Mesh Jacket Time

lobsterman · Post by **lobsterman** » Fri Mar 16, 2007 5:44 pm

Despite the cool weather around here today, we had the first days in the 70's this week, and my mind went to thoughts of a warm weather armored jacket. We do get some pretty warm summer days here on the Mason Dixon Line. My wife even asked me if I was going to need to buy something for warmer weather. I said "yes". She loves it when my scooter habit needs to be fed some $$.

I know Corazzo has some nifty stuff and a new hoodless jacket on the way, but my budget balks at a $200 jacket for the summer months.

So, my question is this:

Is an affordable mesh jacket OK, or am I fooling myself into thinking I don't need to spend $200?

Does anybody have any experience with the First Gear Mesh-Tex jackets on closeout at NewEnough? http://www.newenough.com/browse/closeou ... _and_pants

I just can't help thinking I shouldn't need to spend more on the jacket I wear one season than the one that will get me through three seasons.

jetboy · Post by **jetboy** » Fri Mar 16, 2007 6:18 pm

You may want ot look at the Tourmaster Draft Air Jacket also. Better protection (CE armor) at the shoulders and elbows. I got one for xmas and am really looking forward to using it soon! The collar feels real nice. Doesn't chafe at all. At New Enough:

http://www.newenough.com/protective_app ... acket.html

SteMer · Post by **SteMer** » Fri Mar 16, 2007 7:43 pm

Lobster - yes, I have the mesh tex jacket. The air flow is great. It seems to be made specifically for warmer weather riding. In colder weather I've just worn a ski jacket over it. The tour master that jetboy is referring to also looks like a nice jacket for about the same price. Tough choice. The armor on that one looks to be better than on mine. The mesh tex armor is just thick foam but you can buy better armor at newenough for less than $20.

lobsterman · Post by **lobsterman** » Fri Mar 16, 2007 7:52 pm

SteMer,

Which Mesh-Tex do you have? NewEnough has Mesh-Tex 2 and Mesh-Tex Venom.

It's important to me that we match at WKRP.

Post by **ericalm** » Fri Mar 16, 2007 8:09 pm

I'm in the same boat of shopping around for a mesh. That said, there are few options which appeal to me... if it came with a liner, I could use it to replace the textile jacket I got on closeout for $80 on newenough over a year ago. It's good for spring & fall but not cool enough in summer or warm enough in winter.

Here's a review of the First Gear and 9 other mesh jackets.

Here are a number of user reviews of mesh jackets.

A few ones I've found online:
Fieldsheer mesh for $90
Firstgear pullover(!) for $34
River Road Yuma, $90 (supposedly, waist is very narrow on this one, even adjusted)
Hein Gericke Speedway, $120 (resembles Corazzo Speeday, only more motorcycle-y).
Hein Gericke Urban, $100
MotoGP 3-in-1, $120 (love the idea of this one, hate the look)

SteMer · Post by **SteMer** » Fri Mar 16, 2007 8:19 pm

lobsterman wrote:SteMer,

Which Mesh-Tex do you have? NewEnough has Mesh-Tex 2 and Mesh-Tex Venom.

It's important to me that we match at WKRP.

Oh yes - that's very important!

I have the mesh tex 2. Doesn't look like there's a huge difference between the two other than a liner and styling. I think I went with the "2" because I liked having a liner, more of a collar, and more visibility with the full body yellow instead of just a stripe. If the only big difference is the liner, not sure it's worth the extra price tag. I'll let you look at mine and decide.

louie · Post by **louie** » Sat Mar 17, 2007 1:12 am

I've had a couple of questions about mesh jackets that i'll ask here. I'll put it in the form of a Roseann Roseanna Dana question just in case I end up asking a dumb question.
What is all this talk about the holes in mesh causing one to tumble instead of slide?
some fabrics melting and causing chemical type burns?
And...What is all this talk about the armor moving out of place when the jacket is loose and/or the fabric slips?

I liked the way Polianna was thinking about or someone suggested duct taping armour to a jean jacket. Hmm.

