Has anyone binned it while wearing textile kit?

Draeger · 4 Jul 2014 at 20:22

Hello all,

I've sold my Dainese 1 piece leathers, they must have shrunk or something during my long layoff from biking.

I've now built up a little sneaky fund from selling them and some other unused bike kit I had lying around and I'm trying to decide whether to go the leather or textile route. I've got a set of Gericke textiles for all weather riding/commuting but I'm intrigued by the current crop of 'race cut' summer sports textile kit that's available. Quite keen on the Dainese Super Speed Tex which has been getting top reviews all over the shop:-

I am however, concerned over the question of durability in the event of a 'get off'. Obviously a decent set of leathers is going to offer up more protection than textiles but how much in the grand scheme of things?

Has anyone binned it in textile gear and how did it hold up? If you have done so, in your opinion would you have suffered less if you were wearing leathers instead?

bloodiedathame · 4 Jul 2014 at 20:32

I crashed in a Richa textile jacket. I broke my arm in two places from the impact but the fabric held up to the slide. That was only from sub-40mph, no idea how they'd hold up at 70-80 in a full slide.

wazza300 · 4 Jul 2014 at 21:57

yep bout three/four times

the jackets are fine,but the trousers wear through like paper,esp on the ass cheeks,my one side was raw and big hole in it

yeah I would have suffered less with leather trousers but they are so restrictive compared to textile

leigh_boy · 4 Jul 2014 at 22:02

hein gerik ( not sure on the spelling) trousers went at knees and bum, jacket was ok.

TripleT · 4 Jul 2014 at 23:51

I went at ~10mph, in the wet, not a scratch... Don't think that helps sorry

pugheaven · 5 Jul 2014 at 00:48

Well personally for me, now I have leathers, I just feel "unsafe" in any textiles, and would only wear mine now in an emergency... fair play they're RST which I now through experience wouldn't touch with a barge pole however, for me, leathers and only leathers with a back protector.

Snaggle · 5 Jul 2014 at 02:18

i think there safe enough .. but throw away in a decent off.. where leathers would be usable

Draeger · 5 Jul 2014 at 07:02

What was the issue you had with RST kit, pugheaven?

Griffo · 5 Jul 2014 at 14:10

My RST leathers split many seams at a 20ish mph off. Was less than impressed. Unimpressed. Yes.

wazza300 · 5 Jul 2014 at 15:45

I only owned one pair of rst boots

and they wore a hole in the sole within two months,rubbish

Draeger · 5 Jul 2014 at 16:10

I know RST kit is a 'budget' brand but I thought the quality of it had increased a bit lately. Perhaps not. I've never owned any RST kit although I was looking at their Ventilator III textile jacket. I might just score that one off the list.

icyshore · 5 Jul 2014 at 16:20

I had an off in richa gear at about 60, the elbows of the jacket wore through and a piece on my arse cheek, only about the size of a £2 coin and smaller on the elbows. It was on dry tarmac so took a lot of friction from the road and stood up pretty well considering but it was all scrap afterwards.

wazza300 · 5 Jul 2014 at 17:20

weise,alpinestars are my fave for textile stuff

Tefal · 6 Jul 2014 at 09:33

30-40mph off and the zipp count off the pocket s and there was a slight abrasion but they held good.

it all depends on the crash though, miraculously when i got hit b ythe car i was wearing my standard cotton cargo pants for work, an got only a little graze and that was with a leg getting slammed by the car.

Incinerat0r · 6 Jul 2014 at 10:52

Twice on my RS125, first time I only had a jacket on and was wearing jeans and came off at about 30 (on ice) - only thing that was sore after were my legs. Second time I had all the gear on and I again came off at a similar speed (on ice again :rolleyes:

) picked the bike up and rode on.

Draeger · 8 Jul 2014 at 12:12

Thanks for the feedback folks. I think I'm going to head to a store nearby and have a closer look at the Dainese Super Speed. It's hard to tell from pictures and video reviews on YT what the jacket is like irl. My Dainese one piece leather suit was a seriously well put together bit of kit, it really did feel like it would protect very well during an off. I would say 80% of my riding time, what little I have managed to do in the past two years anyway, is spent in my textile waterproof kit. I usually only chucked the Dainese one piece on for sunny weekend runs.

@Wazza, the Weise kit does look good and having had a look around it is priced very competitively in comparison to some of the other top brands. I think I'll visit some retailers. Being a tight Scottish git my plan is to check the jackets out in the flesh and try them for size and then buy online to save a few quid.

I've no idea what size I'd be in a Dainese textile - 42-44" chest, 6'0 height and average build I think will put me in a Euro 54. My leathers were a Euro 50 and were far too tight. I think a 52 may be ok but slightly snug so 54 may be a better bet especially as I wear a separate back protector underneath as well. I'll try 'em on in the shops before pulling the trigger online.

Yaayuh! · 8 Jul 2014 at 13:12

Haven't binned it since in was a teenager. Luckily.

I have RST textiles, so wish me luck for if I do!

Woogie · 8 Jul 2014 at 13:32

Had about a 25mph off, Part of the leg textile was melted and the back of my jacket was ripped. It was Frank Thomas stuff and I would never buy that again.

I now have IXS and not looking forward to testing how they hold up.

Draeger · 10 Jul 2014 at 16:46

Finally decided to go for the Dainese Super Speed Tex as in the original post. Not easy to get hold of, rare as hens teeth apparently as they are being snapped up due to excellent reviews. Managed to track one down today in the right size/colour combo and ordered online. I'll do a little write up on it once it arrives.