Two-piece leather suits in the test

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Two-piece leather suits in the test
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clothing

Station wagons, jackets & pants

Two-piece leather suits in the test

Product test: two-piece leather suits
Leather suits from 600 euros in the test

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Two-piece leather suits are very popular with motorcyclists on country roads. PS tested ten models from 600 euros – with sometimes surprising results.

Sebastian Lang

02/22/2011

In the battle for lap times on the racetrack, there is no getting around one-piece leather suits. It looks different with a motorcycle on the country road: First you iron over the house route, then you go to the ice cream cafe. Two-piece suits with a detachable jacket are much more practical here. But how safe are the leather pelts with a connecting zipper? We took the test and took a very close look at ten two-piece sets from 600 euros.

security

The most important criterion: security. The quality of the protectors is particularly important in the event of a fall. Based on the EC standards 1621-1 (joint protectors) and 1621-2 (back protectors), we tested the cushioning behavior of the protectors at Sas-Tec. The residual force values ​​were evaluated. The values ​​were particularly good hero and FLM The hard shell protectors from Rev’it delivered the worst values, Alpinestars and Dainese.

The back protectors left an ambivalent impression. Due to the separation of jacket and pants, the protector falls in all suits (only the models from FLM were tested), Swabian leather and Vanucci equipped with a real back protector) is too short and in extreme cases only protects the back up to the middle of the spine. One of the most significant differences from a one-piece suit!

Schwabenleder solves the problem best: They integrate an additional piece of protector in the waistband and put coccyx protection in the trousers. The station wagon is also the only model to offer a hip protector.

The comfort foam on the back, which is installed in many models instead of a real protector, repeatedly causes confusion. This is not a back protector, offers little protection and is not standardized!

In addition to the standard test, in which a five-kilogram metal body falls from a height of one meter onto the bare protector, we also tested the damping values ​​of the protectors built into the leather suit. The differences are sometimes immense: In the case of the Rev’it, the additional layer of leather and Velcro on the knee improved the residual strength value by two thirds. In the assessment, this additional test flows into the category “security” with a.

The attachment of the protectors is also relevant for safety. Ideally, as with Schwabenleder, the protectors are firmly sewn into the suit. In many cases, however, the protectors are only attached to the inner lining and can turn away in the event of a fall.
Especially with two-piece suits, the connection zipper is also relevant to safety. It is too small for almost all models and can tear if you fall. There is still room for improvement here in general!

This also applies to the quality of the textile stretch. With station wagons from 600 euros you can expect high-quality Schoeller Keprotec, instead cheap elastic bands were found in some cases, which can lead to bad burns in the event of a fall or contact with the exhaust. There was little to complain about in terms of safety when processing the station wagons: Almost all manufacturers protect fall zones with safety seams. Only Vanucci fails and does not offer a second seam in the back area.

Another safety aspect concerns the fit on the knees and elbows. If the station wagon is too far there, the protectors slip if you fall. Fortunately, there weren’t any major problems here.


Two-piece leather suits in the test


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Magnesium protector at Berik.

Fit

In order to assess the general cut, we checked the fit of the leather suits in the driving position together with leather suit expert Stefan Rottger from Skill Skin. Where does it pinch, where does it wrinkle? Most of the flaws were found in the shoulder and collar area. Especially with the models from Held, Vanucci and IXS the collar stands out at the rear in the driving position. The fit of the Berik could not be assessed due to an incorrectly delivered size (52 instead of 50).

Two test pilots with different clothing sizes assessed the wearing comfort. In addition to a sporty lap on the country road, a short walk was also included in the evaluation. Apart from the FLM, whose knee protectors are completely wrong and constantly pressing, there were no outliers here.

When putting on the sometimes a bit clunky connection zippers, the Held model in particular caused problems here. Rev’it also has a short zipper on the back, which hinders the operation of the connecting zipper.

The soft foam protectors, which are rock-hard due to winter temperatures, are annoying when you put them on, but they are particularly good for that. Tip: Models with appropriate protection should therefore be stored and put on at room temperature.

processing

Anyone who spends 600 euros or more on a leather suit expects a neatly sewn product. While the models from Alpinestars, Dainese, IXS and Schwabenleder fully live up to this expectation, FLM and Rev’it disappoint on closer inspection. The individual parts of the two station wagons are sloppily sewn together, especially on the inside of the leather.

material

In addition to leather and stretch, the inner lining was also included in the material evaluation. Just Dainese and Arlen Ness offer contemporary 3D inner lining that is slightly thicker, extremely air-permeable and transports sweat away more effectively than conventional inner lining.
Arlen Ness offers luxury inner linings with stretch zones. A point that is neglected by the other combination manufacturers: Often it is not the leather but the inner lining that is responsible for the lack of freedom of movement.

