Crowtree vs Hideout

[ismunday]

I'm thinking about getting some made-to-measure leathers and am aware of Crowtree and Hideout offering that service.

I'm curious to know what the difference is between the two, especially as Crowtree prices start at £475 (+ extras and body armour) whereas the Hideout stuff starts at about twice that!

Why the substantial difference in price?

Are there other manufacturers I should consider?

[Jack_Cheese]

I think it was G who came up with the idea of getting a cheap suit that fits decently, then getting it altered for an absolutely perfect fit. Have a google for "leather alteration" the prices are higher than normal alterations, but i expect you'd end up with a better spec suit that fits just aswell as a base model crowtree.

Jack
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[dodsi]

I have just bought scott leathers, they offer a made to measure service and they are hand made in barnard castle.

[mrtEE]

Review from google:

Everyone who rides a motorbike makes a personal decision about his or her riding gear. Many things can affect this decision: the type of bike, the style of riding, age, comfort, protection, climate, budget, style, ego and attitude. Personally, I’m of the opinion that I WILL come off the bike at some point and when I do I want the best protection I can afford. That’s my over-riding concern, everything else is secondary.

For the first couple of years I owned a cheap Shark helmet and some off-the-peg 2-piece leathers but as my riding got faster, I did more track days and I began to push the limits so I felt it was time to upgrade everything.
My research consisted of talking to other riders at track days, reading RiDe magazine (they do the best product tests) and searching for personal experiences on the internet.
One comment that kept reoccurring was that Crowtree leathers tended to survive several crashes where other manufacturers garments did not. Racers I spoke to praised their Crowtrees and most said they would definitely go back for their next set. At the time I was toying with the idea of going racing so Crowtree appeared to be good value for money. Other, more ‘stylish’ products were considered but I would rather spend cash on protection than on fashion.

Ah yes, money. Well, you can spend anything from 300 quid upwards on one-piece off-the-peg leathers depending on the manufacturer. The basic custom-made Crowtree suit is one colour, fully lined and it has shoulders, elbows, hips, forearms, backside and knees reinforced with at least 3 layers of leather. Prices start at 475 quid.
Lettering, multi-colours, and complex/intricate design work all add to the basic price of the suit. Kevlar Panels can be added and body armour can also be supplied as required.
If you require a CE specification suit, the stipulated protection must be used as required to meet European Standards.

I went for a black base with a few white & red lightning strikes down the body and legs and some lettering across the back. I chose the full CE approved armour but no back protector, since I have one already, and half venting on the front (a series of small holes punched through across the front to allow ventilation in summer) In the winter the venting means it’s too cold so I wear a Belstaff rain suit over the top. This keeps me warm and prevents my leathers from being covered in road grime.

Once you decide to purchase Crowtree you need to make an appointment to be measured. It is possible to send your measurements to them but remember what you are buying! This is not a fashion item, it is designed to save your skin and must fit properly to do so, therefore I’d advise taking the day off and going to the workshop in Louth, Lincolnshire to doing things properly. You’ll sit down with the proprietors, Linda and Alec Baumber, have a coffee and chat about what you want from the suit and the type of riding you do. They can help you make the right decisions and they really do want you to have the right gear for you so there’s no hard sell, just lots of experience with bikers at all levels and good solid advice. You may find that what you thought you wanted is not actually the best for you!
All the suits are made in the workshop so you can meet the people who will build your suit. It’s a real family atmosphere and you’ll be surrounded by loads of bike gear and hundreds of photos of previous customers – I’m in there somewhere too haha!

Once you’ve been measured thoroughly, (and I do mean Thoroughly - they are experts at this remember) you’ll have to wait from 8 – 12 weeks for your leathers, depending on how busy they are and they are usually pretty busy, especially in the run up to race season (Xmas – March). I was measured for mine in July and picked them up 10 weeks later.

When you first try on your new leathers they feel very heavy and perhaps even slightly restrictive, but you soon get used to this and once on the bike, everything fits perfectly. They are designed to fit whilst being ridden in, not whilst walking around so I find it more comfortable to unzip the front and slide the shoulders back slightly once I’m off the bike. I also found that I need to wear a 1-piece lycra/cotton suit under my leathers. This has several functions. It prevents the lining of the leathers from sticking to my sweaty skin, thus allowing me freedom of movement and makes it easier getting them on and off. It wicks away moisture and sweat from my body, keeping me cool in the summer and it adds a layer of warmth in the winter. Also the under-leathers are much easier to wash than the lining of your leathers so they stay clean and fresh for much longer. (Under-leathers are available from Receka)

Crowtree do have a cleaning service, which gets very busy during the winter months.

They are also able to repair their own leathers, as I found out after a high-speed get-off at Oulton Park last year. The medics had to slice my right sleeve open and cut my left sleeve off completely to get me out. I was conscious throughout so I was able to instruct them where to cut to allow the best chance of repair afterwards. They cut up the seam on the right sleeve and cut the left sleeve off just below the shoulder. This enabled the nice people at Crowtree to repair the right sleeve and attach a new left sleeve without major hassles. My suit is good as new again and I have some pretty good scars to show off haha!

My suit cost just over 1100 quid. It is far and away the most expensive item of clothing I have ever bought but it has already paid for itself during the few seconds that I was hurtling through the Cheshire scenery. Inferior or poor fitting leathers have the potential to cause more injuries than they save. My Crowtree leathers saved my skin – literally! Well worth the money!

Details of prices and a comprehensive explanation of the various levels of protection (armour) are available on the Crowtree website so I won’t reproduce them here

Now, if you don’t believe me, you should check out the RiDeR Power survey from RiDe magazine. Each year, thousands of bikers respond to a survey about everything bike related and each year Crowtree comes top or very near the top for one and 2 piece leathers. That’s a fine recommendation!

[MarJay]

I have crowtree's and they are very very good quality. They cost £718 from memory (about a year and a half ago).

They are a little constricting, I think I need to get them altered a bit, but you definately can't deny the quality.
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[jay12329]

A new set of leathers are on my list of things for the coming year. Crowtree are on my list of options.
HTH
J

[ismunday]

Interesting to hear your views - thanks guys!

Looking like Crowtree are the ones to go with - seems more options, plus Lincs is close enough to get to!

Ian