Dainese laguna seca 5 race suit
Racing gear is a critical aspect of rider/racer safety. Not only does it have to withstand high abrasion and significantly reduce impact forces, it has to be relatively comfortable with range of motion and weight. With many brands of suits on the market, I will explain why my personal choice is Dainese.
Dainese is an Italian based company that provides apparel for various activities, but for the purposes of this article, I am focusing on racing gear for motorcycles. Racing is inherently dangerous, but the gear has come a long way in helping to avoid major injuries. Dainese has their equipment being used and developed in the highest levels of motorcycle racing. If a crash is going to happen, especially at high speeds, I want the best odds of coming out of that with the least amount of injury possible. That means you have to invest in your gear.
They offer a wide range of suits and price points. Specifically in this article, I will be discussing the Laguna Seca 5 suit. The suit is constructed of cowhide leather, shoulder, elbow, and knee sliders. The shoulders have metal sliders which according to Dainese help eliminate friction while sliding and replaceable. The suit features an inner liner that is easily removable and washable. I find the inside pocket of the liner is helpful if you need to keep documents or small items on you (would not recommend something hard that could come into contact with your body during an impact). Leather stretch panels allow good range of motion without sacrificing abrasion resistance in key sliding areas.
The overall condition of the suit exudes high quality craftsmanship. The zippers have all stayed like new condition after 2 seasons of use and never failed to hold their position. The quality of the leather seems to be much better than other brands in the same price point. The suit has perforations to help with airflow and a race hump on the back of the suit which does not interfere with my helmet when leaned over. The suit can also use a water bladder inside the race hump.
A unique feature of the Dainese suit is it can be zipped over or inside of your boots. Myself personally, I prefer the suit to zip over the outside of the boot. Since I have bigger calf muscles, I always struggle with other brands to fit the suit inside the boot, then tie everything up and not feel crammed and sweat profusely inside the boot. The over boot design also allows you to wear a lighter and more comfortable boot like these Dainese Axial boots.
In regards to sizing, Dainese has a helpful size chart on their website with videos to show exactly how and where to take measurements to help find the best fitting suit. I am shorter in stature but also have broad shoulders, so thankfully Dainese offers a short/tall version for some of their suits. I found the short version to be a much better overall fit for me personally. This is because I require a broader suit, but the regular sizing would be too long in the arms and legs for me. Dainese also offers free shipping and returns. I ordered the Dainese Full Metal gloves and found them to be just a touch too small for me and opted for the next size up. The return/exchange process was so simple and easy. It made the overall buying experience that much better.
In summary, Dainese gear is a brand you can count on for customer service, support, and most importantly provide the best chance of walking away from a crash with the least amount of injury possible. This article was written independently, meaning no influence or exchange of product was provided by Dainese for this article.
Dainese website for more: Dainese