Looking at Dainese clothing can sometimes be confusing, there is a lot of technical terminology thrown around, so if you think Pro-Shape is some sort of a dance move, or D-Skin is something that is used in the bedroom, listen in, I will educate you!
1 - D Skin Leather
This is a special leather that is exceptionally supple, yet has significantly increased performance levels in terms of traction and tear resistance over natural cowhide. The cowhide gets the special D Skin properties thanks to unique tanning and finishing treatments. D Skin Leather is normally between 1.1-1.3 mm thick.
2 - S1 Fabric
S1 fabric is normally used on sports apparel in areas that will improve comfort and also aid airflow through the garment. S1 Fabric is composed of an elastomer coated with Cordura polyamide, which gives this material unmatched mechanical strength and elastic properties. Next time you are at Bike Stop try on a jacket that has S1 Fabric incorporated into it, you will be impressed!
3 - Kangaroo Hide
Kangaroo hide is a material mostly reserved for racing. The main advantage of Kangaroo hide over cowhide, is that Kangaroo hide can be a lot thinner while providing the same excellent resistance to wear and tear. This means that a Kangaroo hide suit will be significantly lighter, more flexible and much more comfortable to wear than a equivalent Cow hide suit. Kangaroo hide leather is normally around 0.9 mm thick.
4 - D-Stone
D-Stone is an extremely rugged material mainly found on Dainese boots and higher end textile clothing. D-Stone is high density twisted nylon with elasticated inserts faced with nylon. This creates an armoured weave effect and has abrasion and tear resistance properties that are comparable to leather. Very impressive for a synthetic material.
5 - Mugello Fabric
This is a textile material made out of Micro Nylon and Elastomer fabric. It gives the material a combination of wear and tear resistance and elevated comfort thanks to its ability to extend and then return to its original form. You will see Mugello fabric used on most Dainese textile motorcycle jackets.
6 - D-Dry membrane
Similar to Gore-Tex, D-Dry is Dainese's own hydrophobic membrane which ensures a seal against undesired penetration by water and air. D-Dry however allows the fabric to be breathable and ensures unwanted precipitation evaporates under all weather conditions. Useful if you are going on a first date...
7 - Nanofeel Lining
Nanofeel lining can be found inside many Dainese suits and jackets. It is constructed from a bacteriostatic polyester yarn. Which in English basically means that the lining has anti-bacterial and anti-odour properties, very useful in the summer months when things can get a bit... sweaty. Better still the anti-bacterial properties are maintained even after the garment has been washed.
8 - Pro-Shape
Pro-Shape is a form of armour developed by Dainese that is used on more casual motorcycle gear or as hip armour on many race suits. The armour provides a high level of shock absorption coupled with extreme flexibility and unmatched comfort. The armour is a sandwich layer with the outside being made polymer which is bonded to an inner layer made out of polyethylene foam. This is how the unique armour gets its extreme flexibility.
9 - 3D Bubble Liner
This is a form of liner developed by Dainese and is used in the suit of the one and only Valentino Rossi, so it must be pretty good right? It is! It is a 3 dimensional liner which traps a layer of air between the inside and outside of the clothes creating what is called a micro-climate. This basically provides a layer of insolation that keeps you cool in the summer but warm in the winter.
10 - Bi-Axial Elasticated Inserts
These leather inserts were developed by Dainese to maintain the safety of leather but increase comfort and flexibility of jackets and suits. How it works is there is a panel of leather which has elasticated bellows stretches perpendicularly in two directions. This gives the wearer much greater freedom of movement but retains the abrasion resistance of leather. These Elasticated inserts are used mostly on race suits and you would normally find panels from the chest, down to the kidneys and on the lower back.
I hope the information provided in this blog will be of use to you guys when you next decide to buy some Dainese products! If there are any terms you are not sure about or want to learn more about, be sure to get in touch with the Bike Stop team and ask some questions!
