Though I don’t own one myself (yet–Sportbiketrackgear is sending me a Speed & Strength mesh jacket), I have ridden in one. At speed, a well ventilated textile jacket will keep you just as cool as a full on mesh jacket as you say, and some can even do a better job for the reasons you say. Teknic’s textile jackets that use the powerskin II waterproof/windproof breathable liner are ESPECIALLY good about this.
HOWEVER, if you’re like me and your commute home from work involves just as much time sitting in traffic as it does moving, you will roast alive in those same well-vented textile/leather jackets. THIS is where you really begin to appreciate mesh. I spent over an hour stuck in traffic in the way home yesterday on an 85 degree day wearing a full perf leather jacket and i was about dying.
When shopping for a mesh jacket (something you should only wear on the hottest of the hot days), there are some features you should look for that not all mesh jackets have.
1. Removable windproof liner. This is a godsend on those spring days when it’s like 40-50 degrees in the morning but hot as hell in the afternoon like we had yesterday.
2. Ballistic nylons or leather in the high impact areas (shoulders, forearms, elbows). Mesh jackets typically fall short on protection because they pretty much disintegrate on impact with the ground and don’t provide much abrasion protection. Using sturdier materials like what you’d find on a textile jacket in the high impact areas helps alleviate this issue and provides a MUCH higher degree of protection.
Because of what happened yesterday (basically they closed down a bridge–with me and a bunch of cars on it–while 3 ambulances came to get to a major accident involving multiple cars) I spent an hour in traffic cursing my perforated leather jacket and the second I got home i started browsing newenough and sportbiketrackgear for good mesh jackets that were on sale for good prices. I eventually narrowed it down to the Speed & Strength Moment of Truth jacket, Scorpion Cool Rod, and ICON Hooligan 2 because they all seemed like good, high quality mesh jackets that were being sold for great prices. I ended up choosing on the Speed & Strength because the entire arm from the shoulder down is covered in ballistic textile which offers more protection, it includes a waterproof liner, and I like the fit of Speed & Strength gear.
By the way, I just want everyone on this site that if you are a big guy with a gut like I am, Speed & Strength offers THE BEST FIT around!!! The only thing that can match it is Joe Rocket, but their quality isn’t as good.