Is Kangaroo Leather Worth the Upgrade on a Custom Suit?
Kangaroo is the standard upgrade offered on a custom motorcycle suit. The question is not whether it is a better hide — it measurably is, per unit of thickness — but whether the upgrade is worth paying for in your case.
This is a cost-versus-benefit answer. For the underlying material science, see kangaroo leather vs cowhide.
The Short Answer
| If you… | Worth it? |
|---|---|
| Race, or ride 6+ track days a year | Yes — the weight saving compounds over every session |
| Ride 2–3 track days a year plus road | Marginal — cowhide is the better value |
| Ride road only | No — you will not recover the cost in benefit |
| Suffer neck or shoulder fatigue on long rides | Yes — this is the clearest single reason to upgrade |
| Are buying your first leather suit | No — spend the difference on fit and armour instead |
| Want maximum durability over many seasons | No — cowhide has more material in reserve |
What You Are Actually Paying For
One thing: about 0.5 mm less hide on every panel of the suit, at the same protection level. Kangaroo is used at 0.8–0.9 mm where cowhide is used at 1.3–1.4 mm, because its fibre structure is denser and more uniform.
Across a full one piece suit that is a meaningful weight reduction, and it is why the majority of professional road racers wear kangaroo. It is not a marketing upgrade — it is the reason the material exists in this market.
Where the Benefit Is Real
Duration. Suit weight is irrelevant over a twenty-minute session and very relevant over a full track day, a race weekend, or a long summer ride. You hold the weight of the suit up against the airstream every minute you are moving.
Break-in. Kangaroo is more supple from new. A cowhide suit needs a genuine break-in period before it stops resisting a racing crouch; kangaroo arrives much closer to its settled feel. If you have one week before a track day, that matters.
Mobility. Thinner, more flexible panels move more easily at the shoulders, elbows and knees, which is where a stiff suit fights you.
Where It Is Not Worth It
Road riding. On the road you are rarely tucked, rarely at sustained speed, and rarely in the suit for hours without a break. The fatigue benefit barely registers.
Long-term durability. Kangaroo has less material in reserve. Repeated scuffs, storage abuse and many seasons of hard use show sooner than on cowhide. If you want one suit to last a decade of road riding, cowhide is the better buy.
As a substitute for fit. This is the important one. A kangaroo suit that fits badly is worse than a cowhide suit that fits properly, because armour placement depends on fit, not on hide. If your budget is limited, spend it on made-to-measure sizing before you spend it on the hide.
What Does Not Change With the Upgrade
Armour is identical either way — CE Level 2 at back, shoulders, elbows and knees, certified to EN 1621-2:2014 and EN 1621-1:2012 by Ricotest, European Notified Body No. 0498, Pastrengo, Italy. Level 2 transmits about 20 kN in the standard impact test against roughly 35 kN for Level 1. Stitching is the same too: main seams triple stitched with high-strength bonded nylon thread.
Upgrading the hide changes weight and flexibility. It does not change your impact protection.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is kangaroo leather worth the extra money?
For racers and frequent track riders, yes — the weight and flexibility gains are felt every session. For road riders and occasional track riders, full-grain cowhide gives the same protection at lower cost with better long-term durability.
How much thinner is kangaroo?
Kangaroo is used at 0.8–0.9 mm against 1.3–1.4 mm for cowhide — roughly 0.5 mm less on every panel, at comparable abrasion resistance.
Is kangaroo leather less safe because it is thinner?
No. The thickness is lower because the fibre structure is denser. Comparing hides by thickness alone is misleading — what matters is abrasion performance, and kangaroo reaches comparable performance with less material.
Should I upgrade the hide or pay for custom sizing?
Custom sizing, every time. Fit determines whether armour stays over the joint in a crash. At Bleed Racing Gears made-to-measure is included at no extra cost, so in practice you can have both.
Does kangaroo need different care from cowhide?
No. Clean with a soft damp cloth, condition when needed, dry naturally away from direct heat, and store on a wide hanger.
Order Either Hide
Both are available across the range: one piece race suits, two piece suits, and custom made suits and jackets. Take your figures with the size guide and see how to measure first.