Any garment to keep sweat away from your jacket?

[MThomas]

I sweat when I ride in summer but I'd like to avoid constantly taking the jacket to the dry cleaners since that takes away a day of riding.
other than alternating between two jackets is there any type of long sleeve shirt that will keep the sweat away from the jacket?
just curious how everyone deals with this?

[sjbmw]

Lycra wicking long sleeve shirts.
Cycle shops sell this stuff (Reebok, UnderArmor) but it always seemed pricey to me.

Cabela's has fall sales after bass fishing season winds down, and they have a line called GuideGear, long sleeve wicking shirts for fishing in the sun. I picked 1 of these up for $20 on closeout at Delaware Cabela's 2 years ago, and it's my all day riding shirt. Well made, and holds up.
On incredibly hot days, you can soak them in cold water at a rest stop, and put it on, and will air dry in a few minutes, and cool you down.

In the heat, a airflow jacket is a must.

[MThomas]

I have lycra wicking long sleeve shirts but thought that those are designed to direct the sweat off your body and to the outside, which in this case would be the jacket, no?

[windy]

Try a Joe Rocket mesh jacket . Yes you'll need two jackets .Joe Rocket has one to match your bikes color. If they work in Florida , they'll work every where.

[wncbmw]

You can try a water proof nylon windshirt - then die from dehydration. Moving sweat away from your body is a good thing, in heat or cold. It's riding gear, not a suit for weddings and funerals. I just washed my jacket and pants in the washer at home for the first time in at least 12 months.

You should be using mesh or some other breathable jacket in the heat anyway to keep the air moving over you anyway. Unless you are riding in the desert but that's a whole 'nother discussion.

[sstein]

Try a Joe Rocket mesh jacket

Totally agree. I got one of these and it was like night and day. It is a must in over-85-degree weather.

[skylarmav1]

I've had my JR mesh jacket three years and it has performed well given a modest price of about $160.00. In summer I take out the wind blocking material and it breathes well. Hand wash in cold (take armor out first) and put on rack and dries just about fine overnight. Also, Cycle Gear has multiple sales throughout the year where their wicking shirts are between $9
99 and $19.99. They work well.

[peels]

Almost bought a Joe Rocket mesh. But scored a BMW Airshell mesh jacket from a fellow rider, with full armor. And a cold weather liner. havent used that yet. IT has been PERFECT for summer riding, in all cases except stuck in Chicago traffic at 90 degrees, but nothing will make that comfortable. I Should have bought a mesh jacket sooner, I had always been wearing leather.

[skylarmav1]

Yup. I get that leather is probably more protective, but not if I'm so hot I can't focus on the environment around me in our similarly hot and HUMID summer conditions.

[sweatmark]

Mesh jacket plus long-sleeved workout shirts.
I'm a fan of Motoport mesh Kevlar gear, with a jacket + pants set that really beats the heat. Under Armor heatgear, Nike dry-fit workout shirts or equivalent do a good job wicking sweat. When it's desert hot, soaking the shirt during a gas stop helps reduce core temperature once back on the bike. Hydration is key, particularly if you're perspiration prone like me.

[MThomas]

I have JR mesh jacket and pants, it helps a lot. I'll wear a long sleeve sweat wicking shirt underneath and just cold water wash from time to time.
I also carry a small pack of antibacterial wipes in the back jacket pocket so that when I dismount I can wipe down, sort of a waterless-shower, it helps

[lcarlson]

I prefer leather over textile, and in the warm months use a Vanson Properf "Breeze" jacket. The fully perforated leather works pretty much like mesh, but it's pricey. Worth it to me, though.

[Evan]

I always thought that you would be better protected with leather. Is that not the case?

[MThomas]

That's what I was told as well but with neither ventilation nor high visibility, I've elected to eschew the added protection of leather and go with kevlar

[wncbmw]

I have a Vanson Pro Perf and it flows enough air to freeze your butt below 60 F. And with the armor, the crash protection is wonderful. I have thoughtfully crash tested mine for all of you so you don't have to test it yourself. A 35 mph low side scraped the jacket up pretty good but that and the Motoport Stretch Kevlar jeans let me walk, or rather ride, away unscathed.

That said, on long trips, getting the leather wet isn't good for it and with the race armor in the back and elbows, it's bulky. I have seen the Motoport mesh armor and think it is probably as protective as the leather. Many cheaper mesh jackets, I would not use. Especially after seeing what the asphalt did to my Vanson!

[Sunbeemer]

I've read testimony (on this forum) by ER docs who've debreeded melted nylon mesh jackets from road rashes...

[MThomas]

I've read testimony (on this forum) by ER docs who've debreeded melted nylon mesh jackets from road rashes...

That's scary.

Went for a ride late last night (minimal traffic) and it was a bit crisp out and I really felt the wind coming through the JR pants (which I bought for their ventilation since I was sweating through jeans in the heat of summer). The JR jacket blocked out the wind fine.

If it gets much colder I may invest in leather jacket and pants since I'll no longer need ventilation, problem is none of the leather I've found even comes in white much less high-vis

[gregor]

Any technical, skiing or walking, top does for me under my leathers. I've got umpteen long and short sleeved versions of different thicknesses. A consequence of living in the UK with it's wondrous and ever changing weather which rarely gets too hot.