HJC is-16 FF helmet all the time
Neck Gaiter for 30F - 50F
Tourmaster Coaster II Leather Jacket in all weather from 30 F to 105 F
Liner in plus warm base layer for cold days.
Looking for a good mesh jacket for the over 85 F days.
Tourmaster Venture Air pants over work pants or shorts depending on temperature.
Liner in for 30F-50F, just rainproof liner from 50F-70F, Just mesh after that.
Cruiser insulated gauntlets with glove liner from 30F to 50 F
Just the gauntlet from 50 F to 70 F
Short leather sport bike gloves with hard knuckle protection over 70 F
Looking for a decent mesh glove with sturdy construction for hot days.
5.11 Tactical HRT Water Proof Boots all the time.

I commute 75 miles a day from April through November.
As soon as snow is gone to when snow arrives , as long as it isn't raining in morning when I leave, I'm on the bike.
I wear my gear as the commute can get hairy with distracted drivers all over. I seldom get the chance to ride for purely pleasure and when I do, I usually wear all my gear.

I always wear my 3/4 with face shield. I now have a 1/2 flip up tint shield as well.

I keep two sets of golves in my saddle bags, finger-less and cold weather.

I have three jackets, a "summer joy" from joe rocket for warm weather and two leather jackets. Mostly I wear the leather.

I just bought my first set of chaps. But these are for cold weather.

I always wear pants, but I have to wear slacks to work, so thats not exactly protection. I will consider wearing the chaps during the summer...but that will probably prove too hot.

I always wear boots. They are just cheap steel toed walmart boots. But they cover my ankles and should be good for a pretty serious fall. So my most protected parts are my head and my feet????

Apache, That is exactly the response I was hoping to avoid. My words were certainly NOT directed at anyone specific. Please know that I respect your opinion and your right to wear or not wear what you like. That is exactly why I ended my little rant with "I don't want to criticize anyone here, and of course, it's your choice."

I also recognize that in your years on this earth, you certainly have more knowledge and experience than me. You're a soldier, and I respect that that takes some guts. You can preach to me about that because you have been there, you have seen first hand things I never hope to see. I am not smarter than you, but I have crashed, so I can tell you, from my experience, it f*cking hurts. And when I read things like, "my knees were uncovered when the little pieces of what I thought were gravel scraped against my skin, only to find out later that they were my actual kneecaps grinding against the pavement below them," it kinda makes me want to wear gear.

I don't want to tell any of you what to do because I don't like it when people tell me what to do. I don't expect any of you to listen to me anyway, I am giving advice. It's free. I've ignored lots of advice before. Some I wish I had not. You say you don't dress to have a wreck and you ride not to. Those are words I have heard before. "It'll never happen to me." That just sounds ignorant. It's naive because it speaks of something that has not happened yet, something you cannot know with any certainty. "It has happened to me." That is truth because it speaks from experience. I can say the later, and I hope you don't ever get to. So be safe friends, avoid the crash and you will never need gear in the first place. You can then go on saying "It'll never happen to me."

My motto is Be Prepared. I will still ride without gear sometimes, but if I find myself debating whether or not to wear it, I will opt for it and be happier that I did. When I ride with my girl, I insist she wears her helmet, shoes and my protective jacket because I care about her safety more than my own.



PS. Nylons? Really Serowbot?

If it feels good, do it !

What I had rather do than dress up and think that I am safe is ride defensively. I am aware of whats around me at all times. I watch other drivers like a hawk. They pull out in front of me all the time. I can usually look at them and know when they are going to do it. I can see it in their eyes.

If I see some one with the potential to do something stupid I either slow down of move over to avoid them. I constantly look for avenues of escape.

I have learned these things over the years. They have kept me safe. Oh yeah, the people in cars still try to kill me but I manage to stay a step ahead of them.

I do this when driving cars as well and have never had a car wreck. (been driving cars since 1960)

I practice much more than the few things I have mentioned here but you get my drift.

have a good one

I don't know what kinds of bugs you guys have in your various locations, but we have something that we call a June bug. They are about the size of your thumb to the first joint. I used to wear fingerless gloves until I met one going 70 one day with the tip of my small finger. Turned the nail black and hurt like a sumbitch. I also always remember to zip up the cuffs on my jackets now since the wasp went in and stung me 5 times before I could safely stop and remove it. I have also collided with a hummingbird. I was going 70 one way, it was going very fast the other. BIG bruise on my shoulder. Short sleaves? no way.
Hi top leather sneakers? Great idea. I have a bone spur on my heel that doesn't like any hard soled shoes.

SALB wrote on 04/29/13 at 16:25:55:

My son (who weighs over 400 pounds and said goodbye to his arches long ago) swears by them, when he can find size 14.

SALB wrote on 04/29/13 at 16:25:55:
The U.S. Air Farce issued me two pairs of Brogans (Chair Force doesn't do "combat") -- in size 8 EEEE.  First pair of shoes that actually fit me.