Mesh is a loose woven fabric that protects against abrasion but also has great airflow. It terms of moto gear this stuff is probably on the lower rung for protectiveness, but loads better than just a T-shirt. Textile is better than mesh, and almost as good as leather when it comes to protection. The only thing with textile is that generally they only survive 1 crash and then you have to replace them, leather on the other hand can last more than one crash depending on the severity.
In most situations you will face on the street I would say leather and textile are equally protective. I only think leather matters when you start getting up to the higher speeds that racers do. Sometimes leather or textile gear will have mesh parts to allow airflow into key areas while still protecting well against the pavement.
When it comes to boots I wear mine all year whether it is hot or cold, they seem to do fine. I also only have 1 helmet that I wear. During the summer I can open up the vents in the helmet, and during the winter I close them (except the mouth vent to prevent fogging!).
I would try and make your winter gear water resistant if you can, thats what I did with my overpants. Also, my Firstgear Mesh Jacket holds up a LOT better in the rain than my Leather jacket, plus it dries a lot quicker. I was pretty surprised about that.
In the end I wouldn’t go crazy buying all sorts of new gear right away. If it’s hot when you get your bike just buy your summer gear, then when it starts to get cold you will have an idea what you like and what you don’t like when it comes to buying your winter gear.
Ben
~Best Beginner Motorcycles Admin