Consumer Editor of Bennetts BikeSocial, John's owned over 20 bikes, has been testing motorcycle kit for more than 25 years and is a member of the International Association of Auto Theft Investigators, and part of the Motorcycle Crime Reduction Group.
Textile kit isn’t just for the bad weather, but the best gear can make it far more enjoyable!
Choosing the best textile riding kit can mean wading through some bold claims and a dizzying array of technical terms and brand names; Gore-Tex, hydrostatic head, EN17092, EN1621, drop-liner, Z-liner, laminate, mesh… but don’t worry, we’ve got you.
In this article we’ll give you our choice of the best textile riding kit based on real-world use, because we don’t sell any clothing and we’re not sponsored; there’s no vested interest here! We’ll also explain what you should look for if our choices don’t suit you, so you can make the right choice for YOUR fit, for YOUR style, and for YOUR budget.
Oh, and we’ll also see what 1,898 UK riders think of the textile kit they bought…
Pros & Cons
Hugely versatile
Great for all-year-round riders
Usually plenty of pockets
Good ventilation is vital in summer
Safety performance can be lacking in some
Can be expensive
Best all-season waterproof textile riding kit in 2024
Our selection is based on the huge number of products we’ve reviewed, but it’s still by no means an exhaustive list. We cover many thousands of miles in our gear – in all weathers – and our reviews are truly independent. If we say something is good, it’s based on real experience, not spec-sheets or what the PRs told us…
Here are six of our best all-season waterproof motorcycle textiles, based on our reviews (prices are RRPs for jacket and trousers). Be sure to check back regularly, as we’ll keep this updated as we review other products…
Oxford Stormland | Oxford Products really does seem to have nailed the quality of its laminated waterproof material, and has maintained outstanding seam taping. The new Stormland offers features and performance found in kit costing three times as much, so rightly earns its recommended tag. Oxford Stormland review| Total RRP: £699.98 | Protection: EN17092 AA
Oxford Hinterland | This is an outstanding piece of motorcycle riding kit that offers excellent value for money. We really were blown away by the waterproof performance, not to mention the ventilation. And that’s before we looked at the price. A very worthy recipient of the rarely-awarded BikeSocial Recommended tag. NOTE: This product is discontinued, but there are still some in stores. Oxford Hinterland review| Total RRP: £659.98 | Protection: EN17092 AA
Made to measure | If you want the absolute best textile riding kit money can buy – with the ultimate in safety – choose made-to-measure textile kit from BKS or Hideout. It’s undeniably a sizeable initial investment, but it can last a lifetime thanks to being extremely well made and fully repairable. BKS textiles review / Hideout textiles review | RRP: From around £2,275 | Protection: EN13595 (highest)
Rukka Kingsley | My experience of Rukka kit has been that it has some excellent design touches; the cuffs, for instance are an absolute benchmark. I preferred the pockets of the older Navigatorr, but the Kingsley keeps you utterly dry and has good ventilation. Personally, I’d opt for the AA-rated Rukka kit over some of the A-rated in the range. Rukka Kingsley review | Total RRP: £2,629.98 | Protection: EN17092 AA
RST Adventure X | The version of this adventure suit we tested – which has a removable waterproof liner (as well as a thermal liner) – incorporates a built-in In&Motion airbag. This is a subscription device (which you can read more about here), but the jacket is also available without, making for a total price of a very impressive £559.98. Whichever version you choose, this is a great value piece of riding kit. We’re also in the process of testing the Alpinestars Bogota Pro adventiure suit, so keep checking our reviews for the verdict. RST Adventure X review | Total RRP: £809.98 | Protection: EN17092 AA
RST Pro Series Commander review | Despite having a relatively budget price tag, this is RST’s flagship laminated textile riding kit. It’s currently on test with a riding instructor, so it’s being worn all day every day. As soon as the review’s finished, we’ll know if it’s worthy of being in our top five, but first impressions are encouraging.
RST Commander review coming soon | Total RRP: £549.98 | Protection: EN17092 AA
These are just six of the many different textile jackets and trousers we’ve tested at BikeSocial. Be sure to check out all our other reviews of the best motorcycle textiles, from the lowest prices to the top of the range.
