Reviewing my gear (very long post)

[reaubideux]

Finally got around to taking out some time to review all the gear I've used to date, been working on this off and on since October. I plan on updating this post as I accumulate new gear and use it long enough to develop an opinion on it. Not because I'm some sort of authority on gear, but I know it can be hard to get in-depth reviews for gear. If you want just the quick rating, look at the rated categories, I wrote out lengthier reviews for those wanting a bit more detail.

Just a quick bit of info: my rating is on a 1-5 scale, 1 being absolute rubbish and 5 being above and beyond my expectations, so if I give something a 2.5 or 3, doesn't mean it sucks, just means that it met my expectations but nothing more and nothing less.

On to the reviews, from head to toe....

Helmet(s):

Bell Vortex - 4/2011 - present




Comfort: 4.5/5 - again, subjective, just happens to fit me perfectly
Protection: 4/5 - DOT and SNELL 2010 rated, I can't back up my rating but I feel better that it has a real certification on it other than just the DOT rating.
Fit & Finish: 3.5/5 - docked it for the paint chipping and the fabric on the strap starting to come off; I've got an oblong/oval head and it fit me with pressure evenly around my dome
Air Flow: 4/5 - docked it a point b/c it doesn't seem to flow as well on the top vents
Features & Functionality: 3/5 - no complaints, but nothing extra special either
Noise: 2/5 - looooouuuuuuddddddd
Weight: 3/5 - doesn't bother me on longer rides
Vision: 3/5 - could be a bit wider, I can see the visor opening, barely, in my peripheral

My first helmet. I selected it because of the price ($180 from Revzilla) and it carries a Snell 2010 rating; I think HJC is the only other company (at the time at least) to offer a Snell 2010 rated helmet at a cheaper price. I tried on a couple of HJC helmets and didn't care for them. The Bell has plenty of good reviews and the replacement visors weren't too expensive. It fits my head perfectly in a size Medium with pressure evenly around my head. My head shape is more of the oval/oblong shape than round. The cheek pads were firm but have broken in nicely but are still snug. Airflow is not too bad but as most reviews on the web have stated, it is loud! When I first started learning to ride I didn't want to wear earplugs for fear of blocking out important noises. Now that I know better, I have to say that earplugs are a must with this helmet. Anything above 50mph is unbearable for me. The vents are easy to locate and operate while riding and wearing gloves. The chin and brow vents flow great, the top vents don't seem to flow as well. I keep a shaved head and I can barely feel air on my scalp when at highway speeds. The actual inlet holes are not as large as the vent openings are, they're about a 1/3 that size - just a little oval recessed in the vent opening.

The quick release system for the visor makes it a snap to swap visors for the most part. It takes an extra few seconds when swapping on my smoked visor because it's dark enough that it's harder to line up the visor into the helmet unless you're operating in bright light. The clear visor fogs up a bit when stopped at traffic lights in cooler weather. Cracking the visor clears it up right away as soon as I start rolling. Another little feature I thought was cool is there's a magnet sewn into the chin strap (see red circle in photo above) and a tab on the D-ring so that when you loop it through the D-ring and snug it down, you can affix the strap to the D-ring to keep the strap from flapping around. I hadn't seen this feature on other helmets I'd looked at so if this is a common feature then it's news to me. Problem is that the fabric stitched over that magnet started peeling off on both sides so I had to glue it down to keep the magnet from falling off.

Fit and finish seems pretty good. Definitely not up there with Arai or Shoei, but then again the Vortex is sub-$200 so it's to be expected. The paint on the plastic vents has chipped as has the flat black finish which sucks, not sure if it's from rocks hitting it or just negligence on my part in handling/storing it. Oddly enough, the plastic parts are red underneath the black paint. Another issue is, and I'm not sure if it's the visors or the helmet, but the seal around the visor is not remotely air tight; with all vents closed I still feel a moderate breeze blowing in my face.

Mini-Review: My dad picked up a Shoei Qwest and I've tried it on a few times and it was very, very comfortable and the lining felt a bit plusher but it fit me very well also. Guy at the dealership got it down to $270 for my dad (regularly $330), and I would've readily bought it had it not been outside my budget. I borrowed it for a 25 mile highway ride and it was comfortable and light, I don't think it flowed all that much air (by comparison to my Bell) but it's adequate. My only problem was I could hear a high-pitched whine at highway speeds so air is leaking in somewhere around the visor, it got annoying pretty quick.

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Jacket(s):

Joe Rocket Atomic 4.0 - 4/2011 - 5/2011



Post-crash:


Comfort: 4/5 - fit comfortably, felt better with the thermal liner though
Protection: 2.5/5 - held up where it needed to when I low-sided, non-armored areas ripped up very easily though
Fit & Finish: 2.5/5 - had to return the first one, main zipper was broken out of the box, zippers get caught on fabric very easily, stitching seemed pretty good though; went by the size chart and it fit fine. I was borderline between the medium/large threshold on sizing and went with medium. It was snug with the liner in but perfect without it.
Air Flow: 4/5 - moderate ventilation, never rode with it in temps higher than the mid-80's though, definitely would've been wanting a mesh jacket had I ridden in this all summer
Features & Functionality: 3/5 - no complaints, but nothing extra special either

Bought this jacket because I couldn't afford leather and this one was within my budget and fit my aesthetic tastes. Jacket included a thermal liner which was very nice and comfortable. Worked very well at keeping me warm, rode with it in temps as low as high 40's and low 50's and I was kept comfortable. Vents on the chest and bicep areas gave a decent bit of flow but I never rode it in temps above the mid 80's. I honestly feel that I'd probably be begging for a mesh jacket had I been wearing it all summer long. On the other hand, it's waterproof (which I never tested anyway) so it's a trade-off for the lack of flow. The zippers on the jacket were not of the best quality. The first one came out of the box with a busted zipper, the replacement had issues with the "teeth" separating some times when I'd zip it up. The thermal liner went in via a zipper than up one side, across the shoulder/neck area, and back down to the other side. Installation was cumbersome, routinely the zipper would catch on some wrinkled, bunched up fabric and I'd have to work to back up the zipper to get it unstuck. I never really appreciated YKK zippers until after dealing with this jacket.

It has all the typical features of a textile jacket; 600D nylon shell, adjustable straps on the elbow area to adjust the tightness of the elbow pad, separate velcro straps for adjusting the waist, etc. The fit was good and the jacket itself was comfortable and never felt too bulky even with the thermal liner included. It came with your typical foam backpad which was actually thicker than I had expected. It was stiff though but there was enough flexibility that it would conform to my back a bit when tucking. Jacket included removable CE rated armor in the shoulders and elbows. Jacket also had a couple of interior pockets as well; also had belt loops which I used when I took a quick ride with jeans on. Why Joe Rocket didn't make the large white stripes out of reflective material is beyond me, the only reflective material is a small pipe along the rear of the jacket between the shoulder blades, the jacket could've benefited from a bit more reflective parts.

