Jacket or No Jacket in Hot Weather - Which is Cooler?

[DrJohn]

I never used a jacket in the the hot summer weather in 46 years of riding. I'm perfectly happy riding in the winter. I only stop when the snow arrives. I'm alway hot. I tried a cooling vest that fills with ice packs. It is supposed to last 4 hours. It lasted me only 30 minutes. I don't usually ride for less than 2 hours.

Some people say a jacket will keep you cooler.

What is your opinion and experience?

John

[GOZFST]

My experience in over 50 years of riding is it's cooler with a jacket. Your body cools by evaporation, if you add sun, wind and heat your body can't keep up. A good jacket with vents that you can open and close will be cooler than one without. When you're stopped jackets are hotter. A good jacket like Cycleports stretch kevlar will give you better protection than leather and be cooler on the road. I remeber laughing when I was coming home from the Very Boring Aerostich Rally in Duluth, it was about 100 degrees out and I had stopped for a lunch break. I was taking off my jacket and sweating alot when these cool harley riders pulled and snickered at me cause I was sweating and wearing a jacket. The woman was wearing a tank top and was burn't so bad from the wind and sun she looked like a tomato.I ate my lunch and before I left went into the bathroom and soaked my t-shirt and off I rode. This is all based on my experience YMMV.

[kbwitt]

In AZ were there is always sun I find by keeping my arms in shade of jacket or long sleeve cotton t shirt works best for me.
Kenn

[Ron2andia]

I wear a jacket in hot weather also the air passing through it feels amazing when I get up a good speed. Also just bought a one piece Speed and Strentgh mesh jersey with armor in it... I'll see how that feels soon...

[Mazo EMS2]

I do pretty well with my mesh jacket with the liner taken out.

[Bob Denman]

Wearing a mesh jacket; is MUCH cooler, than just wearing sun-block!

[robmorg]

My experience in over 50 years of riding is it's cooler with a jacket. Your body cools by evaporation, if you add sun, wind and heat your body can't keep up. A good jacket with vents that you can open and close will be cooler than one without. When you're stopped jackets are hotter.

Interesting. I've always seen these posts about being cooler with a jacket, but the idea just doesn't seem very innate. Your post is the first I've seen that includes a plausible explanation. Guess I'll never really know for sure since I've never come across a vented or mesh jacket in my size. I've ordered one or two from internet vendors over the years, but always had to send them back.

In very hot weather, I just use a long sleeve cotton T-shirt and keep a bottle of water within easy reach to sip when I stop. (The advent of modular helmets has made that easier.) The sweat evaporating from the shirt seems to help, and my arms don't get burnt.

[BajaRon]

A full face helmet and a mesh jacket on over a cotton, long sleeve T-Shirt are much cooler as long as you are moving. If you are in stop and go traffic this combination is hotter, but not by that much. But there is more too it than this. You also have much more chance of suffering from dehydration with T-shirt and shorts and as much skin exposed as possible, (no jacket, no pants).

But it is a rare person who will listen to this wisdom. And a lot of people suffer needlessly for it. The reason is, As you put all of this on and are standing still in the blazing sun it IS hotter with the right gear on and people give up right there. Plus physiologically, you THINK you'll be cooler wearing as little as possible. But it just isn't the case.

I've ridden with people in hot weather that are all about 1/2 or 3/4 helmets, T-Shirt and Shorts. And they are absolutely toast after a few hours. Whereas, I'm still running along just fine. Still, it's very hard to convince people of this.

[BajaRon]

Interesting. I've always seen these posts about being cooler with a jacket, but the idea just doesn't seem very innate. Your post is the first I've seen that includes a plausible explanation. Guess I'll never really know for sure since I've never come across a vented or mesh jacket in my size. I've ordered one or two from internet vendors over the years, but always had to send them back.

In very hot weather, I just use a long sleeve cotton T-shirt and keep a bottle of water within easy reach to sip when I stop. (The advent of modular helmets has made that easier.) The sweat evaporating from the shirt seems to help, and my arms don't get burnt.

This is a better approach than the bare skin method. But the advantage of the mesh jacket is that it not only gives you protection in an accident, but it also helps regulate the evaporation rate over the entire surface area. A T-Shirt alone will allow a higher rate of evaporation than ideal. Fabric mesh gloves are also a good idea. I'm surprised that no one has a jacket that will fit you.

[Pampurrs]

I wear long sleeve shirts in the summer, mainly just to protect my skin from the blow torch of a sun we have here. I also wear a cooling vest when it's really hot.

I see people here riding motorcycles in tank tops, shorts, and sandals in the summer and just have to scratch my head and wonder. Not only is their skin getting scorched by the sun, but also by the heat of the pipes.

