Hey guys i live in Hawaii and it's hot year around, and am looking for a cool/safe jacket, i've tried mesh jackets and they work great just i heard they're horrible protection, i've heard textile is good too just doesn't breathe well, and perforated leather is the best of both worlds for protection and coolness. Any suggestions from people who actually have these jackets and ride in 70-80 degree weather?

 

This topic has been beat to death over and over. It mostly comes down to your balance between comfort and protection.

-Mesh is crap, yea you'll be nice and cool, but you wont be so cool with road rash after it shreds to pieces when you go down.
-Textile (my choice) Much better protection/armor, plenty vents for air circulation, removable liner. Yea, in the summer it will still get hot in traffic, but i like my skin.
-Leather, best protection of there hands down, but even the perforated leather is gonna get HOT in the summer. And sweating to death will take the fun out of riding completly.

Brand name is also important as far as quality. Don't go buy an offbrand jacket from ebay because its cheap. You'll regret when your sliding down the freeway. not that there's many freeways in Hawaii,

The choice is yours young jedi.

 

i have a textile, its nice, but if i got another itd be leather.

 

Okay thanks my main question was if perforated leather was cooler than textile. I've looked it up on a bunch of other forums and it seems it isn't. So i'll probably grab a "hybrid" jacket, textile with leather in the crash zones.

 

I have a perforated leather jacket. While moving it cools just fine, it does get a lil warm when stopped or in stop n go traffic, but cool once you get moving along good.

Mesh just plain sux, some say its better than nutting, and I guess it could be if you like melted nylon (ie plastic) stuck to you.

Textile is the only other alternative, wont shred n melt on you like mesh will, and if you find one with enough vents can be rather cool. Protection isnt as good as leather but its 2nd best.


My vote is for the perforated leather!!! The hybrid it a good choice too, they'll have leather in most key contact points.

Another lil trick to wearing gear n staying cool while wearing it is underarmor (or its equivalent) heat gear. These help wick the sweat off your skin n use it too cool you. In the summer I usually wear the loose fit ones around all the time n esp while riding.

 

I had a textile Icon one on when I wrecked. Did it's job just fine, and always kept me cool, or dry in the rain. Although, I did end up with a little roadrash because the sleeves came up, textile seems to be a little looser. I would like to pick up an Icon leather one someday.

 

I mainly wear leather. I own a good quality textile jacket that has good quality CE protective armor, including back protection. I use it only for occasional commuting in middle of summer. For twisty rides, I only wear leather.

Perf'd leather is surprisingly breathable, depending on the design of course. Some jackets even have vents built in.

Leather is always going to be your best protection. You being in Hawaii, well...that adds another dimension to the equation. ;-) I'll tell you like I've told many others...*sweat wipes off, road-rash doesn't*. Point being, the best protection to keep you from that situation is generally leather.

 

A couple of things come to my mind when I think about this. Textile is probably cooler than a perforated leather jacket, but on a sunny day, you will feel the heat in both. Color also plays a good role with temperature, especially in sunny weather. A black textile jacket would be just as hot as any leather.

I own both a textile jacket (and it happens to be black) and a perforated leather jacket. When riding, they both feel the same. The heat is mainly felt when sitting still at a light or in any situation when you are just sitting still with your gear on.

I would say just go with a perforated leather jacket because it can suffice in many different weather conditions. I live in Philadelphia and I use my perforated leather jacket from the high 60 degrees and above. My non-perforated leather jacket is for the low 60 degrees and below and I pretty much don't wear my textile jacket anymore.

Just as everyone else said, leather is the best of both worlds: protection and feel/comfort.

Good-luck with your purchase.

 

I've done the warm weather. Textile is great, but if the leather jacket has vents, go with that one.