I did have the unfortunate opportunity to field test the jacket in a low-side at around 35-40mph. The armor did its job and held up fine with some scuffs. I must add though, I was only on pavement for about a half second before sliding into a ditch, and even then the only thing to hit the pavement was my hand. I seriously doubt the jacket would've held up as well had I been on asphalt for the duration of my off-bike tumble. The front of the jacket tore through in multiple places and this was just with sliding/tumbling through grass. The tears are on the right side, just next to the pocket zipper, and on the left side closer to the main zipper (not really visible in the photo above).

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Joe Rocket Phoenix 5.0 - 5/2011 - 8/2011



Comfort: 5/5 - again, subjective, fit comfortably, lightweight
Protection: 2.5/5 - seemed durable enough, not sure how long it was used prior to receiving it, abrasion protection would be minimal - it IS a mesh jacket after all
Fit & Finish: 3.5/5 - better than my Atomic jacket, zippers were loose but functioned perfectly. It was a used jacket so I can't comment on how old it was in relation to judging how well it has worn. This was a size medium and fit me perfectly.
Air Flow: 5/5 - superb ventilation, obviously, only limitation was the dense foam backpad which restricted airflow and made my back sweaty sometimes
Features & Functionality: 3/5 - no complaints, but nothing extra special either; the keychain holder was a nice touch

I can't thank gfloyd2002 enough for donating this jacket to me after my crash to help get me back on the road sooner than later. It's a mesh jacket so the trade-offs for airflow and comfort are made by sacrificing (heavily) in the protection department. It has the same CE armor and foam backpad as my Atomic jacket, but with just a mesh shell, anything other than your sleeves and shoulders will be torn up pretty quickly. Includes the same belt loops for pant attachment and has 2 external pockets and a small interior pocket which worked well for holding my wallet and phone. Also had a keychain holder which was great to clip my keys into; I'm bad about just tossing my keys somewhere and being unable to find them later so this was a nice feature to have. I've ridden with this jacket in temps north of 100°F w/index in the 112-115° range and basically I just felt warm air blowing around, but it was better than no air at all. Not much more to say about this jacket really, I was already planning on replacing it ASAP since I planned to ride in cooler temps and wanted a leather jacket for the better protection.

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Dainese Alien - 8/2011 - present






Comfort: 4.5/5 - definitely bulkier than my textile jackets, still comfortable, tall collar has caused minor issues
Protection: 5/5 - seems very durable and has plenty of protection (once a back pad is installed); fit and finish is absolutely phenomenal
Fit & Finish: 4.5/5 - Quality construction and materials all around. Docked it because I went by Dainese's sizing and it was a bit too big, wish I would've went down a size.
Air Flow: 3.5/5 - considering there's no vents and the perforation is very tiny, the air-bubble liner works as advertised as do the stretch panels
Features & Functionality: 3.5/5 - a bit aggravating that it doesn't come with a back protector, one interior pocket but if you get the chest protector then you have zero interior pockets, the air-bubble liner makes up for these shortcomings a bit though

Going in, I sometimes feel as if the Alien really is too much jacket for me. I'm a commuter. I enjoy the spirited ride on some winding roads and try to enjoy what curves I get to ride on a day-to-day basis but I'm not a track junkie or canyon carving machine yet I still feel justified in purchasing such a pricey jacket merely because I know that it is a quality, well-made jacket that - barring any wrecks - should hold up for quite a while for me all the while offering superb protection. And really, I fully admit vanity in the fact that I love the way this jacket looks and how I look with it on. It doesn't transform me into a model or anything, but it does give a certain feeling when walking around with it on, "machismo" is probably the closest word I could think to describe that feeling. As good as it looks I still appreciate that Dainese incorporated functionality into the fashion of the jacket by having reflective stripes on the sleeves and the logo on the back doubles as a reflective surface. While the red leather may (eeh, gad! ) clash with my blue bike, it does offer that extra bit of visibility to surrounding motorists.

The leather is soft and has that broken-in feeling out of the box. The main zipper pull is tight versus the looser feeling zippers on the JR jackets; definitely don't get the feeling that it's going to back down or anything. On the main zipper and 2 external pockets there are additional flaps of leather covering the zipper so that you can tuck the zipper into those flaps to help avoid the zipper scratching the tank. Makes it a bit difficult opening the pockets when wearing my riding gloves though so I end up having to remove them if I need in my pockets. The air-bubble liner is nice - it isn't like walking around with bubble-wrap on or anything - you don't even know it's there but you definitely appreciate it when you realize how well it works. It works by keeping air circulating around your body keeping the air cool when it's hot but also trapping and circulating body heat when it's cool out. Ventilation really is good for a jacket with no vents and such tiny perforations, I question if the perforation really does much anyway. The stretch panels do a good job of letting air in as well. I've ridden in temps ranging from upper 30s°F (with a thermal shirt and hoody underneath) up to about 103°F w/index in the 108-110° range and high humidity (just a t-shirt underneath). Riding in the high heat, I won't say it was as refreshing as biting into a York Peppermint Patty, I was on the warm side of comfortable, but the important part of that statement is that I was still comfortable, so I wasn't distracted from my riding by how miserable I was. When I was riding in the mid-90s°F heat we had in the end of August, I was only barely sweating after getting home and I attribute most of that to the sitting at traffic lights and low-speed riding (<30mph). When on the highway doing 70+mph I was completely cool and comfortable in the heat. I do admit that I'm born and raised in the St. Louis area and have become accustomed to the high temps and high humidity (the REAL bane of our hot summers) so my tolerance may be different than yours. Riding in the cold weather is another thing, I can't stress the need for layers. You really can feel how much it flows when it's 38°F outside. Tucking down behind the windscreen is a must, which really sucks because most times I had my tank bag on the bike so I couldn't tuck down much.

As for sizing, I went by the sizing chart and measured my chest - taking a deep breath to allow extra space for the back protector and eventually the thorax protector - and came out to 44", I was a little over 42" before the deep breath. According to Dainese I should be a 56 which is what I ordered. I would say it's a bit too big and I should've gone with the 54. With the back pad in it definitely snugged it a bit and I think it'll be only marginally loose once I get the thorax protector. I would've exchanged it but I'd already ridden with it a few times before finally drawing the conclusion that I should've stepped down one size.

My only gripes, and they're very minor at that, is that there's no back protector included. I understand that perhaps Dainese doesn't include it merely because they don't want to insult their customers with some wimpy piece of foam but for the price people pay for these jackets they could at least throw in a Level 1 CE protector and let people go from there. Another niggle is that the collar comes up a bit too high for me (or perhaps the collar is too loose) and when I'm riding I can feel my helmet pushing down on the collar versus the collar sliding up under the helmet a bit. It's more pronounced an issue when I'm tucked down. Regardless, I consider this more of a fitment issue than a design flaw. My last gripe is that it could use an actual interior pocket. Right now the pocket for the thorax protector works perfectly fine but once I get the protector I'm left with only the outside pockets which, as stated previously, can be a bit cumbersome to access when wearing riding gloves if the zippers are tucked away. Beyond these trifling little issues, the jacket is excellent and I really cannot recommend it enough.