Buying tips / rating


Two-piece leather suits in the test


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Two-piece back protectors (left) are generally too short.

Buying tips

1. Fit
Put on the suit and walk a few meters. Do protectors or cuffs rub? In the riding position on the motorcycle, the collar must fit snugly around the neck, the suit should not be wrinkled anywhere, but also not be too tight. In general, the more often a leather suit is worn, the more comfortable it becomes.

2. Processing
If possible, open the inner lining and look at the seams on the inside. Are threads hanging or is everything properly processed? A good combination consists of a few, neatly sewn individual parts.

3. Security
This is where the wheat is separated from the chaff. One of the biggest problem areas: the protectors. Do you sit in the driving position where you should sit? Are they just hanging loosely in the inner lining, are they stored in pockets on the leather or, ideally, are they even sewn in? Comfort foams, which are often misunderstood as back protectors, are particularly misleading. Ask the seller whether the suit has a CE protector on the back. The connecting zipper should be as solid as possible and sewn to the leather on the jacket and pants. If the zipper is sewn onto the inner lining, it can tear off in the event of a fall.

 

valuation

 maximum number of points  Alpinestars  Arlen Ness   Berik  Dainese  FLM Protectors  10  3  7th  6th  4th  10
security  10  5  7th  7th  6th  5
Fit  10  8th  9  –  9  5
processing  5  5  4th  4th  5  2
material  5  4th  5  4th  5  2
Total points  40  25th  32  –  29  24
placement    6th.  2.  –  3.  7th.
 maximum number of points  hero  IXS  Rev’it  Swabian leather  Vanucci Protectors  10  9  7th  3  9  7th
security  10  6th  6th  5  10  5
Fit  10  6th  7th  6th  8th  6th
processing  5  4th  5  2  5  3
material  5  3  3  3  4th  3
Total points  40  28  28  19th  36  24
placement
   4th.  4th.  9.  1.  7th.


Two-piece leather suits in the test


MPS studio

Alpinestars GP PRO 2.

Contact Alpinestars S.P.A., 31011 Asolo, Italy, Tel. 00 39/04 23/52 95 71, www.alpinestars.com
price from 899.95 euros
material  Cowhide
Sizes  48 to 60
Protectors  E, S, K *

Noticed
The protectors are housed in pockets and there are buttons for the back protector.

Conclusion 
The GP Pro2 is very comfortable for both walking and driving, but the back and knees are not perfectly cut. Workmanship and materials are beyond any doubt, but there are deductions in the security area. The hard shell protectors deliver poor residual force values ​​in the shock absorption test, the connection zipper between pants and jacket is significantly undersized.


Two-piece leather suits in the test


MPS studio

Arlen Ness MAG.

Contact Held GmbH, 87545 Burgberg, Tel. 0 83 21/66 46-0, www.held.de
price from 899.00 euros
material Cowhide
Sizes 48 to 58
Protectors  E, S, K *

Noticed
The magnesium caps are chic. The pseudo back protector is a sham.

Conclusion 
The Mag² has a sporty cut, fits like a glove and is very comfortable to wear. The 3d lining with stretch areas is also used as a reference. The double-layer comfort foam in the back area only serves as a placeholder for a real back protector and offers no protection – not immediately recognizable at first glance. The protectors are connected to the leather with Velcro, but only deliver medium impact values


Two-piece leather suits in the test


MPS studio

Berik Brave Heart.

Contact Held GmbH, 87545 Burgberg, Tel. 0 83 21/66 46-0, www.held.de
price from 599.00 euros
material Cowhide
Sizes 48 to 58
Protectors  E, S, K *

Noticed
Magnesium is also available from Berik. Name and blood group can be entered in the inner lining.

Conclusion 
Due to an incorrect size, the fit of the Brave Heart could not be rated, which means that it falls out of the overall rating. In the other areas, it can keep up with the competition despite the cheapest price of 599 euros. The good workmanship and the neat leather are convincing, but the inner lining looks cheap. The protectors are attached to the leather with Velcro, but only end up in the midfield in the shock absorption test.


Two-piece leather suits in the test


MPS studio

Dainese T. Draken.

Contact Dainese, 80807 Munich, Tel. 0 89/720 187-0, www.dainese.com
price from 799.00 euros
material Cowhide
Sizes 44 to 60, special sizes
Protectors E, S, K *

Noticed
The 3d bubble lining is exemplary, the connecting zip a little too small.

Conclusion 
Dainese does almost everything right with the T. Draken. Workmanship and materials are exemplary. The fit is also good: everything is where it should be. There are only deductions for two areas of pressure on the shoulder blades and the uncomfortable knee area. The shoulder cap also serves as a protector and, like the other protectors, provides mediocre residual strength values. Very good: The protectors are sewn in and do not slip.


