what to buy- leather? material?

Originally Posted by skeetly

rst leathers any good?
And if so which ones in their range?

I have a pair of RST Forza boots, only worn them a few times and they are falling apart already plus they dont answer there emails, I wouldnt touch RST again

Riko,

As you say that you're riding for pleasure I'd definitley go for a decent, fitting set of 2 piece zip together leathers first, with a waterproof oversuit for extremely cold/wet days. As others say you can keep warm in extreme winter with the use of a set of thermals, a fleece over the top and your waterproofs on top of that. This combination worked for me for my first 1 1/2 years of riding (mainly for pleasure), including when there was snow on the ground. Having the leathers meant I could soon do trackdays, which for me was one of the reasons for getting into biking. If you're riding for pleasure I'd imagine you'll be less likely to ride in extreme cold/wet conditions, but the waterproofs under the seat keep you covered for all eventualities.

If you find yourself doing more commuting or winter riding over time then you could add a decent textile jacket and use in conjunction with your leather trousers, or textile trouser to use in conjunction with your jacket, or both, with all the usual textile caveats as above. A proper back protector is also a must.

Just my 2p worth, hope it helps.

To be honest, if you are on a tight budget, I would keep an open mind about both types and simply go for the best fit you can get for the price.

As long as CE armour is included and you keep your eyes open for the quality of materials and manufacturing, then for the kind of use it will be getting either is good on a budget.

Textiles may be more flexible in their usage, but leather is the best for meeting the tarmac... that said though it's all 6 of one and half a dozen of the other in the low/mid range of the market.

I wouldn't mess you head up worrying about it and go for what fits well and is comfortable from a reputable manufacturer.