This topic has probably already been covered, but as a bit of a biker newbie, I'm looking for some sound advice before I go out and spend my hard-earned £££.

I recently gave in to old age and admitted to myself that I can't handle the cold and wet weather like I used to.
So, I stored my leathers until the brass monkey weather departs and opted for a warmer and dryer solution.
Buying my new Cordura jacket seemed easy enough. The problem Im having is what to look for in a reasonably priced pair of all-weather Cordura pants.

As I said, Im a bit of a newbie biker, and some of the kit can seem a little daunting, when you don't know what to look for.

What should I look for in a decent pair of trousers?
I've tried a few pairs on already, and found the armour fitting to have a different feel all together from my leathers.
Should the trousers fit snugly, to be as close to your skin like leathers, or are they designed for you to wear a pair of jeans/trousers underneath (Ideal for commuting into the office, but is it good, safe practise?)

Are there any makes or styles to avoid?
Is there a big difference in armour protection from one make to the next?

Does it make a big difference if the trousers don't have a inner zip to attach to your jacket?

Cheers

I bought a pair of Joe Rocket cordura trousers last year. To be honest, I can't say whether they're waterproof or not as I mostly wear them in the cold and they havent seen rain yet. Someone told me that they're ok for light showers but not as good as waterproofs. I have rain gear anyway so I pack it along. What I've found good is leathers under the Rocket trousers. I stay very warm that way. I bought a pair of wide suspenders which hold them up well and are comfy. I got a size that lets me wear jeans or leathers underneath because I think you'd get a draft up your legs if you were to wear only shorts underneath. The armor could be more comfortable but I expect that will come with age.

My opinion of Joe Rocket stuff is that there is better quality out there but it's not bad for the price and JR has improved on the quality in recent years. It was at one time, very shoddy.

I have a pair of cordura trollys, if I was buying them again, I'd like a pair with a decent belt. The ones I have are tightened by a strap thing at either side. To get them really snug and secure, you need to tighten up the straps. The problem is that the front is only held shut by the usual zip fly and two poppers at the top.

It doesn't take much for the poppers to unpop. This makes the trollys very easy to take down (No comments people ) If I was in an accident, I wouldn't bank on them staying in place. I'll be in a hell of a state, if I slid down the road bare ersed...

The shiney cordura didn't lend itself to my braces but maybe a better set of braces could be the job. The inside was also quilted with nice silky material, which helped the trollys slide off too easily.

So a decent belt fixing on the front is a must as far as I'm concerned but there are also pants which will zip together with your jacket. These might be a fair choice.

I went down on a slow speed corner (diesel ) with a Teknic textile jacket on. I had a tear under the left forearm but it didnt go thru the water proof membrane that is between the inner and outer layers. So the stuff does give a bit of protection.

The biggest problem I find with textile compared to leather is that even removing the liner on textile jackets, during hot weather, they are noticeably hotter than leather. Usually, just undoing the top collar snap or velcro will let some cool air in though. The Teknic one I have has been thru the wars, it's all faded from the sunlight, has the tear still in it, but I refuse to throw it away. Even the velcro at the collar is worn out and won't stay closed now. First time I've ever worn velcro out.

I wore it with rain pants on a 8-9 hour ride where it was just showering to heavy rain on a full touring bike one time and stayed dry. Personally, I think that the middle waterproof membrane is excellent. 1 drawback is that you can feel the rain cooling off the jacket. It feels like the cold is actually water leaking in but it isn't. Thats when I plug in my electric vest

I bought a Hein Gericke textile jacket from these guys....

www.newenough.com

So far, in light rain it seems to do the job. Havent experienced a downpour yet though. It's very warm even with the liner removed. The other plus with textile is that there's usually an abundance of pockets. I can carry my camera, cigs, maps, snacks and even a small bottled water in them. Teknic jackets had a built in rear fanny back that you can stow other stuff in also. Sometimes, I'll take the liner out and wear the textile over leathers just for the stowage space. Works well in cool weather also. Most are hand or machine washable too. Geez.....I sound like an advert for textile clothing don't I??

Hello All


[SIZE=1]

I have been using Fabric jackets sinc i returned to bikes around 15 month ago.


I have 2 FT jackets, both with elbow and shoulder armor



1 larger and longer for the winter, so you can wear something else thicker under.

So far it has kept me warmer on a naked bike, but again I have not gone for long rides in the winter 30min or so
and
1 shorter, that has air vents and removalble thermal liner. It keeps me cool unless it is a very hot and slow traffic.

and 2 pants., both with knee armor

1 Daynesse, fits very well, looksvery much like a normal pair of paints and allowme to wear a normal jeans under.

1 Reisha- tighter fit and I can only wear something thin under with the thermal lining off.


So far no water has gone through, although I have never stayed in heavy rain for more than 15 -20 min.

A few times i though it had leaked but it just let the cold in, but i was dry at the end.

Again I do not know how they would perform on a long journey under heavy rain, but they are confi enough for daily use in town