Firstgear Kenya? (Other winter jacket talk welcome)

[matkal]

Oh, FWIW I picked up a pair of 'Stich Darien pants in the fleamarket for $150.
Very versatile.

[JR356]

Another option,similar in many respects to the Keyna,but with better ventilation.The Olympia GT Air Transition jacket.

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=334812

Recently purchased one from the flea market here as a street jacket,
it's a match my Olympia Xmoto ADV jacket.
The hi viz version.

I also have an older version Keyna and used that as well as pics of
the new version to compare with the GT.

JR356

[Trophy Mike]

Originally Posted by matkal

Trophy Mike, if one only has, say, $400 to spend on jacket and pants they have to get lesser quality gear than what you sell. 1stgear, Scorpion, Tourmaster, JR, etc, etc, make good stuff.Good, not great.
Any gear is better than nothing. To a certain extent, you get what you pay for, but just because somethin costs twice as much doesn't make it twice as good.

Appreciate where you're coming from Matkal. It's like shopping for an audio system. Allot so much money for the hardware (amp, pre-amp, receiver, CD) but make sure you leave enough for comparable speakers otherwise you're still going to end up with shit sound. Your motorcycling budget has to prioritize for both the motorcycle and the gear. $400 is not enough to adequately cover yourself assuming we're talking retail or retail with typically applied discounts. Unfortunately the standards for "good" and "great" are not what they used to be. Better to compare on the basis of real protection vs. a false sense of security. All the mass market brands are cutting corners which is why my company chooses the higher-end. But it is possible to spend less and not get taken. Choices abound within Olympia, 'Stich, Motoport and Klim, some of which will likely ring in cheaper.

[keiji]

Olympia uses real Cordura, but they skimp on the seams. Even Fieldsheer puts more work into a seam than Olympia does.

It might work for 90% of the crashes, but if you wear the top stitching out, that's all you get, and the panel is going to come off. Assuming they left a large enough seam allowance at the factory and you actually get the two rows of stitching you see.

Here are some pictures of the "Safety-Stitching" from my old Ranger 2 pants

Outside

Inside (only two rows)


Cutting the seam open-there really are only two rows of stitching.


Somebody at the factory didn't cut the seam allowance big enough!


And I'm not the only one.

http://www.st-owners.com/forums/showthread.php?91838-
Olympia-brand-clothing-and-seams

It is hard to check for "hidden" stitching, but most companies that do use it sew the two pieces of fabric together, then fold along that row, and put the other rows of stitching in. If try to put your fingernail under the fabric, and it goes deep enough to hit the stitching you can see, there probably isn't any hidden row.

Of course, if a reinforcement is sewn on top it is impossible to hide the stitching, but it doesn't matter as much as a failure of those seams does not cause a breach in the suit. (Olympia uses method B)


The greatest materials in the world won't do much if they are held together with spit and bubble gum.

[Roam]

I just picked up a new Firstgear Kenya jacket. I have had an older model Kenya Jacket since 2002 which I really liked a lot and I've generally been pleased with all of my Firstgear purchases.

The design of the new Kenya's is mostly improved over the old model. the old model was sorely lacking in exterior pickets and that's been nicely remedied with the new design. Another thing the old jacket was lacking was ventilation in the sleeves and I would often feel my forearms broiling on hot days. This new jacket also added a vent starting at the cuffs. This seems to have made the cuffs very stiff but I think they'll break in over time and should take care of the broiling forearms.

One of the other things I don't like about the new jacket is the very bulky shoulder and elbow armor. The jackets are also sized significantly smaller than they were previously. While my old size large Kenya was a snug but comfortable fit even with my heated liner installed the new jacket was very tight and the sleeves rode up excessively even with the annoying armor removed.

Since the jacket didn't quite fit I'll be exchanging it for an XL. I ordered the silver which I'm pleased to report is more of a very light grey. I was worried that I was going to look like a disco ball but it's actually a very nice looking jacket and not flashy at all. I'll probably try to find some softer elbow and shoulder armor also.

Motorcyclegear.com (formerly newenough) has the tan jackets on sale for $190.

[alanbmwrider]

zoom, jacket question,,I just bought firstgear catmandu and it is labeled the same size I normally wear but fits about a size bigger than I wear, and is a very hot jacket. Could you tell me How does the Kenya fit according to size of your other Jackets? wanting one a little liter than the Catmandu and thinking may need the smaller size.

Originally Posted by Superzoom

Hi Kpt,

I own a beige Kenya and recommend it highly. My previous jacket was an Aerostich Darien, which had two big flaws: the sleeves are way too wide unless you have arms like tree trunks (causing terrible flapping in the wind), and it was just plain homely.

The Kenya looks great and functions really well. It has been completely waterproof (in horrendous, prolonged downpours), and has some useful pockets and decent venting. The armour seems good and I would imagine the jacket will provide good protection in a crash. It fits me WAYYY better than the Darien ever did (more Euro fit, with broader shoulders and narrower waist).

The jacket's one and only weakness is it's too warm for temps above 75 or 80 degrees. Moving, and with the vents open, you'll be fine, but I have roasted many a time in traffic. However, I think any waterproof jacket is going to be uncomfortable in hot weather. I still wear the Kenya for all seasons for the protection and waterproofness.

All in all, the Kenya is a fantastic value, especially when compared to much more expensive jackets. It's no cheaply made bargain bin special. It's a solid, well-designed, versatile jacket.

[Superzoom]

Originally Posted by alanbmwrider

zoom, jacket question,,I just bought firstgear catmandu and it is labeled the same size I normally wear but fits about a size bigger than I wear, and is a very hot jacket. Could you tell me How does the Kenya fit according to size of your other Jackets? wanting one a little liter than the Catmandu and thinking may need the smaller size.

Hi Alan,

I'm a little hesitant to comment on size as I am general a very difficult fit for anything on the upper body, as I have a smallish waist and broad shoulders. I think my approach was to buy the jacket in medium, even though the waist is too large (but is easily cinched) and too tight in the shoulders (but ended up being acceptable). The sleeves were also too short by a little more than an inch, as I have long arms. Frankly, I need a custom jacket, but the medium Kenya was a decent compromise for me.

I think you'll be good going by the sizing chart for FirstGear clothing. I think it's pretty accurate. Maybe read some of the user reviews on a site like Motorcycle Superstore to see how the jacket fit others. I do that for any clothing I buy.