Best riding jacket for warmth

[Beck]

Hi, what are your recommendations for warm clothes/jackets? I am a woman which makes it even more difficult to find riding clothes! 

 

Thanks for your tips. 

P.S check out my Youtube (more vids coming  )

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[Gerontious]

Scandinavian. Halvarssons. Rukka. or German. Held.

 

if you go on sportsbikeshops website you can filter a search for female gear. makes tracking down what's right for you a lot simpler.

[Guest]

You can try heated gear. If not then layering is good. Merino base layer, Woolpower stuff is excellent but pricey. Then a good midlayer, maybe a fleece (my preference is wool again)  then something windproof and waterproof. 

Personally I stear clear of synthetics for base layers which tend to be poor at thermal regulation and smell.

[onesea]

Allot comes down to personal choice and budget, waterproof think gortex.
 

As @goat says play with layers, I know it’s sad but vest or Tight T as base layer. Lots of materials out there find what works for you.

Spend all the money you want but it’s worth trying one of these or similar mine came from eBay:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rikay-Outerwear-Warmers-Charging-Without/dp/B09GW17452/ref=asc_df_B09GW17452/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=569553387804&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=6313427483751475140&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=t&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1006900&hvtargid=pla-1539350405889&psc=1
They are Chinese sizing so my UK large is actually 4xl, you probably already have battery pack so for £10 it’s a worthy try.  Mine goes all day on low and I ride all year.

Ps choose one with a neck warmer and if you find one with heated arms not just arms let me know.

Edited September 29, 2022 by onesea

[manxie49]

I ride all year round and find Rukka to be the best gear I've ever owned.  I wish I'd have bought Rukka years ago rather than wasting my money on cheap crap that just didn't cut the mustard.  The down side is that it is expensive,  I remember grabbing lots of overtime at work to afford the kit.  I've had my gear a few years now, clean it, treat it with Nikwax and thus far it has never let me down.  I've ridden in all weathers, from heavy rain to sub zero temperatures and still love the kit.  That said, remember for warmth, you need to think layers.  A goretex jacket alone may keep you dry but IMHO won't keep you that warm on it's own.  I wear a down filled liner under my jacket when the temperature gauge starts to fall and usually some sort of base layer under that.  I've never used one but I believe Keis heated gillets worn under your outer coat are also extremely effective.

[Gerontious]

2 minutes ago, manxie49 said:

I ride all year round and find Rukka to be the best gear I've ever owned.  I wish I'd have bought Rukka years ago rather than wasting my money on cheap crap that just didn't cut the mustard.  The down side is that it is expensive,  I remember grabbing lots of overtime at work to afford the kit.  I've had my gear a few years now, clean it, treat it with Nikwax and thus far it has never let me down.  I've ridden in all weathers, from heavy rain to sub zero temperatures and still love the kit.  That said, remember for warmth, you need to think layers.  A goretex jacket alone may keep you dry but IMHO won't keep you that warm on it's own.  I wear a down filled liner under my jacket when the temperature gauge starts to fall and usually some sort of base layer under that.  I've never used one but I believe Keis heated gillets worn under your outer coat are also extremely effective.

 

Ive had my Rukka jacket since 2009. its still pretty much as new aside from bits of the printed on logo washing off. but that's of zero importance to me.

[Throttled]

For warmth, I think what is under the jacket is more important than the jacket. A jacket is primarily for protection. If it is waterproof that helps. The thermal layers under it are for warmth and what comes with a jacket is not that great. I recommend thermal stuff you can get from outdoor shops.

[skyrider]

i have a heros by held leather jacket one with the silver lining that looks like a map, a nice jacket

[bonio]

I've had my Rukka kit 7 years. it's a bit discoloured now from the sun, but still works perfectly.
But layers are the answer for sure. To keep really warm, merino base, then a fleece, then something windproof, then the jacket. For the windproof thing, I use a thin nylon running jacket, but anything to stop the wind coming in will improve your warmth many times over.

[daveinlim]

I have a Oxford hinterland jacket. It's laminated so it doesn't let in the wet like a liner would. Also the removable thermal layer is quite good. 

 

I commute on my bike so I'll probably invest in a heated jacket, gerbing is looking like the one I'll go with. I already have heated grips.

