Summer Jacket Recommendation?

Joeywhat said:
I love my Klim Induction jacket as well. Just don't get it in dark gray like me, I had one in light gray and it was a bit cooler in the sun.

Either way once I'm going above 25mph it's like I'm not even wearing it tons of airflow. Has armor if you're into that. I can't comment on how it works in a crash as I haven't, but Klim has a good reputation and it seems built well.
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i've got the light grey / silver Klim Induction and some sort of Olympia mesh jacket. i can't say one is cooler than the other and to me they are both too warm but i had a Joe Rocket ballistic jacket ( back when they were all mesh ) for years and wish i could fit into it
 
Daboo said:
If I buy one of the $90 or less jackets, would you test it for me in your unique and comprehensive way?
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I really appreciate your offer but, first of all, it probably doesn't come in my size. ;)
And I don't know that the deer mafia would cooperate on a schedule or not ...
 
My quest today involved researching your suggestions and taking a longer look at the Klim Induction (Pro) jackets.

There's a thread on "Wise Sayings..." with quotes from various people. I should add my wife's comment to the thread. "How much is your skin worth?" :D

The HWK arrives tomorrow. The Klim Induction arrives later around the 4th. Interesting choices. And at totally opposite ends of the spectrum.

In the meantime, this has helped me think through what I'll end up buying. Several years ago, I threw away some TourMaster mesh pants. I wasn't wearing them and would always pick up something like my Olympia Dakar pants with the mesh thigh panel for hot weather riding. I just got to looking at all that mesh and realized why I would never wear them. The mesh looked like less protection than even a pair of Levi's. Sure it had knee armour, but how many micro-seconds would the pants last before my skin touched on the asphalt? So they went in the garbage. I didn't even want to give them away to someone thinking they were getting some protection.

The Amazon listings I shared above have no EN 17092-4 ratings. You're making an assumption of how well they'll protect based on what you see and feel. In some cases, I wonder if it is better to not have the ratings from a marketing perspective.

I looked up the Alpinestar Andes Air Drystar jackets, both ver 3 and 4. They have a Class A rating, as does the Rev'It Eclipse 2 jacket. The wording in their descriptions as well as others like this say they are suitable for "urban riding". They don't tell you what "urban riding" means though. When you dig elsewhere, you find that they will protect you from road rash at up to 28 mph for 1 second. Hopefully, if you have an accident at 60 mph, you slow down enough before hitting the ground to get below that 28 mph threshold. 1 second at 28 mph. That's not much.

And so I'm finding myself putting all this together and coming out with a different answer than I started thinking I would.
  • The Amazon products are probably as good as the products we see selling for $2-300 or more that are Class A rated. Just watch for things like I spotted with the Cuber jacket where the thicker material doesn't extend to where the amour is placed. :oops:
  • A lot of motorcycle gear has trended from being sought after for being protective, to being fashion items. :(
  • Maybe there is something to that Klim Karbonite mesh that is supposed to be 750% stronger than the standard polyester mesh. :unsure:
  • I wear my Olympia winter jacket for more months in the Fall/Winter/Spring of each year. But I've worn my Olympia Dakar jacket for far more miles in the late Spring/Summer/early Fall. It isn't even close on mileage. Or speeds. In the wet months, my riding is far less "spirited". Like when I had my accident two years ago, I was doing over 70 mph. I should buy for that environment.
  • This will probably be the last summer weight jacket that I'll buy. When I end my riding portion of my life, I'd like it to be for things like my ability to ride, than because I spent the last two years getting skin grafts.
So I'll let you know what happens. If you have any other suggestions, please post them for all of us to see.

Chris
 
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I've had original Joe Rocket (best air flow, cheap and light), Olympia (good air flow and quality, medium weight), Sedici (give it a pass, seriously bad), and now the Klim (ok airflow, excellent quality and heavy).
 
