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Just wondering what people do if they plan on riding year round. Do you guys have different jackets for different weather, or just 1 "all purpose" type jacket? Same with pants and gloves, etc? I'm planning on riding year round in college as a main mode of transportation. I'll be in sunny SoCal, so if anyone from around here has any suggestions, that would be awesome.

I wear Joe Rocket's "Alter Ego" jacket and pants. Both have a zip in rain shield but not any insulating layer, so I slip into my heated vest and I keep pretty toasty whilst on the road...

I wear Alpinestars leather jacket and pants.
Never too hot in the summer (40+ degrees C) and I put a jumper on underneath for the winter.

Offers the best protection, looks the duck's guts and will last for many, many years.

I suppose with those 2 suggestions comes 1 more question. Any preferences on leather/textile as an all-season material or is it mostly personal preference?

Thanks for the quick replies!

I think textile looks bad when it is new and gets steadily worse as it ages/fades.

I wear leather year round and have done for over a decade. Through all types of weather and several crashes it has done its job admirably. No complaints at all.

It is obviously a personal choice but I believe safety is a priority when it comes to riding gear and leather is simply unsurpassed.

I've got leather and textile and I think for versatility you can't go wrong with textile. I wear the Tourmaster Jett jacket and it has a liner for warmth but I can take it out for warmer days. It's waterproof and windproof. It also has all kinds of reflecting patches and stripes on it which is HUGE as far as visibility goes. I wear this jacket in all temps except over 90 degrees when I break out the mesh. The armor is very comfortable and I have plenty of pockets. It has definitely become my number one choice of riding gear.

As far as my leather goes...I like it too but it just doesn't offer me as many options as far as the weather goes. It's not waterproof and I don't like wearing it if the temps are over 80 degrees.

I have an Icon Mesh jacket for summer (forget what it is called). It keeps nothing out but the road. Sometimes I wear no jacket in the summer , light gloves and boots.

For winter I have a Tourmaster Transition jacket and Tourmaster Venture pant. Both have removable lining and are waterproof. Without the lining the jacket is good for warm-ish weather, as it has lots of vents to open up. The pants are mainly a shell and armor without the lining, so might be good in slightly warmer weather. The only problem with the jacket vents is that if you open the shoulders in front, but not in back, it acts like a parachute . The only other problem I have with Tourmaster it that a lot of the zippers tend to bind. Nothing serious, but always seems to be at the wrong time.

--Dave

I have two sets of gear both textile. Heavy with an insert for late fall thru mid spring. Mesh with insert for the rest of the year. I found that leather was too hot for me in the summer, didn't breathe well and wasn't the best for keeping me warm in the winter. Of course gear is like bikes, it's nice to have a different set for the conditions.

Did I mention that after I zip off a single panel, (it includes arms, front and back of jacket) I have a nice mesh jacket for summer days... Three jackets in one. Takes about 90 seconds to re-zip the baby up if it gets a little too cool for the mesh...

safety-boy wrote:...The only other problem I have with Tourmaster it that a lot of the zippers tend to bind. Nothing serious, but always seems to be at the wrong time.

--Dave

What do you mean by "the zippers tend to bind"?