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Glove(s):

Alpinestars Alloy - 4/2011 - 5/2011



After crash:


Comfort: 4/5 - thin leather on the fingertips, great for feeling the controls, a bit of a pain to take off if hands were a bit sweaty
Fit & Finish: 3.5/4 - followed the sizing chart and I was borderline medium/large, went with medium and they were a bit too snug and ended up popping stitching when using them during the MSF course, needless to say, stitching wasn't the best. I accept that buying too small a size will result in failed stitches but to break that quickly still says something about the lack of quality
Protection: 1/5 - seams ripped apart after hitting pavement for a split-second in a crash
Air Flow: 2.5/5 - adequate in most situations
Features & Functionality: 2.5/5 - disliked the snap wrist closure

I really liked these gloves when I first got them, they were comfortable and I really liked the subtle styling as I didn't want anything too terribly flashy. I really got sick of the snap closure rather quickly as I would fasten the snap by simply pushing the top piece down on the bottom piece which was inconveniently placed right atop that bone on your wrist just aft of your thumb so it would kind of hurt every time I put the gloves on, would have really preferred a velcro closure. According to the sizing chart I was right at the upper limit for the medium and decided to go with a medium thinking they'd break in but they didn't really ever feel broken in and were a too snug on the sides of my hands. The stitching ended up popping when I was taking my MSF course (first actual use they'd seen) and Alpinestars replaced them without question. Their customer service was good, nothing to get excited about but they were helpful. The gloves vented adequately when in motion but if you stopped for extended periods of time my hand would get sticky and sweaty making it a bit difficult to take the gloves off. The padding on the top of the knuckles and fingers seemed adequate for impact protection but not so much for abrasion. The leather on the palms didn't seem very thick and the fingers even less.

When I decided to field test these, my left hand went down on the pavement for a split second before I was off into the grass and the left palm was torn up fairly quickly. I dread to think about how my hand would look if I'd slid on the pavement for any more than just a few feet. I'm not familiar with how well gloves should hold up to slides on asphalt and given this isn't a race glove I'm still grateful that it held up long enough to save my hand from any injury but I'm still somewhat concerned at how, in a matter of a few feet the palm was already pretty much used up.

Ultimately, I wouldn't recommend these gloves to anyone and after my crash have a newfound appreciation for proper hand protection.

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Cortech Adrenaline - 5/2011 - present



Comfort: 4/5 - fit me great, snug fit but doesn't restrict movements
Protection: 3/5 - glad to have a full gauntlet
Fit & Finish: 4/5 - after about 6000 miles and all kinds of weather and they're holding up well, a couple of stray threads of stitching, the rubberized wear areas are showing signs but that's to be expected, I'll let the picture above speak for itself. Fit true to the sizing chart.
Air Flow: 2/5 - these aren't really ventilated, not a summer glove by any means but still bearable in the heat.
Features & Functionality: 2.5/5 - nothing special about these, the extra wrist strap is nice versus just the overlapping velcro panels

The photo above was taken in 12/2011, after about 6 months (and 6000 miles) of use; still holding up pretty well.

These gloves are very comfortable, I went with a size Large and they were snug around the sides of my hands at first but didn't restrict movement. They've broken in nicely and aren't snug but a perfect fit on the sides of my hands. The finger lengths were fine, the tiniest bit long on each finger with it being a little bit too long on the ring finger. Top-of-the-hand protection is pretty good with a hard plastic shell on the knuckles along with 2 separate hard plastic pieces on top of each finger but on the sides of the pinky finger. The palms have a couple of spots with there's extra foam at the base of the palms to provide the slightest bit more impact resistance. There's also an additional panel with a rubberized material on it and also helps to prevent premature wear on the gloves. There's an additional flap of leather to aid in pulling on the gloves but it's covered by the wrist strap so it really isn't that useful for me.

They're not really ventilated at all, there are small holes on the sides of the fingers but they don't really do much. It's not unbearable by any means in the summer. I have yet to take them off and have a sweaty hand.

I've ridden with these things in temps ranging from 100°+ down to mid 30°, plus a couple of rides in light rain and so far they've been rather durable with only a little bit of the rubberized material rubbing off a bit on one of the gloves. The separate wrist strap helps secure the gloves very well and thankfully the end of the strap is broadened a bit so that it's wider than the loop through which it feeds so that you're not constantly pulling the strap out of the loop. It's not impossible to do, I've done it a few times when rushing to put my gloves on. The velcro panels are ample size to allow for bigger or smaller wrists and I have no problem feeding my jacket into the cuffs.

I really only ended up choosing these gloves because I found them on sale at the time, otherwise I was going to purchase the Teknic Lightning gloves with the Knox Scaphoid sliders in the palms. Regardless, the Knox Handroids will absolutely be my next pair of gloves when time comes.

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Pant(s):

Joe Rocket Atomic 2.0 - 4/2011 - 10/2011



After crash:


Comfort: 3.5/5 - fit comfortably, little snug if you have bigger thighs and calves
Protection: 2/5 - Armor did its job when I low sided but the low quality shell doesn't hold up well
Fit & Finish: 2/5 - Went by the sizing chart and they were slightly on the small side; snug in my thighs and calves; zippers broke and the velcro lost its "grip" after a few months
Air Flow: 4/5 - with the ventilation panels removed they were comfortable
Features & Functionality: 2/5 - docked because the features were nice in theory but performed poorly in real-world use.

The shell is only 500D which really isn't all that great, IMHO, and is one of the two main reasons why I really wouldn't recommend these pants, the other being the sacrifice in protection for the sake of ventilation. The pants feature removable panels that reveal large mesh ventilation which is great in warmer temperatures, however, they extend to right above the knee and in my low side the pants shifted and the mesh vent shredded like nothing causing me to get the only rash I suffered from the wreck. Had the panel ended a bit higher up on the thigh I believe I would not have suffered any road rash at all. The pocket holding the knee armor in that leg also was torn and for the rest of the time I rode with these pants the top of my knee pad was exposed. Another problem with these pants is that the velcro straps on the calf lost their "grippyness" (can't think of a better term) and basically were useless by August. I had to go and buy a couple of straps to velcro around my legs to hold the knee armor in the proper place; the velcro straps on the cuffs were fine. The final failure, causing me to pitch the pants in October, was the crotch zipper busted during normal use. I had to ride home with a nice breeze on the boys, and the pants were promptly tossed into the trash.

