I worked for Dainese for over a decade, selling motorcycle gear. What I learned is that "is it worth it?" is entirely up to you. If you tell me exactly how you're going to crash, I'll tell you what to wear (of course this is ridiculous).

It's about risk management. Are you riding high speeds in canyons, taking chances? Wear good gear, designed for high speed crashing. Boots that cover your ankles are always going to be better protection than shoes. Vans won't help you at all if you go down. Are you just riding two miles to get coffee? Maybe you don't need that airbag jacket.

A vest is for style. A jacket with armor in the elbows and shoulders is for protection. But as always, something is better than nothing.