Textile Gear Question
 

I just ordered up some Joe Rocket textile jacket and pants. It seems I am between sizes. The XL is way too big and the large is just a little small.

So I'm thinking eventually this stuff will need to be washed. My question is does textile gear shrink or get looser after washing? I'm thinking about keeping the smaller sized gear hoping after I break it in it should fit nice. I do like my gear a little tighter but am concerned about shrinkage after washing. Anyone have experience with this?

Nylon does not shrink as long as you don't put it in a dryer. I have JoeRocket pants and jacket. I did not like how clammy the pants made me feel and I don't really care to ride in the rain, so I was not too concerned about removing the waterproof liner. In other words; I cut it out. This gave me the room to wear them over my jeans without feeling too tight. Now they fit just right. JoeRocket makes the outer layer "water resistant" and the seams are water proofed with tape. The waterproof plastic liner made it harder to get on and made me feel hot and clammy. Plus the liner limited the size of the pant's interior fit. I wear them in colder weather and it keeps the wind out. If I get caught in rain I can stay dry too. But I wouldn't want to spend a day in the saddle and think that I would not get some water to come through eventually. If I need to ride in the rain I have rain gear.

If you follow the directions inside the jacket you're not going to shrink it. Mine says not to machine wash, cold water only, don't put in dryer, etc. The easiest way is hand wash cycle or in a tub with Woolite then air dry. Keeps the waterproof factor intact that way.