[krapfever]

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Okay, so I'm looking to buy my first set of leathers. Ebay's full of $500 specials -- flashy, splashy, squiddy...feh.

Plain black Vanson's really move me and anyway it seems like good sense to buy good leathers, seeing that they may save may ass some day. So, you know, its okay to spend, like, $1200 on a new set, right?

Honda go sideways!

 

[jbranson]

Most of us spent about that much.
My wife and I both have custom Vanson suits. That's almost exactly what each of ours costs....close to ten years ago.

About Vanson....as protection goes...very nice. They seem to me to be on the heavy duty side. Fit and finish is not quite as nice as some of the high end stuff like Dianese etc. but then the leather seems thicker so it's harder to work with I'm sure. The liners could be a bit better, same with the zippers...heavy duty but not real smooth. They are VERY crash worthy leathers. And they come with full armor in most cases.
Do yourself a BIG favor and get one of the under leathers perforated coveralls (the funny blue underwear looking stuff), on the hottest, sweatest day I can slide my leathers right on and off. They are made of the same slippery stuff the liners are made of and you just slide right in and out.
Consider perforated leathers...I don't have them...wish I did. You can always wear a sweat shirt underneath on a cold day...but on a hot day the ventilation is great.
I got two piece leathers...zip together at the waist...costs a little more but it's nice to be able to take the top off between races.
JohnnyB

 

[monkey]

my vanson suit cost me $600. i purchased it off the rack at the vanson factory in slightly used condition. no damage, basically new. the top is white and perforated..still hot as hell. just like jb said.. the zipper heavy duty but clumsey. i have been down about four times in them and they are still great.

matt

 

[joe c]

i had my 2 piece custom from vanson. they were way more than what jb paid, except i got my jacket for less 40% since i knew a designer at the time. i did pay full price for my pants though. so full price it was closer to about 1600 if i remember right. and that was without armor i think. the elbow knee armor they have is good. the back protector was a joke at the time though. i dont know what they have thats new.

if i hadnt known someone there i would have done what monkey did and gone and pulled one from the shelf. they have anice seconds room thats got all kinds of stuff in it you should check out if you have a chance. and then they have stuff off the rack new. perferated is definitely nice. when i bought mine, they came out with the perferated the next season. or i would have gotten that. and make sure you get ones with the expanders in the backs of the knees.

one nice thing about vanson is they repair thier stuff. and if youre in new england, its a nice service to have.

jc

 

[texmawby]

and they pay contingency in wera vintage!

i got my vanson suit, and two years ago i got $300.00 in vanson money (certificate).

sweet!

i have been down four times and the suit is fine! armor is great, back protector too. what joe said about the knees and johnny about the perfs.

dooooooooooooo it!

tex

"who's scooter is that?"
"joe clancy's"
"where's joe clancy?"
"sleeping!"

 

[imslow]

Even if you are 400 miles away, It's a good place to visit for a used suit. I was all ready to blow the $1400.00 when I went down there, I walked away with a black made to fit slightly used off the rack for about $550.00.

 

[paced_haste]

I currently have a Syed suit, and most of the comments above apply just the same. It was a bit cheaper: I think it was around $800 for a one-piece custom suit. From what I've heard and seen, Vanson is a better bet though. They're located closer, and they're very good about fixing their products.
I disagree with JohnnyB when it comes to the two-piece/one-piece deal. If you're going to race (which I understand you are) I think one piece of dead animal covering you is better than two. I don't find it bothersome to have the one-piece, and if it were possible for racers to avoid zippers all together we would.
Johnny was saying how the leather is thick and bulky. One way to avoid this is to get a kangaroo leather suit, instead of cow leather. MotoGP leathers have suits for around $1k that are 'roo leather. Supposed to be thinner, lighter, and just as resistant to abrasion. Plus the pouch is handy.

Z

Also, speaking of Vanson: does anybody know anything about their gloves? They look decent, but I haven't heard anything about them.
http://www.vansonleathers.com/images/gloves/7r11_lg2.jpg



Edited by - paced_haste on Mar 22 2006 11:01:17 AM

 

[paced_haste]

Johnny, you do look cute in your two-piece. I didn't mean to imply otherwise.

