The gear you wear is the only thing between you and the road. Here is what actually protects you, what the labels mean, and how to build a kit that works.
A motorcycle gives you nothing between you and the pavement except what you put on before you ride. Cars have crumple zones, seatbelts, and airbags. You have your gear. That is not a reason to be nervous about riding. It is the reason to gear up properly, and then go enjoy the road with nothing nagging at the back of your mind.
Riders call it ATGATT: all the gear, all the time. This is the plain-English version of what that means. What each piece actually does, what the safety labels are telling you, and how to build a kit that protects you without cooking you on a July afternoon.
Gear Does Two Jobs: Abrasion and Impact
Before any single piece, understand this, because it is the thing marketing hides. Good gear protects you two separate ways, rated by two separate systems. The first is abrasion resistance: the fabric surviving a slide on pavement without tearing through to your skin. The second is impact protection: the armour that absorbs the hit when you strike the ground or an object. A jacket needs both, and a soft foam jacket with no ratings gives you neither.
In Europe these are certified under CE standards. That certification is not the law in Canada, but it is the clearest label to look for on anything you buy. Abrasion is covered by EN 17092, and impact armour by EN 1621. Learn to read those two and you can compare any two pieces of gear honestly, instead of trusting a hang-tag that says "premium."
The Helmet
The helmet is the one piece legally required to ride in Canada, and the one nobody should argue about. Look for a current safety certification, with ECE 22.06 being the latest benchmark, get a snug fit with even pressure and no hot spots, and replace it after any real impact or crash even if it looks fine. We go deep on types and fit in our helmet guide, so here we will keep it simple: buy the best helmet that actually fits your head, and browse the full range of motorcycle helmets to start.
The Jacket and Pants
Your jacket covers your biggest patch of exposed skin, so it carries your biggest abrasion risk. This is where EN 17092 earns its keep. The classes run AAA, AA, and A. AAA is the most abrasion-resistant, built for highway and all-round riding, usually heavy leather or reinforced textile. AA suits most general road riding. A is the lightest, aimed at low-speed urban use. Two more show up on labels: B is abrasion-rated like A but carries no armour pockets, and C is an armour carrier with no abrasion rating, meant to layer with other gear, like mesh armour shirts and airbag vests.
Leather or textile is the old question. Leather is superb on abrasion and looks the part. Textile, usually a Cordura-type weave, is versatile, often waterproof, and easier to load with vents and pockets. Both work, so buy for the riding and weather you actually get, and make sure the jacket holds CE armour at the shoulders and elbows with a pocket for a back protector. Then match it with proper riding pants or reinforced riding jeans, because plain denim lasts about a second on pavement. Browse motorcycle jackets and riding pants.
Armour: Level 1 or Level 2
The armour is the impact half, certified under EN 1621, and it comes in two levels where lower transmitted force is better. For the limbs, meaning shoulders, elbows, hips, and knees, under EN 1621-1, Level 1 lets through up to about 35 kN and Level 2 about 20 kN, so Level 2 passes roughly half the force to your body. Back protectors under EN 1621-2 are held to stricter numbers still: about 18 kN at Level 1 and 9 kN at Level 2.
In plain terms, Level 2 protects more, Level 1 is thinner and more flexible, and modern armour like the temperature-adaptive kind has largely closed the comfort gap. Most AAA and AA jackets and pants already ship with limb armour, but plenty come without a back protector, so check and add one. For your spine, go Level 2 if it fits. Browse body armour and protection.
Gloves
Your hands go out first in a fall, every time, on pure instinct. That makes gloves non-negotiable, and bare hands or fashion gloves are how riders lose skin they do not grow back. Motorcycle gloves are rated under EN 13594, with Level 2 adding mandatory knuckle armour. Look for hard or armoured knuckles, reinforced palms with sliders, and a secure wrist strap so the glove cannot peel off mid-slide, in a gauntlet or short cuff to suit your jacket. Browse motorcycle gloves.
Boots
Ankles and feet take a beating in even a low-speed tip-over, pinned or twisted under the bike. Proper boots protect where running shoes simply cannot. The standard is EN 13634, and the features that matter are over-the-ankle height, a reinforced toe and heel, dedicated ankle protection, and an oil-resistant, non-slip sole so your foot stays planted when you put it down at a light. You will also see optional codes like WR for water resistance. Even an ankle-height certified riding shoe is a huge step up from sneakers. Browse motorcycle boots.
Layers: Base Layers, Rain, and Eyewear
The last pieces are about staying in control, because a cold, wet, or squinting rider is a slower and more tired one. Base layers wick sweat and regulate temperature, and unlike cotton they keep working when damp, which cuts the fatigue and chill that creep in on long or cold rides. A packable rain suit keeps you dry, and dry means warm and alert instead of shivering and distracted, which matters a lot on a Newfoundland morning. And if your helmet is open, proper eyewear keeps wind, bugs, and grit out of your eyes. Browse base layers, rain suits, and eyewear.
Make It Fit
None of this works loose. Armour only protects if it sits on the joint it is meant to cover, so a jacket should be snug enough that the shoulder and elbow pads stay in place when you move, not so baggy that they slide off the impact zone. Try gear on, move the way you actually ride by reaching for the bars and tucking forward, and size with a base layer underneath. Comfort is part of safety here: gear you like putting on is gear you will wear every single ride, which is the entire point of ATGATT.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I legally need to wear motorcycle gear in Canada?
A helmet is legally required to ride. Jackets, gloves, boots, and armour are not legally mandated in most places, but they are what actually protect you in a crash, so treat them as essential rather than optional.
What does CE Level 1 vs Level 2 armour mean?
Both are certified impact armour under EN 1621. Level 2 transmits less force to your body, roughly half at the limbs, and is the better choice, especially for the back. Level 1 is thinner and more flexible.
What abrasion rating should a jacket have?
Look for EN 17092 AA for general road riding and AAA for highway and all-purpose use. The class is on a label inside the garment. No label means it was never tested, whatever the marketing says.
Leather or textile: which is safer?
Both can be excellent. Leather is outstanding on abrasion; textile is versatile and often waterproof. What matters more is the CE rating and that the gear carries proper armour, so choose for your climate and riding, then check the labels.
Gear is the cheapest insurance you will ever buy, and the only kind that works in the half-second you need it. Start with a helmet and gloves, add a rated jacket with armour, then boots and pants, and layer for the weather. Read the labels, EN 17092 for abrasion and EN 1621 for armour, and buy the best that fits.
Build your kit from our full motorcycle riding gear and helmets ranges, with free shipping across Canada on orders over $279.99. Then gear up, every ride, and go enjoy the road.