Post by **ericalm** » Sat Mar 17, 2007 1:53 am

louie wrote:I've had a couple of questions about mesh jackets that i'll ask here. I'll put it in the form of a Roseann Roseanna Dana question just in case I end up asking a dumb question.
What is all this talk about the holes in mesh causing one to tumble instead of slide?
some fabrics melting and causing chemical type burns?
And...What is all this talk about the armor moving out of place when the jacket is loose and/or the fabric slips?

I liked the way Polianna was thinking about or someone suggested duct taping armour to a jean jacket. Hmm.

I don't know if it's the holes in the mesh... One reason many jackets are made from Denier nylon and other synthetics is that they're low-friction and do a better job of sliding on asphalt than, say, denim. Mesh jackets don't have a solid, smooth surface so I suppose may not slide on impact as others do.

As far as armor moving out of place, I think that's a problem withcertain styles of jackets and ill-fitting/loose jackets. If your sleeve slide up on or before impact, the armor is no longer covering the vulnerable parts (which jut out) like your shoulders and elbows.

The melting? I know some types of cheap nylon and other synthetics can melt but if you're wearing a widbreaker and crash, you'll have a number of problems. I haven't heard of chemical burns but do know (from campfires, actually) that if nylon melts to your bare skin, you're kind of screwed.

BuddyRaton · Post by **BuddyRaton** » Sat Mar 17, 2007 2:10 am

I would suggest trying on any jacket before you buy it. I was planning on a Joe rocket Phoenix 4.0....before I tried one on. I couldn't stand the way the collar fit. I wound up going with a Fieldsheer "mostly mesh" jacket. This is my "winter" jacket, good up to about 85 or so. I will be looking into some other things as summer (around here know as hell) approaches. I have read that mesh and textile jackets are not as protective as leather, but that they also provide 10,000 times the protection of a tshirt!

SteMer · Post by **SteMer** » Sat Mar 17, 2007 2:21 am

ericalm wrote:Here's a review of the First Gear and 9 other mesh jackets.

That review on the Firstgear Mesh jacket is very accurate to my experience with it. Having said that, I'm kind of bummed I didn't see the Firstgear pullover earlier. If only it would come in brighter colors - I would think one of the last colors you'd want to be wearing on a hot summer day is black.

The liner in mesh tex is thin but is just enough of a windbreaker when I need it.

lobsterman wrote:I know Corazzo has some nifty stuff and a new hoodless jacket on the way, but my budget balks at a $200 jacket for the summer months.

I love the look of those Corazzo jackets, but I'm with you - too expensive for my wallet these days. And, having seen one up close, they don't look like they vent well for the summer - sort of like your current riding jacket.

Post by **ericalm** » Sat Mar 17, 2007 6:05 am

SteMer wrote:
lobsterman wrote:I know Corazzo has some nifty stuff and a new hoodless jacket on the way, but my budget balks at a $200 jacket for the summer months.
I love the look of those Corazzo jackets, but I'm with you - too expensive for my wallet these days. And, having seen one up close, they don't look like they vent well for the summer - sort of like your current riding jacket.

For what it's worth, Corazzo is working on a mesh jacket due sometime this year. Their jackets are expensive, but still less than a lot of MC companies charge for comparable products. Problem is, most of the MC brands eventually go on clearance.

Post by **ericalm** » Sat Mar 17, 2007 6:12 am

BuddyRaton wrote:I have read that mesh and textile jackets are not as protective as leather, but that they also provide 10,000 times the protection of a tshirt!

Unfortunately, a lot of people just buy leather jackets at the mall which are not made for riding and have no armor or protection in them at all.

For me, getting a mesh jacket is to help defeat occasional bad behavior. As much as I know it's wrong, when it gets hot out I will sometimes do short rides with just a light jacket on. There's a little guy on my shoulder that looks something like this:

.

lobsterman · Post by **lobsterman** » Sat Mar 17, 2007 2:26 pm

Wow, a dizzying array of choices and prices.