Best mesh textile riding kit in 2024
Mesh motorcycle kit has become increasingly popular over the last few years, with many riders appreciating it in our ever-hotter summers. Some brands offer trousers, but we’ve focussed on the jackets only here as they’re very popular with riding jeans. As always, our selection is based on the products we’ve used over many thousands of miles…
Here are five of our best mesh motorcycle jackets, based on our reviews. Be sure to check back regularly, as we’ll keep this updated as we review other kit…
Weise Scout | One of few mesh jackets certified above level A at the moment, the biggest problem with the Scout was how hard it was to find in stock during hot summers. If you want one, get it while you can. It’s not perfect, but it’s pretty close, it includes shoulder, elbow and back armour, and it’s a really good price. Budget carefully and you could have this as well as a waterproof jacket for the rest of the year. Weise Scout review | RRP: £129.99 | Protection: EN17092 AA
Knox Honister | One of the few AAA-certified pieces of textile riding kit on the market as of June 2023, the Honister is designed to be part of Knox’s layered range, though it’s not as cool to wear as you might expect. We have some issues with its build, but these can generally be checked by trying it on for yourself. Knox Honister review| RRP: £379.99 | Protection: EN17092 AAA
Bowtex Elite | This is a truly lightweight jacket that’s cooler to wear than anything we’ve tried before. Yet it’s AAA-rated. We have reservations about the size of armour used, and the retention at the back, but Bowtex really has moved material technology on with the Elite. Bowtex Elite review | RRP: £400 | Protection: EN17092 AAA
Halvarssons Edane | Our tester found this to be very comfortable in the hot summer of 2022, and appreciated the inclusion of Level 2 shoulder and elbow armour, along with a Level 1 back protector, but was disappointed that it achieved just level A in EN17092. Halvarssons Edane review | RRP: £199.99 | Protection: EN17092 A
RST Pro Series Ventilator-X | Now discontinued, the Ventilator-X has been replaced by new textile and leather versions, though both are still currently certified only to level A. Given its dedication to safety standards, we’re sure there’ll be more updates in the future. RST Ventilator-X | RRP: £179.99 | Protection: EN17092 A
These are just five of the many different mesh jackets we’ve tested at BikeSocial. Be sure to check out all our other reviews of the best mesh motorcycle jackets, from the lowest prices to the top of the range.
Best casual and urban-style textile riding kit in 2024
While mesh riding kit can be great in hot weather, casual and urban-style kit should also be considered too. It’s rarely waterproof, so doesn’t have a membrane to reduce airflow. I’ve often spent an entire day riding and walking around in some of this gear, never feeling the need to take it off, even in summer.
Often being lightweight, this style of gear can sometimes pull up a little easily at the rear, so check for this to ensure you get the protection you expect…
Here are our best causal and urban-style motorcycle jackets, based on our reviews. Be sure to check back regularly, as we’ll keep this updated as we review other kit…
Oxford Barkston | The Oxford Barkston is a great jacket designed for urban riders as it’s got exceptional laminated waterproofing, is comfortable, the armour stays in the right places and it achieves AA under EN17092. Oxford Barkston review| RRP: £229.99 | Protection: EN17092 AA
Spada Vermont | The Spada Vermont looks just like a denim shirt, but it’s reinforced with Kevlar at the key impact areas of the shoulders and elbows. It comes with a back-protector, and at £139.99 is great value for money. For summer riding, this is a great option if it’s the style you’re looking for. Spada Vermont review| RRP: £139.99 | Protection: EN17092 AA
Furygan Marlon X Kevlar | Furygan’s Marlon X Kevlar uses Kevlar in key impact areas much like the Spada Vermont, but it doesn’t come with a back protector – I’d recommend one to help keep the back down in a slide (as well as offer impact protection). Available in black or khaki it’s a great-looking bit of kit that’s very easy to wear all day long. Furygan Marlon X Kevlar review| RRP: £139.99 | Protection: EN17092 AA
Furygan Icetrack | The Furygan Icetrack is an odd one as it’s a great-looking casual-style softshell, but it’s also very warm, so not suitable for hot summer weather. It is waterproof, but I wouldn’t recommend it for all-year touring. However, for a commuter or city rider who expects to get caught in the off shower, it’s a great jacket for a lot of the year. Thanks to the D3O Ghost armour, it’s also really easy to wear off the bike. I spent most of Spring walking the dog in this. It has limitations, but it’s also really versatile. Furygan Icetrack review | RRP: £239.99 | Protection: EN17092 AA
These are just some of the many different jackets we’ve tested at BikeSocial. Be sure to check out all our other reviews of the best motorcycle jackets, from the lowest prices to the top of the range.
Choosing between touring, commuting, adventure and mesh kit
What kind of riding do you do? If you’re only ever going to be on the motorbike in hot temperatures, get a mesh jacket, but to be honest, these tend to be a second garment for most people.
If you never intend to get wet, but will be riding in more than just the highest temperatures, look for something with a removable waterproof liner. These are often called ‘adventure’ suits as they try to cater for all eventualities; the best ones have large ventilation panels that you can see straight through when any liners are removed; ‘straight to body’ ventilation will keep you the most cool.
If you intend to ride all year round, it’s best to have the waterproof membrane as close to the outer shell as possible, so laminated is generally the best bet (see the next section); it’s just not as cool to wear in hot weather as a well-vented adventure suit with all the linings removed.
