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So after a couple months of riding canyons and 2 trackdays I feel that I’m officially ready to give a full assessment of the Ladies’ Laguna Seca Evo racing suit. Overall I absolutely love it. I can’t tell you how ecstatic I was to open the package when the suit came in…but let me start at the beginning…
My suit was actually made for me custom through Dainese’s new Custom Works program. This new feature is now offered for people who can’t fit into an off-the-shelf suit or want custom colors and graphics. With a top quality reputation like Dainese which has manufactured suits for Valentino Rossi, Marco Simoncelli, Kavin Schwartz, Max Biaggi, Nicky Hyden, Eddie Lawson and Kenny Roberts to name a few, who wouldn’t want a tailored suit from them? After a few failed attempts to fit into their off the shelf suits, I decided to go custom. My problem was that if my lower body fit fine than my upper was swimming in the top portion. I also have excessively longer femurs, so the knee CE armor and knee pucks were in the wrong position.
Dainese scheduled a fitting and consultation with me at a track event I was attending at COTA for MotoGP. There a highly specialized tailor took 26 specific measurements of my body while wearing an undergarment for track riding. some of the things my tailor considered along with the measurements was my overall weight dispersement and how my body moves. This is something only specifically trained tailors can do which is why you can’t just send dainese your own measurements.
fun fact: Allan Jones who was my tailor was personally trained by Silvano who is the only tailor to be assigned to Valentino.
Along with the measurements Allan took photos of me for further reference. I was also asked which back protector I use as that is precisely calculated into the suit for a perfect fit. After that we sat down and picked out colors and logo placement. Since I’m a fan of simplicity I just wanted my name on the hump and of course had to have Rossi’s signature dual colored legs.
If you are interested in getting a custom suit made then you can contact your local Dainese dealer to see if and when the Custom Works tour will be in your city. Most all D-stores should have a tailor on staff that can take your measurements, and also anywhere Dainese sets up shop at racing events.
My suit came to me roughly 2.5 months later straight from the little town of Molvena which is known for it’s fine leather and has a rich history in seamstresses and leatherworkers. I was very nervous to put the suit on, fearing that somehow it wouldn’t fit or that I’d gained some weight. But low and behold the suit fit like a glove. it still had to be worn in of course but I could tell already that its fit was something out of this world. The first thing I noticed were the brand new patented microelastic inserts on the thighs and along the back. This is something new where the leather is attached to a stretchy panel and can actually move due to a special stretching pattern. I can’t even begin to tell you how awesome it feels. my previous suits were very painful to wear because when pushing my knee out the excess leather would bunch up and cut into my thighs preventing me from obtaining my optimal position on the bike. This new technology completely eradicated that, just on my first ride even with the suit not being broken in, I quickly saw how much more freedom and maneuverability I had. My friends could even see me moving about the bike much more and with fluidity.
The second item that I love and the main reason why I’v always been a fan of Dainese is the CE armor. Over all the suit is certified as a CE category 2 which is a much higher standard than most of the name brand US suits. All the inserts are either Pro Shape soft protectors or composite, both certified EN 1621.1 Standard. They completely protect me elbow to wrist, shoulder and knee through shin. The thighs and butt/tailbone area seem to be reinforced and thicker than some of the other suits I’ve seen on the market as well. I certainly feel much safer in this than any of my previous suits, which is the exact feeling I was wanting.
When wearing the suit standing up it is not comfortable, but that’s because it’s not meant to be. the suit is designed to be comfortable in race position on the bike, and that it does exceptionally well. Somehow the Italian tailors have figured out how to mold and curve each leather panel to a specific position simply based on my measurements—pretty cool if you ask me.
A few other comfort features: The suit is perfed for summer which is fantastic in the 95º+ full humidity summers. However I do wish it had more airflow in the arms. The fabric panels are surprisingly very thick yet comfortable, but don’t allow for much airflow. They are however made of a special S1 fabric that has been developed to be super strong and provide proper protection as well as repel water and oil. The hump on the back has air inlets to help push airflow down the back and cool you. There is also a double zipper on the calf and a removable lines.
All in all I really don’t have anything negative to say, the suit met and exceeded my expectations so far.
The craftsmanship is truly beautiful and the leather is soft and feels wonderful to the touch. I’m still in awe over the attention to detail.
I have not crashed in it yet, but when I do you can expect a review of that and how the suit performed. I think one of the main things to remember with all gear alike is that if it doesn’t fit properly then it can’t protect you properly. When things are too big then they can slide and give you terrible friction burns (as it is you can already get heat burn even in a perfectly fitted suit). If the armor isn’t snug and properly secured then it’ll just slide out of the way and leave your appendages exposed. So these are some of the things to think about when purchasing a suit, fit and quality of product is key.
