Textile vs. Mesh Jackets

[Jimboslice32]

First off, which is a better fabric: textile, or mesh? I will be purchasing a jacket soon and have not decided which to go with. From what I have researched, Textile jackets offer great protection compared to mesh jackets; however, they do not have stellar ventilation (from what I have read). I have no clue either way. So, anyone who has worn or is experienced with these types of jackets please comment and let me know your opinion!

Thank you!

[k-os]

Textile should have better abrasion resistance. I'd suggest Leather though. Once you're moving heat isn't much of an issue.

[Scattcatt]

Originally Posted by k-os

Textile should have better abrasion resistance. I'd suggest Leather though. Once you're moving heat isn't much of an issue.

+1 leather is the way to go, I use a leather/textile hybrid jacket which I use even on the hottest summer days here in Vegas which easily get over 110 and textile pants which I have yet to try in the summer. Breathing is all in how they design the product really, sometimes textiles can breath just fine, other times they don't at all. Often times zippers are included to increase air flow over key areas, just check out reviews and talk to people to see how well they really work.

[Motofool]

Welcome to the site, James

For humid-hot / rainy-windy Florida, I would recommend textile (Cordura) with ballistic nylon reinforcements and CE approved protectors for elbows, shoulders, spine-kidneys, hips and knees.

[Havok]

Dude in florida save yourself the grief and get a mesh. Mesh with ce rated armor will be fine for normal day in day out riding. The mesh is a one crash deal as it shreads itself as it slides.

[CZroe]

I used a Tourmaster Flex jacket. It's both. You can ride around with mesh or add the textile. Each layer has it's own reflective piping, pockets, and TourMaster logo, etc, so it's almost literally like having two jackets. It also has a third insulation layer that you can add/remove.

My collar is getting a little ratty so I'm considering ordering another when it comes time to replace it. Yes, I liked it THAT much!

[Luvninja]

Leather is always the best bet (although I don't own any), textile is pretty good at protection, wearing mesh is better than no gear but not as good as the others. I personally don't wear leather, 'cause I get super hot REAL fast, I usually wear a textile but if its REALLY hot (which is never in W.A) then I wear my mesh which feels like I have nothing on 'cause air flows through soo nice

[Havok]

http://stores.sportbiketrackgear.com/Detail.bok?no=6420

This is a good compromise jacket as well. Its the one i use to commute in it has a windbreaker liner and a quilted vest liner for when its cool out. The sleeves can be zipped off and its mesh under it. With the textile sleves on there are two big intake vents on the front and a large exhaust vent across the back. The textile is strong i have hit the ground twice in mine and it has held up fine. The sippers are not the best on this one but not the worst. I have been using mine as a daily jacket/comuter jacket for close to two years now.

[Havok]

Here is a solid mesh jacket

http://stores.sportbiketrackgear.com...l.bok?no=14371

I am a big fan of the Speed and Strength gear. There prices are reasonable, the gear is solidly made and every year they upgrade and improve the gear (the new stuff comes with knox armor ect.) and yet keep the prices down. Good gear for all riding needs. Best value brand around that is for sure.

[choneofakind]

Originally Posted by Havok

I am a big fan of the Speed and Strength gear. There prices are reasonable, the gear is solidly made and every year they upgrade and improve the gear (the new stuff comes with knox armor ect.) and yet keep the prices down. Good gear for all riding needs. Best value brand around that is for sure.

I have the Twist of Fate, and after 2 seasons, it's still really sturdy. I want the new Twist of Fate 2.0 in white. It has a knox spine protector even! same price as mine was 2 years ago when I bought it

[Havok]

Originally Posted by choneofakind

I have the Twist of Fate, and after 2 seasons, it's still really sturdy. I want the new Twist of Fate 2.0 in white. It has a knox spine protector even! same price as mine was 2 years ago when I bought it

I want the run with the bulls textile for my next commuter jacket.

[EthioKnight]

I have all three types (Leather AGV, Mesh Cortech GX-Air and Textile Icon Ti-Max) and I tend to lean towards the mesh more because it provides superior ventilation, which I'm grateful for in the hot, sticky humidity of Mobile (which I'm sure you can relate to ). As far as protection goes, leather is undoubtedly the best but you can make compromises like I do...for instance, my mesh has leather components complemented with CE armor on the vulnerable areas of your body (shoulders, arms, back). Choose wisely and happy riding

[gfloyd2002]

I live in Barbados and ride almost exclusively in mesh gear. Generally speaking mesh gear is not as good in a getoff as textile, which is not as good as leather. Leather here just isn't an option, as I have to work after getting off the bike and don't want to be a sweaty mess.

