Textile, touring-type gear that actually holds up to a crash?

[kbroderick]

Does anyone have recommendations for touring-type textile gear that would actually hold up to a 70-80 MPH lowside? (I'm assuming best-case scenario in that respect—no jacket is going to make a difference if you lowside into a telephone pole or oncoming dump truck). I lost the front end on 17 en route to Vermont bike night yesterday, and as a result of sliding down the road at about 20 MPH, blew apart the seam on the outside of the shoulder in my Teknic jacket. My Darien pants are scuffed and the surface layer through on the knee but seemed to hold up reasonably.

So...if a 20 MPH lowside thrashes that jacket, I don't want to think about what it (or I) would look like at 80 MPH. I obviously don't plan to crash at 80 MPH, but I wasn't planning on crashing at 20 MPH, either. Anyone got ideas for gear that would actually hold up? I've heard good things about Rev'It (google "Rev'It crash test" if you want to find a few stories). Aerostitch lacks waterproofing, looks fugly, and doesn't seem to offer better protection than Rev'It (although I'd be interested to hear any counterarguments). Not looking to spend $1,200 on a jacket, so Rukka is out.

Thoughts appreciated. I will try to get some photos and post a full write-up on my non-endorsement of Teknic's stuff later.

[intergalactic]

The thicker full on Aerostich should do well, from what I read. Never tried though. P.S. I am selling mine.

[TheIglu]

Heavier Cortech, Aerostich, etc

Technic/Ikon = garbage.

1600 nylon is the heavy grade stuff. Shoot for that. Be warned, most people make 600 nylon these days for pants when older models were the heavier fabric. I couldn't find any heavy pants this spring, had to settle for 600 + 1600 in certain areas.

[wiggeywackyo]

I crashed at 100-ish and slid for about 200 feet on my elbow in my Cortech GX Sport. It burned through the top layers but help up just fine. That jacket saved my skin. I actually wore this jacket for a few more months in the winter and it still kept me warm.

FWIW, I don't think there is any stitching that is impervious to abrasion. I crashed an Alpinestar Stage at about 40 and just happened to slide for a bit on the stitching on the arm and some of the stitching came a bit loose. Not enough to pull the arm apart but it was enough that I noticed it. I would wear the jacket again.

[Doc]

I think of most textile as a one time use type thing.

[SVnunook]

I have crashed in my Aerostich and it held up well and I have seen major crashes in them and they have had minor damage to the suit and had been able to be repaired by the factory. I use it every day to ride back and forth to work.

[Argyle]

I crashed at 100-ish and slid for about 200 feet on my elbow in my Cortech GX Sport. It burned through the top layers but help up just fine. That jacket saved my skin. I actually wore this jacket for a few more months in the winter and it still kept me warm.

holy crap. i just bought one of these. glad to hear it holds up!

[markbvt]

The only textile gear I've ever heard of holding up well enough in a crash to still be useful afterwards is Aerostich.

Personally, I no longer trust textile gear. If someone made a 3/4-length weatherproof touring jacket with leather patches on the shoulders, elbows, and back, I'd strongly consider it, but I haven't found one (which is weird, because I have a Cortech GX Air mesh jacket that has those leather panels).

In the meantime, I'll stick to leathers.

--mark

[Doc]

In the meantime, I'll stick to leathers.

--mark

Chaps are not Leathers Mark.

[markbvt]

Chaps are not Leathers Mark.

I don't own chaps and have never worn them. And I agree they'd be unsuitable.

So why exactly did you bring this up?

--mark

[RandyO]

As already mentioned, Aerostitch

I crash tested mine in a 70mph lowside, small abrasion in elbow reinforcement, that's it.

[stoinkythepig]

I low-sided twice in my one piece 'stich. Held up well and protected me really well, but required a little repair that I had done years later when it needed a few other repairs due to wear. It's got about 130,000 miles of use on it and is functionally like new.

[SVnunook]

With the Aerostich all you need to do is replace the armor in it about every 4 years not that big of a deal, and if you send it back to them for a cleaning and reweather proof they will install the new pads for you.

[Paul_E_D]

My new Firstgear TPG Ranier jacket is really hi quality for half the cost of Revit or aerostitch. Haven't crashed it, but like people have said, it's mostly a one use deal with textiles. Might as well pay half price for it.

I agree, leather elbows on a 3/4 length textile jacket would be appealing. That's where they are likely to blow out.

[benVFR]

Teknic is just garbage.. I blew out the seams on the thigh of my Teknic *leathers* in a 60mph lowside. Luckily I didn't pick up any rash..

I would add Dainese to the list, but they are expensive. I like my dainese suit a lot, but it's not perfect. The lower portion of the arms slides up too easily and exposes your wrist.. I'm 99% sure in a crash if I didn't have the winter lining on and/or a long sleeve shirt underneath, my forearms would be at risk.

Despite the lack of waterproofing I might try Aerostich the next time.. the one piece that you can wear street clothes under is just too convenient for commuting.

[butcher bergs]

Does anyone have recommendations for touring-type textile gear that would actually hold up to a 70-80 MPH lowside?

I think a guy named Ninjajim might have some great recommendations for you.

[kbroderick]

Teknic is just garbage.. I blew out the seams on the thigh of my Teknic *leathers* in a 60mph lowside. Luckily I didn't pick up any rash..