Have you looked into Motoport? Way more $$ now than I paid a bunch of years ago. Over all those thousands of miles, it's been perfectly adequate in all temps (stretch kevlar, NOT their mesh). Marathon jacket and Street Jeans. I'd get them again in a heartbeat (after winning the lottery ... stupid high price).
 
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I tried the Sedeci jacket. It looked good on the rack, but the fit in the torso was tight...my problem, not it's problem. Sigh...

I made another interesting observation. You can get all the black mesh jackets you want. White or light gray is hard to find..

Chris
 
Glad you found something, Chris.
I have about 9 jackets, 3 of them mesh. (I never pay retail, and I've been the same size for decades.) I've got stuff from the ADVrider Flea Market, and motorcyclegear.com.
Between my Joe Rocket, Olympia and First Gear mesh jackets, I can't tell much difference between them, really. But they are practically required in Alabama summers, if you plan to ride. And I do.
And no, I haven't crash-tested any of them, nor do I plan to.
(Not like anyone I know really "plans" to crash, eh?)
 
Nice to have found a jacket that will work for you. As for me (and many may find it less to their taste) I use a Bohn Armor armored shirt (CE2 armor in the shoulders, elbow/forearm areas and back) and over this I wear the airbag vest- I get great airflow and was even a little cool up in Colorado at altitude (but I run warm, so I didn’t mind the cool at all). For my cooler seasons in the south (basically November to March), I use a Bohn Armor 3 season jacket, which is not ventilated and works really well when it’s colder out (and heated seat pad and grips as well- I have a heated vest but don’t use it too often as the fairings on all of the bikes keep a lot of air off me. I have short shields on all 3 bikes for the summer and fall to move even more air and just got a Shoei J Cruise 3 helmet which allows more air to flow.


www.bohnarmor.com

Kevlar Motorcycle Jacket | CE-Level 2 Armor | Back, Shoulders, Elbow

Ultra-comfortable “everyday-style” Kevlar riding jacket. Holds CE-Level 2 Back, Shoulder and Arm Protection. Fully lined with DuPont™ Kevlar. Soft outer shell.
www.bohnarmor.com www.bohnarmor.com



There’s never a shortage of gear to buy when you ride motorcycles. Then there are those riders by me that wear shorts and no helmet when riding…they I guess don’t want to spend the money for protection.
 
While we are on the subject, came across a "cooling base layer " called Zerofit cold skin. Does anyone have knowledge of this product?

  • Most standard athletic baselayers score the minimum cool rating of 0.1 W/cm².
  • The Zerofit Cold Skin scored an impressive 0.298 W/cm², meaning it feels roughly 3 times cooler on the skin than standard competitor base layers. [1, 2]

When They Work Best
These shirts shine brightest when paired with airflow—such as when motorcycling, cycling, or playing outdoor sports like golf or hiking. When a slight breeze hits the wet fabric, the cooling effect becomes highly pronounced. [1, 2]
However, they are less effective if worn as a standalone shirt in stagnant, humid environments with zero wind, or under heavy, non-breathable outer layers (like some full-leather motorcycle jackets) that trap the dispersed heat. [1, 2]

 
Al st1100 said:
While we are on the subject, came across a "cooling base layer " called Zerofit cold skin. Does anyone have knowledge of this product?
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Not yet, but sounds interesting... especially for ze GF who is absolutely suffering during urban commute... 🥵

I have my Dainese summer base layer keeping me perfectly dry, but can feel a bit claustrophobic due its skintight cut...
 
Just like @ST1100Y I'm wearing a Revit Eclipse II in blue color. Living in the South of Spain it is comfortable. Also I can interchange my Revit back protector
 

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Erdoc48 said:
Nice to have found a jacket that will work for you. As for me (and many may find it less to their taste) I use a Bohn Armor armored shirt (CE2 armor in the shoulders, elbow/forearm areas and back) and over this I wear the airbag vest- I get great airflow and was even a little cool up in Colorado at altitude (but I run warm, so I didn’t mind the cool at all). For my cooler seasons in the south (basically November to March), I use a Bohn Armor 3 season jacket, which is not ventilated and works really well when it’s colder out (and heated seat pad and grips as well- I have a heated vest but don’t use it too often as the fairings on all of the bikes keep a lot of air off me. I have short shields on all 3 bikes for the summer and fall to move even more air and just got a Shoei J Cruise 3 helmet which allows more air to flow.


