Skins - What do you get from wearing them?

[Mystic13]

I see a few riders down at the track where "Skins" under their leathers.

What's the benefit in wearing these?

Do they work as you expect?

Wouldn't they make you hotter?

Cheers

[blackdog]

imagine it prevents chaffing

if it's really cold you could wear four...

[avgas]

Wait the rest of you can take off your skin?

[Devil]

They assist by wicking sweat away from your skin, and also make your leathers easier to get on and off.

That is in addition to the benefits provided by good compression gear (you'll have to google for that stuff).

[onearmedbandit]

+1. I wear an undersuit under my leathers during the summer. No more sweaty t-shirt for me.

[KiwiNinja]

I wear skins purely to ease getting my leathers on and off rather than for the compression benefits. They are great for a hot summer as they catch a lot of the sweat and means you don't have material bunching underneath your kit.

By the way there are also other brands of compression gear other than Skins which are just as effective. I use Canterbury as they are near half the price of Skins. I think Body Armour is another one.

[Devil]

By the way there are also other brands of compression gear other than Skins which are just as effective. I use Canterbury as they are near half the price of Skins. I think Body Armour is another one.

Under Armor
Manic Compression

[Mystic13]

I checked the price of skins and decided to post to find out if they worked and how.

So let me see if I have this right. You feel drier?

Leathers are easier to get on and off.

I have no problems getting the leathers on and off. When I come off the track or a ride my T-Shirt can be fairly soaked.

So do the skins feel wet?

Just popped on a couple of sites and see Canterbury sell "Hot" and "Cold" ones. Apparently the "Hot" is for wearing when hot and will make you cooler and vice versa. This stuff borders on the realms of magic for me. I keep thinking how can this possibly work. (edit - just read a web page while typing this and I understand a bit more now)

So it seems to work. All I need to do is figure out whether I go Skins, Canterbury or Body Armour etc.

And I found this general article;

http://www.nzcompression.co.nz/pages/1-11/Why-Compression

Information overload....

[Deano]

I'm waiting for my Manic Compression brand to arrive. $85 incl frieght.

[HenryDorsetCase]

I have an undersuit for my leathers: its coolmax (I think) but not compression. Makes a huge difference to comfort and ease of putting leathers on and off.

[DVS 69]

I wear skins under my leathers, I do this for three reasons, 1) Easyer for us more solidly built fellas to slip into ya leathers, 2) No bunching , 3) No rubbing ...

Since wearing this type of under garment (under leathers) i've found them to do a awesum job of keeping you feeling dryer, i think somebody has mentioned they kinda pull the sweat away from ya skin. I also wear mine to boxing training and they work fantasticly, and i think the compression tightness is to aid in recovery of sore muscles etc. I'd recommend this type of clothing to any outdoors or active people, great way of not getting sunburnt too.

BUT .......... I was at the track one day an a guy came up to me and asked if i'd crashed wearing my skins. I said no i havnt, he pulled up his sleeve and showed me a burn from the friction of his skins under his leathers after he had crashed,

Long story short i still wear mine i've met alot of racers that wear them and crash and never have a problem so i dunno what ta think ...........

Anyway theres my 20 cents worth.

[Gremlin]

When you bin at the track, there's less chance your leathers will be cut off (unless you mangle yourself real good) as we can get your leathers off much more easily.

I mean... I was so horribly disappointed not to get a naked sweaty man when I pulled his leathers off... :innocent:

[Little Miss Trouble]

I must hurry up and order some manic compressions gear, at present I require help getting my leathers off after a long ride...

[Kendog]

They are well worth the money. As others have said they minimise the impact of sweat and make getting in/out of leathers so easy.
Under Armour is my favourite brand.

[Mystic13]

Yep, I'm convinced enough to make a first buy. So do I buy just a top or pants to check it out first or just go the whole hog. I've spent too much on bike stuff lately. And still have more purchases to make.

Thanks for all the info.

[Kendog]

Yep, I'm convinced enough to make a first buy. So do I buy just a top or pants to check it out first or just go the whole hog. I've spent too much on bike stuff lately. And still have more purchases to make.

