2019 Buyer’s Guide: Summer riding apparel

Our climate is changing. Our seasons are becoming more extreme and, as riders, it’s imperative we’re able to manage extreme temperatures to ensure we remain alert and safe on the bike.

You need to ensure your core body temperature remains within the optimal working zone and that you stay sufficiently hydrated. If not, you can lose concentration and stop making smart choices – significantly increasing the chances of finding your way home in the back of an ambulance.

While it might go against your instincts to pull on a jacket when the mercury is really high, the fact is your body will remain cooler (and, crucially, more hydrated) when you’re wearing a jacket that offers appropriate air flow than it would if you instead opted for only a t-shirt.

Because when we get hot we sweat, and when air flows over our skin, then that sweat is wicked away. It’s a process our bodies use to help regulate our temperature and keep us cool. But when the skin is uncovered and there’s the considerable air flow produced from riding a motorcycle, then the moisture is being wicked away at a far greater rate which forces your body to produce a greater amount it, meaning dehydration – and its debilitating effects – will occur faster.

Riders have just one way to manage heat on the bike and that’s with their clothing. And while one jacket with a removable liner may have covered both your winter and summer bases in the past, with the changing climate and unprecedented temperatures forecasted for summer, it’s probably time to invest in some decent gear specifically designed for hot-weather riding.

By donning suitably vented protective gear, your body’s sweat-wicking cooling abilities are working at their most efficient, you’re staying hydrated for longer, your concentration levels are higher and, most importantly, you’re still covered if something should go wrong.

It’s not only important to wear gear appropriate for summer temperatures, it’s also important to wear gear appropriate to the type of riding you’re doing. The choice of materials has never been greater, with large ranges of leather, textiles and denim products all offering appropriate summer protection and at various price points.

If you’re the rider who spends all of their time scratching though hills on Sundays, then you might opt for a heavier, perforated leather option. Alternatively, if you find yourself sitting in congested traffic on your daily commute, then a quality pair of Kevlar jeans might be better suited to you. Or, if you’re an active off-road adventure rider, then perhaps fully-vented lightweight textile options might be more your bag.

Regardless of which way you go, the technology and development many brands put into their garments these days is impressive and, like anything you purchase that’s designed to protect you, it’s a good idea to spend as much as you can on your riding kit.

Be mindful of colour, too – and not just so it matches the new pin-striping you’ve added to your wheels. All-black gear will absorb more heat than lighter-coloured options, so once again, think about your own circumstances and make good choices.
If you do your research, spend the most your budget will allow and tailor your choices to your specific needs, then there’s no reason why riding in high summer can’t be just as enjoyable as any other time of the year.

To help you get started, we’ve done a whip around the market and collated half-a-dozen jackets, pants and gloves specifically developed for summer riding.

Macna Event jacket
The Event jacket from Macna is lightweight and heavily vented. It boasts nylon mesh in the catch-air areas such as the chest and inner arms and uses a harder-wearing Durylon fabric in the cuffs, shoulders and outer arms. It’s long in the torso for increased protection, and even longer at the rear, and comes fitted with CE-approved shoulder and elbow armour. There’s three pockets, two external and one internal, and has soft lining at the neck. It’s available in six sizes and in five different colour schemes, including the firm’s Night Eye option which is a highly reflective coating otherwise invisible during the day.
RRP: $199.95 ($249.95 with Night Eye)
Colours: Black, Black/grey/fluoro, Ivory/grey/red, Black/ivory/orange, Night Eye
Sizes: Men’s S-3XL
More info: macnaridinggear.com.au

Dririder Air-Ride 4 jacket
At the same price point as Macna’s offering is Dririder’s Air-Ride 4. Made from a similar mix of abrasion-resistant fabric and vented mesh, the Air-Ride 4 has an extra internal pocket, a removable waterproof liner as well as velcro adjusters on both the arms and the waist. The whole thing is lined with mesh which will prevent it sticking to you when you’re sweating heavily, the arms are pre-curved to improve comfort and the shoulders, chest and elbows all have a bit of stretch built in. It’s available in both men’s and women’s cuts and up to 10 different colours.
RRP: $199.95
Colours: Men’s: 10 colours options. Women’s: 4 colour options
Sizes: Men XS to 8XL. Women 6-22
More info: dririder.com.au

MotoDry Ultravent jacket
The least expensive of this bunch, MotoDry’s Ultravent is a lightweight jacket offering plenty of airflow. Still with CE-approved shoulder and elbow armour, as well as a high-density foam back protector, there’s the conventional mesh and heavy-duty fabric ratio, as well as even thicker fabric used as reinforcement on the shoulders and elbows. There’s adjustability at the cuffs, arms and waist areas, four pockets – two external and two internal – reflective logos and a soft neck collar. It’s available in seven sizes and three colours, and while it doesn’t include a removable waterproof liner, you can opt for an optional high-vis rain over-jacket.
RRP: $179.95
Colours: Black, Black/flouro, Black/grey
Sizes: XS-3XL
More info: motonational.com.au

