MESH Protection?

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eynlai

Registered
After reading this ER Doc's post:

this prompted me to think about the MESH gear I'm wearing.

I think we can all generally agree that leather is probably the bast protection out there (for riding, that is
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))) But it's summer now, it's likely going to be too hot to ride in full leather for any prolong period of time. For times like these, I wear my Gericke Mesh jacket and pants + the Knox back protector with short Gericke gloves. So how good is MESH?

I think that regardless of manufacturers, MESH is generally within the same range of protection (Joe Rocket, Gericke, Alpinestars, etc...). So, did anyone here actually go down in MESH? First hand experience response would probably be best, even as far as 2nd hand from someone that personally know someone that went down in MESH?

How well did it hold up? What kind of injuries were sustained, if any? Pictures of the downed MESH gear? Did it prevent road rash, and to what extent?

I wonder if anyone/company/organization actually conducted a test of MESH riding gear? And if not, probably be nice to see one conducted and the result.

I'm willing to conduct a test of MESH gear if someone is willing to donate a undamage MESH jacket for it! You can send a old jacket that you don't use anymore. And no, I'm not planning on putting it on and purposely jumping off. HEHEHE. I plan on using a watermelon. I take up close photos of the results and post.
 
gm1300 went down in mesh gear back in april he posted pics , mesh was pretty much destroyed he had rash but i think he went down at high speed and was pl;eased on how the mesh performed ? do a search has a dozen or so pics of bike , his injuries , and the mesh and gloves he was wearing!
 
The mesh "MIGHT" keep you in your skin once, but after seeing a couple come into the shop virtually shredded in low speed accidents, and my wifes gloves splitting in a 15 MPH slide I am no longer really happy with it.

BUT, I consider it "THE" item to wear when I want to be out there in a t-shirt. That is where the mesh comes into it's own. It's a great option to wearing just a t-shirt. Much beyond that I wouldn't count on it for much.

Hell, I think it's about worthless, but I still wear it instead of going without any sort of jacket if it's really hot out...
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I've seen a couple crashes where the mesh held up good.  Obviously it can't compete with thick leather or kangaroo, but it'll keep you a LOT cooler.  A mesh jacket I have has leather where it counts(upper back, shoulders, outside of arms) and mesh where you probably wouldn't slide on.

Its a trade off, broiling in a suit or less protection.  Broiling in a hot suit may cause you to crash since you're distracted by the heat, of course I'm referering to 100+ temps.

Since I bought my leather jacket, I haven't worn the mesh jacket. If I get to hot, I can always just slow down and not push it.



<!--EDIT|Charlesbusa
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One thing that just about got my JR Phoenix retired was the realization that when I am moving my perforated leather flows just as much air as my Phoenix. When sitting still, the Phoenix is just as toasty as anything else. FWIW.
 
Saw a guy go down at around 65mph with mesh on... went into the turn no issues, but the the bike came out from under him when he hit some sand. Mesh held up well. Tore away some of the mesh, but the padding stayed in place and he was able to get up and walk away, no road rash, but a bruised elbow. The jackets on display at a shop in Albuquerque.
 
dont rely on mesh !

i had several layers of clothes on under the mesh jacket
(sweater , wind breaker ,etc ) and i still got road rash on my arm .it would have been way worse if i just had on the mesh jacket and a t shirt . the pads in the mesh jacket helped but the mesh material wears through quick !



.
 
2001 Highsided my 01 Busaat about 40mph. Had a First Gear mesh jacket on. Slid on my shoulders/back for a bit then flipped up onto my knees, all on pavement.

Jacket did good I thought. The outer layer had a hole about the size of a dinner plate, the inner layer had one the size of a tennis ball, I had rash on me the size of a quarter. It did its job, woulda been bad bad with just a tshirt on.

My dumba$$ just had jeans on tho, so my knees didnt fair to well. Ya just dont realize how bad hydrogen peroxide stings till ya have to pour it on raw flesh for about a month everyday.

Anyway, I went out and bought another mesh jacket for the summer, along with replacing the 01 with a 02
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well it would help but i dont think it would come even close to half of what the leather would do for ya but i guess its better than nothing. I guilty of wearing it tho
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doesn't look too good. but I still like to conduct a test with a watermelon in a mesh jacket at 80 mph.
 
i think you just have to recognize what kind of riding you do...if you ride hard full gear no matter how hot if im crusing i wear jeans. if youre taking a trip around the block or to the store mesh should be fine but if your gonna hit the highways id go with the leather. Im bought to get a mesh jacket to wear on my way to work being that i wear a uniform i dont speed much on my way to work. SO in summary Riding hard wear leather just cruisin wear mesh but that just my phlosphy or how ever the hell you spell that shid
 
I have a Joe Rocket that is mesh and perf leather and it is very wearable in the heat. I was under the impression that a mesh jacket was designed to save you once then be replaced.
 
I go squidding occasionally, but I am a firm believer in good gear. For the casual to semi-casual ride down here in the 90+ degree heat, even perforated leather is just to damned hot. I survive mainly with mesh in the summer. It should hold up reasonably well, so long as it is in good shape, well made, and full of armor. I wish I could tolerate my leather year round, but here I can't do it. Now when I'm in NC / Tenn. next week...................
 
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