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Mesh is going to be cooler and have less drag and flapping. I had a textile jacket that I opened up all of the vents on while riding. The shoulder vents puffed up like a couple of wind scoops. The jacket was trying to drag me off the bike as if I had popped a parachute. The low fuel light came on about 25 miles earlier than normal.
My first couple of mesh jackets were black, but there seem to be more on the market in silver and high viz yellow, which is what I ride in now.
I don't know how common this is, but a couple of years ago I bought an H-D branded mesh jacket for my nephew that came with a couple of pouches that you were supposed to soak in water before a ride. The water evaporating from them would have a cooling effect. A guy on another forum told me that in Houston he typically just wears a wet t-shirt under his mesh jacket for the evaporative cooling.
So far I haven't had any problems with sun burn through the mesh, but I suppose it can happen. I usually have the "farmer tan" anyway. It probably wouldn't be a bad idea to wear a long sleeve shirt made of some light, moisture wicking material beneath the mesh.
A guy on another forum told me that in Houston he typically just wears a wet t-shirt under his mesh jacket for the evaporative cooling.
I never understood that. I lived there for 28 years, and with constant 100% humidity and you sweating nonstop, you really didn't need any additional moisture.
I asked about this a few months ago and selected a hell of a good jacket for my needs.
Link below, page 6 identifies what I bought and I can't say enough about it and all for like $125 or so.
I never understood that. I lived there for 28 years, and with constant 100% humidity and you sweating nonstop, you really didn't need any additional moisture.
I don't know either. Just passing on what he told me.
Here in Iowa we have high humidity due to the respiration of all the fields of crops, but nothing like I would expect in a coastal area. I generally sweat enough that my built in evaporative cooling works OK. Sometimes I stick a chilled or even frozen water bottle inside the jacket.
I have a fully perforated leather for summer riding. It's cooler then riding in a short sleeve as the hot sun is not beating on my skin. I didn't believe it until I tried it. It's like riding in the shade.
I also have a mesh textile but don't use it anymore as I don't think it offers the same slide protection as my leather.
I have that exact jacket in my closet. The HD vents well but the large is too big and the med is too small for me. I have the large and it bellows in the wind AND not sure how well it would hold up in a slide.
I have both a Klim Marrakesh for summer spring and fall and the Klim Apex for winter. Great gear all be a bit pricey
Last edited by Calif Fat Bob; Jun 1, 2022 at 05:22 PM.
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