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Shift LoDown Jeans - 9/2011 - present



Comfort: 5/5 - great, feel like a slightly thicker pair of Levi's.
Protection: 2/5 - make no mistake, these are still denim, just slightly thicker and the Kevlar panels are nice and better than nothing, but I know these would tear pretty easy in off-bike excursions.
Fit & Finish: waist fit according to the chart, but legs are way too long, wish they offered various inseams, had to pay an extra $15 to get them hemmed, stitching seemed good and the kevlar panels are sewn in very well, they've held up to many washes in the machine and still look almost brand new.
Air Flow: n/a - they're jeans, they flow a lot, this isn't really a feature to rate on jeans
Features & Functionality: n/a - again, they're just jeans

Not too much to say about these. I admit they're a vanity item. I never really liked the attention I received on a run to the store or a movie when I was wearing my Joe Rocket pants. These jeans helped me to blend in a little bit and the thicker denim and kevlar panels allow me to delude myself a bit that they're at least a little more protective than just a pair of Levi's. I got these full well knowing I need to get proper armor underneath (reviews for armor is further down) and promptly purchased said armor. I use these for when meeting up with friends and family or for just a casual ride down to the store or any place where I don't want to stick out too much. My only real gripe is that they don't offer various inseams, which I understand may be prohibitive to keeping costs down, but in the end it still cost me an extra $15 to have them hemmed. Construction seems to be pretty good. They are getting run through the washing machine once every 10-12 days during the riding season and sometimes every 5-7 days and they still look good there are no loose threads anywhere.

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Dainese Alien - 12/2011 - present





Comfort: 4/5 - very comfortable overall, a bit uncomfortable on my ankles with the boots on since the boot mashes the cuff into my ankles and it gets irritating after awhile
Protection: 4/5 - D-Skin leather seems to be very durable, built-in knee/shin CE rated armor covers the lower legs nicely, docked because of no real hip or tailbone protection
Fit & Finish: 5/5 just like my Alien jacket, fit and finish is almost perfect, I followed the sizing chart and the pants fit perfectly, crotch zipper is a bit tight to pull but that's a good thing
Air Flow: 3/5 - the pants are non-perf but have stretch panels in the inner thigh that breath well, just need to spread eagle a bit to let the air flow in
Features & Functionality: 4/5 has a waist zipper to connect the jacket and a pant which is surprisingly easy to connect and undo, the reflective stripes are a nice touch for adding a bit of safety without looking too gaudy. The expansion zipper for those with larger calves is a nice touch, although not needed in my case.

I love these pants almost as much as I love the matching Alien jacket. Just like the jacket, the leather is supple and already has that broken-in feeling. I've only put a few hundred miles on these pants at the time of this post but so far I can say that, when I'm out riding, I don't even know I'm wearing leather pants, despite the weight (~6lbs), I never feel the added weight, a fact I attribute to the fact they're fastened to the jacket by a 3/4 waist zip. An added benefit of the zipper connection is that it snugs the back protector up against my back nicely which would prevent it from shifting around as much in the case of a wreck. The quality of construction is superb and the seams are solid and reinforced. The knee/shin armor is the perfect size to end right where the top of my riding boot starts so there are no gaps in the protection from my knees on down to my feet. Two zipped thigh pockets are nice, easier to get unzipped than the jacket pockets, although getting into the pockets is still difficult while wearing gloves. Like the jacket, there are extra flaps of leather covering the zippers which help avoid scratching the bike. I've only worn these in cooler temps - mid-30°'s to low 60°'s - and they've been perfectly comfortable. The stretch panels on the inner thighs allow air in to cool down the boys when necessary, you just need to spread your legs out a bit to allow more air flow into that area. I'm sure they'll be a bit toasty come summer time but the added protection is absolutely worth it. I'll update this post with my thoughts once summer rolls around.

The sizing is spot on from Dainese's sizing chart. My one concern is that they offer "short" lengths in some of their sizes yet their sizing chart doesn't call out any guidelines for sizing in the "short" range, i.e. - how short do you have to be to need the "short" size. I went with the regular and it fit fine and I'm 5'8".

The only thing really missing is some real padding in the hips and preferably the tail bone area but most leather pants don't have much protection in these areas either so they're on par with other pants in this aspect. I'm hoping to shed some weight which should allow me more room so that I can also wear my Dainese armored shorts under these pants as well for full thigh, hip, and tail bone protection.

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Boot(s):

BiLT Trackstar - 5/2011 - present





Comfort: 2/5 - no real padding for your feet, easily remedied by purchasing a sole insert.
Protection: 4/5 - molded heel cup, toe slider, hard molds on your shin, ankle protection, rubber pads on toes for preventing wear from shifter
Fit & Finish: 3/5 interior liner and velcro panels are showing signs of wear, but when they're getting put on and taken off multiple times a day, several days a week that type of wear seems acceptable; the "BiLT" logo on the top started peeling off after a few months
Air Flow: 3.5/5 - good flow, didn't really realize how much air flowed until wearing these in winter temperatures.
Features & Functionality: 3/5 - all the same features as your lower-end track boots, nothing remarkable about features

Considering the price, these are a great riding boot. I'd recommend these to anyone wanting a full riding boot at a great price - got it for $70 + a %15 (MSF) discount. If you plan on going to the track I'd look for a more technical riding boot with better safety features but for weekend rides and commuter duty they're a fantastic choice. Fit and finish is in that "you get what you pay for" range in that they're not the most comfortable to wear right out of the box. A trip to Wal-Mart for a sole insert took care of that though for only $6 and now I literally wear these around the office all day when I ride to work. These are my first and only pair of riding boots so I don't know if it's normal but the rubber outsole seems to be wearing pretty quickly. I would say the protection these offer is good yet still far below your higher end boots. The hard molded heel cup is thick and strong, the side-ankle padding is adequate (again, considering the price point of the boot), and the hard padding on the shin is good as well. I've tested the toe-slider on a few occasions and it held up to some scuffs just fine.

Ventilation is good, I really don't feel too much air flowing in warmer temps but you definitely notice it when it's cold out. Anything below mid-40°'s and you'll be contemplating wearing a thicker sock or a 2nd pair. I've only worn your typical low-cut athletic sock and have been fine about 95% of the time.


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Armor:

Dainese N-Frame Back Protector - 8/2011 - present


(next to the Joe Rocket standard foam insert)



Comfort: 1/5 - Do you like having a miniature ironing board on your back? Neither do I.
Protection: 5/5 - CE Level II rating; can't get much better than that
Fit & Finish: 5/5 - it's Dainese, fit the Alien jacket perfectly as expected
Air Flow: 1.5/5 - it flows a little
Features & Functionality: n/a - not really anything to rate in this category, it's a back pad.

