Textile jackets

[Trogladyte]

It's a while since I've bought one, so does anyone have any insight into what's good, and good value at the moment? What I'm looking for is Goretex - but bonded rather than a separate membrane. I don't like it when jackets get sopping wet, leaving you dry inside, but carrying 25 kilos of absorbed water. I also want decent warmth, a removable liner, waterproof pockets, and quality armour.

So what's good value at the moment?

[Skub]

I have a Held Tourina,it's a comfy jacket,removable liner etc. It leaks in heavy rain.

Mate has a hyper expensive Rukka thing,all the bells and whistles. It leaks in heavy rain.

It seems to me all the textile stuff leaks,the only thing that changes is the cost of buying your leaky jacket.

[Hot_Air]

@Trogladyte What sort of budget have you got in mind?

[Count Steer]

Hmm. Don't know about good value having only had BMW* and Rukka suits** but, on a France trip with about 20 others it slashed down on the way there. Me and Mrs Pillion were among the few that rode again the next day. Most of the others had wetted out kit which is horrible to put on and chills you to the bone as it dries when you ride in it. Mucho ££ but never regretted spending it.

*Loaned it to someone on the old forum for a trip to Chernobyl...never saw it again.

*None of them leaked.

[Trogladyte]

@Trogladyte What sort of budget have you got in mind?

I'd like to avoid stratospheric amounts. Maybe £500, but getting the giid kit is more important.

[Bigyin]

@Trogladyte What sort of budget have you got in mind?

I'd like to avoid stratospheric amounts. Maybe £500, but getting the giid kit is more important.

Current Rukka pricing might get you a base level jacket in a sale at that budget. Prices seem to have gone up for Goretex recently which is no doubt down to Brexit and importing.

My current jacket is a Dainese Carve Master 2 and was retailing at about £400 2 years ago but i got one from Motocard in Spain for £350. They currently sell for around £450 from UK suppliers but can be sourced a bit cheaper. Bonded Goretex with removable thermal liner. Assorted pockets, some of which say "waterproof". The only ones that keep things dry are the internal ones.

The armour is good solid stuff as i managed to test it out in my previous Carve jacket with a long 80 mph slide after coming off the bike. The jacket ripped through completely but the armour stayed in place with no skin damage to my arm.

My previous Rukka lasted 8 years before it leaked but would have probably crashed better as the Dainese is very thin material

[Felix]

My old Buffalo never leaked but then i did Nikwax it every 2nd year. Relegated that to a work jacket and bought an RST Pro what has not been properly tested in the rain yet apart from the odd shower. Lining is like having an electric blanket on so that got taken out. Has back, elbow and shoulder pad protection. All removable. Zippers to let air in on hotter days. Neither had a crash test as i look out for pot holes

[Bigyin]

Neither had a crash test as i look out for pot holes

So do i .... sometimes they hide filled with water so you cant see them





To be fair to the jacket i hit both elbows and lower arms, right shoulder and a couple of places on the back judging by the tears and damage to the armour and no injuries in any of them. The only part that wasnt damaged on the jacket was the left shoulder and that was where all the internal injuries were from either trying to hold onto the bike or trying to grab things to slow down during the slide ... go figure

[Felix]

The only part that wasnt damaged on the jacket was the left shoulder and that was where all the internal injuries were from either trying to hold onto the bike or trying to grab things to slow down during the slide ... go figure

Probably bounced from that shoulder. I know what you mean about slowing down on the slide. Lost the back and on a bend in the wet and i swear i ended up going down the road faster than the bike. Lucky it was late at night as i was sliding on the wrong side of the road. Funny thing it was not a bad bend as well but i was going to fast after work and rushing to get home out the rain and i think a warped drum on the rear. This was the silly bend on Regent Road Edinburgh. https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@55.95540 ... 6656?hl=en

FWIW i had an Ashman leather jacket on and it was only scuffed. This thing was solid where it almost sat up on its own

[Hot_Air]

@Trogladyte How about an Oxford Hinterland jacket? It has laminated waterproofing and an AA rating for protection - impressive spec in a £300 jacket.

I’ve not tried one, but Bennetts gave it a glowing review: https://www.bennetts.co.uk/bikesocial/r ... and-review

[Dodgy69]

I had an alpinestar goretex jacket, it was waterproof but would weigh a ton as it soaked it up. As said above, you can get these laminated ones now that don't hold water, never had one though. Personally, I carry my Richa waterproof over jacket if weather looking dodgy. Pull over and chuck it on, works great.

I'm not keen on waterproof leggings, so decent goretex trousers with the richa over jacket works for me. If in leathers, the leggings go on.

https://www.sportsbikeshop.co.uk/motorc ... prod/33270

[Mr. Dazzle]

*Loaned it to someone on the old forum for a trip to Chernobyl...never saw it again.

Probably for the best.

