Hot weather gear

[motrhead]

 So far I have been riding old school ATGATT, with a partially perforated Dainese jacket in the warmer temps, and leather pants over shorts. Over 95 degrees its hot, and over 98 its painful...but I have slid down the highway twice, and leather is king! So what are some recommendations of slide-worthy warm weather gear that won't make my wallet weep? Is there any tough mesh gear out there for those 100 plus days like tomorrow?

[Sport-Touring]

[Sport]

I wear a double layer fully perforated and armored jacket, Joe Rocket.  On tour in extended heat I also wear an evaporative vest under it and over a thin white t shirt.  Lasts 3-4 hours before rewetting.  I’ve tried perforated pants and other armored thin riding pants and they’re all too hot for me so I wear MX style hard shell padded knee and shin guards under my Levi’s in the heat.  I’m after impact protection but I know I’m giving up rash protection.  I also wear armored perforated gloves.

[caddydaddy]

I moved to South Texas from Connecticut a month ago.  Damn, it's hot here! haha.  Anyways, I just bought a pair of Kevlar lined riding jeans with armor.  Hopefully they will be a good compromise between protection and cooling!

[jay547]

Anyways, I just bought a pair of Kevlar lined riding jeans with armor.  Hopefully they will be a good compromise between protection and cooling!

That's what I exclusively use. In winter, I wear them over regular jeans.

[VFRide]

............  I’m after impact protection but I know I’m giving up rash protection.  .........

that's about how I feel wearing my perforated gear.  Better than shorts & a t-shirt. ButI I don't expect the mesh material to hold up in a slide.

[bubba zanetti]

 So far I have been riding old school ATGATT, with a partially perforated Dainese jacket in the warmer temps, and leather pants over shorts. Over 95 degrees its hot, and over 98 its painful...but I have slid down the highway twice, and leather is king! So what are some recommendations of slide-worthy warm weather gear that won't make my wallet weep? Is there any tough mesh gear out there for those 100 plus days like tomorrow?

Hey Dean. For pants I have settled RevIt Gear2. About 50% leather in all the slide areas, and high quality Mesh everywhere else. I upgraded the armour too and feel they are the best compromise of protection and air flow.

My Jacket is a HitAir and is quite warm but willing to endure that.
What is making the most difference is my new model HJC70 ST helmet. Flows a ton of air and really is a big improvement in cooling.  

Gonna be 38- 40 here the next few days.  

[YYCZED]

Some of the Rev'It summer gear has built-in zips so that you can add a Rev'It-specific cooling vest. Rev'It is really expensive retail in Canada, so I only buy stuff on sale at motoin.de and fc-moto.de (both have a summer sale on right now) . They also do mesh trousers that zip onto their jackets, but of course with a lot of gear you have to shell out extra for upgraded armour inserts

YMMV

[jay547]

What is making the most difference is my new model HJC70 ST helmet. Flows a ton of air and really is a big improvement in cooling.  

I just got the HJC IS-17. It's nice and light and quieter than my previous helmet but zero air flow. If I turn my head 45° to the right and 20° down, I get just a little air but then I can't see the road.

[motrhead]

Hey Dean. For pants I have settled RevIt Gear2. About 50% leather in all the slide areas, and high quality Mesh everywhere else. I upgraded the armour too and feel they are the best compromise of protection and air flow.

My Jacket is a HitAir and is quite warm but willing to endure that.
What is making the most difference is my new model HJC70 ST helmet. Flows a ton of air and really is a big improvement in cooling.  

Gonna be 38- 40 here the next few days.  

 Hi Jim,
 Do those pants actually let air flow? They are about what I was looking for. I've been riding with that Dainese jacket half open...a bit afraid I will catch a wasp one of these days, but it was 40c in Valleyview this afternoon, and 38 all the way home, so I am taking the risk! LOL I'm riding with my convertible helmet open, but visor half down (always sunglasses) to stop hot air from hitting my face, and to uncover the top vent. It's not bad. I should have wet my head, but traffic was moving well, so I did have a bit of airflow.
 It seems like I don't deal with the heat as well as I did when I lived in the Okanagan...must be an age thing. Lol

[motrhead]

I wear a double layer fully perforated and armored jacket, Joe Rocket.  On tour in extended heat I also wear an evaporative vest under it and over a thin white t shirt.  Lasts 3-4 hours before rewetting.  I’ve tried perforated pants and other armored thin riding pants and they’re all too hot for me so I wear MX style hard shell padded knee and shin guards under my Levi’s in the heat.  I’m after impact protection but I know I’m giving up rash protection.  I also wear armored perforated gloves.

Because I have slid twice in my 37 years of road riding,  I can't make myself sacrifice rash protection! I have vented armoured gloves as well.

[bubba zanetti]

Yes, they do flow air. Just widen your legs and I get good air flow. Stand, and it’s a ton. They come with good knee armour and crap hip armour. The leather is similar in quality to that Dainese you bought from me. The Gear2 flow a bit more air than the original Gear pants. The Tornado2 pants are also good flow, but a little less protection.

[bubba zanetti]

These are likely too small but are about what I paid for a near new pair on EBay.

https://advrider.com/index.php?threads/rev’it-gear-2-pants-eu48.1323923/

Like a lot of RevIt stuff, sizing is odd and these pants tend to fit small. I have about a 37 inch waist and wear a 58 in Gear2

[aviationfred]

I wear a double layer fully perforated and armored jacket, Joe Rocket.  On tour in extended heat I also wear an evaporative vest under it and over a thin white t shirt.  Lasts 3-4 hours before rewetting.

I am a Joe Rocket gear fan. The gear is reasonably priced and IMO looks good. I have seen first hand, how Joe Rocket mesh jackets and pants hold up after sliding on pavement. The mesh does disintegrate and looks horrible afterwards, but in both cases, neither of the riders had any skin that contacted the road.

I personally wear 1 of 4 Joe Rocket Jackets. 1. Mesh and Textile Hi-Vis, 2. Mesh and Perforated Leather. 3. Textile and Leather, and 4. Full textile touring length. As mentioned above, the mesh jackets work very well with a Cool-Vest worn underneath. Keeping your core cool in 90+ degree temps is easily attained and makes the ride more bearable.

For pants, I have 2 pair. 1. an older pair of Klim mesh and textile pants. 2. Joe Rocket textile with zip out panels that expose mesh areas. The Klim pants work great in the heat, my only complaint is that the armor is pretty cheesy and has been replaced with D3O hip and knee armor.

The first photo is with my Mesh and perforated Leather jacket and Klim pants. Second photo is my Mesh and textile hi-vis jacket and Klim pants. Third photo is my Textile and Leather jacket and an older pair of Joe Rocket Mesh and Textile pants. The last photo is my Joe Rocket Touring Jacket, I wear it mostly in colder weather.

My daughter, who is pictured also has Joe Rocket gear on. in the first photo she has a Mesh and textile jacket and Textile pants. In the second photo a full textile jacket.

Fred

[Oilhed]

Has anyone here tried one of those hi-tech evap. cooling vests?  I guess you gotta wear it over a hi-tech wicking shirt.

[Sport]

Well, two of us mentioned wearing them.  You miss that?

[Oilhed]

Well, two of us mentioned wearing them.  You miss that?

I saw the Rev'it specific one I was thinking of just wearing a generic one under my Mesh jacket.

[jay547]

I saw the Rev'it specific one I was thinking of just wearing a generic one under my Mesh jacket.

I've considered doing that, just haven't gotten around to it yet. Let us know how it works if you try it.

[motrhead]

 I figured I would shop over the fall-winter, and get some vented gear for next year. I just have to make it through this last hot week. But damn! 40-42c/104-108f on my 45 minute ride home today. Records breaking all over. Western  Canada is cookin' this August. I really feel for those of you further south, where the serious heat happens. I think I will survive one more day, but this will not fly for next summer!
 Thanks for all of the recommendations. I am going to try a few of the suggestions here.

[aviationfred]

Has anyone here tried one of those hi-tech evap. cooling vests?  I guess you gotta wear it over a hi-tech wicking shirt.

I have had the opportunity to use 3 different brands of the cool vests that you soak with tap water and wear under your mesh jackets. They do work very well. There are 2 main keys to their effectiveness. 1. A snug fit is required. You want the material to be in direct contact with as much of your torso as possible. 2. They work the best in low humidity, The 80%-99% humidity that is often the case over the eastern part of the USA in the summer months does not promote good evaporation. I have worn regular cotton t-shirts under them and the Heat-Out shirts that Cycle Gear sells. The Heat-Out shirts work better than plain cotton t-shirts. In My Opinion, The cooling vest is a requirement if riding anywhere West of Chicago, Kansas City, Oklahoma City, Dallas during the summer months.
 
Brands that I have tried.. Cycle Gear, Fly Racing and Hyper Kewl. They all work about the same for effectiveness.

This is what I am currently using. http://rpmracingca.com/proddetail.asp?prod=CoolingVest

A couple of added things. A dry cool vest does have some insulating properties. Worn under a mesh jacket on a cool summer morning will keep your chest comfortable. The vest will also work very well in absorbing rain from an unexpected rain shower. As long as you have not recently recharged it. I know this for a fact, having been caught in some rain this past June while wearing mine. I am in the Hi-Viz jacket, My friend Ron can be seen wearing his cool vest.



Fred

[Sport]

This is the one I’ve used for years.  Saved my azz crossing Nevada one summer.

https://www.bikebandit.com/riding-gear-and-accessories/jackets-vests/vests/techniche-hyperkewl-evaporative-cooling-vest/p/27584?CRTP=psc&gclid=Cj0KCQjwzK_bBRDDARIsAFQF7zNXL9PiX7kIM_Jz5TJJnWAfkemTGQ9fC5tPAE4ftcYrit-zNcVl8zEaAvGpEALw_wcB