Leather Riding Pants in Hot Weather: What Actually Keeps You Cooler

Leather pants are not a cool fabric, so what keeps you cooler is everything around them: airflow, a wicking base layer, a lining that lets air move, and how you plan the ride. In older MotoCAP results reported by WebBikeWorld (undated, about 2019), leather riding pants scored poorly for thermal comfort, with the best pair in one group getting two stars. If the weather is very hot, vented mesh textile will beat them on airflow, and leather will beat mesh on abrasion.

This page is part of our guide to motorcycle pants types and styles.

What helps, and what it can and can't do

Why leather runs hot

Heat is partly about the material and partly about sweat that can't escape. MotoCAP, the independent Australian program, rates gear on how well moisture vapor passes through it and how much insulation it gives. In those results, one pair scored half a star for thermal comfort and two scored two stars, the top score in that group.

Being too hot is a riding problem, not only a comfort one. RACV reports that riders are about three times less likely to wear protective clothing in hot weather, and that heat can slow reaction time and increase fatigue. So the aim is to stay in full-length pants and manage the heat, not to drop the pants.

Start with the layer under the leather

A snug synthetic base layer wicks moisture away from your skin, which makes evaporative cooling work better. Evaporation is the point: it works better in dry air than in humid air, so don't expect the same result on a damp coastal day. Layer choices for the leg are covered in what to wear under motorcycle pants.

A cooling vest or neck wrap can help the rest of you. A water-soaked vest releases moisture slowly over several hours, while a soaked bandana dries much faster. The same source advises wearing well-ventilated, full-coverage armored gear rather than less of it.

Lining and perforation: what to look for

Check what the pair actually has. Leather Collection's riding pants have a polyester mesh lining that lets air move between the leather and your legs. MotoSpeeds' classic pants use a satin lining instead. Neither store lists perforation on the leather pants we read, so don't assume it is there. The lining is shown inside a pair in what motorcycle leather pants look like inside.

Perforated leather is a separate construction. One retailer's guide says tiny holes let air through with little loss of protection, that traditional leather can trap heat, and that zippered vents suit changing temperatures. That guide is about jackets, and it is from a seller, so read it as a description of the idea rather than a test of pants.

Color and sun

Dark surfaces absorb more sunlight and light ones reflect more of it. On a sunny highway, that is a reason to prefer a lighter pair. It is general physics, though, not a result from a leather-pants test, and at Leather Collection most men's pairs are black.

Stop-and-go or open road

Airflow is what perforation and mesh depend on, and in traffic you have less of it. One retailer's guide recommends mesh for slow-moving traffic and notes that cooling vests work best with constant airflow, but it does not say what happens to airflow when you are stopped. We found no test of leather pants at a standstill.

Plan around it. Ride in the cooler morning or early evening, and stop more often on hot days to drink, pour water on your head and sit in the shade. Drink plenty of water, with sports drinks and salty snacks to replace electrolytes, and skip alcohol.

Leather or vented textile: an honest comparison

The temperature bands come from one seller's guide to jackets, so use them as a rough idea, not a rule. The abrasion ratings are also a retailer's opinion, not a lab test. MotoCAP's results were less tidy: some denim riding pants matched leather for abrasion, and the leather pairs that scored low did so mainly for lack of impact protection. For a wider comparison, see riding jeans vs leather pants.

If you still want leather

Leather pants should feel snug at first and ease a little with wear. Sizing is covered in the motorcycle pants sizing and fit guide.

Chaps are another route. Leather Collection says its chaps leave the back of the leg open, so they run cooler than full pants. They cover the front and sides of the legs over jeans, so they are a different kind of cover, not a swap. See are motorcycle chaps considered pants.

Where to see leather riding pants

To read how one store describes choosing leather riding trousers, see Leather Collection's guide to choosing motorcycle leather pants.

FAQ

What are the coolest motorcycle pants?

Vented mesh textile gives the most airflow, according to one retailer's guide, while perforated leather gives moderate airflow with better abrasion resistance. The right pair depends on how hot your rides get and how much slide protection you want.

Are leather pants good for the cold?

Leather Collection says its cowhide chaps block wind and cold on long rides. Layering under pants is covered in what to wear under motorcycle pants.