Z

 

[texmawby]

z-money is dead on about the 'roo leather. it weighs half as much as the cow hide and holds up well. samara has a 'roo suit, and i carried her suit and my vanson while unloading the van and couldn't believe how light it was. samara has also tested the pavement in that suit and it is great with little wear and no tears. i think she holds the penguin school record of 3 crashed ex-500's in a one day school!


tex



"who's scooter is that?"
"joe clancy's"
"where's joe clancy?"
"sleeping!"

 

[imslow]

he looks cute in the two piece but the baby shit brown kills me.

I'm not wearing any pants

 

[jbranson]

See...if you knew your vintage racing you'd know that the brown is what "yanks" were wearing when they started invading the Euro races.

Black leather is for wannabe bikers and gay boys. Way too hot in the sun. Yes..that means Aaron is a gay boy too.

At my height one piece is a pain, plus I hate pulling the top down and having it drag around on the ground or having the sleeves around my waist. PLUS...two piece gives nice double duty as street leathers. If I could afford two suits I'd consider a once piece for track riding.

And the brown is not really baby shit brown...it's "I'm special" brown.
JohnnyB

 

[bfd]

Got my Vanson suit used from newenough.com
It was only about $350 barely used but the tradeoff was the somewhat questionable color scheme used in the design. The original owner must have had matchsticks for legs but Vanson was able to put in some stretch material to expand it. I think the total package was less than $500. It's unperforated so it's really hot and heavy but gives a good sense of security. I think it would stop a bullet too.
BFD

 

[ttilghman]

I just ordered a Rev-It suit from Jordon. I picked the all black, fully perforated set. It'll be my first batch of modern leathers so I'm stoked. Also, it feels good to get gear from another racer with a young business.

http://revitusa.com/

-tt

 

[aaron]

My Vanson suit was $960 with a dealer discount which seems steep to me, but I have had a few get offs (crashes) in my suit and have been pleased with the results.

I did crash once with a 2-piece joe rocket suit that when landing and sliding I did find the zipper to be disharmonizing (I want that to be put in to Websters) with my body.

I like one piece leathers better, but if I was 6'9" I would prefer a 2-piece as well. If you figure the amount of actual leather it would take to make Bransons upper, its probably 50lbs.

I do like the Syeds too. I've never raced in one, but one night I was wearing Zacks and found it to be very comfortable.

Aaron

 

[A.D.]

I have a Rev-it one piece. It rocks. As for the two-piece they are nice, but last year Zach "Vespa Soho" took a nasty tumble @ frontier land and split his open. He ended up with some nasty road rash. Also, most UK organizations require 1 piece. "In case you were going to race in England"

Cheers, A.D.

 

[paced_haste]

Zippers can also be trouble when they conduct heat. The wrist and ankle zippers should always be on the inside of the arm/leg. I met a guy who had a scar from a zipper on the outside of his leg. If they hit pavement they can heat up something fierce, and conduct all that heat to your skin. Not ideal.
Also, Aaron getting all gay in your suit: Not ideal.

Z

 

[JD]

quote:
Also, Aaron getting all gay in your suit: Not ideal.

Z

When he said he wore your suit I didn't realize you were still in it.

and because I want to chime in too, I got my suit used from newenough.com for a little under 400. Fieldsheer two piece. not top of the line but I've got five get-offs in mine with multiple abbrasions and only one very minor hole in the right shoulder and all of them were very disharmonizing.

JD

 

[imslow]

yeah but you still look like the ninja turtle with that body plate! ! !

 

[monkey]

you also have that work boot mojo workin for ya. you need to get alpinestars to construct you a boot with same beige lether and gum botoms

matt

 

[jbranson]

Again...I'd urge you to get real race boots.
Among my many injuries is the removal of the ball of my right foot right behind the big toe. Long crash story...but foot went between fork and spokes...spokes proceeded to cut through my footwear and shear off (mostly) the ball of my foot. Yes I was probably wearing sneakers...I don't remember...but it would have done a number on regular boots too.
It's a weekly chore grinding off the calous that forms on the scar tissue where it was reattached...painful if I don't

Foot injuries will fuck you up for the rest of your life....you can do shit with one hand...try hopping on one foot for the rest of your life. Seriously...eventually you'll regret it if you don't get the proper armored boots.
JohnnyB