1-Piece Suit?

[GixerEd1]

I'm taking the 2-Day CSS at Vegas in April 2013 and the gear will all be provided.

 

I've been eyeballing some good deals on A-Star 1-piece suits and am wondering which size I should buy.

 

A month ago, I went to Revzilla in Philly to try on some A-Star 1-piece suits - a 36US and a 38US.

 

The 36US fit like second skin, with no loose, folding or flapping leather anywhere.

 

The 38US fit a little looser, with some loose/folding/flapping leather along the legs and arms, plus some roominess in the torso.

 

The 36US was hard to get on, and even harder to get off, even while wearing a liner-suit.

 

The 38US was easier to get on, and was not really hard to get off.

 

Revzilla recommended that I get a 36US because the suit will break-in and stretch where needed, whereas the 38US will never shrink. They said the loose/folding/flapping leather along the legs and arms can catch on the ground and send me tumbling, may wear through quicker at the folds, and the armor may move upon impact and not provide the protection as needed. They also said that if the 38US came off that "easily," then it's definitely too big.

 

I understand and agree with their reasoning, but unfortunately I did not try on the suits with the A-Star Bionic Race Back Protector and Chest Protectors, which would make the suits that much "tigher" than they were without.

 

Truthfully, I believe a 37US would be fit best, if that size existed, but it doesn't. I don't think I can spend the bucks on a custom suit, so one of these off-the-rack suits will have to do.

 

Should I get the 36US or the 38US?

 

Or should I go back to Revzilla to try on the suits again, but with the back/chest protectors in this time?

 

Thanks for your advice and/or opinions!

GixerEd1

[csmith12]

Suites will break in a bit but should take some effort (but not considered hard) to get on and off, especially around the shoulders and needs to be tight enough to keep armor in place in the event of an off. You don't want anything flapping around.

 

Did you think about leaving room for underarmor? Back, chest protector and maybe padded shorts? Those need some room too.

[GixerEd1]

Hi csmith12.

 

Thanks for the response. Yes, I anticipate including back and chest protectors, and maybe padded shorts as well. That is why I wish I tried on the suits with all that included. I may have to run to Revzilla again to try on the suits WITH all that armor/padding included to see whether the 36US or 38US is the better fit.

 

I'm lean and lanky, and tough to fit off-the-rack, so I will start looking into a custom suit, but that may be out of my budget, though many riders say it's money well-spent. Others say to buy off-the-rack and have it "altered" where needed, though I'm nervous about messing with the factory-original stitching.

[spthomas]

I'd go back with the back & chest protectors and try it, as much as you are going to spend even if it's a good deal. It sounds like the 36 has no room already and with the other stuff underneath, it won't work. I wouldn't count on the leather stretching; there are stretch panels in suits and if that's not enough, I'd recommend going up a size. It should be comfortable when you are hunched over in the riding position. Mine is that way (US38) and standing up and walking around is pretty awkward. I do recommend using the under armour type of pants and shirt under it. One time I went for a ride and had a short sleeve shirt on and my arms weren't super sweaty but they were moist enough I could not get the suit off when I got home- this wasn't a track day and no one else was home and I was just a tiny bit panicked!

[anthem]

generally if a suit fits pretty well, then it'll stretch to handle a back protector with the stretch panels and the leather stretching. Its kind of like shoes - leather stretches, and after a few sweat session, quite a bit actually, . . . It depends whether the 38 is too big. It sounds like the 38 is too big, so the recommendation to go smaller.

[GixerEd1]

Thanks again anthem! Yeah, I think the 38US is going to be too big too, mainly in length and "looseness" here-and-there. I wouldn't want the armor to move or rotate away if I was to ever go down.

[anthem]

I am not advocating this in any way but I have heard people take new suits, sit in the shower and do calisthenics for half an hour to stretch their new suits. To me that can't be good for the leather , right ? ?? But that being said its no worse than sweat(salty water) working its way in and soaking the suit while you are on a hot track day. So I imagine no worse for wear ....

 

But yes the suits will stretch even without water. Most people walk around for a bit around the house several times a week before wearing the suit on track - suffering the ridicule of their significant others in the process....

[GixerEd1]

Hi anthem. I've read about people hopping into the shower with a new suit and how that supposedly helps the suit stretch/shrink where needed, but I've gotten leather wet before and it wasn't a good thing - leather cracking and discoloring, getting smelly. With sweat, I would hope the liner, plus the undersuit I would also wear, will minimize the effects to the leather itself.

 

I think I will just wear the suit around the house and watch ESPN for a few hours. And the several fridge runs will help get things in motion as well.

[warregl]

I would highly recommend trying on the suit with back/chest protectors (as you plan to ride) and getting on a bike (even if it is just on a center stand). While a suit will strech, you really don't want to find out that it cuts into you in a bad spot once you add layers and try to hang off for that first knee down corner. Personally I find a little too big (not so much the armor is in the wrong place) to be preferable to a little too small (i.e. putting it on raises my voice an octave or two).