Thanks for all the info.
If you are using a one piece suit I would try the top half first, as that is put on and taken off more often.
If you are using a two piece suit, I would try the half that causes you the most problems now (sweat or difficulty removing)

As with most things, you get what you pay for quality wise.
Rebel often have sales on this type of gear.

[HenryDorsetCase]

I must hurry up and order some manic compressions gear, at present I require help getting my leathers off after a long ride...

someone more churlish than I might suggest that, as a female, you'd have a long queue of people putting their hands up........... your leathers. to assist you in taking them off I mean.

[HenryDorsetCase]

I wear skins under my leathers, I do this for three reasons, 1) Easyer for us more solidly built fellas to slip into ya leathers, 2) No bunching , 3) No rubbing ...

Since wearing this type of under garment (under leathers) i've found them to do a awesum job of keeping you feeling dryer, i think somebody has mentioned they kinda pull the sweat away from ya skin. I also wear mine to boxing training and they work fantasticly, and i think the compression tightness is to aid in recovery of sore muscles etc. I'd recommend this type of clothing to any outdoors or active people, great way of not getting sunburnt too.

BUT .......... I was at the track one day an a guy came up to me and asked if i'd crashed wearing my skins. I said no i havnt, he pulled up his sleeve and showed me a burn from the friction of his skins under his leathers after he had crashed,

Long story short i still wear mine i've met alot of racers that wear them and crash and never have a problem so i dunno what ta think ...........

Anyway theres my 20 cents worth.

good point that: all the fabrics will be nylon/spandex or whatever, and given enough heat (friction) would melt. Though the lining that comes in leathers is artifical fibre too.

I dont know: he might have got a friction burn anyway from sliding and it made no difference, or the burn could have been made worse by the undersuit. Interesting.

Has anyone else seen that?

[Winston001]

someone more churlish than I might suggest that, as a female, you'd have a long queue of people putting their hands up........... your leathers. to assist you in taking them off I mean.

I'm shocked at your suggestion. :shit: And here I was thinking you were a Canterbury gentleman.... :facepalm:

[Kickaha]

Has anyone else seen that?

I've seen it with thermal gear in the winter series

[DMNTD]

I've been trialing a new product for a company that actually stops the body from sweating therefore dramatically reduces the chance of dehydration etc which apparently can happen when using a product that simply wicks the sweat away.
They keep you in a balanced temp either hot or cold.
I'll find out some of the technical side of it and post up

[NZsarge]

www.sportbiketrackgear.com
If you go to this website and look in the side bar for undersuit then look at the video for PsycleSkins undersuit, gives a great description and demo of the benefits of a undersuit/compression suit for under your leathers.

[Deano]

I've been trialing a new product for a company that actually stops the body from sweating therefore dramatically reduces the chance of dehydration etc which apparently can happen when using a product that simply wicks the sweat away.
They keep you in a balanced temp either hot or cold.
I'll find out some of the technical side of it and post up

Stops sweating ? How does the body cool itself ? Sweating is natural, stopping it doesn't seem right ????

I'm intersted to hear more....

[onearmedbandit]

Stops sweating ? How does the body cool itself ? Sweating is natural, stopping it doesn't seem right ????

I'm intersted to hear more....

It's all 'all-over' body paint, like in Gold Finger.

[steve_t]

Stops sweating ? How does the body cool itself ? Sweating is natural, stopping it doesn't seem right ????

I'm intersted to hear more....

+1.

Stops sweating -> heat stroke?
Wicking the sweat away doesn't make you sweat more or enhance dehydration. Wicking the sweat away should actually cool you more effectively than having the sweat sitting against your skin.

[Toaster]

Yep, I'm convinced enough to make a first buy. So do I buy just a top or pants to check it out first or just go the whole hog. I've spent too much on bike stuff lately. And still have more purchases to make.

Thanks for all the info.

I found the full body version great for getting in and out of leathers and actually found that it helped reduce temperature as the breeze through the damp "skin" had a cooling effect.

