps get to mid 90's, the air going through the mesh is heating your skin up vs cooling it down. When I rode into Death Valley, the 112* heat was so unbearable, I put on my full textile jacket over the mesh and instantly felt better. Later I tried a short ride with the mesh and was too cold in the morning, maybe an hour of comfort, then baked in the 100*+ California heat for the rest of the ride. Never again.

We got up to 95* today and Saturday is supposed to be 102*.

[VaFish]

My daughter has trouble finding riding gear that fits her. But her problem is she is short and has short legs. All the pants she tries on are way to long and the knee pads are in the lower shin area.

[motodancer]

Originally Posted by VaFish

My daughter has trouble finding riding gear that fits her. But her problem is she is short and has short legs. All the pants she tries on are way to long and the knee pads are in the lower shin area.

That's how my gear fits me. It's PERFECT in the waist & hips (jacket & pants), but the armor actually covers my shins & my forearms, and it fits loose. They're (armor) fine when I"m sitting so ... as long as I keep that form while I'm flying through the air, I should be fine...............
Someone on this forum suggested velcro straps to keep the armor in place so that's what I'm going to do! (there's no way to make it tighter)
And the jacket & pants zip together in the back so I know they won't slide off of me .
Not sure what else to do!

[csmith12]

Originally Posted by motodancer

Not sure what else to do!

Take out all armor that will not stay in place on it's own. Get under armor that is separate from the gear. Like strap on elbow and knee pads and a vest style back/chest protector. Shoulders and collarbone areas are trickier but the amount of selection of armor products is very vast. From a thin flimsy back protector to darn near a full suit of armor. Google "chest protector" and then click images and you will see what I mean.

Stuff like this http://www.uline.com/Product/Detail/...Q&gclsrc=aw.ds

[CaliGrrl]

I bought both my jackets from Cycle Gear; one's a house brand leather jacket, and one's a Sedici textile one. They fit me, but I can see how it could be tough to find a jacket that fits over the "girls." You might try a sports bra, rather than a normal one. That can give you a little bit more leeway in how big you need the jacket to be. Also, leather will stretch a tiny bit as it breaks in, which can give you just a little bit of room after a bit.

Pants- you might look at are from GoGoGear. They're really comfortable in either heat or cold, and they stretch a bit. Knee pads. One of the women in our sportbike club had a low-side in hers, with no damage to either pants or rider.
http://www.gogogearla.com/kevlar-leggings/

I've also got a couple pairs of kevlar-lined jeans. Advantage- they probably look better than the leggings when off the bike, but they are kind of loose at the bottom. And they have useful pockets!!!!

[tfkrocks]

Originally Posted by motodancer

That's how my gear fits me. It's PERFECT in the waist & hips (jacket & pants), but the armor actually covers my shins & my forearms, and it fits loose. They're (armor) fine when I"m sitting so ... as long as I keep that form while I'm flying through the air, I should be fine...............
Someone on this forum suggested velcro straps to keep the armor in place so that's what I'm going to do! (there's no way to make it tighter)
And the jacket & pants zip together in the back so I know they won't slide off of me .
Not sure what else to do!

Originally Posted by csmith12

Take out all armor that will not stay in place on it's own. Get under armor that is separate from the gear. Like strap on elbow and knee pads and a vest style back/chest protector. Shoulders and collarbone areas are trickier but the amount of selection of armor products is very vast. From a thin flimsy back protector to darn near a full suit of armor. Google "chest protector" and then click images and you will see what I mean.

Stuff like this http://www.uline.com/Product/Detail/...Q&gclsrc=aw.ds

+1. This is exactly what I did with my last pair of overpants. I used Forcefield strap-on leg armor, which covered the knees and shins. Was a bit of extra gear to deal with but overall not particularly inconvenient.

[ZeroGravity360]

Originally Posted by CaliGrrl

I bought both my jackets from Cycle Gear; one's a house brand leather jacket, and one's a Sedici textile one. They fit me, but I can see how it could be tough to find a jacket that fits over the "girls." You might try a sports bra, rather than a normal one. That can give you a little bit more leeway in how big you need the jacket to be. Also, leather will stretch a tiny bit as it breaks in, which can give you just a little bit of room after a bit.