Laminated kit can be a little less warm in winter than that with a drop-liner as there’s effectively a layer missing, though this is rarely really a problem.
Thermal liners are good to have, and you’ll want them to be removable. You can of course wear your own layering, though if you want to stay extra warm, make sure you can fit heated riding kit underneath (check out our reviews). Also look at thermal base layers; we were very impressed with the Zerofit Heatrub.
Waterproofing: Drop liner vs laminated
For many years, most of us wore motorcycle textile riding kit with a drop-liner (or z-liner as some call it). This is a waterproof membrane that hangs inside the outer shell, and was traditionally cheaper to produce than a laminated jacket, which sees the membrane bonded to the outer shell itself.
Lamination was more expensive, and it also created difficulties with stretch materials, so it tended to be the reserve of the most expensive kit.
Then Oxford Products released the Hinterland, and we were shown just how affordable good-quality laminated kit really could be.
Most waterproof textiles will have a Durable Water-Repellent (DWR) coating on the outside, which helps water to bead and roll off but that will wear out, and it has a limit, after which the outer shell ‘wets out’. That means it gets soaked, though on laminated kit it will dry much more quickly than gear with a drop liner, which can get really soaked and take many hours to dry. When the material on the outside of a membrane is soaked, your body’s own water vapour can’t escape, and you can end up feeling like your kit’s leaking as wet patches develop.
If you can, have a look inside the garment to get an idea of how well the seams are taped in laminated kit. One of these is neatly applied, with the taping running perfectly evenly over all the seams, while the other is noticeably poorer. While no guarantee, if it looks untidy, there’s more of a chance it won’t last…
Not all laminated kit is perfect; it’s important that the seams are properly and carefully taped, but the good news is that there’s often a zip inside that allows you to have a look at the construction, so don’t be afraid to nose around.
You’ll also find different performance in all waterproof membranes. These might be quoted as a ‘hydrostatic head’, but if in doubt of how well it works in the real world, check our textile riding kit reviews as we test kit over thousands of miles in all weathers.
Gore-Tex Pro is considered by many to be the pinnacle of laminated kit, not least due to the fact that DuPont insists on certain quality standards to be maintained in any garment that uses it.
‘Three-layer laminate’ simply refers to the outer material being layer one, the membrane being layer two, and a protective ‘scrim’ layer, which reduces wear to the delicate membrane, being layer three. Two-layer laminates don’t have that protective scrim layer.
Shown under a microscope, the scrim layer of a three-layer laminate can be seen here. This is a Gore-Tex Pro three-layer laminate.
Another thing to consider is that some textiles have a removable waterproof liner that can be worn under or over the outer shell. It’s true that the very best waterproofing will be achieved with the waterproof membrane over the top of your kit, but this does reduce the value of the pockets.
In my experience, the main problem with jackets and trousers that give you the choice of wearing the waterproof membrane over or under the outer shell is that they add unwanted bulk when worn beneath.
Things to check for the best ventilation
Look for vents that are positioned in such a way that the wind will reach them. Arm vents can work great, as can some on the sides and the upper body.
Textile riding kit is more often worn on adventure and touring bikes, which often have fairly substantial screens and fairings, so think about whether the vents will be in the airflow. And if you wear a rucksack, check the vents aren’t blocked by it.
Look inside the jacket and trousers with any linings removed to see if you can see light through the vents. If they’re blocked by a waterproof membrane, they’ll be less effective.
Of course, it’s a balancing act with waterproofing, so do check our reviews. Otherwise, bigger generally is better when it comes to vents!
This label is important as it gives you an indication of how protective the garment has proven to be. Trust it over marketing and sales hyperbole.
The safest textile motorcycle gear
Some brands have an enviable reputation for safety, but for many years there was no legal requirement to prove those claims. The introduction of the PPE regulation in the UK and Europe means that all motorcycle jackets and trousers must be tested and certified to EN17092, which currently gives them a rating of A, AA and AAA. Gloves, boots and helmets have their own certification standards, explained here.
Keeping it simple, EN17092 abrasion results must not be considered as ‘speed’ ratings, not least because the test is done with the spinning samples experiencing a short drop onto a concrete slab, which can’t be considered as directly parallel to a fall onto typical UK road surfaces. As with all testing, the results are there to give an indication of relative performance.
It’s also important to understand that the minimum requirements of the current highest standard of AAA do not allow a buyer to compare products that fall into this category. Two materials that pass the EN17092 abrasion test could offer hugely different performance as the test only checks for a pass, not by how far that pass is exceeded.