RST Ventilator V jacket
RST’s Ventilator Five jacket is a considerable jump in price, but you’re getting a few more features as well as more versatility which will allow you to still get use out of it when the temperature drops. The garment itself carries CE approval, that’s on top of its CE-approved shoulder and elbow armour, and has double- and triple-stitched seams. As well as its myriad mesh panels for high ventilation, it boasts both a removable light waterproof lining as well as a removable quilted thermal lining which, when combined, should see you through most of Spring and Autumn, too.
It’s only available in one colour option, but in eight sizes.
RRP: $349.95
Colours: Black/silver
Sizes: S-5XL
More info: monzaimports.com.au

Alpinestars SPX Airflow jacket
Stepping the protection level up another notch is the SPX Airflow jacket from Alpinestars. A mixture of well-placed mesh panels, stretch fabric and leather means the price takes a jump up, but so do the safety benefits. Like the RST offering, as well as the CE-approved shoulder and elbow armour, the entire garment is CE certified and boasts compartments for both optional chest and back armour. There are two external pockets as well as a waterproof internal pocket and while there’s no removable waterproof lining, it does come with a removable thermal liner which is thicker in the torso and lighter in the arms. It’s available in both men’s and women’s sizes.
RRP: $499.95
Colours: Men’s: Black, Black/white, Black/white/red. Women’s: Black/white
Sizes: Men’s 48-64, Women’s 38-48
More info: monzimports.com.au

Ixon Gyre jacket
Ixon’s Gyre jacket is a well-vented fabric jacket aimed at sports riders and boats full-garment CE approval. There’s CE-approved elbow and shoulder armour as well as external plastic armour on the shoulders, as well as decent adjustability at the cuffs and waist. There’s seven pockets; two external, four internal and one waterproof pocket and, as well as a removable waterproof membrane, the Gyre comes with a removable thermal vest for added versatility. It’s got a 270-degree zipper so it can be attached to your riding pants and there’s strategically placed stretch panels on the elbows and shoulders. It comes in six sizes and is available in three colours.
RRP: $429.95
Colours: Black/white/red, Black/white, Black/white/bright yellow
Sizes: S-3XL
More info: ficeda.com.au

Macna Stone jeans
While Australian firm Draggin Jeans popularised the Kevlar riding jeans concept, nearly all brands now offer a version of their own. Macna is the latest brand to hit Aussie shores and its Stone jeans are a slim-fit cut and are made from a stretch denim. There’s DuPont Kevlar in all the right places, pockets for the included but removable knee armour, and waist lock which, as far as we can tell, means a concerted effort has gone into ensuring your fly won’t split open in the event of a crash. There are pockets for extra hip protection, but it’s not included.
RRP: $299.95
Colours: Black and blue
Sizes: 30-40 inch
More info: macnaridinggear.com.au

Dririder Classic 2.0 jeans
Constructed from heavy-duty stretch denim, Dririder’s Classic 2.0 jeans use DuPont Kevlar in injury-prone areas such as the hips, knees and bum. As well as heavy-duty stitching, the Dririder Classic 2.0 boasts height-adjustable CE-approved knee armour and good quality YKK zippers. In terms of the cut, they’re a traditional relaxed fit offering a semi-boot cut and include all the regular pockets you’d expect on your jeans. They’re the least expensive of this bunch and are available in both men’s and women’s sizes.
RRP: $179.95
Colours: Blue or black
Sizes: Men’s: 28”-42”. Women’s: 8-20
More info: dririder.com.au

Spidi J & Racing jeans
Constructed from 80 per cent cotton and 20 per cent hard-wearing Cordura, Spidi’s J & Racing jeans aren’t lined with Kevlar, the protection instead is coming from the heavy-duty outer fabric, which means they’re going to be cooler on baking hot days. The boast specific stretch zones in the knee and back area for increased on-bike comfort and they come equipped with top-notch and height-adjustable knee armour. Like the Dririder offering, they also have compartments for optional hip armour and are available in both men’s and women’s sizes.
RRP: $299.95
Colours: Blue
Sizes: Men and women 28”-42”
More info: motonational.com.au

