I'm looking for a good value but quality combination for summer riding. I live in California where the temps are generally 80s and 90s near the coast to over 100 in the dez (will not be going there often).

I would prefer something with protection.

I've seen leather vests, some with armor, but also armored vests that go over tee shirts. I also see a lot of those bullet proof vest type things which are cool but I am not a club type and not sure if that will create a wrong impression.

Also for gloves, I see lots of $10 specials on Amazon but they give me no confidence with few or no reviews and questionable quality.

What are your favorite combinations for summer riding and protection? Vest or jacket? What about gloves? I do prefer full fingered gloves.

Thanks.

 

Whenever I'm in LA I hit up Chapparal Motorsports. They are a humongous dealership and accessory shop. I think they have every glove, helmet, jacket known to man. Please don't buy $10 anything. When it's hot I wear armored mesh jacket, perf'd leather gloves. https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...14733917,d.cGc

 

I wear a Vanson Vent Max jacket even if it's 100 degrees. So long as your moving you won't heat up much. I can also install or remove soft armor as needed in this jacket. Check out the Wiley X CAG-1 military gloves with removable hard knuckles. I've been wearing a pair for almost six years and they get soft as butter but wear tough as nails.

 

Join a club and you'll only have one vest to wear

 

Arms, elbows and hands are what take it 90% of the time in an aw **** so work from that, gloves wise my preference is anything deer or elk skin for softness and fit, could care less if they are yellow work gloves or over priced black ones.

 

A vest will not offer you a lot of protection if you go down for as TwiZted said - arms & elbows will get the brunt of the road rash - fingerless gloves will at least offer your palms some protection which is typically the brunt of the for the hands.

 

you can wear leather pants and jackets, but all it will do is get eaten up first before your skin does

 

I wear Olympia Ventor gloves when it gets warm. Very comfortable and not to warm on the hands. The palms are made of leather for protection in case of a get off. About $40 on Amazon.

 

deer skin gloves I don't like they do not last. had a pair lasted not even a year.

 

I grew up riding in Fresno, and I routinely ride in 100+ temps.

1. A vest gives you zero protection in a crash.

2. These are the best summer gloves I've ever found. You can feel the breeze going through the mesh while you ride, full leather palm with impact point padding. They rock.
http://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/a...ama-air-gloves

3. I always wear a jacket with armor in the shoulders, elbows, and spine. For summer I wear this one. It also has a full sleeve quilted liner and it's comfortable down into the 40's. I rode in 110+ with this jacket over a cooling vest. It allows the wind to keep the cooling vest functioning perfectly. Can't go wrong.
http://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/t...-air-40-jacket

There are many, many top quality armored, mesh, summer jackets.