I think a Klim Overland is a good value at $389 (comes with armor and vents). The black version is even more low key. I went with Grey though so that I would not melt in the summer. Plus this place is offering a 15% off deal right now too and they have great customer service/physical store in Denver. http://www.performancecycle.com/klim-overland-jacket/
The Vanson Stormer is one excellent looking jacket. Union Garage took the jacket one step further and created their Robinson jacket. Union had Vanson add some extra features, including D3o, that make the jacket a bit more expensive but much more functional as well. If I had the dough one would be on the way to me right now. KILLER piece. http://uniongaragenyc.com/shop/index.php/jackets/union-garage-robinson-jacket.html http://www.vansonleathers.com/prod-Stormer_Jacket-581.aspx
Looked at both the Urbano and Stormer jackets as well, very good looking jackets. This one look good too (german...Google transalate), John Doe Field Jacket: http://shop.ridejohndoe.com/kevlar-apperal/field-jacket-olive-j-2003.html EDIT: And they got some nice cargo pants too, water proof(ish?) and seems protective enoughand could pass asregular pants. Should work good with wax cotton or other of jackets mentioned here. http://shop.ridejohndoe.com/kevlar-apperal/c-2001-cargo-regular-black.html
Don't mind paying Premium price for Premium Product, it's often a reason why they are expensive (beside paying MotoGP stars...). And looks a billion times better than Aerostich, I'm sure it's good stuff but not hard to see that not designed by Italians
Ended up ith the SPIDI Worker jacket. Found it for $300 at a web store...think maybe a mistake as checked next day and it was more than twice the price. Well, I'm happy anyway Got it today and the jacket is slightly shorter than I thought, but not a problem, still cover top of pants well. Also the XL fits my 93kg body...just, it's Italian after all. The protectors are really thick and the membrane and thermal liners add quite a bit of bulk, naturally. Need to loose a few kg anyway so fine. Still was a bit worried if a pressure suit and a primaloft jacket would fit under (without the protectors and liners obviously). But it did. Plan is to also buy the Spidi Multitech Armor jacket to either wear under the Worker jacket or either one separately depending on conditions, and use the same protectors to save space. Instead of the liners, I will use the primaloft jacket when cold and a rain jacket on the outside if wet/cold. Plan is using it for 3 months trip through South America.
Beautiful combination. Good luck with it. Me, I embrace the adventure look. For $849 + $299 for armour, I'd have to prefer my Rukka (Power Ranger look), with great, modern materials and world class armour built in. I know it's not for your taste, but I go for function and like the form too. Waxed cotton and 60 mph pavement? Not for me.
Rukka has great design, really like it...but it is motorcycle gear and looks like that. And less flexible if really hot etc. Regarding safety, not sure "my" solution is worse, the protection jacket is not a normal pressure suit as the fabric is abrasion resistant. Combines the best from pressure suit an mesh jacket if you want. So actually you could wear anything above it but the wax jacket gives the opportunity to also use it by itself so you can jump off the bike and walk into the bar looking "normal" That said, thinking about stealing the Touratech Companero idea and instead of rain suit, use KLIM Traverse suit on top in rain (bonded gore tex=not soaked fabric). Already got the pants and jacket actually isn't that expensive. Good thing about that is that will take a fall even on tarmac and could be used by itself, water/wind proof but also big vents means large range. So possible to mix and match depenending on weather, temperature and situation. To be honest, still a while till we go so just started to look at gear for fun and have time to consider. But when found the jacket for £300 I just had to buy it, I can use that even if decide not to have it for South America. It's even a very nice casual jacket at a reasonable price
Those two little vents above the chest pockets are considered 'Dynamic Intake Vents' ?? With that H2Out membrane it could get hot inside if you're riding in hot, humid areas.
