I've had the Akito stuff, in fact they are still lying around here and I sometimes wear them when I go out for a quick test ride after doing something on the bike. They are very comfy and they have CE protection (knees, elbows, back protector, shoulders.) Compared to my current RST gear the textile feels thin and I feel less protected when I wear the Akito stuff now. They were pretty good in the summer though, you can take the thermal linings out (not that great in the winter though, I get too cold in them.) For the price they are very reasonable and you should be able to get them in a long and short leg if you need something like that. Even though I don't feel 'as safe' in them I'll be using them for a week of touring in South Africa (in the heat of summer) this coming November. I think Akito has brought out a newer version of the textiles than the ones I have. I had a look at the newer ones the other day and they look a bit better than the ones I have. I used my ones for over a year and the zips and popper buttons all still work. That said, I did have the original pair of trousers swapped out because of a broken popper on one of the pockets, but that's nothing serious. Oh, and it's probably worth mentioning that they survived a fall in August 2009 and were still fine to wear afterwards.
On the Frank Thomas stuff, my wife's textiles are from them and she's very happy with them. She says they are very comfy and I can't fault the quality. Frank Thomas has gone bust AFAIK so you might be able to get some good deals on their gear if people are trying to get rid of old stock. When I was looking for new winter gear I had looked at the Frank Thomas stuff, but nothing fitted me properly (I am full of sh*t though, but I spend about 4 hours a day in the gear so it needs to be comfy and do the job.)
If that hasn't confused you more then I hope it helps in your decision
No doubt someone else will show up soon and tell you the complete opposite of what I have