When I was at Hideout leathers the other day I saw they also do made to measure Textiles. Given how much better/more comfortable my MTM leathers are I do wonder if MTM textiles would be worth the (considerable) price.

[Trogladyte]

@Trogladyte How about an Oxford Hinterland jacket? It has laminated waterproofing and an AA rating for protection - impressive spec in a £300 jacket.

I’ve not tried one, but Bennetts gave it a glowing review: https://www.bennetts.co.uk/bikesocial/r ... and-review

Hmm. £240 in Sportsbike Shop. Tempting.

[Hot_Air]

When I was at Hideout leathers the other day I saw they also do made to measure Textiles. Given how much better/more comfortable my MTM leathers are I do wonder if MTM textiles would be worth the (considerable) price.

The last time I was at Hideout, I tried on some of their textiles (currently beyond my budget) out of curiosity. They were certainly a step up from Rukka in comfort, protection and attention to detail. And Hideout’s textiles have got to be the most protective by far (tested to exceed the Cambridge High-Performance standard, which is considerably tougher than AAA). Hideout textiles are worth it.

[The Spin Doctor]

My Scott Road Jacket from the early 90s was more waterproof than anything I've used since. Aside from the pockets, it was fully waterproof for several years of despatching and several more of instructing. The only time it leaked was on the final day of my instructor training course when it rained from the moment I left home at 7:30 am to the moment I got back home at about 8pm. Water got in through the crook of the arm.

Scott still make jackets, but they are next-to-impossible to contact. They simply don't respond to email. I was trying to get some of their kit for my last work trip to NZ.

[Taipan]

A colleague wont stop banging on about how good he's new this year RST kit is. It replaced a Dainese but for about half the price. Its deffo been monsoon tested as we've arrived at the same time and i'm sodden and he smugly isn't. Based on that I ordered a 2 piece suit but it came up way too small and had to be returned and my size was out of stock. I don't know anyone else with RST stuff, but he's certainly does what its supposed to.

[Rockburner]

I've had a few triple-laminate jackets and they DO work. Ie they breathe, they don't 'wet-out', you 'can' shake them and they're very nearly dry.

What tends NOT to work is the stupid 'water-proof' zips. The one that have a rubber 'seal' over the top. I'm sure these zips DO seal when they're manufactured and tested (at least to be water-resistant, maybe survive a dunking) - but as soon as they're applied on a garment in a location where they have to FLEX (eg over a pocket where the garment folds somewhat when you're actually sitting on a bike), they leak like a fuckin' fishing net. Because of the way these jackets tend to be designed - that means that you then have a pocket full of water INSIDE the laminated outer, and you get wet.

I'd very happily buy any of these jackets if they were more cleverly designed.

I currently have the latest BMW tri-laminated jacket (the PaceGuard I think it is), but I've not had a chance to try it out yet (due to lots of reasons). The previous StreetGuard4 jacket was a seriously good jacket, APART from leaky pockets due to the above issue with the dumb zips.

The BMW stuff is seriously expensive: but tbh, the Streetguard (if it hadn't had the issue above) would (imho) have been worth the money, it was (imho) a true 4-season waterproof jacket.
Unfortunately their new PaceGuard is NOT a replacement for the Streetguard because it's JUST the laminate shell with a thin liner - it doesn't have the removable thermal liner that came with the Streetguard, doesn't have the Storm collar, and doesn't even have any built in thermal lining. (but it's sold at the same price). Although I've got one, I think the PaceGuard is a ripoff. I'm only sticking with it (until it maybe fails) because I got it 'free' (replacement for the Streetguard*), and I got to keep the thermal liner from my previous Streetguard because I kicked up a stink about the PaceGuard not being a true replacement for the StreetGuard.

To give them their due - BMW Vines have not quibbled about replacing the jackets at all, I think they're a bit miffed at BMW HQ and BMW design themselves.





* which I only paid about £450 for anyway.

[Trogladyte]

Do you trust the sizing guides? I've never ordered a jacket online, as I like to try stuff on. But I'm tempted to order something from Sportsbike Shop.

Sportsbike Shop size guide is completely useless. Infinity was better. It suggests 36-38 chest is small, and 38-40 is medium. I'm not a big chap, at around 5'8", slim with a 38" chest. Small or medium?

[Deadpool2]

medium, allows for layers and longer sleeve length

[Rockburner]

Do you trust the sizing guides? I've never ordered a jacket online, as I like to try stuff on. But I'm tempted to order something from Sportsbike Shop.

Sportsbike Shop size guide is completely useless. Infinity was better. It suggests 36-38 chest is small, and 38-40 is medium. I'm not a big chap, at around 5'8", slim with a 38" chest. Small or medium?

Sizing is all over the place these days.

Buy two one of each size, and send the other one back - tbh, it's what most online-capable retailers expect these days.

SportsbikeShop (iirc) have a very good returns policy (iirc it's free postage). I bought a leather jacket from them recently and it was the wrong size, sent it back no quibbles.