Tour Master Flex jacket

[electrajoe]

Has anyone tired the Tour Master Flex jacket?

My JR Phoenix 1 is getting a little worn. Houston has a lot of
100+ days, I don't ride if colder than 35 F. The ad says:

Converts easily from a 600 Denier Carbolex® shell to an Armor-Link
Mesh shell and vice-versa
1680 Denier Ballistic Polyester in impact areas for increased
protection and abrasion resistance
Removable CE-approved armor at the elbows and shoulders with an
articulated triple density back protector
Removable Two-Stage Aqua-Therm liner
Zippered hand pockets, internal pouch pocket and mobile media pocket
Adjustable waist belts
Reflective piping
Includes jacket/pant zipper attachment with the pant side included

I could not find one locally to try on.

[Medicine Bear]

Don't know if you tried Cycle Gear on the Gulf Fwy. If they don't have it they can order it and you aren't obligated to buy it if it doesn't fulfill your expectations.

Fred :03biker:

[mcrides]

Has anyone tired the Tour Master Flex jacket?

Specs look very interesting. It comes with removable waterproof liner and insulated liner. Should make it quite versatile termperature-wise.

Note that it uses polyester instead of nylon. It doesn't mention if the polyester used is regular or higher tenacity grade. If it's regular polyester it typically means lower strength and lower abrasion and tear resistance. But they do compensate by using a higher density denier ie 1680.

Bruno
Montreal, Canada
Gerbing Heated PANT LINER Review
http://pages.videotron.com/mcrides/product_evals/gerbing/p-liner.htm
:

[NormanPCN]

I saw one of these at a bike store recently. My question is what exactly is Carbolex. Marketing types like trick names. The label said that Carbolex had more strength and abrasion resistance than nylon. It had a little bar graph showing the Carbolex, nylon and polyester strength and abrasion is relation.

[mcrides]

I saw one of these at a bike store recently. My question is what exactly is Carbolex. Marketing types like trick names.

Best I can figure is that it could be a fabric that Fieldsheer formulated or wrote/requested specifications for from the mill. There is little information available. This is similar to RockTex from Joe Rocket. The Rock Tex 600 does look like it compares well to Cordura. Higher Denier numbers mean bulkier threads.

But I haven't looked at nor felt Carbolex material.

Denier is a reference only when comparing like materials. So 1000 Denier Cordura does not necessarily perform like 1000 Denier polyester. In the luggage industry, for example, they say that you typically need higher Denier in polyester to achieve the same abrasion performance as Cordura.

The label said that Carbolex had more strength and abrasion resistance than nylon. It had a little bar graph showing the Carbolex, nylon and polyester strength and abrasion is relation.

This is meaningful if, by nylon, they were referring to Cordura. Though Cordura is made of nylon, it is the particular weaving of the nylon that results in what is called Cordura and that gives it its enhanced properties. Cordura outperforms regular nylon (in abrasion and tear resistance) by a significant margin.

If they were referring to regular nylon and polyester, the comprarisson is much less meaningful.

But is could also mean that Carbolex performs better than Cordura. Without specifics, it's hard to know.:shrug2:


Bruno
Montreal, Canada
Gerbing Heated PANT LINER Review
http://pages.videotron.com/mcrides/product_evals/gerbing/p-liner.htm

[NormanPCN]

Higher Denier numbers mean bulkier threads.


...and since denier is a spec of the thread thickness, all too often they tend to PU coat the thread to quote a higher denier spec at lower cost. I just did a quick Google and Carbolex is often quoted as PU coated.

[mcrides]

...and since denier is a spec of the thread thickness, all too often they tend to PU coat the thread to quote a higher denier spec at lower cost. I just did a quick Google and Carbolex is often quoted as PU coated.

Going back many moons ago, when I had certified as a materials rigger, Denier refers to a weight per length of thread spool (9,000m IIRC). So we can infer that the heavier the weight ie higher Denier number, the denser the thread or the thicker it is. Of course, what properties a thread has is as important as how bulky it is.

A PU coating has often been given to the backing of finished Cordura fabric almost from the start. Being nylon, the Cordura fibers do absorb a little water. A Durable Water Repellant (DRW) on the surface, applied at the mill, helps protect the fabric from absorbing water. The PU coating on the back serves as an additional barrier to water as well as to wind. But I don't know if the PU is ever applied to threads. :shrug2:


Bruno
Montreal, Canada
Gerbing Heated PANT LINER Review
http://pages.videotron.com/mcrides/product_evals/gerbing/p-liner.htm
:

[mcrides]

...all too often they tend to PU coat

In my experience, non PU treated Cordura flows noticeably more air than PU treated. I've observed this in my own riding jackets. When riding my 500 Denier Cordura jacket without PU, I feel it whenever temps go down a bit. Even when the cooler air is humid and the temps not cold as such, I'll get body cooling. I need to use a wind barrier either on the outside (rain jacket) or on the inside (windproof liner). On the other hand, it does seem to flow more through-air in warmer weather ie the material feels like it has air permeability. The surface water repellant also needs to be in good condition, otherwise the material will absorb water.

By contrast, another riding jacket I have that is PU-treated feels like it's much more effective as a wind barrier in colder or damper weather. It's ideal for cold weather riding. Conversely, in hotter temps, it relies on venting to flow air, as the material seems to have little or no air permeability. The extra inner barrier also helps against rain.

Some Cordura, like the ATF used in some Rukka jackets, flows 80% more air than regular non-PU treated Cordura. So this would make it an even better choice for hot weather riding at the expense of cold.


Bruno
Montreal, Canada
Gerbing Heated PANT LINER Review
http://pages.videotron.com/mcrides/product_evals/gerbing/p-liner.htm
:

[NormanPCN]

However it is PU coated it can make you sweat. I had a FirstGear pair of pants that had a waterproof membrane. I sweated. After learning somethings I checked the grement label and it was PU coated. Why anything with a membrane would be PU coated is beyond me.

Anyway the fabric in question is a mesh fabric so sweating is eliminated. All that remains is that PU can melt on you in a slide.

[EASt]

:bump

So, did anyone buy the Flex jacket yet? :shrug2:

I'm looking for a replacement jacket for local riding (when not wearing the 'stich) and I really like what it has to offer.

Incidentally, they have them at New Enough (http://www.newenough.com/tour_master_flex_jacket_page.htm).

[billxp]

I have the Cortech GX Air with Leather (http://www.newenough.com/cortech_gx_air_jacket_with_leather_page.htm). Great 3 season jacket. Search the forums others also feel the sameway.

[gene]

Bought one 6k ago and love it !!! Great to be able to have awarm textile jacket in the morning and at a stop in less 2minutes I have a mesh jacket than in the evening the shell zips back on !!wore it in some rain a few times without the waterproof liner and didn't have any real leak issues. Just be advised they are cut small !! Makes for easy packing on trips the shell folds up and fits in the tank bag.

[PNWSTMan]

I bought one!
Both me and my wife picked these up this year!
I liked how full of options it was. From very warm and water proof to stripped down and well ventillated.
One of the selling points was as we were right in the middle of trying them on a guy from the local goldwing chapter came in and was endorsing the jacket with full stars. It appears he went down on his bike on I90 @ 60 MPH and slid down the freeway in his riding gear. He showed us only a dime sized hole that had worn through. He could not give that jacket enough praise.
My wife and I have both ridden in 42 degree weather and rain so far this fall and the jacket has performed very well.
M