But leather isn't the only good protective option. Buy good quality mesh gear and you can have leather-strength abrasion resistance and top of the line impact protection. I ride in a Teiz one piece (1200D cordura) and in REV'IT Turbine gear. Both I'm totally comfortable with, despite being a bit of a safety nut. The REV'IT stuff uses high impact dynex mesh, SAS-TEC pads and superfabric that makes it absolutely bombproof. And it is cool as a summer's breeze.

But that level of protection is not usual.

[Linuss]

Just like perforated leather is still leather, mesh is still textile, just with a lot of tiny holes in it.


Plenty of people (myself included) went down in mesh/textile had came out unscathed. The higher the "D", the stronger the material. 680D will offer better protection than 500D.


In general, textile won't be as good as leather, however it depends on your situation. If you primarily do city riding (sub 45mph) you'll see little, if any, difference between textile and leather in a get off.

[Boom King]

There's no way I could ride in leather in the middle of the summer time here. Our summers are way too humid for my tastes. You don't want to risk overheating and having a heat stroke on your bike. I go with a mesh jacket that has armour and leather padding for the shoulders and elbows. That zips together with my textile overpants which have zip-out mesh panels.

[Jimboslice32]

I agree with all of you! I live in Florida and it can get nasty. I will be riding my bike primarily for commuting so I will need a jacket that can protect me; however, provide excellent ventilation. If not, I'll be sweaty for work,school, etc.. Thank you all for your input I appreciate it very much!

[GreenNinja]

Jimboslice,

I have perforated leather and last year I was full of sweat every time I arrived home. I would leave work at 4:30pm and be home by 5pm in a 12 mile ride that is full of traffic lights. I live in Georgia so my climate is not too far from yours. I think the leather would be OK if and only if you don't have to stop often. The hardest part is that I can't exactly wash my leather jacket every week so that sweat accumulates and eventually it will stink. I rode one day without any gear and it was 99 degrees outside. By the time I was home I was full of sweat also. The leather wasn't what was making me sweat, it was the temperature. I would definitely recommend you go with mesh for this summer. Keep in mind when it gets cooler you will need a warmer jacket, especially if you ride during the so called winter we have.

[Jimboslice32]

Yes, the heat is unbearable in the summer! From what I have read, my best bet is to buy a mesh jacket for the summer heat and a leather/textile jacket for the winter months. I don't live very far from work or school, so I will have a short commute. I should be fine if I get a mesh jacket. I'm just hoping the ventilation is as great as everyone has made it out to be. Thanks for your input!

[Klondike1020]

I think you should get a couple jackets for weather variations

Get a leather or nice textile for cool/ wet or normal windy days and grab a nice mesh

I also have a icon timax (extremely breathable )
Mesh is great for those hot steamy sweat inducing days . I don't like to sweat in my leather jacket ....
As far as breath ability goes . My timax breaths better than the t shirt I wear under it .

Just make sure it has all the right protection stuff

Pads and abrasion resistant areas

[Boom King]

Don't forget that some mesh jackets may also include multiple liners which can help cover variable weather conditions. My Cortech mesh jacket includes a separate wind/water resistant liner and a separate thermal liner. You're basically covered for three seasons, although I do still have a leather jacket that I bought before I got my mesh jacket. It's great being able to throw the water resistant liner into your backpack just in case when you see that the forecast calls for a chance of rain. In early spring or late fall, we get chilly mornings followed by warm afternoons so I wear the jacket with the thermal liner for the morning commute and zip it out for the afternoon commute home.

[nealt]

Also there's a difference in strength between polyester and nylon, with nylon being stronger. ie 500d poly is not as strong as 500d nylon that's why you frequently see 600 - 650d poly jackets as they probably equal 500d nylon.
That being said, in either mesh or textile get the highest denier count you can afford.

[j4zb4]

The ICON Compound is a good option too...

http://stores.sportbiketrackgear.com...l.bok?no=14603

[Gaige]

Originally Posted by j4zb4

The ICON Compound is a good option too...

http://stores.sportbiketrackgear.com...l.bok?no=14603

Sorry about the bump but didn't want to make a new topic =x

I just ordered the Icon Compound Mesh (Paid $100 on Amazon) and I'm hoping it'll suit my needs. It almost always triple digits here (from May to October I'd say) but we don't get much humidity. I hope I made a wise decision ;o

[BLUEONION]

Originally Posted by Gaige

Sorry about the bump but didn't want to make a new topic =x

I just ordered the Icon Compound Mesh (Paid $100 on Amazon) and I'm hoping it'll suit my needs. It almost always triple digits here (from May to October I'd say) but we don't get much humidity. I hope I made a wise decision ;o

For me, it came down to the Compound and Joe Rocket Reactor for the hot California heat which can reach up to 108 degrees +.