Pants- you might look at are from GoGoGear. They're really comfortable in either heat or cold, and they stretch a bit. Knee pads. One of the women in our sportbike club had a low-side in hers, with no damage to either pants or rider.
http://www.gogogearla.com/kevlar-leggings/

I've also got a couple pairs of kevlar-lined jeans. Advantage- they probably look better than the leggings when off the bike, but they are kind of loose at the bottom. And they have useful pockets!!!!

That is a brilliant idea! Also I have been eyeing the go go leggings because they are one of the few women pants that are made in my size. There are a few concerns for me though. There is no zipper. Can I just take the other half of my zipper from my jacket and sew it by hand? Joann has this "extra strong" yarn, no local stores really have the "kevlar" thread. I like that you can buy hip protection for it!! Also, I REALLY wanted a pant that could fit INTO my boot rather than over it. I have these (http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com...sion-lei-boots) and apart from wanting to show them off I didnt want the bulty feling of my pants being over them, or my boots rubbing against my skin.

[verboten1]

Nice Boots, I love my Sidi Adventures!

[motodancer]

Originally Posted by CaliGrrl

Pants- you might look at are from GoGoGear. They're really comfortable in either heat or cold, and they stretch a bit. Knee pads. One of the women in our sportbike club had a low-side in hers, with no damage to either pants or rider.
http://www.gogogearla.com/kevlar-leggings/

So you can wear the leggings by themselves, right? That is awesome. I bought womens pants from Revzilla, which I liked at the time, but ever since I took the MSF course in regular pants, I decided they're more comfortable & I'd rather look feminine than like a shapeless box in my moto gear lol. They'll probably fit better & the knee pads won't go all over the place.
Do you think I should save my current pants if I decide to buy these leggings? OR sell them since they're still pretty new / only worn a few times? Do you think anyone would buy them?

[CaliGrrl]

Keep your pants for now, I think. You can always sell them later if you decide you want to.

I love my leggings, and yeah, you can wear them by themselves. Not sure about putting on a zipper; they're stretchy, and it might rip out too easily. I guess there wouldn't be any real harm to it. I've considered doing it, too, going through all layers of the pants.

I've worn my leggings solo or under regular jeans, depending on my mood. They're great.

[ZeroGravity360]

Originally Posted by CaliGrrl

Keep your pants for now, I think. You can always sell them later if you decide you want to.

I love my leggings, and yeah, you can wear them by themselves. Not sure about putting on a zipper; they're stretchy, and it might rip out too easily. I guess there wouldn't be any real harm to it. I've considered doing it, too, going through all layers of the pants.

I've worn my leggings solo or under regular jeans, depending on my mood. They're great.

you own the go go gear?! I really like the idea of kevlar in a legging! Did you get the hip armor?

[motodancer]

And do you have to get a specific kind of hip armor or will any do?

[snot]

I might be out of line for this:

I would be cautious of buying gear from overseas. Reason is right now there is a very large problem with counterfeit PPE. This includes testing procedures and ratings.
If you are going to spend money on gear buy the right gear. It must fit and function properly. I spent more on my gear than any single accessory on the bike. The gear will save you thousands even if it is used once. This is one area you do not go cheap and do not settle for an ok fit.
Leather is best but textile is good for slow speed crashes. (I have seen textile melt to a friend's arm during a crash at 65 mph). Armor is a must, what comes with most gear is a low rating you must pay for the higher rated protection.

As a rider funtion and fit come before fashion.

[motodancer]

Aren't they based in the US? That's not overseas for me

[snot]

Testing is performed overseas, key words that make me think are"garment is similar to the one DuPont had tested". So, they didn't test what they are using?"lab in UK"... Why not a lab here in the US?
"The Martindale method", also known as the Martindale rub test, simulates natural wear of a seat cover, where the textile sample is rubbed against a standard abrasive surface with a specified force.
You are not wearing a seat cover, you are wearing a layer to protect your skin - should be tested for heat (melt) and abrasion with material like sand paper not textile.

"The Dupont Corporation has run EN tests on a basic garment that was made of 375gms Denim and 360gms Kevlar terry fabrics. That garment passed the EN testing. Our leggings are made of a different type of outer layer of fabric that is 430gms and 270gms for the inner layer of Kevlar. So, by weight, our garment is similar to the one that Dupont tested.

We had a lab in the UK (SATRA) conduct what is known as the “Martindale” test, the most commonly used method for testing for abrasion resistance in fabric where they apply a sanding disc to the fabric and run it in circles on the fabric over thousands of cycles."

