Questions to ask when buying:

A jacket:

• If it has a rain/thermal insert:
  • Take the insert out and try the jacket on. A lot of inserts are so bulky that the jacket doesn't really fit without it.
  • Can you zip it to/unzip it from the outer shell without taking it off?
  • Are the zippers large enough to take abuse? I've run into tiny little zippers that are impossible to deal with, and ripped out within a matter of months anyway.
  • Could you zip it up in the dark?
  • How easy is it to take out the insert?
  • How many attachment points does it have to keep the insert from wadding up? Are they a bitch to work with?
  • Can you wear the insert without the jacket?
• Check the wrist closures:
  • Velcro is the best. Zippers and buttons just suck and are useless because you can't control how tight the closure is.
  • If the closure is velcro, make sure it closes the proper direction. One that closes "outside in" is hard to do up nice and snug on those cold days. The closure flap should point out, not in.
  • Make sure it has enough velcro coverage to deal with your skinny or fat wrists. My wrists are so skinny that a lot of jackets don't have velcro where I need it.
• Check the main front zipper closure:
  • Velcro is the best, as it allows you to just slide your hand down the seam to fasten things.
  • Are the snaps easy to snap?
  • Snaps in combination with velcro ends up being a large hassle.
  • Are the snaps evenly distributed, and don't leave large gaps?
  • Does it have a second storm flap, or is it just a simple flap across the zipper?
• Is it easy to remove the armor for washing?
• Is it real CE armor or cheap generic foam crap?
• Is the armor positively located, or does it just wander around somewhere inside the jacket sleeves?
• Is the sleeve armor molded to conform to your forearms/elbows/shoulders, or is it just cheap flat-sheet crap?
• Does it need special washing care, or can you just toss it in the washer & dryer?
• Is it cut properly under the sleeves? When you lift your arms, does the entire jacket ride up?
• Is the jacket long enough? It should extend several inches below the beltline. It should also not ride up in the back.
• Sit on a bike (preferably a sportbike with an extreme crouch) and check:
  • Is it long enough in the back to not ride up? Yes, I know we already asked that, check it again.
  • Are the sleeves long enough when you reach for the bars?
  • Are the sleeves tight enough to not flap when you're riding? Is there a method for cinching it up?
  • Are the sleeves cut properly so they don't wrinkle up horribly and lift the entire jacket?
  • Do the shoulders rise up to cause wind noise?

A helmet:

• What kind of buckle does it have? Nolan seatbelt-style buckles are great. D-rings are useless crap. I'm not going to sit there for 5 minutes trying to thread the damn rings every single time I want to go somewhere. I just want to go <click> and ride off. I won't buy a helmet with a D-ring because the Echo replacement buckles suck too.
• Can you easily close the buckle with the helmet off, so you can hang the helmet over an arm?
• How easy is the visor to flip up?
• Are the visor detents strong and positive so that it stays where you want it?
• Is the thumb catch in the center, or offset to one side? Offset is very bad, because you can never find it when you need it, and it bends and stresses the visor.
• Sit there in the store and remove the visor. What kind of shield attachment does it use? Is it easy enough to do daily washing of the shield?
• Are vents, sidepanels, and such going to loosen and cause whistling?
• How easy to open are the vents?
• Do the vents stay open/shut?
• Can you tell the position of the vents with gloves on while you're wearing the helmet?
• How much are replacement shields? How obtainable are they? If they've got to special-order them, they're not worth your business.
• If it's modular (flip-up):
  • Is the seam aerodynamically correct, or will it cause lots of wind noise?
  • Is the latch in the center or offset to one side?
  • Does it hit your chin when closed?
  • How hard is the latch to open?
• Is the neck roll one-piece with full coverage of the bottom edge?
• Does the neck roll seam stick up and cause rumbling?

Gloves:

• Is there enough material between the thumb and pointer finger? You must be able to open your hand (do the "L for loser" sign) without stretching this area tight, or it'll cause pain.
• Can you can close your hand without a lot of effort? This won't get better with age, no matter what the salesman says.
• Is there leftover room in the fingertips? There should be any extra space.
• Do the seams bother your fingers?
• How long is the gauntlet?
• How difficult is the wrist closure to use? Will you end up cutting it off?

Boots:

• Don't bother. They're ugly and uncomfortable for walking. You'll never be able to find boots that fit your feet AND fit your calves.