Motorcycle Clothing: Leather or Textile:
I have been asked few times, which is better value for money in Motorcycle clothing, Leather or Textile , well for me there is no comparison both have their own Pros & Cons and I leave it up to you to decide and to be fair it’s not always Money and Durability but other factors does affect for instance preference for particular clothing, the feel and look of the material etc.
Textile
Also known as Cordura is made of Polyester, Nylon, Cotton and synthetic fibers, its quality varies according to the mix of its contents.
It is used in luggage backpacks, other small bags, Military Wears and of course for Motorcycle clothing. Due to its durability and its characteristic mentioned below, in last two years its usage has been tripled.
Water & Dirt Resistant
Resistance to abrasions and tear
Flame Retardant
Shrink resistance & resistance to colour loss
Most of the Motorcycle Textile clothing in the market is claimed to be 100% waterproof and what we don’t realise the textile/Cordura itself is Resistant to water and dirt but doesn’t provide 100% protection from it, to make it 100% water proof the textile is supported from inside with very thin nylon layer almost invisible to naked eyes but one can feel the finish and touch of the textile.
Textile / Cordura is low not only in weight but Price as compared to Leather
Leather
Leather has more variety in price and quality than textile; the types of leather are based on where it comes from, the most commonly used leathers (arranged in price order) are:
Crocodile & Snake Leathers
Kangaroo Leather
Sheep Leather (Goat, Pig etc.)
Buffalo Leather
Each of the above categories has its 2 to 3 further variations in quality and price based on how it’s used and which part is used.
Only Kangaroo, Cowhide and Buffalo are mainly used for Motorcycle clothing as these are strong and reliable among the above.
Over the past few years I have used and sold 1000’s of these items and can say that The Cowhide leather is the best value for money, unlike buffalo it gives both the toughness and excellent feel & look
Cowhide leather comes in three main qualities: Top Grain, Mat and Split, Split leather is a mashed leather not in its original form in more simple words it’s made from a mix of leftover parts of the main leather.
I would never recommend to use the split leather especially in UK and Europe as this leather vaporize like paper in rain.
I hope above summary about Leather and textile clothing will help you in your next purchase.