Not much to say about this other than the fact it literally feels like an ironing board is strapped to your back. I only purchased this particular back pad because CE Level II protection was a must and I had a lot of Revzilla cash from buying my Alien jacket and this was extra cheap. I considered going with the SAS-TEC, which I wish I would've now in retrospect, but didn't want to mess with having to trim it down. I will probably forego the SAS-TEC and eventually get the Forcefield insert for Dainese jackets when I have the spare cash.

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Dainese Hard Shorts - 9/2011 - present





Comfort: 3.5/5 - never intrusive, unless you're sitting on an un-cushioned seat, a bit of a nuisance when you need to go to the bathroom though
Protection: 3.5/5 - carries CE Level I rating on some of the armor inserts, hard armor on thighs and coccyx
Fit & Finish: 3/5 - had to ship mine back to Revzilla, and ultimately Dainese, for repair after the stitching ripped on one of the soft pads
Air Flow: n/a
Features & Functionality: 3/5 - the silicone strips on the inside of the cuffs work well in keeping the shorts in place against your thighs

These were bought shortly after getting my Shift riding jeans so that I would have adequate protection for my thighs and hips. About 3 weeks after receiving them (early October) the stitching ripped and one of the pads that covers your butt cheek was partially separated from the mesh shorts. Shipped them to Revzilla and they sent them back to Dainese where they were repaired. I received them back at the end of November and have only worn them a couple of times since. I'd heard the complaints about the hard protector over the tail bone and how it was uncomfortable. The only time I experienced this discomfort was when I was sitting on a hard seat, like a park bench or bar stool, other than that, as long as there was some cushioning it felt fine. Depending on the tightness of your jeans/pants, you do look a bit silly when wearing these as you have this odd bulge in the back of your pants but thankfully my jeans are baggy enough that it's not really visible most of the time. The shorts include strips of silicone on the inside of the cuffs to grip your thighs and prevent the shorts from shifting around while riding. To this effect they're very effective at preventing movement of the shorts.

If I had the money for the Knox shorts, I would go with those to be honest, and probably will when time comes to replace these but given the nature of this product I don't think I'll be needing to replace them anytime soon.

****************

Dainese Knee V Guards - 9/2011 - present




Comfort: 3.5/5 - only become a bit uncomfortable after longer rides, for those with little or no leg hair it may be a non-issue. If you're wearing with a full riding boot they go down to your ankle so your boots overlap the bottom part which I can see causing discomfort for some.
Protection: 4/5 - carries CE Level I rating, hard shell wraps around to fully cover knee and shin, little extra protection for lower thigh above the knee
Fit & Finish: 5/5 - great construction, fits together very well
Air Flow: 2.5/5 - they flow enough as to not be too uncomfortable on all but the hottest of days
Features & Functionality: 4/5 large velcro straps to fit any variety of leg sizes, 3rd strap to secure the top of the knee guards

These were also bought shortly after getting my Shift riding jeans to complete my protection for my lower body. They're easy enough to put on and take off and the straps themselves are actually very comfortable. The only issue I ever have with them is after riding for a while the straps and the guard itself will mat down my leg hair and it just gets irritating and itchy. For those with little to no leg hair this wouldn't be an issue. The straps are nice and thick which inspires confidence to the notion that they won't rip or shift around in a wreck. The armor itself feels very durable and the hard shell is nice and solid with holes to allow some air through. Airflow could be a little better but it's adequate for most temps, only on the hottest days are my legs just dripping with sweat.

========================================================

Miscellaneous:

WarmSkin Balaclava - 9/2011 - present

(picture coming soon)

Comfort: 4/5 - main seam across the top of the head can sometimes get mashed against my forehead leaving a mark, other than that it's nice and soft and comfy
Protection: n/a
Fit & Finish: 5/5 - well, it's sewn together fine and has held up through quite a few washes
Air Flow: 1/5 - it blocks wind really well actually
Features & Functionality: n/a - it's a hood

While I've never used a motorcycle-specific balaclava such as the Knox ColdKiller, or Alpinestars, Dainese, etc. I will say this thing is great for how cheap it is; I got it as a gift off of Amazon and it works perfectly. Works great to pull down around my jawline but also functions well if I pull it up over my nose and mouth, although it does shorten the length in this configuration so it's harder to keep tucked into my jacket collar. If it were a few inches longer it'd be perfect. ("That's what she said." ) If you really don't feel like dropping the $30 or $40 on a motorcycle brand name balaclava then I think this is a great alternative. I've ridden with it on in temps down into the 30°'s and it kept me nice and toasty. Anything above the mid 50°'s and it gets to be a bit too warm for my tastes.

****************

Rapid Transit Recon 19 tank bag - 9/2011 - present






(example of a common load of things I've packed in the bag)
(better detailed pictures coming soon)

Comfort: n/a
Protection: n/a
Fit & Finish: 5/5 - solid construction, zippers are high quality, stitching and seams are strong and seem to hold up well so far
Air Flow: n/a
Features & Functionality: 4/5 - features and functionality galore; a lot of bag in a small size, only gripe is the rubberized padding for the magnets tend to leave smudges on the tank and like to pick up rocks and dust which cause scratches; docked because of a ridiculously small map pocket and undersized phone pocket (considering today's smartphones) and the aforementioned problem with smudging the tank

I swear this bag was designed with the Ninjette in mind. It fits on their perfectly. The bag itself is compact yet surprisingly spacious and as long as you're an efficient packer you can carry quite a bit with you. It isn't a bag you could use for a weekend of camping, but it's good for an overnight stay. The main compartment itself has 2 interior pockets along with a compartment for a hydration pack along with a hole through which the drinking tube can be fed. There are 2 exterior pockets on each side of the bag that can also hold a little bit too, I commonly use those to hold my cell phone and wallet on one side, the other holds a small spray bottle and microfiber towel for cleaning my helmet and visor. There's also a pocket at the front of the bag which almost seems like an afterthought by the designers and just threw it on there because they could. It's a perfect size for holding a small digital camera. There are 2 flaps that combine to close up the main compartment; on the larger flap is a cell phone holder which barely holds my smartphone as well as a pocket to hold a map, however it is pretty useless as it's very narrow. I thought it'd be a perfect pocket for when I borrow the Garmin GPS out of my wife's car but it's too narrow to fit the Garmin in there in a landscape orientation which is required since the screen doesn't rotate its orientation. I've used it to hold my smartphone when using it as a GPS or to just be able to keep an eye on the time. The map pocket is really my only real source of frustration with the entire bag. It's just so useless, if it were wide enough to accommodate the GPS I'd be a happy camper but now I'm stuck considering a smaller compact GPS just so I can have a real GPS (my phone's GPS sucks!) with me when I decide to take a longer trip on the path less traveled. The smaller flap at the base of the bag has multiple see-through mesh pockets for holding pocket change or ear plugs. There's also a zipper pocket for an MP3 player with a hole in the flap to pass the earbuds through. This is a nice feature but I would never use it. I don't like the idea of being tethered to my bike in that manner. The bag also features a built-in rain cover which is awesome for those of you who venture out in rainy weather routinely, the only thing that could make the rain cover better is if they could've incorporated some sort of clear plastic window to allow you to still see the map pocket. Also included is a clip for your keys. While somewhat silly, yet I still appreciate the extra touch, is they actually label every feature with an identifying patch so that you know what that feature is for - map pocket, hydration pack, change pocket, etc. Lastly, it includes 2 different sets of straps, one to carry it as a backpack, another to carry it as a messenger bag. The clever thing I appreciate about the backpack straps is that it orients the hole for the hydration pack's drinking tube so that it is at the top of your back so if you're wearing it you can easily take a drink of water. I honestly see myself using this thing when I go out hiking or having a day out in the park with my kids since it can hold so much and carry a large amount of water as well.

