u/Alarmed_Addendum_925

Background: Due to the high rate of fatalities involving motorcyclists in my home country, I was barred from riding motorcycles ever since I was young. It's not uncommon to hear of a poor soul losing his life while riding a motorcycle on the news, due to a combination of factors.

The extreme heat here can be very unfriendly to motorcyclists, especially with heavy gear, so compromise is inevitable in our gear selection. You can, of course, go gung-ho like 99.9 percent of other riders here with a $10 helmet, T-shirts and slippers, but we all know how well this works for those who are unlucky enough to get into an accident.

Cost is also a big factor because EU/US gear can be very expensive relative to locals' income. I'm considered lucky to have enough spare cash for all the things I've shown ITT.

Essentially, my choices are made based on the balance between cost, heat and protection. Most of the gear featured is also made by Chinese brands, purchased from either Taobao or local dealers. As a side note, I'm about 62kg and 5'7" tall.

I'll keep this limited to jackets and pants for now; if there's enough interest I wouldn't mind sharing my gloves, shoes and helmet as well.

Reviews:

Pic 1 (Upper Body)

• Item 1 > Duhan D-Air 02 Airbag Vest (~$160): This is essentially a Helite Turtle clone. I opted for this as all the demos of this product on Youtube show near-instantaneous deployment on activation, which is very promising especially at this price range. It works just like the Helite where the vest is attached to a strap that's connected to the motorcycle frame, and it comes with a replaceable CO2 cartridge. This airbag vest can be rather hot and heavy in standstill traffic during the afternoon, and it can be quite a hassle to put on each time due to its bulk. But without this and Fortnine's intro to motorcycle airbags, I wouldn't have ever thought of riding a bike at all in the first place!
• Item 2 > Benkia Mesh Jacket (~$60): This thing is made entirely out of mesh, which is a godsend for riding in the afternoon heat. However, it also means near-zero abrasion resistance, so I only wear this around town when the commute is short and slow. There is also no strap to secure the pads to your elbows, so I compensated by stuffing additional padding on the elbows to reduce the free play. Essentially this is better than nothing, and it's an obvious choice when the commute is short.
• Item 3 > Nerve CE AA Mesh Jacket ($150): As of today, this is probably the best motorcycle jacket you could buy from China, as this is the only Chinese manufacturer that sells CE AA rated gear. Surprisingly airy despite its thickness, so it's not far behind in terms of comfort compared to the mesh jacket from earlier. Almost the entire jacket is made entirely out of high-tensile fabric, perhaps except for the frontal torso section. I have no complaints aside from the fact that there's almost no way of getting the wrinkles out of the jacket without melting the textile with heat.

Pic 2 (Lower Body)

• Item 1 > Nerve MIG riding pants (~$50): Of all the riding pants I've owned, this is the most comfortable by far, as it provides ample room for the thighs and knees, which is important for me because gear that restricts movement at the knees will severely affect the way I ride and potentially lead to more dangerous situations. It's somewhat water resistant yet doesn't cause any discomfort at all. The only downside is that these pants do not actually have an actual CE abrasion rating, but they come with some form of certification for cut resistance (ISO 13937-1) and abrasion resistance (ISO 12947-2), so I'll accept it for what it is, it'll be miles ahead of typical jeans anyway.
• Item 2 > EIZ inner stretchable pants (~$15): This is seriously underrated, as it functions like yoga pants with additional pockets for knee and hip protectors, so the pads stay right where they're supposed to protect. It's also comfortable enough to wear all day without noticing any discomfort, aside from the sensation of having pads on your knees, which becomes less noticeable after a while. It also serves as a moisture-wicking layer, making the ride more enjoyable as you don't feel the heat as much. Did I mention it's only $15? What else do you want at that price range?
• Item 3 > Benkia touring pants (~$70): This is the first pair of riding pants I ever purchased. Despite the lack of an abrasion resistance rating, the material feels pretty much similar to other A-rated gear, so I'd put it in the same bracket. It feels solid enough in my hands and I would have kept wearing it, if not for the fact that there isn't enough space in the knee area to accommodate any form of knee pad without severely restricting my range of movement while riding, so I'll need to sell it eventually.