[snot]

More...you can't add these 2 numbers together for a rating. Martindale test only goes to 40,000 not 100,000. The Martindale test is for upholstery NOT clothing or PPE.

"The leggings fabrics tested as follows: the outer layer of fabric abraded after 100,000 cycles. The inner layer of fabric that is woven with the Kevlar fibers, abraded after 40,000 cycles so between the two fabrics, it abraded after 140,000 cycles"

More..
Martindale
This is an oscillating test. Fabric samples are mounted flat and rubbed in a figure eight like motion using a piece of worsted wool cloth as the abradant. The number of cycles that the fabric can endure before fabric shows objectionable change in appearance (yarn breaks, piling, holes) is counted. Number of cycles determines abrasion rating.

In short research your gear and testing methods.

[motodancer]

Okay well is there anything similar that's made by another company?
Other than jeans and leather, I haven't found anything similar.
I'd be ok with black skinny jeans (with the knee & hip protection) but I haven't found any

[snot]

I only recommend leather.
But, textile and proper riding jeans are better than nothing. The Kevlar pants won't melt to the skin like textile can. All padding should be CE approved not just tested. Revzilla has a good selection and so does ridersdiscount.

[motodancer]

What's funny is that the MSF coaches told us not to wear leather because it would make us very hot in the summers and very heavy in the rain since it absorbs all the water

[RacinNinja]

Originally Posted by motodancer

What's funny is that the MSF coaches told us not to wear leather because it would make us very hot in the summers and very heavy in the rain since it absorbs all the water

They're idiots.

Insult intended. There are perforated leathers to keep you cool.

[SteveL]

IXS have ladies jackets up to size 5XL

Steve

[snot]

I wear leather year round, I have been caught in the rain several times an was soaked. I bought road toads (rainsuit) to go on over my gear. If it's to hot to wear the leather it is too hot to ride, that's my rule. I hydrate well before, after and during rides in hot weather.

[csmith12]

Originally Posted by motodancer

What's funny is that the MSF coaches told us not to wear leather because it would make us very hot in the summers and very heavy in the rain since it absorbs all the water

Have heard other coaches say that too, they normally mean during the range drills only. The msf is a lot of sitting and waiting your turn in line. When it's 98 degrees and 89% humidity 4 hours into the drills on the range at noon... You can't finish the day if your passed out from overheating.

[ZeroGravity360]

Kind of confused on what happens above. Snot, are you talking about go go gear? It's a company ran by one or two women I think, they have a Facebook page and she started the company by her self because she was tired if not finding flattering motorcycle pants for women.

[snot]

Originally Posted by ZeroGravity360

Kind of confused on what happens above. Snot, are you talking about go go gear? It's a company ran by one or two women I think, they have a Facebook page and she started the company by her self because she was tired if not finding flattering motorcycle pants for women.

Yes, I am talking about go go gear. All gear should be verified, you should always research the testing that is done. Go go is using a method that is for upholstery NOT personal protective equipment.

Read the information in the post, I point out several problems with what/how they are claiming the gear is tested. It is not tested correctly.

[ZeroGravity360]

Would it just be best to buy external armor for right now and wear them with my jeans?

[csmith12]

@snot All my gear must pass the HAT (Hillbilly Armor Test).

Here is how we do it;
Daryl: hits it with hammer
Other brother Daryl: looks at it
Daryl: broke aint it?
Other brother Daryl: nope...
Daryl: PASS! That stuff is harder than woodpecker lips!

[snot]

Originally Posted by ZeroGravity360

Would it just be best to buy external armor for right now and wear them with my jeans?

If it is CE approved yes, it is better than nothing and better than gear that is improperly tested.

Be careful with jeans, a lot of women's jeans are thin and made from spandex. Spandex can melt against the skin.

I will leave this here..

This is about Brittany Morrow

http://www.motorcycleaddiction.ca/3-...an-learn-from/

sportbike.natkd.com/road_rash.htm

crossbonesracing.proboards.com/thread/2146
www.rockthegear.org/

[CaliGrrl]

Originally Posted by csmith12

@snot All my gear must pass the HAT (Hillbilly Armor Test).

Here is how we do it;
Daryl: hits it with hammer
Other brother Daryl: looks at it
Daryl: broke aint it?
Other brother Daryl: nope...
Daryl: PASS! That stuff is harder than woodpecker lips!

::giggle:: That's funny!