With all these great features, there are still some cons to this bag. The previously mentioned map pocket is a big one. Another is the rubberized surface on the bottom of the bag leaves smudges on the tank so I constantly have to rub off the black smudges. It also likes to pick up gravel or dirt if I set it on the ground, I've made the mistake already of not doing a good enough job of cleaning it off before putting it back on the tank and got a couple of bad scratches in the paint. The only other odd thing about the bag is that the width of the main pocket tapers down from back to front which can limit what you can carry by a little bit. It isn't that bad, just sometimes need to re-pack things to allow it all to fit.

****************

Held Underglove Silk Glove Liners - 10/2011 - present


(real pictures coming soon)

Comfort: 5/5 - you're basically wearing a pair of pantyhose on your hands
Protection: n/a
Fit & Finish: 5/5 - be careful of getting them caught on velcro panels and you're fine, fray up a bit if you get caught on velcro
Air Flow: n/a
Features & Functionality: 0/5 - the function is to keep your hands warmer, they fail miserably

I won't bother putting too much down about these other than to say "don't buy them." They're pointless. You're wearing a pair of pantyhose on your hands and they do nothing to keep your hands any warmer than if you weren't wearing them at all. I bought these in hopes of avoiding the temptation to buy a pair of winter gloves because I don't want to spend the money on something that's going to sit in my closet for 8 or 9 months of the year. I didn't buy anything too thick, that would actually be warmer, and for fear that they wouldn't fit under my riding gloves. These fit under my Cortech gloves just fine, but they do nothing to keep my hands any warmer. At most they may block the wind ever so slightly but not an appreciable amount.






I hope some of these reviews help you out if you're considering any of the gear listed above. I plan to make this my ongoing post for reviewing my gear and will continue to add comments about my current gear as well as any new gear I pick up.

If you have any questions about any of this gear or if I left something out, please let me know and I'm happy to clarify.

[killamuf]

This is a really awesome post. The reviews and ratings are really well detailed. I love your helmet, looks great.

I am looking to get the cortech gloves, they seem to be a good buy. The back armor pad is something I also need, but highly doubt the Dainese would fit in my jacket (SHIFT Avenger). Is it possible for you to tell me its measurements in inches, hope its not a problem, would appriciate that.

Overall I give this review a 10/10. Its been very helpful for me. Thanks man.! Great post.!

[nickjpass]

You reviewed his review

[setasai]

Great post. Its nice to see how riders feel about their gear after using them for a while and how they would prefer to have changed them. Gear evolves with the rider's style.

Personally, I feel like some of dainese's armor is overrated. The backpad, shorts, and knee armor, I would have probably gone with knox and sastec instead. Knox really makes an effort to include comfort in their designs as far as airflow and weight. If you decide to get new gear, I urge to you atleast consider taking a look at them and see if it makes a difference for you.

Keep the reviews coming.

[reaubideux]

Originally Posted by killamuf

This is a really awesome post. The reviews and ratings are really well detailed. I love your helmet, looks great.

I am looking to get the cortech gloves, they seem to be a good buy. The back armor pad is something I also need, but highly doubt the Dainese would fit in my jacket (SHIFT Avenger). Is it possible for you to tell me its measurements in inches, hope its not a problem, would appriciate that.

Overall I give this review a 10/10. Its been very helpful for me. Thanks man.! Great post.!

I'm glad my post helped you out. For gloves, I really would've preferred the 2011 model of the Teknic Lightning gloves with the Knox sliders on the palms, looks like the 2012 model is dropping the sliders for some reason.

As for my back pad, at the longest part it measures about 17.5" and at the widest about 10.5". I would absolutely say you should get the SAS-TEC back protector. It's very cheap, offers level II protection and can be trimmed to fit your jacket without compromising the protection it provides.

[reaubideux]

Originally Posted by setasai

Personally, I feel like some of dainese's armor is overrated. The backpad, shorts, and knee armor, I would have probably gone with knox and sastec instead. Knox really makes an effort to include comfort in their designs as far as airflow and weight. If you decide to get new gear, I urge to you atleast consider taking a look at them and see if it makes a difference for you.

Keep the reviews coming.

There's 2 reasons I didn't go with Knox for my shorts and knee guards - 1) price, & 2) availability. I purchased my Alien jacket from Revzilla and due to their Revzilla cash program, along with the rest of the money I had budgeted for my shorts and knee guards I wouldn't have had enough money because Revzilla doesn't carry the Knox shorts - which is really what I did want. I opted for the knee guards despite Revzilla carrying the Knox limb tubes because the area of coverage is greater for the Dainese knee guards. Because of my Revzilla cash I was able to afford to get the knee guards and the shorts pretty quickly. It would've been another month or 2 before I would've had the cash for the Knox shorts from STG and I didn't feel like waiting that long.

As for not going with the SAS-TEC, I mentioned my reasons for not going with it in my OP so I won't bother rehashing it.

[cuz]

wow GREAT reviews U DA MAN did you look into the rs-1 helmet i did & went ahead and bought it & man i lov it i really dono cuz its my very 1st helmet so i dont have anything to compare it to but it has super great reviews i mean a 4.8/5 on revzilla but from what your saying im pretty sure mine is SUPER quite next to yours gone up to 100+ on the back country straits and i can still hear my ipod (not on max like%85) got to lov that 5yr warranty too but GREAT gear you have there

[setasai]

Originally Posted by reaubideux

There's 2 reasons I didn't go with Knox for my shorts and knee guards - 1) price, & 2) availability. I purchased my Alien jacket from Revzilla and due to their Revzilla cash program, along with the rest of the money I had budgeted for my shorts and knee guards I wouldn't have had enough money because Revzilla doesn't carry the Knox shorts - which is really what I did want. I opted for the knee guards despite Revzilla carrying the Knox limb tubes because the area of coverage is greater for the Dainese knee guards. Because of my Revzilla cash I was able to afford to get the knee guards and the shorts pretty quickly. It would've been another month or 2 before I would've had the cash for the Knox shorts from STG and I didn't feel like waiting that long.

