Guides

Kangaroo leather and full-grain cowhide are the two hides used in serious motorcycle racing suits. The short answer: kangaroo delivers equivalent abrasion resistance at roughly half the thickness — 0.8–0.9 mm against 1.3–1.4 mm for cowhide — which makes a kangaroo suit noticeably lighter and more flexible. Cowhide is thicker, harder wearing over many seasons, and less expensive.

This guide explains where that difference comes from and which hide suits which rider.

Quick Comparison

Why Kangaroo Is Strong at Half the Thickness

The difference is fibre structure. Cowhide has a layered fibre arrangement with a significant proportion of the hide given over to the looser inner corium, which contributes weight without contributing much strength. Kangaroo hide has a more uniform, densely packed and parallel fibre bundle running through the full thickness of the skin, with far less wasted material.

The practical result is that a kangaroo panel at 0.9 mm can hold up in a slide comparably to a cowhide panel at 1.4 mm. Take roughly 0.5 mm out of every panel across a full suit and the weight saving is substantial — which is why the majority of professional road racers wear kangaroo.

What "Full-Grain" Means and Why It Matters More Than the Species

Full-grain is the outermost layer of the hide, where the fibre structure is densest and most tightly interlocked. That density is what resists abrasion. It matters more than whether the hide is cow or kangaroo.

The grades to avoid are:

• Split leather — the lower layer left after the top grain is sliced off. Weaker, and often finished to look like full-grain
• Bonded leather — leather scrap ground up and glued to a backing. It tears rather than abrades
• PU-coated — a polyurethane film over a weak base, sold as "genuine leather"

A 1.4 mm split-leather suit offers far less protection than a 0.9 mm full-grain kangaroo suit. Ask any manufacturer which layer of the hide they use, not just the thickness. Every suit at Bleed Racing Gears is full-grain cowhide at 1.3–1.4 mm or kangaroo at 0.8–0.9 mm; split, bonded and PU-coated leather is never used.

Weight and Rider Fatigue

Suit weight matters most over duration. On a twenty-minute track session the difference is marginal. Over a full track day, a road trip, or a race weekend, a lighter suit measurably reduces shoulder and neck fatigue, because you are holding the weight of the suit up against the airstream every minute you ride.

Kangaroo is also more supple from new. A cowhide suit needs a genuine break-in period before it stops fighting a racing crouch; kangaroo arrives closer to its final feel.

Where Cowhide Wins

Cowhide has more material to give. A cowhide suit that gets scuffed on a low-side has more thickness in reserve, and stands up better to repeated seasons of use, storage and abuse. It also costs significantly less.

For a rider doing a handful of track days a year and regular road riding, full-grain cowhide at 1.3–1.4 mm is the sensible choice. The weight penalty is real but modest, and the durability and cost advantages are meaningful.

The Leather Is Only Half the Suit

Hide choice is one variable. Two others matter as much:

Stitching. A suit fails at its seams before it fails at its panels. Main seams should be triple stitched with high-strength bonded nylon thread, so the thread does not part before the leather does.

Armour. Leather manages abrasion; it does nothing for impact. That is the armour's job. All armour fitted at Bleed Racing Gears is CE Level 2 at every position — back to EN 1621-2:2014, and shoulders, elbows and knees to EN 1621-1:2012 — tested and certified by Ricotest, European Notified Body No. 0498, Pastrengo, Italy, under EU Regulation 2016/425. Level 2 transmits about 20 kN in the standard impact test against roughly 35 kN for Level 1.

Note that the armour is independently CE certified; the leather shell itself is not certified as a garment.

Which Should You Order?

Frequently Asked Questions

Is kangaroo leather stronger than cowhide?

Per unit of thickness, yes. Kangaroo hide has a denser, more uniform fibre structure, so a 0.8–0.9 mm kangaroo panel performs comparably to a 1.3–1.4 mm cowhide panel. At equal thickness cowhide is not stronger — kangaroo simply needs less thickness to reach the same standard.

How much lighter is a kangaroo suit?

Roughly 0.5 mm of hide is removed from every panel across the suit. The saving is most noticeable over long sessions, where it reduces shoulder and neck fatigue.

Is kangaroo leather worth the extra cost?

For riders racing or doing frequent track days, yes — the weight and flexibility gains are real and felt every session. For occasional riders, full-grain cowhide gives most of the protection at lower cost with better long-term durability.

Does kangaroo leather wear out faster?

It has less material in reserve, so heavy repeated scuffing shows sooner. In normal use both hides last many seasons.

What leather should I avoid in a motorcycle suit?

Split, bonded and PU-coated leather. These tear rather than abrade and offer far less slide protection regardless of stated thickness. Always confirm the suit is full-grain.

How long does a custom leather suit take to make?

At Bleed Racing Gears every suit is made to order and delivered worldwide within 19 to 28 business days, in either hide, with no extra time for made-to-measure sizing.

Browse Suits in Either Hide

Both leathers are available across the range: one piece race suits, two piece suits, and fully custom made suits and jackets. Full armour documentation is on the protection and safety page, and measuring instructions are in the size guide.