What summer jacket

[daveinlim]

So it looks like summer may be on the way and I e already swapped the textile trousers for my arimid jeans and pulled the fleece lining out of my textile jacket. my jacket has some chest and arm vents but I'm wondering if I should commit to a full on summer jacket. 

 

I commute to work which takes just over an hour and is 50/50 motorway/London traffic. 

 

What jacket do you lot recommend for the hottest days of the year. There's plenty of A rated mesh jackets but these don't seem safe enough for a slide at speed. 

 

Knox do their AAA rated mesh second skin type jacket but at £380 it's also pricy for the few days of the year I'll use it. 

 

RST do an A rated mesh jacket with a built in airbag for £250 + subscription. For some reason the airbag version and the regular are both rated A. 

 

Or there's the RST ventilator which is AA at £170.

 

I've had a flick through sbs and these are the ones that stand out. Ive ignored leather as I assume it would be hot as hell in London traffic.

 

 

[Fiddlesticks]

I have the Richa Airbender mesh jacket which comes with shoulder and elbow armour, although it will take a back protector. Mesh jackets are always going to be a trade off, but it seems to have the vulnerable bits covered.

According to Richa's website it's "Vegan Friendly", although the dinosaurs may disagree.

[Guest]

I wear a knox urbane mk2. On sale at a few places. I've ditched armour in all my jackets and wear this instead. Have also worn it just on it's own when it's very warm or just with an ordinary shirt or jacket over the top. Very comfortable and well made. Keeps the armour nicely in position, nice long back protector.

[skyrider]

5 hours ago, daveinlim said:

So it looks like summer may be on the way and I e already swapped the textile trousers for my arimid jeans and pulled the fleece lining out of my textile jacket. my jacket has some chest and arm vents but I'm wondering if I should commit to a full on summer jacket. 

 

I commute to work which takes just over an hour and is 50/50 motorway/London traffic. 

 

What jacket do you lot recommend for the hottest days of the year. There's plenty of A rated mesh jackets but these don't seem safe enough for a slide at speed. 

 

Knox do their AAA rated mesh second skin type jacket but at £380 it's also pricy for the few days of the year I'll use it. 

 

RST do an A rated mesh jacket with a built in airbag for £250 + subscription. For some reason the airbag version and the regular are both rated A. 

 

Or there's the RST ventilator which is AA at £170.

 

I've had a flick through sbs and these are the ones that stand out. Ive ignored leather as I assume it would be hot as hell in London traffic.

 

 

remember the old saying :  don't cast a clout till may be out 

[Mississippi Bullfrog]

Having just invested in a mesh jacket the only advice I can offer is that the only way to decide is to go somewhere you can try them on. 

 

I had thought I knew which one I wanted until I got to trying them, at which point it became clear that the one I had gone for wasn't comfortable at all. I ended up just working along the options until I found one that just felt right. It was a brand I'd never heard of but has the necessary safety certification. 

 

It wasn't the cheapest, it wasn't the most expensive,  but as the sales guy said, you'll only be wearing it a few days a year at most. 

[S-Westerly]

I've got a Klim Marrakesh and I'll be wearing it the next time I'm out until well into September. If it rains I put a waterproof over the top. If it's a bit cooler I wear a Klim windstopper shirt under the jacket or a down jacket.

[fullscreenaging]

I have a Rukka Forsair Pro mesh Jacket and the Gortex over jacket. Over jacket goes in the top box just in case of rain. I’m 100% protected if it does rain. 

[daveinlim]

20 hours ago, goat said:

I wear a knox urbane mk2. On sale at a few places. I've ditched armour in all my jackets and wear this instead. Have also worn it just on it's own when it's very warm or just with an ordinary shirt or jacket over the top. Very comfortable and well made. Keeps the armour nicely in position, nice long back protector.

 

Value for money, this seems to be one of the best options. AA rated and at a good discount as the newest version has just been released. 

 

I'll need to go try on a few options to make sure they fit. Hopefully the Knox shirt won't ruin my work shirt. 

[Capt Sisko]

I bought an RST Pro Series Ventilator-X a couple of years ago and in hot weather it's the business, if a little short in body length. If you've got a bit of an erm, overhang at the front, it's not exactly flattering. Personally I don't know why they bother supplying it with a removable thermal & waterproof liner. I know it gives you options but the jacket liner is even shorter than the jacket so it's not going to be very effective and I can't see anyone carrying the waterproof liners around with them as a 'just in case' as they don't exactly roll up small. I'm want a summer jacket and have got other stuff for wet / cold weather riding.

Edited May 28, 2023 by Capt Sisko
typo

[daveinlim]

1 hour ago, Capt Sisko said:

I bought an RST Pro Series Ventilator-X a couple of years ago and in hot weather it's the business, if a little short in body length. If you've got a bit of an erm, overhang at the front, it's not exactly flattering. Personally I know why they bother supplying it with a removable thermal & waterproof liner. I know it gives you options but the jacket liner is even shorter than the jacket  so it's not going to be very effective and I can't see anyone carrying the waterproof liners as a just in case then the don't exactly roll up small. I'm buying a summer jacket and have got other stuff for wet / cold weather riding.