Just have to ride fast enough to make the vents work As mentioned, for those conditions I thought maybe using Spidi Multitech Armor jacket (and not planning to use either of the liners really) http://www.spidi.com/eu/eu_en/textile-motorcycle-jackets/multitech-armor.html "A full vented mesh jacket, to be used as a stand-alone garment during summer and underneath technical or non-technical garments during Winter" So if hot: only this one (or maybe a thin shirt on top so doesn't look like SWAT) When colder: oil skin jacket over (witout armour). Rain/Cold: Either rain jacket or something like KLIM Traverse, with or without Oil skin jacket. Armour jacket under. Town/short trips/casual: Oil skin jacket (and use the armour jacket protectors in the oil skin jacket if feel neccessary). Just trying to find combination which is easy to adapt and mix/match to any conditions while avoiding unneccessary number of clothes by multi use like Oil skin for bike/casual and soft shell as mid layer and casual jacket. Maybe over complicating a bit here, but as mentioned, plenty of time so just playing with different ideas for now.
Hi Dan, the Worker Wax air intakes actually work well. They're in the right position and when it's hot and humid you can remove the H2out membrane, in this case the air flow goes directly to your body, there's nothing between, a part from a light mesh. That's the point in really working air intakes, and that's why we call it Dynamic Intake Vent. If there's a membrane in between that you can not remove we call it Fake Intake Vent; by the way here you go with the definition: fake feɪk/ adjective 1. not genuine; imitation or counterfeit. "she got on the plane with a fake passport" synonyms: forgery, counterfeit, copy, sham, fraud, hoax, imitation, mock-up, dummy, reproduction, lookalike, likeness. Thank you for your attention, Matteo De Vito Spidi Marketing Dept Vicenza - Italy
I just wish someone ANYONE around here carried the Spidi stuff. I love it. But it can't be found here. That's a lot of coin to drop on something I can't even look at first.
Yes...I know so will have too see. But soft shell is replacing thermal liner to allow using it off bike, protection suit eliminates need for protectors in jackets so they pack much smaller than with and Transverse replaces membrane and rain jacket but allows it to be used on its own as well. Not sure about the Oil skin jacket, doubles as casual jacket but so can both soft Shell and Traverse so may leave at home to save space. But would be nice having as alternative and maybe extra layer under Traverse if cold in Andes.
Klim is supposed to come out soon with their Rally Air suit, which is their response to the Companero suit. The mesh suit and the outer shell (GoreTex stretch) will be available separately, so you can buy just the outer shell. Maybe you should wait with the Traverse, as this new solution will be lighter and will pack smaller. Another solution would be the Held Arso / Sarone combination, which is just on outer GoreTex shell: http://www.heldmotorcyclestore.com/Held-Arso-Sarone-Suit_AZWUU.aspx
Down side with the Held jacket is that it's not abrasion/tear resistant so a matter of time before damage it. But will be waiting for the Klim alternative, though the Traverse is very versatile. What the Traverse is not, is hard core enduro stuff. Haven't had my Traverse pants for long but it's not held up too well Maybe just me using it for something it was never intended for Love the comfort/function though. This is earlier today with traverse pants (me filming, I'm the idiot appearing after 4:00). <iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/bFlEu-vpaEI" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Ah, I thought I checked the web link and didn't see the liner was removable. That makes a difference.
If you aren't using all those $$ parts a Barbour or Belstaff waxed or Aerostitch waxed jacked will be much less expensive ... well since you only paid $300 ..... http://www.britishmotorcyclegear.com/jackets.asp http://www.aerostich.com/falstaff-motorcycle-jacket.html
Made me think...sometimes it's hard to see the obvious: Leather! IMO leather is underestimated as cold ring gear. I used to change to textile/goretex when cold until realized leather is excellent when cold. Downsides of leather is rain (though aware there are wp leather gear) but solved by rain jacket or shell like Traverse. And obviously when very hot but that's where the protection jacket comes in. Good thing is already have a coupe of leather jackets that could pass as casual Like this one: