Jackets Mesh Jackets

Gunner

Gunner

Steve Gunn
Joined
Dec 7, 2004
Messages
2
Location
LUCAS, TX
Here?s a question for you riders who live and ride in hot desert climates like Arizona, and Southern California.

What provides the best balance of protection and comfort when riding in the heat; a mesh jacket or a solid jacket with open vents?

The reason I?m asking this question is that I got into a discussion at WESTOC about riding gear and the merits of mesh jackets came up. One opinion was that mesh jackets don?t provide adequate crash protection and that a rider will dehydrate quickly in high heat conditions. I would agree with this position if the mesh jacket was a 1st generation model like my old Joe Rocket , but mesh jackets have improved a lot since they were first developed. My current Firstgear Mesh-Tex mesh jacket is a huge improvement over my first generation mesh jacket, both in crash protection and air management. In fact, I think my current mesh jacket would hold up almost as good as my Kilimanjaro jacket in a crash.

I?ve ridden through Arizona and Utah going to and from California in July a couple of times and I did just fine wearing a mesh jacket. Last year I started wearing Firstgear Mesh-Tex pants (not overpants) in the summer and I?m even more comfortable riding in the heat.

What?s your opinion?

Steve
 
My opinion is that current Mesh is not only crash protection, but is my garment of choice for hot weather riding. I will wear long sleeves when I know I'm going to stay on the road. Long sleeves aren't so good when you are doing stop and go:)

I have a 4th gen Joe Rocket, the armour is superior, CE rated shoulders, elbows, back. Long flap, it's the real deal. Plus airflow as good as my 1st gen Mesh Tex. We've seen pictures here on the way mesh will protect in a get off. Seems to work to me.
 
A light cotton long sleeve shirt under a motoport air mesh and I add a miracool vest over the shirt (under the mesh jacket).
Works for me.
No theories on whether a mesh will hold up in our household.Chris tested the jacket so anyone who doesn't believe the motoport works will have to take it up with her...

Mark
 
I don't have any questions about the protection a mesh jacket provides and I question that a textile jacket provides better protection and even with vents its not cool enough in the summer anyway. A leather jacket is totally out of the question. My Joe Rocket has leather over the areas where the armor is--the elbow and shoulder so that should provide addition abrasion resistance.
 
You are asking the right questions, Steve.

For the safest and most comfortable gear in high temperatures, I recommend you look at Motoport kevlar mesh jacket and pants. They also go by the name Cycleport.

http://www.motoport.com/Product.asp?Clv=102330
http://www.motoport.com/Product.asp?Clv=102500

I have worn this gear on day long rides lasting several days at a time, riding in the south, in temperatures in mid 90's to 110. At these extremes, other riders are peeling off their one or two piece Stiches or stopping every 45 minutes to find another gallon of water for their bulky, pain-in-the-butt cooling vests.

Compared to other mesh jackets I have seen, the MP Kevlar mesh fabric a tighter weave. Probably the tight weave relates to the strength of the fabric, but I think this helps reduce dehydration. It does not seem to affect air flow.

The armor is top grade. There is plenty of it in the jacket and pants. Most jackets don't have chest armor, but the MP jacket does. The stiching and zippers also seem to be high quality too.

Motoport's owner, Wayne, seems intent on making the most safe motorcycle gear available. He is knowledgeable, helpful, and not imposing. Give him a call; he will answer your questions and do his best to meet your needs.
 
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This is the best jacket Ive owned. Its the Olympia Bushwacker. I live in Palm Springs. Its mesh but has a liner. Its high Viz and u can see it from the Space Shuttle. Coming home from Taos, I hit temps in the upper 100's and did well w/ a camelback and cooling vest.

PS Lots of Olympia jackets at Westoc. Its the IN thing!
 

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Under the right conditions, I think a non-mesh jacket, with a cooling vest underneath and good venting, might be better than a mesh jacket in the conditions you describe. Air flowing over the cooling vest will keep you surprisingly cool, and the vest won't dry out as fast as it would under a mesh jacket.

The key is "right conditions." I find that riding behind a full fairing and 'shield the vents on many jackets don't really flow all that much air. And most of the jackets I've looked at don't flow that much air on the torso anyway.

A tip for keeping cool: keep your neck cool. A tremendous amount of blood flow through your neck to supply your brain, and cooling that blood makes a huge difference in how you feel. Some sort of evaporative cooler around the neck works wonders.
 
Kevlar mesh jackets seem to be quite the product. I've seen one on a rider buddy of mine and at first glance, it looks a little heavier than other mesh jackets, but apparantely, the jacket ventilates well ( according to my buddy ) and the kevlar mesh material does not rip very easily.:)
 
A mesh jacket is definitely cooler. I use a First Gear Tex Mesh II jacket (yellow, of course), but it's still to hot for me when the temps reach 95 degrees. I'm comfortable up to 90 degrees.
 
I've worn leathers in very hot conditions (90+) and have survived well. I averaged 85+ mph so I was looking for protection and wind was a given.

I wear a mesh jacket on my commute with a wife beater under it and put on a T-shirt when I get to work. Leather is no good for commuting. Too much slow speed activity.

I'm very comfortable in the mesh as I believe it will hold up well should I leave the bike at speed. I just don't plan to leave the bike at speed.

Last night I got home and the air indicator was showing 112. I pack water on my back to help with the dehydration factor. Also I freeze part of the hydration bladder and that helps keep me cool also.

When I am really hot I open the drinking tube with my fingers and get myself wet. That only works in mesh.
 
solid jacket with vents and cooling vest. You can not get adequate evaporative cooling with a mesh jacket as there is no air flow control.

Think of running a swamp cooler with all the windows open vs a window open at the other end of the house. Which is going to work better?
 
My theory is a mesh jacket with armor is better than no jacket and from having ridden with both a mesh jacket and a solid jacket with open vents, the mesh is way cooler than a solid jacket with vents open.

When it gets 90 here with 80% humidity, if I had to wear a solid jacket with vents open, or go without any jacket (in other words mesh was not an option) I'd go without. Luckily I have a mesh with armor.
 
I use a cortech GX air and it is comfortable in the 90's, has armor, mesh and lots of leather in the armor areas. It ventilates very well, but not too much and I like the yellow, black combination on my black bike.

You are going to get Yellow aren't you??

Tom
 
All of the comments here are right on. +1 on motoport protection, I don't own one of their kevlar jackets...yet. For now I have a Joe Rocket CBR mesh with zip out lining and CE armor. Probably as cool as you can get without an evaporative cooler. Going naked would actually be hotter as the sun hits directly on the skin. Protection will be better than nothing, but not a good as a kevlar jacket.

I'm reasonably comfortable up to about 93 degrees if in direct sun and at highway speed or about 90 degrees if at city speeds. Remains mildly uncomfortable at temps above 95 at any speed. I do notice being somewhat dehydrated at the end of the day's ride., but I live in the South - home of the bottomless glass and sweet tea!

To give further context to my comments... I am a large guy at 5'11" and 300 lbs. I can break a sweat just by stepping into the garage in July/August here in NC. If mesh can keep me comfortable at 90 degrees, it should for you too.
 
vnsfxr said:
solid jacket with vents and cooling vest. You can not get adequate evaporative cooling with a mesh jacket as there is no air flow control.

Think of running a swamp cooler with all the windows open vs a window open at the other end of the house. Which is going to work better?
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:confused: What are you basing your theory on?

I live in a desert, when I wear mesh I can get so cold I shiver.
So I have empirical data that says a wet vest under a mesh jacket works very well.

Wind goes through mesh, water evaporates chilling what is left.
You're what's left...
 
I know for a fact I don't get enough airflow through a non-mesh jacket on the ST when the temps are in the low 100s. The ST blocks so much wind it'll just cook you so your choices are a 100 percent chance of heat stroke or the off chance the mesh won't protect some part of your anatomy adequately. I'm not so sure that a mesh jacket actually would provide less protection than a textile jacket anyway. Several members have had high speed get-offs with mesh jackets and pants and they provided an amazing amount of protection.
 
bmcdonau said:
I know for a fact I don't get enough airflow through a non-mesh jacket on the ST when the temps are in the low 100s. The ST blocks so much wind it'll just cook you so your choices are a 100 percent chance of heat stroke or the off chance the mesh won't protect some part of your anatomy adequately. I'm not so sure that a mesh jacket actually would provide less protection than a textile jacket anyway. Several members have had high speed get-offs with mesh jackets and pants and they provided an amazing amount of protection.
Click to expand...

The key for a non-mesh jacket is to open the cuffs up or, if it has them, shoulder vents.. The stitchs have long under arm vents.

Anyway.. for me, with the cuffs open a little then my hands out on the bars, the air is forced through the arms and fill up the jacket w/moving air.. since you're sweating.. that feels very good. With mesh, you don't get that air movement.. it just goes in and out of the jacket via path of least resistance.
 
If you encounter a swarm of bees (which I have on 2 or 3 occasions) those open cuffs might just cause a different kind of *heat*... :)

Mark
 
Gonna side with BigTom on this one - anyone living in Yuma, AZ just HAS to be the defacto expert on hot-weather riding, right? - and preach mesh over leather. I spent the last 10 years riding in a First Gear full leather rig regardless of season. The Official Wife is a doc and once took my temp after a July commute home (less than 25 miles in DFW traffic) and caught my temp at 104 degrees.

BigTom recommended the JoeRocket 4.0 to me about 3 weeks ago ($89 from http://www.newenough.com + TTL (check their 'CloseOuts' area) and I jumped at the price. The jacket arrived THE NEXT DAY!! and has been an epiphany ever since. Dallas provides its residents with a copious doses of sun, heat and humidity and full airflow around the bits definitely makes a difference. I took Big Black for a whirl earlier in the week with the JR and a CamelBak and actually felt human after about 275mi of leisurely riding around the area.

There is no substitute for animal hide when encountering Mother Earth at speed - either yours or the animal's hide is gonna pay the price - for protection. The armored joints and ruggedness of the mesh are a nice compromise in my book. I haven't yet had a step off, but grading my personal comfort level and awareness at the close of a long ride suggests the breathable jacket gives you an advantage.

My nickel's worth... less in some states.

Phoop out.
 
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