So the gogogear pants may not be perfect, but a small company is unlikely to test their products properly- it's expensive. I'm still going to trust it more than standard denim (which lasts what, 10 feet in a slide?). I don't have the hip padding in mine, just the standard knee ones. I know one woman who had a short slide in her leggings, and both pants and rider came through unscathed. That's not hearsay, and it's in the real world. so yeah, I like them.

I think finding gear I like will be a process of experimentation. I'm commuting to work again today, so it's the kevlar denim pants for me.

[snot]

Originally Posted by CaliGrrl

::giggle:: That's funny!

So the gogogear pants may not be perfect, but a small company is unlikely to test their products properly- it's expensive. I'm still going to trust it more than standard denim (which lasts what, 10 feet in a slide?). I don't have the hip padding in mine, just the standard knee ones. I know one woman who had a short slide in her leggings, and both pants and rider came through unscathed. That's not hearsay, and it's in the real world. so yeah, I like them.

I think finding gear I like will be a process of experimentation. I'm commuting to work again today, so it's the kevlar denim pants for me.

Not to be a smart ass but.... Using improper gear can be worst. You wouldn't use a balloon instead of a condom because it's better than nothing.
Kevlar is good for protection from heat and slow speed crashes.
Some small companies actually do spend the money for proper testing. Anyone can say they test or they are small business or woman owned.... Are they certified? are they truly looking after your safety?
Life and skin if worth spending the $$ to save it. A month in a hospital would change anyone's mind.

You will buy and use what you want no matter how hard I try to convince you, just know this I actually care about your safety.

There is nothing more I think I can add to this topic, good luck and stay safe.

[CaliGrrl]

Being a responsible consumer is beyond exhausting. I check into what I can, but I recognize that doing it perfectly is beyond me.

[ZeroGravity360]

Originally Posted by CaliGrrl

Being a responsible consumer is beyond exhausting. I check into what I can, but I recognize that doing it perfectly is beyond me.

It is hard to get a decent pair of pants that both fit properly and dont make you look like you weigh 100 more lbs then you actually do.. :-/ I do like go go gear and I have read many reviews online. I originally wanted to get kevlar jeans with armor, but they only make them in mens sizing, I dont think I could fit leather pants on the market and getting a custom pair is completely out of the question for me. I guess i just have to keep searching... It's just exhausting, I have been looking for a few months and nothing fits what I want. Some jeans are made really nice, but no armor. Some pants have armor but look like you just put on a trash bag and cut leg holes :-/

[Koala]

Originally Posted by snot

If it is CE approved yes, it is better than nothing and better than gear that is improperly tested.

Be careful with jeans, a lot of women's jeans are thin and made from spandex. Spandex can melt against the skin.

I will leave this here..

This is about Brittany Morrow

http://www.motorcycleaddiction.ca/3-...an-learn-from/

sportbike.natkd.com/road_rash.htm

crossbonesracing.proboards.com/thread/2146
www.rockthegear.org/

It's stories like hers that make me such a supporter of ATGATT. As I ready myself to have my own bike, I think about the great times I had with my ex on the back of his Ninja 1000. Many a time we went out on a hot day with only jeans/sneakers/hoody to go with our helmets and gloves (at least our helmets fit properly). He wouldn't do anything crazy on those rides, we were just out to relax and enjoy ourselves but still....now I've seen what a 35 mph slide can do to a pair of jeans and the skin underneath them. We would wear leather moto jackets instead of hoodies when we would do the crazy rides but I shake my head now knowing we were still wearing jeans/sneakers. I trusted him with my life because of how long he had been riding and the skill he had, but anything could have happened. I wish he hadn't pushed me out of his life so I could tell him to get proper gear for the waist down that would actually protect him should something unforeseen happen. Every time I hear of a motorcycle accident in the area I find out as quickly as possible who it was, crossing my fingers and hoping that it's not him, the man I love and still care about.

As for GoGoGear, I'm disappointed. I was looking forward to having something to ride in that not only served to protect me but looked good as well. It seems that the big companies have missed the mark on this when it comes to women. While the leggings may not have been tested correctly, they do have C1 knee protection, spots to insert hip protection and the Kevlar lining. Would this not be better than wearing regular jeans for a local trip? I've seen a lot of "Kevlar" riding jeans for women made by the bigger companies that are just regular jeans with a few Kevlar patches sewn on them in the knee and hip area. I would think those would be a worse option, right?