As for not going with the SAS-TEC, I mentioned my reasons for not going with it in my OP so I won't bother rehashing it.

Oh I see. Got it. Very reasonable decision making.

[reaubideux]

Originally Posted by cuz

wow GREAT reviews U DA MAN did you look into the rs-1 helmet i did & went ahead and bought it & man i lov it i really dono cuz its my very 1st helmet so i dont have anything to compare it to but it has super great reviews i mean a 4.8/5 on revzilla but from what your saying im pretty sure mine is SUPER quite next to yours gone up to 100+ on the back country straits and i can still hear my ipod (not on max like%85) got to lov that 5yr warranty too but GREAT gear you have there

Nope, didn't look at the RS-1 b/c it was outside my budget at the time. Hoping to get an RF-1100 next time around, or if I really have the money (and provided it fits me) a Nexx X1R1 carbon helmet.

[killamuf]

@reaubideux

Thank you so much for the measurements. This will really help me out a lot. Where did you order the back armor from?

[reaubideux]

You're welcome.

Just about all of my gear has been purchased from Revzilla, as was the case for the back armor.

[nickjpass]

The Bell Star helmet is $199.99 on motorcycle closeouts. The helmets are worth $400+.

[NDspd]

Originally Posted by nickjpass

The Bell Star helmet is $199.99 on motorcycle closeouts. The helmets are worth $400+.

I don't know what it is, but I always get an impression that Bell Helmets are all cheap in quality or look. They just look plasticy and not well made like a Shoei or an Arai. Maybe I'm wrong, but being worth $400 might not mean it acts like other $400 helmets from other companies. Just a thought...

[nickjpass]

It was made to compete with the RF-1100. Bell makes great helmets, after all, they invented it!

webbikeworld loves the Star helmet. It got a great review.

[LoD575]

Good reviews of products.

I use the same Dainese knee armor and hard shorts. In the 100+ temps here in New Mexico I found the shorts and knee armor to be extremely comfortable. It's impossible not to sweat in the heat but I found the armor knee straps to be non-irritating and the mesh liner absorbs moisture.
I also use the Dainese Dyno shoes which keep my feet well ventilated. With the Dyno shoes and knee armor I feel my legs are moderately protected.

Personally I have been impressed and satisfied with Dainese products.

My next helmet will be the Bell RS-1 to replace my Shoei Z-II. After fondling and trying on the RS-1 and RF-1100 my money will be spent with the Bell.

[reaubideux]

bumping thread... added some new detail shots of jacket, pants, and knee guards, still need to get some updated shots of a few other things, should be later this week.

[Roark]

Any updates?

[reaubideux]

Yep, I could do a whole new post on all my gear. With exception of the Held liners and the Bilt boots (neither of which are actually used any longer) I don't own any of this gear any longer. I'll post another reply when I have time to update with all my new gear and some possible final thoughts/comparisons to the gear I've previously owned.

[adouglas]

Just noticed this thread and since I use one of the reviewed items myself, I thought i'd weigh in.

The Bilt Trackstar ventilated boots are what I wear every day, but not on the track. I'd call them a great value in a commuting/touring boot.

I concur with all that was said. Definitely get a good insole.

I will add a few observations FWIW:

1) Despite having toe sliders and looking "racy," these are NOT race boots and offer no extra support for the ankle. The amount of support is no different from ordinary work boots.

2) The size labeling is screwed up. The Euro size is molded into the sole and is accurate, but the sewn-in label reads one size large. (e.g. my boots are Euro 42, which about US size 8, but say US 9 on the tag). I don't know if this has been rectified, but buyer beware.

3) Small design nit: The velcro panel covering the zipper really should be split in the middle into separate upper and lower sections. It puckers. Doesn't affect function at all.

4) The shifter protection panel is plastic rather than leather, which is good. Wears very well.

For the money, big thumbs up. I like these enough that when another forum member was selling a pair for cheap, I bought them and stuck them on the shelf. Going to be using these for a long time...

PS: Bought my pair in 2010 and have been using them ever since.

[reaubideux]

Here's an updated post to all my gear; won't be as detailed as the original but I'll do my best to cover the important stuff. Don't have pictures of everything; just don't have the time.

Updates/Final Thoughts of Gear Already Reviewed:

Helmets - I followed up my Bell Vortex with an Arai Vector 2 and currently own a Shoei RF-1200 (reviewed below). My thoughts haven't changed on the Vortex. It served its purpose and was a decent helmet with the piece of mind of carrying a Snell 2010 rating. However, stepping into the Arai felt like going from a Carolla to a BMW; just a more solid, comfortable helmet. Only niggle with the Arai is I could never become efficient at swapping the visor. Don't care how simple the YouTube videos made it seem, I just could not master it and felt like I was going to break the visor every time. The only reason I'm not in an Arai right now is because I'm not a fan of any of their current graphics; every one of them just has something I don't quite like.


Arai Vector 2 - 09/2012 - 02/2015 (secondary helmet since 04/2014)

(pictured with my current helmet - Shoei RF-1200)


Comfort: 5/5 - such a plush liner and the aerodynamics made it comfortable at highway speeds, despite the lack of padding on the chin strap, it was still comfortable
Fit & Finish: 5/5
Air Flow: 3/5 - the brow vents worked moderately well, the chin vent flowed the most but the top vent didn't do much
Features & Functionality: 3/5 - not a "bad" score, but nothing special about it
Noise: 3/5 - average, suffered from the "duck call" noise at highway speeds on the top vent; first time it happened freaked the hell out of me
Weight: 4/5 - definitely better than the Bell, but it's not a featherweight
vision: 3/5 - average, good vision but I don't have personal experience with anything to truly compare it to in terms of wide field of vision


Shoei RF-1200 - 04/2014 - present







Comfort: 4/5 - Soft liner, but not as nice as the Arai
Fit & Finish: 5/5 - vent doors are solid, visor mechanisms are solid
Air Flow: 3/5 - better venting than the Arai, but the chin vent directs air right into my eyes which dries them and I have to keep blinking to keep my eyes moistened
Features & Functionality: 5/5 - has emergency cheek pad release to allow safe removal of helmet; comes with a Pinlock insert which has been most helpful in the winter
Noise: 3/5 - average; no matter how tight I keep the visor and how often I lubricate the seals there's always a high-pitched whine from air getting past the seals; my dad's Shoei Qwest has this same issue
Weight: 4/5 - better than the Bell, on par with the Arai
vision: 3/5 - I'd call it better than the Arai but if only by a little bit

This was an impulse buy and I truly only bought it because I liked the graphic and I'm a huge Marquez fan. If I had the cash I'd probably pick up the Marquez X-12 replica. I digress... Honestly, I like the Arai better as an overall helmet but just barely. The Shoei is the better helmet in terms of fit and finish, the vents don't seem as "cheap" (loose term when talking about an Arai) as the Arai and the included Pinlock is awesome. The thing that has me wanting another Arai is it was just more comfortable and fit me better which is the most important thing when riding. Definitely can't go wrong with the RF-1200. The easy-to-swap visor is icing on the cake and the gold visor I went with is acceptable for night-time riding as well versus the dark smoke visor on the Arai.