Two-piece leather suits in the test


MPS studio

FLM Tech.

Contact Polo Express Shipping, 41363 Juchen, Tel. 0 21 65/84 40 200, www.polo-motorrad.de
price from 599.90 euros
material Cowhide
Sizes 48 to 56
Protectors E, S, K, R *

Noticed
The inside of the FLM is poorly processed, but has a full back protector.

Conclusion 
The best thing about the FLM Tech are the protectors. They convince in the impact test with the best residual force values. Unfortunately, the protector shapes do not match the station wagon. The result: the knee is completely wrong, and the elbow doesn’t really fit either. Workmanship and materials look cheap. The leather is thin, the seams on the inside of the station wagon unclean. The back protector is commendable, but should be a bit bigger.


Two-piece leather suits in the test


MPS studio

Hero Multiplex.

Contact Held GmbH, 87545 Burgberg, Tel. 0 83 21/66 46-0, www.held.de
price from 779.00 euros
material Cowhide
Sizes 40 to 62, special sizes
Protectors E, S, K *

Noticed
The plastic cap on the knee is superfluous, as is the ray skin on the upper arm – but chic.

Conclusion 
The biggest drawback of the Held Multiplex is its fit on the upper body. The shoulder area in particular does not sit properly. The fit of the pants, on the other hand, is okay. The ray skin on the upper arm is sewn in with only a small edge and can easily tear off in the event of a fall, but is underlaid with leather. The connecting zipper looks very cheap and runs difficult. The protector values ​​are exemplary, but the shoulder protector is quite small.


Two-piece leather suits in the test


MPS studio

IXS Fireball.

Contact Hostettler GmbH, 79379 Mullheim, Tel. 0 76 31/18 04-0, www.ixs.de
price from 749.90 euros
material Cowhide
Sizes 48 to 64, special sizes
Protectors E, S, K *

Noticed
The IXS jacket fits well even without shoulder stretch. The waist size is adjustable.

Conclusion 
The cut of the Fireball is very touristy. The jacket sits perfectly on the shoulder despite the lack of stretch, the collar is too wide for that. The pants fit well, the smooth leather offers little support on the seat pad. The material is good except for the simple, non-removable lining, the workmanship is very good. The protectors are okay, but the shoulder protector slips easily. The Velcro for the knee slider is way too small.


Two-piece leather suits in the test


MPS studio

Rev’it Apollo.

Contact Rev’it !, 5347 JG Oss, Netherlands, Tel. 00 31/4 12/69 67 40, www.revit.eu
price from 668.00 euros
material Cowhide
Sizes 48 to 56
Protectors E, S, K *

Noticed
A scrap of fabric connects shoulder protector and leather. The short zipper is annoying.

Conclusion 
The Apollo can hardly convince in any area. Shoulders, back and knees sit badly. The jacket is comfortable, but the pants offer too little stretch for hanging-off and pinch the knee. The short zipper on the back is too close to the connecting zipper and is annoying. The cheap stretch and the simple inner lining bring deductions, the loveless workmanship on the inside too. The protectors deliver the worst values ​​in the test.


Two-piece leather suits in the test


MPS studio

Swabian leather Tomcat.

Contact Schwabenleder, 73650 Winterbach, Tel. 0 71 81/96 70 10, www.schwabenleder.de
price from 1395.00 euros
material Cowhide
Sizes 44 to 60, special sizes
Protectors E, S, K, R, H *

Noticed
The protectors are sewn into the leather and backed with Kevlar on the inside.

Conclusion 
The “Pro Sport” version of the Tomcat is convincing all along the line. However, at 1395 euros, the Schwabenleder costs more than twice as much as the Berik model. Apart from the somewhat tight thigh, the fit is very good. The processing is beyond any doubt. There are small deductions for the simple inner lining, the leather is great. The many protectors are sewn in firmly and provide very good impact values.


Two-piece leather suits in the test


MPS studio

Vanucci Art XIV.

Contact Detlev Louis GmbH, 21035 Hamburg, Tel. 0 40/73 41 93 60, www.louis.de
price from 799.90 euros
material Cowhide
Sizes 48 to 58
Protectors E, S, K, R *

Noticed
The knee protector is pushed in from the outside, the protectors are too thin at the edge.

Conclusion 
The fit of Art XIV leaves an ambivalent impression: the trousers fit well, the jacket is too long and protrudes from the collar. The stretch in the crotch offers little freedom of movement for hanging-off. The processing is on a decent level, the leather quality is also O.K. There are deductions for the simple inner lining. The lack of a safety seam on the back and the ventilation slots in the fall zone on the thigh are major safety flaws.

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