Yeah, I'm largely unimpressed. The feature-to-pricepoint ratio is decent, but the gear quality doesn't seem to be there. I also had a pair of Teknic gloves (gauntlet-style, forget the model name) simply fall apart at the seam on the palm, without crashing, at just about a calendar year old (i.e. I managed to just miss the warrantee window). I'd not like to think about the implications of crashing in said gloves in the week or two shortly before the stitching failure became evident.

I should say that the Teknic leather pants I have held up fine in a 40MPH-ish get off (note to self: practice emergency stopping at 20 MPH, then at 30 MPH, then at 40 MPH, then at 50 MPH, not the other way around)—they got some scuffing but not seam failures and I came out fine. The Teknic leather jackets I've got (one perf'd, one non-perf'd) also seem like they'd be capable of holding up, albeit not as well as a real set of leathers.

I would add Dainese to the list, but they are expensive. I like my dainese suit a lot, but it's not perfect. The lower portion of the arms slides up too easily and exposes your wrist.. I'm 99% sure in a crash if I didn't have the winter lining on and/or a long sleeve shirt underneath, my forearms would be at risk.

Dainese, Rukka, and Klim would likely be on the list as well, if I had someone else's credit card to use. Unfortunately, I don't.

Despite the lack of waterproofing I might try Aerostich the next time.. the one piece that you can wear street clothes under is just too convenient for commuting.

I don't commute, so that concern is a non-issue; if I did, I suspect I'd be rather inclined to own a 'stitch if only just for that use. However, I walk to work, so commuting use is out.

The waterproofing, styling, and breathability are the three areas that make me a bit wary of a 'stitch. Well, that, and according to their sizing report, I'd need a custom suit (I'm hoping that the same sizing inquiry of a Rev'It dealer doesn't result in a "sorry, not going to fit right" answer). And I definitely want a two-piece—I'm rather fond of being able to make bike pants do double-duty while traveling on the bike, or even while hanging out at a lunch stop, which reduces the appeal of Aerostitch (the easy-in / easy-out of their one-piece seems to be a major selling point).

[davemon]

I crash tested an Aerostick Roadcrafter II on I90 at ~65 mph a about 10years back. Nothing wore through and the pads worked REALLY well, especially the one on my right knee. Face shield on helmet and chin bar took a beating but held up too. Repairs on the suit were ~$100 and I got a nice hand signed letter from Andy Goldfine with my patched up suit. New helmet was ~$450. New gloves $125. I still have and wear the suit.

Dave

[Danz19899]

crash tested a very light shift textile last season, lowside at 40 it actually held up well. I got no rash but the jacket was pretty much toast

I got a heavier Fieldsheer textile congo 2. Seems a lot beefier then the other one and has been great in the cooler weather . . . but i wear a back pack and the vents get covered so it can get toasty

[Doc]

I don't own chaps and have never worn them. And I agree they'd be unsuitable.

So why exactly did you bring this up?

--mark

The means I was poking fun at you. Considering your "leathers" are a Marlon Brando Jacket and a Pair of Harley pants.

[tonyd]

Cheap gear ain't good... Good gear ain't cheap.

[markbvt]

The means I was poking fun at you. Considering your "leathers" are a Marlon Brando Jacket and a Pair of Harley pants.

That "Marlon Brando" jacket is as yet the most versatile motorcycle jacket I've been able to find. Furthermore the leather is about a foot thick and the jacket carries a lifetime warranty.

And the pants are not Harley ones. They're just standard black leather pants that do not make me look like a Power Ranger.

If you read my ride report on the trip I just finished, though, you'll notice that I was wearing my two-piece suit, which has all the appropriate armor but still avoids the Power Ranger look.

We don't all need to wear race suits on the street. My point was that leather tends to hold up better than textiles. How it's styled is irrelevant.



--mark

[benVFR]

Cheap gear ain't good... Good gear ain't cheap.

Yep.. might as well just save up to get good stuff.

I said my Dainese stuff wasn't perfect, but it's lasted so long I've probably saved money versus cheaper stuff.. and it's insanely comfortable. I haven't carried any raingear other then glove covers in the last 5 years and I've never really gotten wet except my hands.. (don't know if I'll ever stop that)

I wore out a bunch of stuff before just spending the big bucks..

Held gloves are wicked expensive too.. but they just last and last. I had some Teknic gauntlets before the helds and I wore through the palms just from my hands touching the bars.. and it didn't take all that long. No sign of that on the Helds after a much longer period.

I haven't had any leathers the past 3 years cause I figure I might as well just keep saving my pennies till the day I get past the mental hurdle to order a Vanson suit that would fit me.

[ultrabaka]

I highly recommend the Scorpion XDR series for all weather 4 season protection.

Also on par with perforated leather (and is actually 10x more abrasion resistant) but lighter is Dupont-developed Dainese D-stone fabric. It's breathable and generally fuses tighter upon impact. Besides the occasional Cycle-gear closeout or something, you can find the Gladiator, Invader, and Horizon jackets on ebay for less than a couple hundred sometimes. Ex: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Daine...#ht_500wt_1182

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Daine...#ht_500wt_1182
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/DAINE...item5ad9a99167