Almost feels like a thin wet-suit.

[Little Miss Trouble]

someone more churlish than I might suggest that, as a female, you'd have a long queue of people putting their hands up........... your leathers. to assist you in taking them off I mean.

Well yes, but I need then for the times when I go for a ride by myself and there is no one around to assist

[ckai]

Someone once had a discussion with me that compression gear was a crock and doesn't actually work. My reply was "does it matter?" Let's face it, riding a bike tires you out so I class it as a sport. To perform better in sport is 90% mental...you feel better your body performs better. If I wear compression gear and it makes me feel like a super hero, I'll perform better. Simple as that. If it's all in my head, fine. My body is tricked into thinking it can perform harder for longer, bla bla bla.

If I'm going for a long ride I'll wear them under my leathers and my body is kept heaps cooler. I used to get sore calves as well until I got some compression socks. Absolute BITCH to put on but they "work" for me.

I would never buy skins unless it was say 25% off. Torpedo7 have some good compression gear (Diadora) for good prices (sometimes you can pick them up for $30). I have skins, nike, canterbury, 2XU, and diadora. They're all pretty much the same.

If it's just for wicking, the cheapest are fine. If it's compression in certain places, anything is fine :) Skins and 2XU are good at specific compression in specific areas but most "normal" people wouldn't notice any difference what-so-ever. Most elite athletes wouldn't either - they're just paid to like a certain brand.

If it's to make you look cool and feel like a god...buy whatever your wallet can let you buy ;)

[st00ji]

d'you lot reckon they would stand up to me wearing them all day? im a mechanic and the ole overalls get pretty hot in summer. could i ride to work and leave skins on all day?

[KiwiNinja]

d'you lot reckon they would stand up to me wearing them all day? im a mechanic and the ole overalls get pretty hot in summer. could i ride to work and leave skins on all day?

I wear them all day in the stinking hot waikato sun, quick rinse in cold water and they're ready for the next day.

[Ratti]

you'd think it would work that way wouldnt you? Get some and try them out, as someone else said, if all you want them for is wicking ( and they do work a treat ) then head off to your local WareWhare and get one of their t shirts and shorts. try them out under your overalls and then write a report and let us know how it goes. I for one would be very interested

[ckai]

d'you lot reckon they would stand up to me wearing them all day? im a mechanic and the ole overalls get pretty hot in summer. could i ride to work and leave skins on all day?

Personally I wouldn't waste my money on compression gear if I wasn't working my ass off. Unless of course you're a pro-pit mechanic, just get some el-cheapo wicking kit from the warehouse or somewhere else like Ratti suggested. You'll actually find compression gear will make you feel tired if you're not working your muscles. Ironic really.

Running gear would suit your needs pretty well. Just don't get those stupid revealing running shorts :) haha

I'd make sure any shirt you get isn't tight under your arms either (heaps do). I got a top from the Warehouse without trying it on and it cuts the shit out of me and restricts my arm movement.

[vifferman]

I work just up the road from the Icebreaker outlet shop, so I wear icebreaker T's, long-sleeved shirts and the like. They're great, as they are cooler to wear than cotton in summer, and warmer than cotton in winter. With D'Auckland's changeable weather (and our mental aircon at work, they're perfect.
I've found if I get really sweaty, I smell like wet wool, but the shirts themselves don't get pongy, so don't need washing very often.

[st00ji]

yeah i love muh icebreaker stuff too. spent a ski season in colorado a couple of years back, wore this one icebreaker pretty much the whole time. dont think i washed it once!

yeah i was more interested in the wicking thing, plus avoiding the hassle of struggling in and out of skin tight stuff four times a day. cheers for replies!

[Ratti]

what is Icebreaker made of? Is it the artificial fibre wicking fabric we have been talking about? I have this thought it is very fine wool, but may well be wrong.

[steve_t]

what is Icebreaker made of? Is it the artificial fibre wicking fabric we have been talking about? I have this thought it is very fine wool, but may well be wrong.

Natural merino wool. It's the shiz, but expensive