Here I am in all my current gear:









Head to toe:

• Shoei RF-1200 helmet
• Dainese Avro jacket - 06/2013 - present
• SAS-TEC Back protector - 08/2012 - present
• Knox Handroid gloves - 11/2014 - present
• Dainese Delta Pro EVO pants - 09/2013 - present
• Dainese TRQ Race Out boots - 08/2013 - present

Dainese Avro jacket - I had to replace my Dainese Alien jacket/pants after dropping about 30lbs and they no longer fit properly. Love the Avro jacket, decided to go with a bit more flash after the enjoying classic Alien style. I noticeably miss the bubble liner of the Alien jacket but the Avro makes up by having a removable liner which negated the necessity of layering up in the winter. As with anything Dainese, craftsmanship is top notch. Only gripe is the white panels on the sleeves have discolored over time whereas the white shoulder panels are still a nice, bright white color which just irks the crap out of me since I clean my leathers so frequently.

SAS-TEC back protector - The Dainese back pad I had was just too stiff and got on my nerves. Swapped it for the SAS-TEC and it has been great. It isn't a perfect fit in either of my Dainese jackets, I find myself having to adjust it before jumping on my bike, but once it's adjusted, the snugness of my jacket keeps it in place.

Knox Handroid gloves - between the Cortechs reviewed previously, I had a pair of Knox Biomech gloves. They were a good blend of protection, looks, and comfort whereas the Handroids are a bit too audacious while admittedly having superior protection. The Biomechs developed a hole in the tip of the left index finger shortly after getting soaked in a heavy downpour for a 30 minute ride home. The index finger was a single panel on the Biomech; on the Handroids it looks like the tip of the index fingers consist of 2 panels so I don't see that issue happening again. I only bought these because STG was having a Black Friday sale so I snagged them for not much more than the cost of the Biomechs. Compared to the Alpinestars and then the Cortechs, the Knox gloves require a long time to break in. Once they do, they feel great but they're a bit painful until broken in. Given the limited number of warm days this winter I haven't had much time with these gloves so they're still snug. The leather bunches a bit where my pinky finger connects to my hand which can get uncomfortable from time to time. Other than that, I'm still reserving judgement until they're fully broken in. So far, my only definitive gripe is the panel which covers the wrist strap is much shorter than that of the one found on the Biomechs making it a touch more cumbersome to put the gloves on a cinch the wrist strap down. I always have to fish the panel from behind the strap so that it covers the strap again. They're still a touch much in the terms of appearance but given the rest of my gear, they blend in IMHO. (Photos of the Biomechs below)

Dainese Delta Pro EVO pants - Really not much to say; they're comfortable as hell, connect easily with my jacket. Sad to say the sliders are unused after about 18 months of ownership and most likely will be that way (pending any unforeseen incidents) for the immediate future. I think I've praised the quality of Dainese gear enough in this thread so I'll save it.

Dainese TRQ Race Out boots - First things, first, white was not my first choice. Caught these on closeout from Revzilla and white was the only size that fit me. Definitely made for a narrower foot (which I do not have); I couldn't walk around all day in these. The Bilt boots were more comfortable in that regard. I went with these because a) I'm a Dainese whore, and b) they were the cheapest boot offering lateral ankle protection. As with any track boot, these are squeaky as hell, I don't recommend these as your footwear of choice when carrying out any ninja-style assassinations. I was actually a bit disappointed with the boots in the terms of finish. The glue was clearly visible (and yellowing) where the sole was attached to the boot. Something very noticeable on a white boot. The soles have worn well though, whereas with the Bilt boots I replaced my first pair after a year because the soles worn down too much; these should last me quite awhile longer. Ignoring the visible glue on the soles, they've held up pretty well despite being a bit neglected in terms of cleaning them. (Photos of the boots below)


Other Gear

Dainese Scout Gore-Tex gloves - 10/2012 - present - cold-weather glove; I've tolerated temps into the upper 20's at highway speeds with these gloves. Not saying I was comfortable, just that I tolerated it. I plan on having grip heaters on my next bike for sure but in the mean time, these have at least helped me extend my riding season to be year-round on the "warmer" winter days. For me, there comfortable temperature range is high 30's to low 60's. Anything colder and they go from "comfortable" to "tolerable," anything above 60 and hands start to sweat and then they're a PITA to get off. I wouldn't feel particularly safe if I crashed with these gloves, they're basically canvas gloves with some leather panels stitched on and some knuckle armor for a little added protection.

Forcefield Limb Tubes - 03/2014 - 10/2014 - I thought these would be a slimmer alternative than the Dainese Knee V-Guards I had but they only proved to be just as bulky on the knees and made pulling jeans on a chore. They weren't particularly comfortable for me either and quickly found myself using them less and less so I opted to sell them. At this point, I've made the conscious decision to go with no armor on my legs.

Kriega US-20 Drypack - 03/2013 - present - When I got my 600RR the magnetic tank bag no longer worked since the tank has a fiberglass shell over it. I didn't want to glue magnets under the tank cover. I liked the idea of a tail bag to allow me the ability to tuck in colder weather when cruising down the highway. This thing is great, simple in design, effective in utility, and it can fit a bunch. It's basically just a bag with waterproof interior liner. You roll it up and snap it shut. I opted to install the straps to the frame to attach it to the bike versus strapping under the passenger seat and trusting the passenger seat latch to never fail. It took some time to attach the harnesses to the frame but absolutely worth it for piece of mind.

Alpinestars Tech Neck Warmer - 12/2013 - present - simple, yet effective in keeping my neck warm when riding in the winter. Super soft lining even after multiple washes. Best $20 I've spent on riding gear. I tend not to ride with it pulled over my nose and mouth because it absorbs the moisture of my breath causing it to become damp so you feel like you're laying on a pillow you've been drooling on for awhile.


Random Pictures

Dainese boots when they were new, out of the box:


(showing the yellow glue; it was around a majority of the sole)






Comparison shots of my Knox Biomech gloves - brand new and then after 1 year:













Knox Handroids (brand new) and Knox Biomechs (18 months old):


It's hard to make out, but the hole in the left index finger tip on the Biomechs is visible.


Kriega tailbag installed





Apologies for the disjointed post, I just don't have the same amount of free time to think out these long-winded posts but the main ideas I wanted to convey are there. If you have any questions about any of the gear I have owned please feel free to post or PM me.

[NDspd]

Dude these are amazing reviews!! I may use these as reference when I need to get new stuff.

[reaubideux]

Glad they're useful... I wish had the time to get more detailed and get some more pictures of my gear but work/life prohibits me from doing so.