Helmet: Scorpion-EXO The 400's and the 700's. I've never owned an Arai or Shoei, but I have had HJC's and Bell's. I like the Scorpions the best, and with a thermally bonded anti-fog coating on the shield, they are virtually impossible to fog up. I wore one when I rode to the summit of Mt Washington last year and even then it didn't fog up. Best part is you can pick one up for around $100-$200
What I look for: Snell M2005 or M2010 approval, ECE approval is ok as well. Fullface is ideal, decent venting.
Scorpion EXO-700
Jacket: I've had good luck with Tourmaster and FirstGear. I own a Tourmaster Jett 2 textile, which is okay, not great. I also own a discontinued Firstgear 3/4 mesh jacket which flows a tpon of air and has alot of pockets. Leather jackets usually offer exceptional protection in a crash, but can be uncomfortable in hot temperatures, stiff in cold temperatures, and soak up water when it rains. If I were given about $200 to buy a Jacket today, I'd go for the Tourmaster Transition, it is good for a variety of temperatures, has alot of pockets, and is available in a variety of colors. Some may argue that it's not the most stylish jacket, but I could care less. I'm kind of a function-over form kinda guy.
What I look for: Multi-season versatility (good ventilation, liners, etc.), decent armor (CE in the elbows, shoulders, availability of a CE backpad), Hi-viz option*
Tourmaster Transition
Gloves (summer) : I currently own a pair of Cortech Injectors. I bought them on discount a few years ago for forty bucks. They're decent, as a full gauntlet (over the wrist) style glove with some degree of knuckle protection. However, the stitching is on the inside, which digs into your skin, and the "knuckle-protector" is just some little rubery bit. They're gonna be replaced soon, most likely with a pair of Weise Vortexes. These full-gauntlet Weise gloves have a Kangaroo leather palm, which offers the same protection as cowhide, but is thinner for more dexterity with the controls. They have a hard plastic knuckle protector as opposed to a rubber piece. Best part is that they have Knox palm sliders, little plastic pieces that are designed to dissipate the impact when your wrist hits the ground. All that for $140.
What I look for: Full gauntlet, Kangaroo leather, palm sliders, hard knuckle protection, decent wrist straps, outside stitching.
Weise Vortex
Gloves (Winter): Everyone's tolerances are different. But I've fount that in temps under 55F, my summer gloves just don't cut it anymore. I know some people flat out hate riding with winter gloves (due to their insulation limiting dexterity) and usually resort to enduro-style handguards, handlebar chaps, or heated grips to avoid wearing them when the mercury drops.
However, i've had very good luck with my Cortech Scarab winter gloves. For about $80 they are a steal they are probably the best non-heated winter glove you can get for you money, IMHO. They have hard knuckle protectors (rare in witner gloves in this price range) good insulation, but the majority of it is on the back of your hand, where the wind hits. The palm is not as insulated, this is to allow dexterity with controls, as well as getting heat from heated grips.
What I look for: Full-Gauntlet, 3M Thinsulate insulation, knuckle protection.
Cortech Scarab Winter gloves.
Pants (summer):
I have an old pair of mesh Fistgear HT Air Overpants. I still wear them, as they are my riding pant of choice. This is because I can wear them in temps as high as 100, and if I put the rain liner in, I can wear them in temps as low as 45 and not be freezing. When I bought them, the knee "armor" was just some pieces of EVA foam. These were quickly replaced with some Tourmaster CE Armor. The feature I love the most about these pants is the side-zippers that go all the way up to your hip. Sadly, Firstgear did away with these instead using zippers that only go up to your calf. So I think my next pair of mesh pants will be from Olympia, most likely their Airglide model.
What I look for: full-length side zippers (YKK), decent armor, good airflow, removable wind/rain liner.
Olympia Airglide 3 pants.
Pants (Winter)
Still haven't found a pair of decent winter pants that I really like. I think I'll be buying a pair of Olympia Rangers if I get the chance.
What I look for: Full-length side zippers (YKK), decent armor, removable thermal liner.
Olympia Ranger 3 pants
Boots:
I'm not racer/kneedragger adn most of my riding is commuting, so I need a boot that isn't too crazy but still offers protection. My last pair of boots was a cheap hundred-dollar pair of AGV "waterproof" touring boots. They absolutely sucked,were flimsy as hell, and leaked like a sieve. I eventually replaced them with a set of Alpinestars SMX-5 Waterproof boots. Man, talk about an improvement, they are very well built, offer very good protection, and are pretty waterproof too. They won't keep your feet dry if you ride through a monsoon, or try and do a river crossing, but if you find yourself caught in the occasional storm, they hold up quite well. The waterproof ones that I have aren't bad, in the summer, but If I can find a vented pair on sale, I might have to pick them up.
What I look for: Decent armor, comfort, good tread on the sole.
Alpinestars SMX-5 Waterproof