BUYING TEXTILE SUITS
Goose-down liners, Gore-tex bonded outer layers, technical fabrics with wacky names such as Armacor and Trixior. That’s all well and good but, first things first, make sure it fits…
After all that hot sunny nonsense in the summer it’s time for some sanity.
IT BETTER BE WATERPROOF...
plastic breathable. …but not from bin it better bag: your It’d that’s keep also own be you sweat. 100% breathable. dry waterproof Enter from ‘breathable the Consider rain but but 0% a waterproof membranes’. Most famous of these is Gore-tex, a standalone company that vets manufacturers who apply to use their membrane to check their processes are up to scratch. It’s top-quality and is bonded to the jacket’s outer layer to create a ‘water off a duck’s back’ effect. But it’s also expensive to use. You’ll find it in the most expensive gear. The price point below Goretex features each manufacturer’s own breathable waterproofer: Drystar for Alpinestars, D-dry for Dainese. And below this, you’ll find simple unbranded waterproof inner layers. These will keep you dry, but won’t stop the outer jacket from becoming wet and heavy.
ARMOUR AND ADJUSTERS
impact Always points, check like what the armour elbow is and included shoulder. at key Back armour is normally not included so check what protectors can fit the jacket’s back pocket. The armour will be stamped with either Level 1 or Level 2 Ce-certified protection – Level 2 is the safest. Planning to wear your jacket without its layers? Make sure you buy something with plenty of straps and adjusters to keep the fit snug. Any movement could mean that armour slides out of place in a crash. If you’re unsure, wear body armour underneath the jacket.
‘Always check what armour is included at key impact points’
WHAT TO EXPECT FROM TOP SPEC
Two examples of top-of-the-range suits are the £2050 Rukka Nivala two-piece, and the brand new Dainese Antartica at exactly the same price point. And yes, they spelt it Antartica. Common features include goose-down removable thermal layers, a full complement of armour, and Gore-tex breathable waterproof layers guaranteed for at least five years. The Rukka uses Gore-tex Pro, which adds an additional Gore-tex fabric layer to the two used as standard. This is then bonded to a mix of Kevlar and Cordura, which gives the suit abrasion and tear resistance. The mix is called Armacor, and Dainese use a similar fabric called Trixior.
LAYERS, AND HOW THEY WORK
protection. resistance, three-season There elements are waterproofing are three In textile most given key jackets their elements jacket. and own these Abrasion thermal to layer, three any waterproofing with abrasion next resistance and then on a thermal top, layer that’s kept protected and dry. Can easily be removed. The £300 Weise W-tex Touring jacket has separate removable thermal and waterproof layers, turning it from winter hack wear, to summer tourer. The thermal layers on some jackets can be worn as standalone bodywarmers, like on the £270 Dainese Tempest 2.