Which is hotter to wear: leather or textile?

[KiwiNinja]

At the moment I wear a Teknic textile jacket and pants (which are great) but as I do more and more highway riding I'm considering getting 2 piece leathers. But which is hotter to wear...leather or textile as I feel the heat real bad?

I have absolutly no experience in wearing leather but I'm thinking becuase leathers sit much closer to the skin and therefore reducing the amount of air flow then leathers are hotter.

[Owl]

Normal winter textiles are terribly hot in summer and I find leather much cooler. In saying that, mesh textiles are much cooler than leather.

I have all the above

[Malcolm]

I have both a Qmoto leather jacket and a reasonably light Revit textile jacket, and find that the leather is much better in terms of allowing breathing - when you start getting a little sweaty and such, the liner in the textile jacket starts getting sticky and a bit stuffy, where the leather doesn't. It probably helps that the leather jacket has perforations in some spots for breathing. I also feel way more protected when I have the weight of a leather jacket on than I do with my textile jacket

[george formby]

I generally feel cool in my leather while riding but cook when I get off the bike. My textile with the liner removed is warm on the bike & cooler off it. Gas mark 8 with the liner in.

[KiwiNinja]

First thing I did when I got my textile jacket was take the lining out. It's never been put back in, even during winter.

[FJRider]

First thing I did when I got my textile jacket was take the lining out. It's never been put back in, even during winter.

and Auckland winters are really cold ... right ... Come down for a "slightly" cooler Otago winter !!! :

[Quasievil]

Leather gets my vote, wait for the new EDGE to come out with its Ventilation system, be a few more weeks.

[A_Mans_Ruin]

mmmmmm biker boys in leather mmmmmm
hehehe ooops mind is wandering. I find that leather is way better for maintaining body temp...
and you can always alter what you wear under it

[hellokitty]

I wore my leather jacket (with the winter liner in it) all summer - warm when sitting at the lights but fine once you get moving - textlie seems sweatier to me.
My husband wears textile and he cooks in summer and freezes in winter - whereas I am comfortable all year round in leather

[Gremlin]

Chicks always look hot in leather!

For summer, mesh textile would be the coolest, then leather, then winter grade textile. Leather is normally perforated as it's worn in summer for the most part. Sort of like comparing apples with oranges, as its all different. Textile, you could wear liner or not, which will make a massive difference.

For winter, I find leather is too cold, and much prefer textile.

[steve_t]

+1 for leathers with some merino underneath. Temperature regulation without bad smells.
But yeah, as others have mentioned, when you stop at lights or get off the bike, you can heat up quite quickly. I don't think it matters whether it's leather or textile, you'll still get hot when you stop moving

[hellokitty]

+1 for leathers with some merino underneath. Temperature regulation without bad smells.
But yeah, as others have mentioned, when you stop at lights or get off the bike, you can heat up quite quickly. I don't think it matters whether it's leather or textile, you'll still get hot when you stop moving

Thermals in winter for sure!! It is annoying getting hot but I would rather be hot than cold - my brain switches off in the extreme cold.......

[Quasievil]

The Basis reason why Textiles are hotter is you are essentially wearing a plastic bag, weather its Hipora or Ressia or something else, its a plastic bag, you will find this between the layer of the outter Textile and the inner linings.
Plastic bags are hot to wear in Summer.

Some makers ad ventilation zips to the textiles this is good however unless its top quality (I mean TOP quality) they will probably leak, rule is , where air goes water goes if you dont have waterproof zips it will likely leak.

food for thought

[MaxCannon]

Depends a lot on the build of the jacket.

My non-perforated leather suit is heaps warmer than my perforated one.
Likewise my textile jacket that has no venting is much stuffier than the one that has vents.

One thing I have found very useful over summer is dri-fit tops. Helps wick the moisture away from you and keeps you feeling cool.

[KiwiNinja]

I don't know what I would do without my dryfit. Amazing stuff.

To reduce the inside temperature I usually open all the vents in the jacket and let the wind flow through. It def cools things down but at high speeds the wind also lifts the jacket (and armour) further away from my body, which obviously not a good thing.

I think a leather 2 piece is next on the shopping list. Will be interested to see the new ventilated Edge quasi has mentioned.