www.bohnarmor.com

Kevlar Motorcycle Jacket | CE-Level 2 Armor | Back, Shoulders, Elbow

Ultra-comfortable “everyday-style” Kevlar riding jacket. Holds CE-Level 2 Back, Shoulder and Arm Protection. Fully lined with DuPont™ Kevlar. Soft outer shell.
www.bohnarmor.com www.bohnarmor.com



There’s never a shortage of gear to buy when you ride motorcycles. Then there are those riders by me that wear shorts and no helmet when riding…they I guess don’t want to spend the money for protection.
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Thanks for the link. That looks interesting.


There's only one problem, and it is the same for almost all manufacturers. Availability in my size in any colour other than black.

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I hadn't considered this, but it solves one of the problems with armored riding gear. The problem being getting the armour to be over the area that needs protecting when you fall.

Chris
 
I would call them to be honest- they’re very receptive on the phone and can likely tell you when the jackets will be available again. I told them I had lost some weight and use an XL in my armored shirt- the person on the phone suggested a 2XL due to the armor, and she was spot on- I ordered that size and it fits perfectly without being too loose. So if you need a large, an XL may be what you need- she can go over the measurements with you on the phone. I don’t work for them or shill for them, but I do like their stuff.
 
I have zero fit winter base layer. The winter stuff is very warm I've. I haven't used the summer stuff....
 
Ronald van Voorst said:
Just like @ST1100Y I'm wearing a Revit Eclipse II in blue color. Living in the South of Spain it is comfortable. Also I can interchange my Revit back protector
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Combined with their Storm WB mid-layer I'm also covered during the transitional period (spring & fall; cool mornings/evenings @ 10°~15°C/50°~60°F, but warm & sunny during daytime)

revit-storm_wb_black_1010-5-M-200399441.jpg
 
I think I'm done looking. Seems to fit well, even with a sweater and windbreaker underneath.

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Does this dress jacket make me look fat?

Chris
 
DeanR said:
So which jacket is this?
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Klim Induction.
oude geit said:
Report what you decide on.....
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Why?
  • Safety first. After all, that's why we wear our riding gear instead of using a t-shirt only. I'm not a fan of the new EN 17092 certification, but it does give a bit of a standard to help choose which jacket might be safer than another.
    • Class A is equivalent to protection in a slide for ≥ 1.0 second at 28 mph. That's like kissing the asphalt before wearing through.
    • Class AA is equivalent to protection in a slide for ≥ 2.0 seconds at 43 mph. Still not much, but twice as good.
  • Jackets seemed to fall into two categories.
    • First, the no rating or Class A. This encompasses to me the realm from the sub-$100 Amazon products to the $300-400 products by name brands. If your jacket will only hold up for a second at bicycle speeds, I don't care what name it has on it. If you're happy with a Class A jacket, don't waste your money on high priced name brands. The Zyxformis jackets are top quality on a budget.
    • Second, the Class AA. Not as many in this category. Klim had the Induction and Induction Pro jackets. Their Marrakesh jacket is also worth considering. All are AA rated. The Rev'IT! Tornado jacket is also in this category. You'll find prices are all around the $400+ mark. I chose Klim. I probably could've also chose Rev'IT! or one of the others and been happy.
  • Color. This was not my first choice. "Hi-Vis" today in most cases is only a tiny tiny bit of hi-vis color. It doesn't bother me much with a Hi-Vis yellow airbag vest. But black is not cool in 90-100+ temps.
Bottom line, I put the Klim Induction Pro on and it just felt right. Sizing felt good, even with a Patagonia zippered sweater on and a water-proof windbreaker on under it. It checked the boxes for safety about as well as anything could.

Chris
 
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