They're actually a decent product for budget minded folks. I use the transition series. Well done.Originally Posted by srt8-in-largo
They're actually a decent product for budget minded folks. I use the transition series. Well done.
I don't know what size you're looking for, but I've been wearing the Fieldsheer for over a year and like it quite a bit. Well, I guess all they have is black, so maybe the color doesn't work for you. but the price is killer.
I don't know anything about the first gear jacket other than it seems to meet your requirements.
http://www.motorcyclegear.com/street...le_jacket.html
http://www.motorcyclegear.com/street...le_jacket.html
You may want to check with Value Accessories. They are a site sponsor and carry some great jackets. I have one of their light weight summer jackets. Very well vented and priced right! Call and talk with Teresa or Rick. www.valueaccessories.net Rick is coming to the fall rally.
. Product feedback from firsthand users is always good to see.
I like the lighter color of the FirstGear jacket... but still hesitant to go with "water resistant" versus "water proof".
Hmmmmmmm... is this what you have: http://store.valueaccessories.net/OS...ketSilver.aspx ?
If they have a reasonable return or exchange policy I may give this a shot!
There's an interesting new textile treatment called Coldblack... which (allegedly) causes darker materials to feel cooler in the sun. BMW is using this stuff on some of their riding gear $$$.
Hmpf. Maybe one day black jackets will feel as cool as light colors.
http://www.runnersworld.com/running-...k-does-it-work
http://www.schoeller-tech.com/en/tex...coldblack/#all
I decided that I just wasn't going to find everything I wanted in a single jacket so I got two: the Airwave from Revit and the Tekk Toad from Frogg Toggs.
The Airwave is an armored mesh jacket that is pretty much for summer time only. It's fully meshed and does not come with any liners. The advantage of a jacket without liners is you're able to fine tune the fit a little better. Most lined jackets will fit snugly with the liner installed, but when the liner is out it'll fit looser than I like. I have a 42 inch chest and the large Airwave fits snug with just enough room to wear a long sleeve shirt underneath which should keep me warm enough in the cold Florida winters.
The black areas of this jacket at the "impact zones" are 600D polyester, which is on the lower end of abrasion resistance of the materials Revit uses. Full grain leather or 1000D Cordura are much more bomb proof but you pay for it. Since I'm not a pro rider and I don't plan on breaking the sound barrier, I'm ok with the lesser protection offered by a $200 jacket. The silver areas at the chest, back, and inner forearms are PWR mesh which is a proprietary textile made by Revit and is actually rated slightly higher than the 600D poly for abrasion resistance.
The Airwave comes with Knox CE armor in the elbows and shoulders; a back protector can be ordered separately that will slide into a pocket on the back. The armor is essentially invisible; I don't really feel it when I'm wearing the jacket and I can't really notice it when I look in the mirror. The snug fit of the jacket keeps the armor where it's supposed to be; you don't want a loose fitting jacket that allows the armor to move in a crash.
The third pic below was taken with flash to show the reflective areas at the outer biceps and top of the back. One feature that I also liked is the belt loop that can be seen in the fourth pic below. If you're not attached to riding pants with the zipper, you can loop into your belt.
The Tekk Toad is basic raingear and fairly inexpensive at $45. I love that Frogg Toggs makes stuff that is affordable but still pretty good. I'm not sure but I think FT cuts their jackets on the large size so that it can fit over riding gear. This medium has a TON of room and is easily worn over the top of another jacket.
Most FT jackets are bomber cut, meaning the waist is short. The Tekk Toad is longer cut and will therefore completely cover the riding jacket and not look silly. There are two zippered hand warmer pockets but no more; none on the inside.
The front zipper has a dual rain flaps and as you can see in the second pic all of the seams are taped. There is a permanently attached hood that can be folded and stored away in a collar pouch. This seems like pretty serious raingear and I plan on using it off the bike too. FT touts their proprietary material to be breathable yet 100% waterproof; I can't wait to test it out.
The cuffs have velcro adjustments. Black is probably not the best color for wearing in a low visibility rainy environment but I figured there's enough reflectivity to help out.
I've been lovin the Revit Airwave jacket... fantastic!
... but the Frogg Togg, not so much. The material is strange; its very stiff and does not pack well because of this. The stiffness and thickness of the material is just too bulky.
Also the cut is funny. These are cut big so they can be worn over motorcycle jackets, I understand that, but still. The back rides too high to provide much rain protection and the brim of the hood is too short; it allows a lot of rain to hit your face.
I went to the Marmot Precip rain jacket instead, and this is the shizzat! I ordered a size as if I was just using it normally... but there is still enough room to wear over a motorcycle jacket. The cuffs are velcro adjustable to accommodate gloves. Highly recommended!
Great jacket with a waterproof liner
On sale $71.77
http://www.compacc.com/p/pokerun-coo...d=scsho2795000
I can't do the frogg togg thing either. I tried. I'll have to look in my saddlebag to see what kind of rainsuit I have. It's a good one to the point I don't even think about it, rolled up and tucked in the corner of the bag, ready for use.
I like the looks and the price
But I've come to the decision that I won't try to save money when it comes to a jacket; there's just too many things that can go wrong with a poorly made one in a crash (seams rip, the material isn't rugged enough, etc). I won't even consider a protective jacket anymore unless the vendor offers a concrete discussion about construction and materials.
That's a shame because the FT's are so affordable and made specific for riders... having the reflective tape already installed on it. I really tried to like it.
I'm gonna try some putting some 3M reflective tape on my Marmot Precip jacket: http://www.identi-tape.com/super-eng2.html . I like it so much I think I'll get the matching pants and call it a day.
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