Textile Motorcycle Jackets
Textile motorcycle jackets are very versatile. Durable Nylon/Cordura fabric is typically used for the outer shell, which provides very good abrasion resistance. Most textile motorcycle jackets incorporate a waterproof, breathable membrane between the outer shell and inner mesh lining. These membranes perform the job of keeping you dry if you ride in the rain. Reissa and Hippora are the most common membranes in use. Alpinestars have a membrane of their own called Drystar®. The best performing membrane in terms of breathability is widely accepted to be Gore-Tex®, which tends to be reflected in the overall higher price of textile jackets with this membrane.
Most of our textile jackets also feature a removable quilted thermal liner, which is very handy for winter riding. With its thermal liner unzipped and removed, a textile jacket can also be quite well suited to summer use. Other things that help in warm riding conditions are zip vents or areas of external mesh fabric that allow good airflow.
Virtually all textile motorcycle jackets are fitted with some type of body armour in the elbows. Many also contain shoulder armour and removable or replaceable back protectors. The type of body armour varies from standard CE approved pads to responsive D3O® pads in higher end versions.
Most textile motorcycle jackets feature a number of useful pockets and, generally speaking, the more pockets and vents it has, the better suited it will be to long distance touring or commuting. Sporty textile motorcycle jackets are often styled shorter in the body and sometimes feature externally visible hard armour in places such as the shoulders.