Let us know how your jacket look and feel.

[alex.s]

i would never wear mesh gear. it doesn't protect you from anything. perfed leather for me.

[JohnnyBravo]

Originally Posted by alex.s

i would never wear mesh gear. it doesn't protect you from anything. perfed leather for me.

Not even a mesh thong?

How long till your back is fixed?

[alex.s]

8 cycles at least.

[Gaige]

Originally Posted by alex.s

i would never wear mesh gear. it doesn't protect you from anything. perfed leather for me.

It routinely gets into the 110s and 120s here during the summer though and stays triple digits even after dark. I'd probably die of heat stroke in a full leather jacket!

I just figured the one I ordered was better than wearing no jacket at all ><

[JohnnyBravo]

Originally Posted by alex.s

8 cycles at least.

Hopefully that don't take long, being down with a thrown back ain't no good from what I've heard an seen

Originally Posted by Gaige

It routinely gets into the 110s and 120s here during the summer though and stays triple digits even after dark. I'd probably die of heat stroke in a full leather jacket!

I just figured the one I ordered was better than wearing no jacket at all ><

I wear a super light mesh jacket when it's super hot out... Anyone that gears up says it maybe a bit better than a Tshirt

[NevadaWolf]

If you find yourself riding in anything above 93*F, I highly recommend reading this article. At those really high temps, air flow is actually heating your body, not cooling it.

http://www.ironbutt.com/ibmagazine/i..._62-66_Hot.pdf

(Personal experience when I rode through Death Valley last August. It was seriously cooler to put on my solid jacket vs leaving the mesh open.)

[alex.s]

i dump a water bottle down my shirt. takes half an hour to fully evaporate in 100+ temps and does a great job cooling. the leather keeps it in nicely and keeps it from evaporating too quickly. state change vests are also great. but seriously the difference between no gear and mesh gear is not much.

[rasta]

I have 3 pairs of riding pants, 1 perf leather, 1textile, and 1 mesh. The only one I hope I NEVER crash in is the mesh one.

[Treosfnb]

I have a tourmaster draft, its textile with large mesh spots throughout. I found it comfortable to walk around in even in 90 degree weather. I dropped a bike at low speed while wearing one and honestly didn't feel a thing, jacket wasn't damaged either.

http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com...T.ac=SLIsearch
heres a link to the jacket btw

[Klondike1020]

Originally Posted by alex.s

i would never wear mesh gear. it doesn't protect you from anything. perfed leather for me.

I was wearing my mesh Icon when I high sided my ninjette.... my crash was mild but the jacket certainly did protect me.

I certainly agree that Leather is the best option and really the buck stops there for real protection .....But real world I am not going to wear leathers every day.

so Mesh is better than nothing just not as good as the best!

[JonR]

Originally Posted by Jimboslice32

I agree with all of you! I live in Florida and it can get nasty. I will be riding my bike primarily for commuting so I will need a jacket that can protect me; however, provide excellent ventilation. If not, I'll be sweaty for work,school, etc.. Thank you all for your input I appreciate it very much!

I live in south Florida. My first jacket was a Dainese Aspide. It's textile and I wore it throughout last summer. It's well ventilated but I do get hot and sweat a lot. I may pick up a mesh for the upcoming summer. I can kind of justify the decrease in protection with the absence of New York, New Jersey, and Quebec drivers.

I also have a leather I wear now that it's cooler out.

At the end of the day though, it's still Florida. You can sweat your ass off walking down the street in shorts and a t-shirt in the middle of summer. You're not going to avoid getting sweaty riding around on a hot engine.

Wearing moisture wicking stuff under your gear helps a lot too. I wear Under Armour socks, boxer briefs, and t-shirts when I ride. It's much more comfortable and cooler than cotton.

[rasta]

Base layers are your best friend.

http://www.cyclegear.com/CycleGear/S.../41713_59409_2

Put it on right under your (textile) leather jacket, and it really does make a difference. Your sweat will help cool you down. And on days when it's realllllllly hot, pour some water over it like alex.s suggested. Magic.

[cbinker]

wow 2 years old here!

by the way, leather is the best option.

[waynethomas]

I wear a motorcycle mesh jacket when it's super hot out... Anyone that gears up says it maybe a bit better than Textile jacket. So Mesh is better than nothing just not as good as the best!


Motorcycle Mesh Jackets

[Alex]

[flitecontrol]

Surprised no one has mentioned Kevlar mesh gear. Highly abrasion resistant, yet allows a decent amount of air flow. IMO, a much better option than leather in hot, humid, environments.