Mesh and textile jackets can provide good protection, but will pretty much be obliterated after a fall. On the otherhand, for those hot FL summers, they're going to be alot cooler. Leather, ofcourse would be the ultimate protection and durability...but can become a sticky situtation. In either case, look for a jacket with CE approved armor. I went with a mesh jacket for the summer and plan on getting a decent leather jacket when the weather becomes a little more tolerable.

Glove wise, I personally went with a full glove, gauntlet (full cuff), full armor, leather. Like was said, hands are one of the most important things in your life...protect them well.


As far as helmets go, from my research and talking to people, most approved helmets all will provide similar levels of protection...whether they it be a $100 helmet or a $600 helmet. The main difference is the manufactur!ng process, fit, feel, and comfort. The cheaper helmets usually are made in a mold using a polycarbonate (like lexan) material, while the more expensive ones are a composite (like fiberglass) material which involves more hands-on fabrication which in turn allows for a more streamlined design. Like I said though, protection wise, they are all very similar.

Other than that, imo, long pants and a sturdy closed toe shoe would be acceptable. A very important factor in all cases is the proper fitment, make sure your gear isn't too big or it's not going to do as much good as it should.