RST Vintage Kevlar jeans
A relaxed cut and fit, RST’s Vintage Kevlar jeans are reasonably priced in an increasingly crowded market. Made from a thick stretch denim, they boast Kevlar lining in key impact areas and are lined with mesh to increase comfort on the hot sticky days. They, too, come fitted with CE-approved knee armour which is height adjustable and have a pocket for CE-approved hip protectors which aren’t included, but are offered as an optional extra.
RRP: $199.99
Colours: Blue or black
Sizes: 28”-42”
More info: monzaimports.com.au

Alpinestars SPX Perforated leather pants
Aimed at the sports or long-distance touring rider, Alpinestars SPX Perforated leather pants are exactly what they say they are. Optimally placed perforations in the leather encourage airflow through the pants and they use a full mesh lining so they’re not sticking to you on the hot days. There’s large abrasion-resistant stretch panels on the calf and crotch areas for better comfort, they come fitted with CE-approved hip armour and knee sliders and use accordian-type leather stretch zones on the knees and back for even more flexibility.
RRP: $449.95
Colours: Black/black, Black/white
Sizes: 48-64
More info: monzaimports.com.au

Ixon Buckler jeans
Unlike a lot of its competitors, Ixon’s Buckler jeans boast full-length DuPont Kevlar reinforcement inside the jean and come fitted with hip protectors. While the full Kevlar lining might result in them being a bit warmer on the hottest days, the extra lining would be a boon on cooler mornings, as well as the increased abrasion protection on offer. They’re made from a stretch denim, boast externally accessible knee guards, which are fully adjustable and included in the price, and the entire garment carries CE approval. There’s three pockets, the legs are pre-shaped and they’re available in either black or blue.
RRP: $229.95
Colours: Stonewash and Black
Sizes: 28-40
More info: ficeda.com.au

Macna Catch gloves
With a leather palm and vented top, Macna’s Catch gloves are a well-priced short-length summer option. They employ thermoplastic rubber protectors across the knuckle area and along the tops of each finger and are fastened with a Velcro strap. They’re available in a decent range of sizes and in any colour you like as long as its black.
RRP: $69.95
Colours: Black only
Sizes: Men’s S-3XL
More info: macnaridinggear.com.au

Dririder Air-Ride gloves
At the same price point as Macna’s Catch glove is Dririder’s Air-Ride glove. Also fully vented, the Air-Ride glove has a leather palm which is double thickness across the throttle grip area. For a summer glove, it has a relatively long gauntlet and boasts carbon-fibre protection on the knuckles. As well as an elasticised wrist, it uses a Velcro closure. It’s available in a huge range of sizes for both men and women, and is also only available in black.
RRP: $69.95
Colours: Black only
Sizes: Men’s: XS-5XL. Women’s: XXS-L
More info: dririder.com.au

Five Airflow Evo gloves
Five, as the name suggests, is a company which focuses entirely on gloves and this is often reflected in their comfort and quality. The Airflow Evo uses a vented mesh upper matched to a synthetic leather palm, and the finger knuckle protection doubles as air vents. These direct air in and onto your hands and the Lycra used between the fingers increases airflow. The forefinger and thumb are smartphone compatible, there’s a puller tab and they, too, use a Velcro closure.
RRP: $109.95
Colours: Black, Black/flouro
Sizes: Black: XS-3XL. Black/Flouro: S-3XL
More info: motonational.com.au

RST Stunt III gloves
RST’s Stunt Three glove offers an impressive raft of features for a sub-$100 product. Constructed from a perforated goat leather outer and a polyester lining, the Stunt Threes carbon/Kevlar top knuckle protectors as well as vented finger knuckle protection, and the product carries CE certification. They’re only available in black and in six men’s sizes.
RRP: $89.95
Colours: Black only
Sizes: S-3XL
More info: monzaimports.com.au

Alpinestars Celer V2 leather gloves
Alpinestars’ Celer V2 glove is also constructed from soft goat leather which has effective stretch and perforated sections for summer riding comfort. They use the same knuckle protection you’d find on Alpinestars’ top-spec racing glove and the leather palm boasts padded reinforcement in the area you’re likely to put down first in the event of an off. Speaking of, there’s an inbuilt bridge between the pinky and ring finger to keep them together and in place, and the whole garment is CE approved.
RRP: $129.95
Colours: Black, Black/white/red
Sizes: Men’s 56-66
More info: monzaimports.com.au

Ixon RS Ring glove
With palm slider, carbon knuckle protection and the pinky/ring finger bridging, Ixon’s RS Ring glove is CE approved and offers excellent protection. Constructed from leather, there’s no air flow to speak of, but it’s a short glove which uses elasticated fabric at the wrist area and a Velcro closure. They’re smartphone compatible, boast accordion-style stretch panels on the fingers and come in a choice of four colours.
RRP: $139.95
Colours: Black, Black/white, Black/white/red, Black/white/bright yellow
Sizes: S-XL
More info: ficeda.com.au