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I’ve had my HD Switchback jacket for 3 yrs now. Absolutely love it, I would buy another one no problem. For some reason Harley discontinued all their leather Switchback jackets?? Too bad I would have considered buying one of those as well..
Bare skin allows the moisture to wick away with out providing much cooling effect - a light jacket or even a long sleeve shirt will control the wicking & provide better cooling to the body.
Wicking can also greatly contribute to problems with dehydration.
A water soaked neck rag can be helpful, as are the jacket liners and vests.
These are all the reason I'm thinking about the Ride Ready Mesh Jacket. It'll keep me cool because of moisture absorbtion and the hydration packs and the ability to have some armor protection. I wish the mesh was kevlar but you can't have everything...I think my decision is made
I have a full mesh jacket from Olympia, it has CE 2 armor. It cost around $100 and has been working great. I rode in the high 90’s with high humidity with know problem. When you are moving it feels like you are just wearing a tee shirt. I took the back armor out once and it really didn’t make a difference.
I also wear my gear all the time. My ego is not that weak to not wear the gear. I have had road rash before and I don’t want it again. I have also seen a lot of good riders crash and slide down the highway (my sport bike days). To each his own, but I’d rather be protected.
I bought this FXRG jacket in February. Granted, I did win a $500 gift certificate to spend in motor clothes at the dealers 30th anniversary event!
This is by far the best motorcycle jacket I have owned. This keeps me more comfortable than the full mesh jacket I had from Tourmaster. With the vents closed no air gets through. Unlike, my Gerbings jacket, where I can feel cold air seep through. With the vents open you can feel the air circulating in the jacket. It also comes with a lifetime warranty. The fit is perfect as well.
This jacket has a lot of technology. The shell is made by a Swiss company. Schoeller. When it's warm, the fibers in the shell open allowing heat and moisture to escape. When it's cold, the fibers close maintaining heat. All of this while remaining waterproof. The Schoeller website has a video on this. This fabric is far superior to Gore-Tex. BMW switched from Gore-Tex to Schoeller some years ago.
I know it's hard to believe that a jacket that is not full mesh will be wearable at over 100 degrees, but they are out there. I am thoroughly impressed every time I wear this jacket!
Yes it is expensive! However, it is right in line with other jackets using the Schoeller textile. Which again is a heck of a lot more breathable than Gore-Tex! People won't think twice about spending almost 500 on a riders backrest with the mount and then buy a 90 dollar jacket. Most will have a quality jacket for a lot longer than their current motorcycle!
I bought this FXRG jacket in February. Granted, I did win a $500 gift certificate to spend in motor clothes at the dealers 30th anniversary event!
This is by far the best motorcycle jacket I have owned. This keeps me more comfortable than the full mesh jacket I had from Tourmaster. With the vents closed no air gets through. Unlike, my Gerbings jacket, where I can feel cold air seep through. With the vents open you can feel the air circulating in the jacket. It also comes with a lifetime warranty. The fit is perfect as well.
This jacket has a lot of technology. The shell is made by a Swiss company. Schoeller. When it's warm, the fibers in the shell open allowing heat and moisture to escape. When it's cold, the fibers close maintaining heat. All of this while remaining waterproof. The Schoeller website has a video on this. This fabric is far superior to Gore-Tex. BMW switched from Gore-Tex to Schoeller some years ago.
I know it's hard to believe that a jacket that is not full mesh will be wearable at over 100 degrees, but they are out there. I am thoroughly impressed every time I wear this jacket!
Yes it is expensive! However, it is right in line with other jackets using the Schoeller textile. Which again is a heck of a lot more breathable than Gore-Tex! People won't think twice about spending almost 500 on a riders backrest with the mount and then buy a 90 dollar jacket. Most will have a quality jacket for a lot longer than their current motorcycle!
Ha! That is the jacket I have for COLD weather riding. I have the liner that goes in it, and that sucker will cook you down. It is by far the best riding gear I have ever had, but I will not go near it in warm weather
It is totally waterproof, and I have put it through the tests in the northern states, and Canada.
Ha! That is the jacket I have for COLD weather riding. I have the liner that goes in it, and that sucker will cook you down. It is by far the best riding gear I have ever had, but I will not go near it in warm weather
It is totally waterproof, and I have put it through the tests in the northern states, and Canada.
It is hella expensive, but I have no regrets.
I was curious if the liner would replace the Gerbings jacket liner. I was skeptical about wearing it in the summer. I find this to be a great year round jacket.
I just don't see the point in wearing a jacket in the summer. I get the whole protection thing, but I guess I just consider it "acceptable risk". And yes, I've wrecked before.
Maybe because I live in South GA and it's so damn hot here, there's no way I'm wearing a jacket in the summer. However, I do work on a DoD installation and have to wear long sleeves on base, but I only put them on right outside the gate and then take them off immediately after I roll out of the gate.
Mesh jackets work great in the 80s and low 90s. Once the outside temp gets close to your body temp they become less effective. When you stop (with or without a jacket) you sweat. When you start moving again the wind dries the sweat and you feel cool for a short time. Ever notice when you get out of the shower in a warm room you are still usually cold till you dry off? The way a mesh jacket works is it keeps the wind from drying you off as fast and allows the sweat to stay on you longer allowing the cooling effect to last longer. It also keeps the sun and wind off you allowing you to feel less fatigued at the end of the day. There is a reason that folks that live in the desert wear long sleeves.
Some guys take this further by wearing a vented jacket instead of mesh and letting air in the sleeves , closing the front vents, then wetting their shirts and opening the back vents.
My Klim induction jacket is damn amazing. Though it comes with great protection (armor), reflection, etc., when you ride you seriously feel like you just have a t-shirt on. The ventilation is insane. I also have the induction gloves.
I'll still ride with a t-shirt and heavy duty denim vest from time to time (short rides), but for longer or freeway rides I'll wear the Klim in hot weather and be fine.
My Klim induction jacket is damn amazing. Though it comes with great protection (armor), reflection, etc., when you ride you seriously feel like you just have a t-shirt on. The ventilation is insane. I also have the induction gloves.
I'll still ride with a t-shirt and heavy duty denim vest from time to time (short rides), but for longer or freeway rides I'll wear the Klim in hot weather and be fine.
This was the jacket I was going to get until I won the $500 Motorclothes certificate!
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles
Slideshow: The bar-and-shield logo shows up on far more than motorcycles, some of the company's most unexpected products have nothing to do with riding.
Slideshow: From the troubled AMF years to modern misfires, these bikes earned reputations for reliability issues, questionable engineering, or disappointing performance.
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?
Slideshow: The Swiss custom shop has taken a Harley Softail and stretched it into something so long and low that it looks closer to a rolling sculpture than a conventional motorcycle.
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II
Slideshow: A standard cruiser becomes an intricate metal canvas in the hands of a Swiss custom house known for pushing Harley-Davidson platforms far beyond their factory brief.
