Call to all Southerners!

[Ronin]

I'm looking for input from people (Northerners and Southerners) that have had experience with mesh jackets, perforated leather jackets, and/or leather jackets with uber venting.

I'm looking into getting a new jacket for riding in the Houston, Texas area.  As most of you already know it is freakin' hot here about 11 months out of the year and I wanted to get feedback on a preference of perforated leather vs. a mesh textile vs. leathers with uber venting but non-perf.  I'm specifically looking to know which one keeps you the coolest when it's blazing hot outside.

I'm leaning to perf leather with a zip in liner for the cool mornings but I just can't decide.  Looking around $200-300 price range.

Matt

[ant_129]

I live in the Houston area and have been fine most of the summer with the mesh Joe Rocket unless I have been stopped at a light.  Its been kind of chilly in the mornings here lately.

I do a have a seperate textile with some venting for the colder weather around here but I can not wear that thing in the summer at all.  It is way too hot even with the inside liner removed and all vents opened.

[Jason F.]

I have an AGV Sport Mesh and Leather jacket for the ultra hot and humid days of Summer her in Tennessee. Pretty good armor and perforated leather sleeves up to the shoulders the chest, inside of the arms and part of the back are mesh. I think it the best of both worlds. Mesh for the coolness and leather and armor for protection.

It has worked great all summer and proved to actually be cooler at speed than just a t-shirt. It is no good on cold morning though. It has been in the 50's in the morning here the last two weeks and no matter what I put under it the air just flows allaround through the mesh and sucks the heat out.

[lucas]

I have one of these things:


http://www.bohnarmor.com/catalog/proddetail.php?prod=BGCRBK&PHPSESSID=9e5c775676cf22cf099a21bc06625245

Air goes right through it. You can just wear a shirt over it or a jacket.

 Happy to say that I have never tested it yet!

Lucas

[Ronin]

Thanks for the help guys.  I think I'll lean towards the perf leather and use the textile mesh I have now with the liner in the cooler days of winter.

Matt

 

[speedytriple]

best deal i can find with good venting for ya! i am ordering one as we speak. price is great for a good jacket looks to vent well. i am going to replace my sante fe jacket with one of these. also look into the reactor 2.0 perf jacket on new enough leather and full perf arond 240 dollars. i like the looks of the above jacket myself. and the price is great.

http://www.newenough.com/teknic_chicane6_jacket_page.htm

[Ronin]

Actually that is the jacket I was looking at.  Like you said for such a great price it's worth it.  I'm thinking I can get that jacket and then find a waterproof liner to wear underneath to make it a three season jacket.

Matt

[LowRyter]

I got the original JR Phoenix, replaced with newest version (4.0? 5.0?).  They are great.  The new one has removable CE padding & rain liner.  The rain liner does a good job to seal you up for cool weather.  Even a pocket for an I-Pod with thread hole for earphones (for whatever an IPod is), a pochet for a spare visor.  I've got a leather jacket, but now only wear it maybe 4 months a year.  You can one for around $125.

[Oldschooler]

I live in central Florida just 5 or 6 miles north of Orlando.
I have a leather Teknic Chicane (preforated). I find I can wear this jacket up to about 90deg. Any hotter, I can still wear it but must be moving all the time 40mph or more. Really not as hot as I thought it would be.
When the temps got above 90 I got a Firstgear Mesh-Tex 2 w/liner. This isn't the sprotiest looking jacket but it works VERY well. It is a tighter weave of mesh meaning it's not "open" weave. Meaning from a distance you can't tell it's a mesh jacket. It has great airflow and I've worn it on 100deg days. Again, a little warm if your stuck in stand still traffic but you won't sweat to death. As soon as you get any movement the air blows thru and you cool off. Came with a rain liner also. I got it for $79 at NewEnough.com

[solman]

I have Joe Rocket mesh and I love it.  One on riding buds knows a few people that have gone down while wearing the same mesh jacket.  They both walked away with no injuries.

A great place to get some good deals, check out www.newenough.com  Check out their closeout section.

[gyrogearcrunch]

I'm looking for input from people (Northerners and Southerners) that have had experience with mesh jackets, perforated leather jackets, and/or leather jackets with uber venting.

I'm looking into getting a new jacket for riding in the Houston, Texas area.  As most of you already know it is freakin' hot here about 11 months out of the year and I wanted to get feedback on a preference of perforated leather vs. a mesh textile vs. leathers with uber venting but non-perf.  I'm specifically looking to know which one keeps you the coolest when it's blazing hot outside.

I'm leaning to perf leather with a zip in liner for the cool mornings but I just can't decide.  Looking around $200-300 price range.

Matt

It gets pretty hot here in west central FL too. If you want maximum road rash protection with better comfort in the hots, get the perforated leather. I use an older Joe Rocket mesh jacket with plastic inserts (no zip-out liner) that's not bad as long as you can keep moving, but those long traffic lights in Tampa can get really steamy, despite the zip-open vents. I've read that the mesh suit with the plastic inserts is only slightly less effective than the leather at preventing road rash.  Of course, these outfits don't come up to the level of protection offered by a set of one-piece road-racing leathers.

For colder weather, I wear a dungaree jacket under the Joe Rocket, but what really helps is a "baclava" (ski hood) under the helmet. When my neck is warm, the rest of me is a lot happier in the cold. It also cuts way down on cold wind getting into the jacket.