Which leather jacket to get?

[stevend135]

Hi, I am looking at these three jackets first the
1. First Gear Hammer leather Jacket Firstgear Hammer Leather Jacket - Motorcycle Superstore

2.Icon pursuit Jacket Icon Pursuit Jacket - Motorcycle Superstore

3.First Gear Earl Leather Jacket Firstgear Earl Leather Jacket - Motorcycle Superstore
Does anyone have any experience with these jackets and how well they would do in the summer?
thanks.

[Svetlana]

I cannot speak from personal experience of course, but they are quite a bit different. Most notably, the Icon Persuit jacket does not have a back pad, nor does it include an interior vest. The other two offer both of those, which would allow you to use it in cooler temperatures as well as protect your back
That said, the Icon Persuit, given it's ventillation system, would probably be the coolest (temp wise) for summer riding.

[seadood228]

+1 to Svet's remarks...

I wouldn't worry about the EVA back pad, imo those are just placebos. I don't think you'll garner any usuable back protection without some sort of hard armour.

The only negative story I've heard about either is a buddy of mine that had an ICON jack rip at the outer-elbow seam and tear up his arm. He claims he was doing 60+, so I'm not sure if many jackets in that price range would have held up to that.

[Svetlana]

I also did a quick check on the Icon Persuit to see what the folks at newenough.com had to say about it, and here's their comments on it:

Originally Posted by newenough.com

The Pursuit jacket is a great choice for crash protection and hot weather. Leather will out-perform mesh/textile jackets in case you fall, and only a fully perforated leather will come close to providing comfort in hot weather situations. This jacket offers full perf leather construction. And to provide some warmth on a cool morning or when riding in the mountains (with wide temp fluctuations), the jacket comes with a removable full sleeve wind stop jacket lining. Many mesh styles have this type of lining which is a great idea. For crash protection, you get CE approved “turtle shell” type armor in the shoulders and elbows and a foam back pad. Take a look at the “View Larger Pictures” link above to see this jacket’s most unique feature—zip off sleeves!

Here's what they said about the Earl Jacket:

Originally Posted by newenough.com

Functionally the jacket has all the usual safety features, such as CE approved shoulder and elbow protectors, and it has a foam back pad too. For climate control, the jacket has two zippered vents in the front, two in the rear and two at each sleeve end. For cooler weather comfort, you can use the removable thermal liner. There is a full circumference zipper you can use to attach the jacket to pants.

Lastly, their take on the Hammer:

Originally Posted by newenough.com

The Hammer is an all-leather sport jacket for street riders. The jacket has perforated panels built into the front and back of the torso and also on a portion of the sleeve. These perforated panels should do a pretty good job at keeping you cool in warm weather. The jacket also includes a vest-type thermal liner which will provide some warmth in the winter, but since the shell is perforated, it won’t be able to block air flow through the shell, so consider this model for cooler to hot weather, but not for cold weather. A turtle shell CE armor is provided for the shoulders and elbows and a foam back pad is included.

btw, did I mention that newenough.com rocks

[seadood228]

btw, did I mention that newenough.com rocks

Yes they do... I guess this would be a good time to mention that they have the MotoGP corkscrew, which is a similar jacket the the OPs choices, in the clearance bin for $140, which is a steal imo. I picked one up a few weeks ago, and can attest to their initial quality, which is just a step below my Vanson.

The only drawback is that they run VERY small, mine looks like it's painted on.

Moto GP Corkscrew Leather Motorcycle Jacket :: New Enough Motorcycle Apparel

[bkmaxvrb]

I'm glad you mentioned Vanson. I'm very partial to their products. You just can't beat the quality. Vanson Leathers has a jacket for anyone, any style, any weather and, most importantly for me, any size.

[Svetlana]

Originally Posted by bkmaxvrb

I'm glad you mentioned Vanson. I'm very partial to their products. You just can't beat the quality. Vanson Leathers has a jacket for anyone, any style, any weather and, most importantly for me, any size.

but you forgot to mention, it will cost about $500
But yes, hot looking gear for sure and super quality leather. The ladies Vanson jackets are regretably too short in the arms for me though.

[Silvercon]

Originally Posted by Svetlana

btw, did I mention that newenough.com rocks

About a month ago I bought a new leather jacket off e-bay
sold by newenough for a third of retail. It was a Joe rocket
blaster. I couldnt be more satisfied with the deal I got.

[Zukdriver]

I like the Icon. You might also want to check out Foxcreek and Power Trip.

[seadood228]

but you forgot to mention, it will cost about $500

And then you've got to buy the armour Seriously, I love my Vanson, but there is no way in hell I think it's worth what they are asking for retail.