 

The ventilator is on my short list to try on. Interesting about the liners. My current jacket has vents so will for 90% of the time. Any liner in a mesh jacket won't see light of day 

[Stu]

19 minutes ago, daveinlim said:

 

The ventilator is on my short list to try on. Interesting about the liners. My current jacket has vents so will for 90% of the time. Any liner in a mesh jacket won't see light of day 

 

My mate has just got the ventilator and rates it highly 

[Grumpy Old Git]

With the current cold wind - I am sticking to winter jacket! 

[S-Westerly]

Yeah for June it's bloody cold! 14 C in the Forest of Dean today.

[daveinlim]

I'm in the west of Ireland this week. Mid 20s but feels warmer, not a cloud in the sky. Unfortunately my bike is locked up in England (hopefully).

[Throttled]

How about armoured denim? This jacket looks just like my Red Route jacket that J&S used to sell. They still sell the jeans, but not the jacket for some reason.

 

https://www.bikersparadise.co.uk/Rida-Tec-Denim-Biker-Jacket.html

 

The air just flows through the fabric. I suspect like other armoured denim, it will cope with one off and need to be replaced, but the other side is the relatively low cost. I have armour for both of my jackets (denim summer, goretex textile winter) now, but I used to just swap it over between them.

[Gerontious]

My idea of an ideal summer jacket is one that can deal with a British summer as well as Southern Europe. It needs to be light in colour so it doesnt absorb the heat from the sun. fully vented/mesh. removable waterproof liner. with preferably an outlast liner too. (for the mountains) light in weight. so it can be carried easily when not being worn on tour.

 

something that looks like this.. though probably not this exact one.

[daveinlim]

11 hours ago, Throttled said:

How about armoured denim? This jacket looks just like my Red Route jacket that J&S used to sell. They still sell the jeans, but not the jacket for some reason.

 

https://www.bikersparadise.co.uk/Rida-Tec-Denim-Biker-Jacket.html

 

The air just flows through the fabric. I suspect like other armoured denim, it will cope with one off and need to be replaced, but the other side is the relatively low cost. I have armour for both of my jackets (denim summer, goretex textile winter) now, but I used to just swap it over between them.

 

I don't think I could pull off the double denim look 

[daveinlim]

I bought the Knox urban pro mk 3 online. 

 

It came today and it doesn't fit me right. 

Im an XL in my other jackets and it is much smaller. It's supposed to be fitted but it's just too tight. Sports/gym all my life mean I've an 18 inch neck. The neck is choking me. There's none is the local suppliers so I don't know if the XXL will fit or if the necks are larger too. 

[Gerontious]

This is why I don't buy online. I can't be doing with the messing about if it don't fit. my problem is always the length. being a tad on the tall side to get the length often means buying for the morbidly obese.. and im hardly that. so its always a struggle. I might earmark something Ive seen and then be disappointed because a size that fits me.. doesnt. (even if it does - kinda). Its a pain but something that's just normal for me. The halcyon days were when Heine Gericke first opened and were rammed with German gear. they used to understand that people can be tall and slim. here and now, not so much. 

[Mississippi Bullfrog]

I've been wearing my new one the past few days. It's brilliant!

 

As I said above, it wasn't the one I went in to buy. The one I wanted didn't fit right at all. The guy at J&S just started at the lowest price and kept bringing me jackets until one fitted perfectly. As he said, there's no point spending more than you need to for something you'll only wear a few days a year. 

 

https://jsaccessories.co.uk/product/duchinni-mistral-jacket-black-58225?variant=158695

 

I bought it in the spring and guess what? It was about 30% cheaper then. 

[skyrider]

19 hours ago, daveinlim said:

I bought the Knox urban pro mk 3 online. 

 

It came today and it doesn't fit me right. 

Im an XL in my other jackets and it is much smaller. It's supposed to be fitted but it's just too tight. Sports/gym all my life mean I've an 18 inch neck. The neck is choking me. There's none is the local suppliers so I don't know if the XXL will fit or if the necks are larger too. 

the xl is also known as a size 44

[manxie49]

On 26/05/2023 at 23:42, fullscreenaging said:

I have a Rukka Forsair Pro mesh Jacket and the Gortex over jacket. Over jacket goes in the top box just in case of rain. I’m 100% protected if it does rain. 

Just bought one of these jackets from SBS, not cheap, but money well spent.  Best summer jacket I've ever owned.

[daveinlim]

3 hours ago, skyrider said:

the xl is also known as a size 44

My work suit jackets are a 44, must be a 46 with armour

[daveinlim]

2 hours ago, manxie49 said:

Just bought one of these jackets from SBS, not cheap, but money well spent.  Best summer jacket I've ever owned.

What's the rating on them are they AA?

[fullscreenaging]

1 hour ago, daveinlim said:

What's the rating on them are they AA?

 
Not sure what you mean by AA but the elbow and shoulder armour  that come with the jacket is D3O XTR  and rated CE level 2. It has a pocket for the D30 XTR back protector which is optional and I have. 
 

As far as I’m aware. You can’t beat CE level 2 for the road.