Going Cross Country - Leather or Textile?

[Professor ST]

I'm headed from San Diego to Boston in July. The basic route is north to the CA border, east through Yellowstone and mt. Rushmore, eventually heading south to the Dragon, then BRP to DC and home.

I expect all kinds of temperature and have the rain covered with a good set of rain gear.

My two choice are:

Vanson jacket, front venting and perforated sport rider pants. Best protection in the event of a get off. Less comfortable. Likely hotter on hot days AND colder on cold mornings, but some layering can help that.

Olympia Air Glide 3 jacket and pants. The pants have a removable liner and the jacket has a 2 stage liner system. With a one piece thin fleece suit underneath, it is comfortable at 40 degrees and much better in the hot stuff. It is also much easier to get comfortable on the bike.

As usual, the choice comes down to comfort vs. protection and I'm looking at 2 weeks straight of 300-400 miles days.

Which would you take?

[sleazy rider]

Textile IMO.  You're gonna be much more comfortable, hence better attention to what's going on versus fighting the heat/cold.  You need pack no extras to layer up or down and you will run into extremes both ways.  

[Skee]

textile for touring - in my opinion

[Papa Lazarou]

textile is the sensible choice but i would prefer to ride in the leather, as i find it more comfortable.

[Hotbrakes]

Textile pants and both jackets.  Unless you're riding a 'Wing the leather provides much better fatiguing wind abuse protection.  Textile tends to drag which wears you out while leather provides a barrier from buffeting wind currents.  As long as you are moving you will not get too hot with some ventilation.  It is possible you will encounter ambient temperatures requiring insulation from the heat to keep you cool.  Minimal ventilation is key to maintaining hydration over a long period.  

Take a Camelbak too with water.  Drink Gatorade during fuel/pee stops to keep electrolytes and sugar levels up and prevent rinsing yourself out.

[Professor ST]

I  have always felt more comfortable in windy condiditon in the leather.  The bike seems more settled if that makes any sense.

[Flyer]

... i would prefer to ride in the leather, as i find it more comfortable.

It's a fetish, you know.
 

Sport-Touring specific leather:

http://www.aerostich.com/transit-two-piece-suit.html
 

[atadaskew]

Vanson jacket, front venting and perforated sport rider pants. Best protection in the event of a get off. Less comfortable

Does it fit correctly?  I've found properly fitting leathers much more comfortable than textiles, as the leather provides support and does not flap as it fits closer.

If it's cold, just put on the rain suit as an extra layer.  That's how I travel.

[Professor ST]

The jacket is fine, had it 15 years.  The pants are fine through the waist and tight in the thighs, not a lot of easy movement on the bike.

[Papa Lazarou]

Eat less cake and eat more eels.

[Kootenanny]

I prefer to ride in my leathers.  However, they suck in the rain...

On short trips, if there is a chance of rain, I'll generally wear my textiles.  If I'm going somewhere that I don't want to look like a fetish refugee when I get off my bike, I'll wear textiles.  But on a long trip, where I'm going to be wearing the gear every day for many days running, I prefer the leather, with separate raingear.  

My leather pants are not perforated, so I wear them directly (maybe over long underwear if it's cold)--I find this much more comfortable than wearing overpants over jeans.  My leather jacket is perforated, which is nice when it's hot, but it fits quite snug so I can't layer too much beneath it.  I've found a good thermal undershirt and thin wool sweater worn underneath, with a vest or rainjacket overtop, does well in the cold (and as the day warms up, I can remove the outer gear easily).  The textile jackets I have are easier to get on or off, and are more comfortable to wear off the bike, but...I do prefer the leather for actually riding in.

[KLRchickie]

What gear I wear touring depends on which bike I'm touring on.

Monster, I wear my leathers.  Leather knees combined with the Stomp Grip on the tank make for an easier time hanging on.

KLR, I have a full set of Joe Rocket Alter Ego textile gear.  Great stuff, once I added a bit of velcro to adjust the fit and moved the knee pads to the position of *my* knees.

In both cases, long underwear/tights underneath the pants (despite the fact that the textile pants are "overpants" wearing them over something like jeans is really uncomfortable).  Short or long sleeved wicking t-shirt under the jacket.  Rain gear over the leathers if needed, whether for rain or cold.  The JR gear has very effective rain liners, and very nice zip out panels to become mesh.

The key, regardless of material choice, is that your gear fits and can be reasonably trusted to do its job for you should the worst happen...  I am confident of both of my sets of gear.

[caasland]

I've done both. Leather or Mesh, then add rainsuit for cold and wet. In your situation I'd do textile.

When I did leather it worked great until it got cold and I started layering under it and it was stretched out of shape so it flapped when I took our the layers.

The problem with any style of rainsuit is the question "do I stop and put it on under a bridge before I get wet, or on the road while getting wet, or ride on in case it stops raining soon, it mayjust be a sprinkle, etc".

Don't bring two jackets, that's a waste of space. Sucks to use space for the rainsuit too.

Your riding style may change a bit as you get further from the roads you are familiar with, i.e. if you are less aggressive then you *may* re-evaluate whether the protection of the leather is worth the drawbacks.

Now I only wear textile - Aerostich Roadcrafter. Reasonable comfort in all weather. Snug, doesn't stretch, but suited for me so it doesn't bind (except when REALLY leaning off the bike). No needs to carry any additional gear, or debate whether to stop and put on rain gear.

[hovmaven]

Textile.  And have a way to drink water while underway.  May be a wee bit hot heading east. . ..  

[Kneescrubber]

I'm headed from San Diego to Boston in July. The basic route is north to the CA border, east through Yellowstone and mt. Rushmore, eventually heading south to the Dragon, then BRP to DC and home.

 

Looks like a great ride report in the making. What's the timeframe?

[Orson]

The Roadcrafter is great cuz you don't hafta bring rain gear, and thus helping sport tourers to try to reach that Nirvana state of traveling with just a credit card and a toothbrush  

[Professor ST]

Time frame is about 15 days.

I'm working on the itinerary as well as the pack list and will be asking for feedback on both in the next few days.

[Kneescrubber]

Time frame is about 15 days.

I'm working on the itinerary as well as the pack list and will be asking for feedback on both in the next few days.

That averages to 233-266 miles per day. Plenty of time to stop and smell the roses.  

[tomek]

Midwest in July ? Textile , no question about it . When it is 90 F deg. and 90 % humidity you are gonna die in leather ,  perforated or not .


I`ve got rid of  all my leather jackets and pants because around   here ,  it is either too hot or too cold for that kind of riding gear . YYMV .  

[Frankienuckles]

Textile, while it's not the best in every situation, it is by far the most versatile.