Instead of reading things on the internet, I actually have been using, wearing, crashing, and testing a lot of things for the last 16 years.
AGV makes a wide range of suits and other gear.
Wait, let me rephrase that.
AGV sells a wide range of suits and other gear.
Like most "Manufacturers" these days ... they don't actually manufacture anything. They design things, then have manufacturers in other countries actually produce their goods, then they market and sell them.
When I first started racing, I bought an AGV suit ... it was $300, weighed a ton, and was a god-aweful kawasaki racing color scheme from the '90's (white, with that neonish green color, and a bit of purple). I crashed in it twice, and it held up just fine ... no stitching failures, no holes. In fact, I just sold it on eBay 2 years ago for $150 (I found it in a closet when we moved).
If you buy a $300 racing suit ... you're going to get a $300 racing suit. Plain and simple, doesn't matter who makes it. It's not junk ... it's a $300 suit. It's not going to be as nicely made as say ... a $900 suit. It's all about what you can afford and what works for you.
I personally currently own and use an AGV "Cyber" suit. This was their top-of-the-line suit in 2001, which retailed for about $900. One of our riders has crashed this suit about 8 times in the last 3 years, and it still is holding up well. It was made by Corner in Italy, which is a very well-respected manufacturer. It has triple stiching, hard and soft armor, etc, etc ... all the bells and whistles. It's a bit heavier than my Kush suit I used to wear ... but at a $600 difference in retail price, one can expect that.
Their current "Podium" suit is also made in Italy, and is VERY nice ... it's also their most expensive. The new "SP 4" is made in Brazil. Their other suits are made in Italy, Pakistan and China I believe. All and all, however, they all offer at least what I would call "Good" protection ... you might not be able to crash in the lesser expensive suits 47 times, but it'll save your ass at least once.
- Roach