 

My boots are by Merlin and have an outlast liner which I think is fantastic. I wear the same boots all year round and my feet are always comfortable. 

[Pie man]

I'm a wearer of Rukka Laminated gear. Wont waste my hard earned on anything else. For the added luxury on my winter commute I have the Keis heated vest, hard wired from the bike and a remote on the bars. For the price of a Keis vest, I wouldn't waste my time with cheap Chinese shite. 

Edited September 29, 2022 by Pie man

[Guest]

1 hour ago, bonio said:

I've had my Rukka kit 7 years. it's a bit discoloured now from the sun, but still works perfectly.
But layers are the answer for sure. To keep really warm, merino base, then a fleece, then something windproof, then the jacket. For the windproof thing, I use a thin nylon running jacket, but anything to stop the wind coming in will improve your warmth many times over.

This, young chap, is spot on. Windproof layer is probably the most important. A 70mph wind will move heat away from your body very quickly indeed.

[S-Westerly]

Have a look at Motolegends website.  One of the owners is a female biker and they sell a lot of the good stuff and they're no more expensive than anyone else. 

[bonio]

16 hours ago, goat said:

This, young chap, is spot on. 

Thank you sir. For the "young chap" bit, I mean.

[Gerontious]

A good quality 3 season jacket (not summer) should be windproof by design. If it isn’t then it’s not a 3 season. My jacket is fully windproof but only if all the vents are zipped shut, pockets closed and fastened and the front zipped fully closed. Under that I only need to wear normal clothing, normal for winter would be a long sleeved thermal top with a high neck and a wooden sweater. If I get wind coming in then I soon feel that and it’s always because I’ve neglected to close and fasten something. My guess is (though I’ve never been silly enough to test this) if the wind can get in the jacket then so can the rain. Which won’t do at all. There’s a reason I’ve not felt the need to upgrade my jacket even after all these years. It does the job.

 

Pants should be the same, though for winter riding I think it’s best to opt for those that have a high waist or are similar to salopettes. And are long enough in the leg so there is no chance of them riding up above the boots, if you wear low boots like I do. Though riding position has a great impact on that, if my bike had a more sporty stance I would probably have gone for higher boots. Anyway, under these I tend to wear thermal long johns. Nothing expensive, I got mine from Matalan.

[daveinlim]

12 minutes ago, Gerontious said:

A good quality 3 season jacket (not summer) should be windproof by design. If it isn’t then it’s not a 3 season. My jacket is fully windproof but only if all the vents are zipped shut, pockets closed and fastened and the front zipped fully closed. Under that I only need to wear normal clothing, normal for winter would be a long sleeved thermal top with a high neck and a wooden sweater. If I get wind coming in then I soon feel that and it’s always because I’ve neglected to close and fasten something. My guess is (though I’ve never been silly enough to test this) if the wind can get in the jacket then so can the rain. Which won’t do at all. There’s a reason I’ve not felt the need to upgrade my jacket even after all these years. It does the job.

 

Honestly I wouldn't wear a wooden sweater. It'd probably be a bit stiff and a fire hazard. Then there's the chance of splinters. 

[Gerontious]

12 minutes ago, daveinlim said:

 

Honestly I wouldn't wear a wooden sweater. It'd probably be a bit stiff and a fire hazard. Then there's the chance of splinters. 

yeah well.. wouldn't expect anything else from a namby-pamby southerner.

as it happens.. and coincidentally, my mattress cover is made from eucalyptus wood. (it really is.. that's not a typo. unlike the one quoted.)

[Fiddlesticks]

Mine's the IXS Navigator Jacket and matching trousers from J&S. They're textile, with removable waterproof drop liner and thermal layers.

Price-wise, nowhere near the Rukkas of this world, but plenty warm enough, well ventilated and keeps rain off, to a point.

I thought removable layers would be useful in hot weather,  but it was too baggy without its inners, so I picked up a mesh jacket for the summer.

While the Navigator is much cheaper (and probably a bit more breathable) than laminated jackets, the downside is that it's not as waterproof.  Ordinary textile jackets tend to get "wetted out" after a while - the material soaks up water rather than repels it and donning sopping wet gear for your commute home is no fun.

So for wet weather,  particularly if it's cold, I'll add a Richa Typhoon rainsuit, which has the added advantage of keeping road dirt off the textiles.