Pam

[Highwayman2013]

I use a wicking shirt with a mesh jacket. When it gets real hot I use a cooling vest between the shirt and jacket. Very hot here in Las Vegas.

[gparr]

Kind of on topic...what do you all use on top of your head underneath your helmet?

[ARtraveler]

I have both a perforated leather jacket and a mesh jacket. Both seem to work fine. The only time I rode without a jacket was our afternoon journey when we were in Maui Hawaii. It was almost 100. The Spyder even shut down because of overheating--but restarted fine after about 15 minutes.

[Pampurrs]

Kind of on topic...what do you all use on top of your head underneath your helmet?

Hair

Pam

[asp125]

I find that a cotton/wicking t-shirt under a mesh jacket is coolest. Sweat pulled from your body evaporates slower beneath a jacket, so the cooling effect lasts longer than the t-shirt directly in the wind. Once I rode without a jacket and my bare arms felt hotter under direct sun. If you really want cooling, try soaking your t-shirt in a sink of cold water before riding. Had to do that one year in 100 degree desert heat, worked great for about 30min, and then gradually got hotter but by then we hit the next town - repeat the process to the next gas stop.

[Dray]

I have been on scoots most of my 73 years and one shirt I always have with me is a
good long sleeve fly fishing shirt. Does an excellent job of keeping the sun off my
old body, is light weight, well vented and the sleeves can be rolled up and buttoned in
place. That all said, do wear something! Be it a jacket (vented or mesh), shirt or whatever.
Protect your skin with a GOOD sun tan lotion. Latest word that I read recommends a spray
on type. I use a 100s SP rated type. Cancer caused by the sun is really wicked to cure!!
Opinions may vary. This is just mine.

Dray

[Bob Denman]

Hair

Pam

NOW you're just bragging!!
(I was the model for the little guy above this line...

[kngfsh27]

I wear a mesh jacket with a long sleeve t-shirt under it. I also always wear leather gauntlet gloves. Since having cancer and now for the third time, I can't take the sun. The mesh jacket is so much cooler going down the road. When I stop I unzip to ventilate. I also conceal carry so I need a place to hide my gun, so the jacket is norm.

[PrairieSpyder]

I use my Olympia jacket with the mesh panels open, usually over a t-shirt. In the worst heat, I add an evaporative vest under the jacket.

Under my helmet I wear a Heat-Out beanie. I don't know if it helps keep my head cooler, but it does help keep the inside of my helmet clean.

[djhobin]

I wear a mesh jacket in hot weather and I always wear a Heat out skull cap. It is not only cooler but it makes my ears feel more comfortable under the helmet. In the heat I also like to ride with the face shield down. My cousin and I were riding in 117 degree heat, he was wearing a vest and short sleeve shirt 3/4 helmet with no face shield, I was wearing mesh jacket, mesh pants and modular helmet with face shield down. At the end of the day he was wiped-out. I was tired but not like he was.

[Deanna777]

I wear a short sleeve cotton t-shirt , Jeans, boots over ankles, no jacket, a full face helmet/VOX with built in eye glasses / face shield that I can pull down if needed. I bring a container of flavored water we me, so when I pull over/or get gas I take a drink.

I wear a jacket is when I am riding to work( @ 4:30 am) or in the fall ( cooler weather).
Deanna

[fratzba]

Mesh jacket, no liner, and shortie mesh gloves so that air can get in the sleeves.

-Fratz

[clinard]

Denim Jacket with an extra layer of patches on the front, back and left sleeve. Wear it from when it gets warm enough in the spring til it gets too cool in the fall. Agree with others on the cooling by slowing of evaporation rate and protection from the sun. An added plus for me is that even though its thin its tougher than skin on asphalt...voice of experience.

[robertl]

Mesh jacket with sports tshirt or polo or heat out top, mesh gloves, and full helmet.
I wore a heat out beanie in old helmet but new one is not broke in enough yet.

I wear sunblock often here in FL but i find it often makes me hotter. Guess it blocks some of the sweating.
Mesh jacket, gloves, helmet help block the sun. Not sure if it is medicine i take but i can burn in 10 or 15 minutes.

I like the heat out gear but i do find it too hot to walk around off the bike. I even wore the top on a car road trip because it kept my back cooler during the 13 hr drive.

It isn't uncommon that i buy and extra bottle of water for pouring down my back because with the mesh jacket it will dry quickly once on the road.

[SpyderAnn01]

I wear a mesh jacket around town and if I'm traveling a distance I wear a textile jacket with a cool vest underneath. I never ride with exposed skin as I would fry in the hot desert sun.