I'm sort of torn at this point between the very cheap pullover:
http://motorcyclecloseouts.com/detail.a ... =TR50-2516 which is black (too warm or hard to see?) and cheaper armor (EVA) and the Mesh-Tex 3 http://www.newenough.com/protective_app ... acket.html which is $80 more but has better armor (CE) and is available in brighter colors and has a zip out lining.

I think I am going to end up going with the better function but more expensive option on the theory that I only get the one body, I should keep it safer when I can.

Edit: I just ordered the First Gear Mesh-Tex 3 after reading a bunch of positive reviews of the previous generations, which had some criticisms that all seem to be addressed in version 3.

jgalar · Post by **jgalar** » Sat Mar 17, 2007 3:23 pm

I have 5 MC jackets - I buy them end of season and discontinued etc.

My favorite is the Joe Rocket Atomic
http://www.motorcyclecloseouts.com/deta ... D=551-7002

Its not waterproof so you need a rain jacket or rain liner. The protection is better than FirstGear and Gericke jackets that I have. On mine there are zippered vents at the arms, chest and 2 in the back that provide almost as much cooling as my Gericke mesh jacket. The advantage to the Joe Rocket is you can close the vents when it gets nippy.

Post by **ericalm** » Sat Mar 17, 2007 4:50 pm

I think I'm on my way to having 5 riding jackets... each seems to have its own personality...

Taking the wife's Buddy in for her mandated service today. Think I'll try on some Corazzos.

Most MC/sport bike-type jackets? Just not my style!

louie · Post by **louie** » Sun Mar 18, 2007 12:01 am

I'm leaning towards woven kevlar skin protection. There are two totaly seperate companies; 1 is dragon jeans in the US, the other is draggin jeans based in Australia. I'm posting the draggin Australian store because they have this directory of testimonies most of which have experienced dizzying araies of slides and these jeans have extra kevlar coverage on the side thiegh.

As for upper body protection there's a kevlar shirt both companies sell and this website mentions velcro on the CE armor to customise fit. I haven't thought through the layering needs of other clothes but leather in the summer just doesn't sound like a good option.

Any thoughts or knowledge of this stuff?

http://www.dragginjeans.com.au/testimonials/index.htm

Post by **ericalm** » Sun Mar 18, 2007 12:50 am

louie wrote:Any thoughts or knowledge of this stuff?

Some of the ModernVespa members wear Draggin gear and it's come up a few times there. May want to do a search or post an inquiry there.

SteMer · Post by **SteMer** » Sun Mar 18, 2007 1:05 am

lobsterman wrote:I just ordered the First Gear Mesh-Tex 3 after reading a bunch of positive reviews of the previous generations, which had some criticisms that all seem to be addressed in version 3.

Wow - that was quick! I think you'll like how much air flows through the mesh tex. What color did you get?

gt1000 · Post by **gt1000** » Sun Mar 18, 2007 1:49 am

Any thoughts or knowledge of this stuff?

I ordered a pair of Draggin Jeans last week and they arrived Thursday. Had a chance to wear them on a ride today and they're very nice. Fit is similar to any other jeans I've ever worn: I ordered 34X32 because my normal size is 33X30. Draggin don't have a 33 sized waist and you typically want your riding pants a little long. Fit is perfect and there's plenty of room in the relaxed fit jeans for the optional knee armor. They're also fairly cool but in really hot weather I'll probably switch back to my Olympia mesh pants.

Also, Draggin's customer service is very good. I ordered the classic jeans online and shortly after that I received an email from them stating that my size was backordered for 4 weeks. They gave me the option of trying the relaxed fit and returning them if I didn't like the fit. Looks like I'll be keeping them.

lobsterman · Post by **lobsterman** » Sun Mar 18, 2007 6:54 pm

SteMer wrote:Wow - that was quick! I think you'll like how much air flows through the mesh tex. What color did you get?

I ordered blue. I want to be like you, but not enough to buy a yellow one.