To put this into perspective, no textile riding kit that is certified only to EN17092 AAA can make any promises of offering anything like the same abrasion resistance as a quality one-piece leather race suit, for instance. At the moment, there is no requirement for brands to prove a level of performance above this minimum, so be cautious of bold claims until some means of providing independent proof becomes available.
Testing for EN17092 also includes seam strength and tear resistance, as well as things like chemical innocuousness and fit (to ensure you can move freely). This standard proves to the buyer that a garment reaching AAA offers better protection than something meeting AA, while AA is better than something that only manages A.
Given the price ranges now available, we’d recommend looking only at textile garments that achieve at least an AA rating. The choice is yours of course, and comfort / fit is very important, so try as much gear on as you can to get an idea what works for you.
Is this an obsession with safety? Absolutely not: you’re free to wear whatever you want as long as you’ve got a helmet on, but if you’re spending your money on kit designed for a motorcycle, then surely you’d expect it to offer some protection, otherwise why buy it at all? Safety standards simply let you judge what level of protection you prefer, and the Bennetts High Performance Award helps you find the kit that's reached the highest safety levels. Be sure to check it out when buying.
Many different types of armour are available
Also very important to consider is what armour the kit has in. There’ll be shoulder and elbow armour as a minimum in the jacket, while trousers must have knee armour, plus hip armour from level AA and above.
You’ll find various brands of armour used, with D3O being one of the most popular, but all must be certified to EN1621 and be Level 1 or Level 2; the higher the number, the higher the protection. Try a few on to see what works for you, but the main thing to check is that the armour sits in the correct places, and that it can’t move around and leave key impact areas exposed.
Back protectors aren’t standard in all kit, but we’d always recommend wearing them, and more gear is also coming with chest protectors now, so keep an eye out for what’s on offer.
Getting the right fit
Needless to say, you must try any riding kit on before you buy it. With textile jackets and trousers, make sure the sleeves don’t pull up your arms when reaching out to the bars, that you can move all your limbs about properly when on and off the bike, and that nothing pinches where it shouldn’t.
Also check that you can access what’s needed when you’re cold and desperate, running into a motorway services loo. For gents that might mean a large gusset area in the fly that doesn’t require you to drop your trousers entirely. For ladies, I’m afraid it’s just checking that the belt and fasteners are easy to operate. Braces will not be your friend in an emergency.
Adjustment straps on the arms, sides and legs can help cinch the garments up to suit your build. They can also be useful for taking up the slack when a thermal liner’s been removed.
Check the fit of the trouser legs with your boots – you need a good seal to prevent any draughts getting up your leg, so be sure there’s enough Velcro. You’d be surprised how many we’ve tested that don’t appear to have been designed by a motorcyclist…
Don’t fight it… it’s the way things are meant to be!
Why motorcycle gloves should go UNDER the jacket
In dry weather, it doesn’t matter much whether you wear your gloves over your jacket’s sleeves, or under them. But in the rain, regardless of how or what you ride, water will track down your sleeves and into the gloves, which will suck it all up in the lining leaving you with horribly wet hands.
When buying any textile jacket, check that you can wear your gloves comfortably with it as some have such bulky sleeves that they won’t fit under the glove cuffs easily, while others are too tight to get the gloves under. Make sure you can get both gloves on too, as remember that when you fit the second glove, it’ll be using a hand that has a glove on.
The best style of pockets in motorcycle textiles
I always look for pockets with a horizontal opening that can be zipped up – that way, if you do forget to close it, it’ll be far less likely you’ll lose anything while riding than you would out of one with a vertical opening.
A fold-over flap helps keep pockets waterproof, but do check our reviews, and try shoving your stuff in there. Ideally, your phone should be able to lay horizontally and have space to spare above it as if it only just fits in and can’t move about, it can sometimes dig into your thigh. Try it while sitting on a bike, or even on the edge of a chair.
Being able to carry all you need is important, but do be careful what you stash in your pockets; consider what could happen if you fell off.
Finally, some jackets also have separate pockets with a warm lining in which to tuck your hands; definitely worth having for all-year-round riders.
Best motorcycle textiles: 1,898 independent, honest opinions
While the team at Bennetts BikeSocial has decades of experience in testing motorcycle kit, nobody can tell you what one textile riding suit is best for YOU. What we can do though is help you make the right choices, and if you’ve been through this article and checked out some of our reviews, you should be in a great position to make the right choice for the trips you make and the bikes you ride.
But we believe in arming you with as much knowledge as possible, so we also sent surveys out to 1,898 UK riders, who told us what they thought of the kit they wear. Check out the video below, but here are the headline awards…
Most waterproof motorcycle textiles as voted by owners:
Dane
Rukka
Triumph, BMW, Merlin
Warmest motorcycle textiles as voted by owners
Rukka, Dane
Wolf
Dainese, Merlin
Best ventilated motorcycle textiles as voted by owners
