I am in the seemingly neverending market for a new suit. For warm weather, I have the Firstgear Rush Mesh, and really like the fit and style. This year, they came out with a textile version. This goes for around $160; my dilemma is do I go this way or with the RC for 3 times the price?
If a jacket has CE Marked armor, I wonder if there is much difference in protection in the event of a get off? My needs are mostly touring, not much commuting, so the easy on and off is not so important to me. Most of my riding is in mid to warm weather, so venting is more important to me than waterproofness.
Firstgear makes nice stuff (although, not in the US, which is a consideration), and the features seem about the same. The big things that are different is the RC is Goretex and has the heavy duty elbow and shoulder patches. The RC may be repairable, but at what cost? Seems like the repair is almost what other jackets cost new.
I am happy to pay the extra if it can be justified by improved protection. Although if the venting is not so great, and I am wearing the mesh most of the time, this is sort of negated. I am also happy to a lessor extent to pay some extra to keep jobs in the US, although I would be buying the other from a local shop, which has some advantage of keeping jobs in town. Thoughts from folks who started one way and went to the other?
If a jacket has CE Marked armor, I wonder if there is much difference in protection in the event of a get off? My needs are mostly touring, not much commuting, so the easy on and off is not so important to me. Most of my riding is in mid to warm weather, so venting is more important to me than waterproofness.
Firstgear makes nice stuff (although, not in the US, which is a consideration), and the features seem about the same. The big things that are different is the RC is Goretex and has the heavy duty elbow and shoulder patches. The RC may be repairable, but at what cost? Seems like the repair is almost what other jackets cost new.
I am happy to pay the extra if it can be justified by improved protection. Although if the venting is not so great, and I am wearing the mesh most of the time, this is sort of negated. I am also happy to a lessor extent to pay some extra to keep jobs in the US, although I would be buying the other from a local shop, which has some advantage of keeping jobs in town. Thoughts from folks who started one way and went to the other?