 

I used to wear two piece leathers on the track and they never fit quite right (even altered). Once I had a suit that fit right I realized how much of my $10 of attention I was spending on being uncomfortable in my leathers. Spend the extra time before you spend the extra money.

[Hotfoot]

I would highly recommend trying on the suit with back/chest protectors (as you plan to ride) and getting on a bike (even if it is just on a center stand). While a suit will strech, you really don't want to find out that it cuts into you in a bad spot once you add layers and try to hang off for that first knee down corner. Personally I find a little too big (not so much the armor is in the wrong place) to be preferable to a little too small (i.e. putting it on raises my voice an octave or two).

 

I used to wear two piece leathers on the track and they never fit quite right (even altered). Once I had a suit that fit right I realized how much of my $10 of attention I was spending on being uncomfortable in my leathers. Spend the extra time before you spend the extra money.

 

Well said, I have to agree on this. Having a suit that is too tight can be very distracting and can even make you short of breath if your neck or chest is constricted while hanging off. Taking in a suit is not too hard but making one bigger is quite difficult.

 

Custom is really the way to go if you can swing it - by the time you buy an off rack suit and get it altered, the cost can be close to custom anyway. Leathers last a long time (unless you crash a lot!) and it's worth taking the time to get them to fit right.

 

Although I know it is safer to have a tight suit, I prefer mine a little looser, too - mainly so that I can add a warm layer underneath on cold days.

[GixerEd1]

Thanks warregl, sounds like very good advice. Have to run back to the shop again to try on the suits with the chest/back protectors, AND sit AND hang off the bike a bit to see which size fits and feels better. Can maybe order both sizes and return the one that doesn't fit/feel as well, but not sure if STG or Revzilla or some other shop would like me doing that.

[GixerEd1]

Thanks Hotfoot. Haha, I've got my work cut out for me, and I haven't even gotten to the track yet.

[anthem]

Well said, I have to agree on this. Having a suit that is too tight can be very distracting and can even make you short of breath if your neck or chest is constricted while hanging off. Taking in a suit is not too hard but making one bigger is quite difficult.

 

Custom is really the way to go if you can swing it - by the time you buy an off rack suit and get it altered, the cost can be close to custom anyway. Leathers last a long time (unless you crash a lot!) and it's worth taking the time to get them to fit right.

 

Although I know it is safer to have a tight suit, I prefer mine a little looser, too - mainly so that I can add a warm layer underneath on cold days.

 

Hotfoot agree with everything said here except about making one bigger. Apparently (from someone who works in the leather suit business) if it fits and its just a bit too constricting its just as easy for them (in his case her) to make it a bit larger than a bit smaller. Apparently they just replace the stretch panel wi a larger one as most suits have. Or at worse put a panel on the zipper or both sides or something. She said it was "easy" - so apparently I technically it's easy but conceptually to us we think tough to add material when it isn't there .... It is apparently more difficult on some pure custom suits as some pure custom suits don't have stretch panels to modify the suit. Anyhow - just FYI for those interested in a suit being "let out" a bit.

[Hotfoot]

Ah, that is good info, thanks - I WAS thinking in terms of it being hard to add material. I know one thing my custom leathers guy told me was that some of the manufacturers suits use some materials that are hard to modify and hard to stitch - but he is old fashioned and might be uncomfortable with adding more stretch material or stitching to non-leather material. I think one of the other factors was what padding inserts they use and how they are attached - the suits he makes have an inner liner and the pads are secured with that somehow, and can easily be removed or repositioned, some other suits have them attached to a Velcro strip or have them inaccessible or difficult to move.

 

Oh, one more thing to check for - does the suit come with a back pad? Often you can remove the cheap foam backpad if you are using a separate back protector and that might change the fit of a suit.

[anthem]

 

Oh, one more thing to check for - does the suit come with a back pad? Often you can remove the cheap foam backpad if you are using a separate back protector and that might change the fit of a suit.

 

Yes that's something completely forgot. Most suits come with some cheap foam piece in there that does nothing. It's a "placeholder" for lack of any other term. Yu should remove it if you need some space when you put your back protector in. Some people leave it in as the "filler" to fill out the suit ....

[GixerEd1]

Thanks for all the advice, much appreciated!

[Cobie Fair]

Might be able to get a custom suit from AGVSport at a reasonable prie...we are also quite happy with their off the shelf products, protection wise.

 

I'd heard that making smaller was easier than making larger, and I imagine it depends on where (the stretch panel thing makes sense). For example, I have trouble getting a stock suit that fits in the shoulders, to fit in the waist and length. In my case, making it larger didn't seem to be an option.

 

A-stars does make a good product no doubt. We quite like their upper end boots.