Chicagoland newbie help 7 ride right info

I don't know if you're close to Indy or not, but I have size 46 Honda Racing leathers, and a size 50 Alpinestars leathers you could try on if you like. They both fit me exactly the same, proving many suits are sized a little different.

 

There's no brand on those leathers, sir. And that level of graphics would be $2000 or more in a proper custom suit.
OK, I totally want to be helpful here and please do not think me arrogant, since you're not going to like what I have to say. Your safety equipment is the only thing keeping you safe if you crash! This is not a Halloween costume: it is your life, your health and the quality with which you will live forevermore after you crash. Leather is a money trap. A million companies exist to turn the skin of something that once went "Moo" into a way to steal your money.
Twenty years after I began riding the racetrack, I'm currently Senior Editor at TrackdayMag.com. I've seen, worn and crashed in the best and worst that money can by. I have the scars to prove it. DO NOT get scammed. DO NOT cheap out. You will regret it.
Need to save money? Buy the lesser offering from a well known brand of leathers. Then at least, you will be getting good quality construction and design. There are many tricks to sewing a suit so that it will not come apart in a tumble and slide. Scam suits are built like regular clothing. They have been known to explode on impact, leaving flesh out there in the breeze.
Leather is a tricky material. There is full grain, which is the whole thickness of the hide. This is strong but heavy and uncomfortable. Then there is top grain, where the hide is split to make it thinner. More flexible, lighter and prettier but not as protective. Most suits are top grain but not all cows and not all leather processes are alike. This all affects the final protective quality of the leather. "Looks good" is way easier and cheaper to accomplish than than "looks good and also performs well sliding down the asphalt at 150mph." Again, known brands use good leather. Unknown brands use cheap leather. Cheap leathers are about stealing your money at the risk of your life and health.
Stretch material is used to make suits more comfortable. There is Kevlar, usually branded Schoeller Keprotech. Then there is spandex, like your daughter wears to her ballet class. You don't want to hit the ground in a tutu, so make sure it's Kevlar stretch material.
Armor is a major part of the program. Some suits use Knox armor. Why? Knox builds the best armor. It's expensive though. There are alternatives. At the minimum, you need CE rated armor.
In light of the fact that this is the Sportbike Track Time forum, I will not offer my opinions on which brands you should consider. I do think that you should call Sportbike Track gear. They have something for every budget and it's all in stock. At least then you'd be dealing with knowledgeable people who are interested in you surviving a crash to continue as their customer. You could literally drive to Michigan and try it on before you buy. Spend what it takes to get a suit that fits right and will protect you. There is no other logical option.

 

My wife (god bless her) got to spend spend time cleaning little bits of gravel out of my butt after the stretch material in my A*s suit failed at the seam where it meets the leather. The stretch material got replaced with Keprotech. My friend who had the same suit got his replaced as well. Accept only Kevlar materials for the stretch material in your suit.

 

Feint, please notice that On2wheels' experience came in an Alpinestars suit. Now Alpinestars is THE most respected and largest brand in the industry. You'd figure that if you bought one, you'd have top shelf stuff, right? How could that have happened? Because even Alpinestars is willing to separate a buyer from his money and sell a product that will not offer protection adequate for racetrack riding. Alpinestars' suit pricing runs from $2895 all the way down to what, $699? They want to take the money from every buyer in the market, regardless. Problem is, they don't bill the less expensive suits as substandard. You figure it's all the protection without all the bells and whistles, while the company does nothing to discourage you from that train of thought. Deceptive? Well.... The low end stuff looks great, has that all-important brand logo and is far safer than a tee shirt and jeans, so in that case, has the company provided style and adequate protection for that segment of buyer? Yes they have. We as track riders simply aren't that segment of buyer. A Range Rover and a Kia Soul look similar. The cost difference is huge, however the government makes them both meet high crash standards. The price difference does not necessarily make one vehicle less safe to crash in than the other. Unfortunately, this is not how suits are sold.
It's up to you as the consumer to determine what will and won't work for your application, RE: racetrack riding. Kinda tough, since you're no leather expert. I'd suggest that whatever you end up with, make sure it has Schoeller Keprotech stretch material. At least then you will be buying a suit which has the most obvious cheat avoided.

 

You did OK for sure! I think you have the exact low-line Alpinestars suit we were talking about that doesn't have the Keprotech stretch material.

 

If you want to replace the stretch material with Keprotech, or you do manage to lose weight or the suit doesn't fit right, contact Alexa at Spyder Leatherworks up here in Milwaukee. She can give you a quote on replacing the stretch material, and she does suit alterations.

Although I wouldn't call her right now, I was in her shop yesterday and it looked like a herd of colorful cows exploded. This is her busy season.

 

On top of Alexa's normally busy season, she is having fun with a bunch of last minute patch changes and additions for AMA riders, so yeah probably wait until after the Daytona season opener to call her if you can.

 

leather work

use alexa she is the best. dont chance your leathers to anyone else, ship them to her and she will do the job right. you dont want to find someone did a shitty job while sliding along at 80mph on the track. The smell of the leather burning up is bad enough, dont put your skin in the mix

 

Yeah, NO. Alexa at Spyder Leatherworks is pretty much unique in the country. The only safe option is Barnacle Bill down in Kentucky, but he's more famous for complete custom suits. Alexa has always gotten my business.

 

I was the "friend" on2Wheels was referring to - the only part you really could use the upgrade to keprotech on that suit is the inner thigh and rump area - I've crashed my copy of that suit twice with that backpad onboard - backpad saved my ass the last time as it was a particularly nasty highside - I'd still wear it to race with the arse replaced

To K3's earlier comments - the a-stars suit you found and Dale and I had is perfectly servicable for track day duty...you get faster or start racing (I'm on year 4 racing...3 with that suit...) maybe look at upgrading...Dale's crash was a bit ...odd... butt (GRIN) the result is worth noteing and getting that panel replaced at some not to distant point - again this IS a suit from a reputable brand...even their entry level is pretty damn tough...panel wasn't too expensive as I remember...Alexa fixed the legs on mine while she was at it so it fit properly....and the new shop is light airy and a sweet spot for her...if you're at all close drop her a call make the weekend trip and have her go thru the fitting with you, she's not ever going to tell you something needs doing that doesn't...ever.....(all hail the mistress of all things leather...)