I am looking for recomendations on a mens riding jacket that will allow air to flow thru and offer some safety features. These 90+ degree days here in the south can wear you out.
I wear a Joe Rocket Phoenix 5.0 mesh jacket. It has great airflow, plus has armor in the elbows, shoulders and back. I was concerned about the durability of the textile mesh until my son went down at 50 mph on his bike wearing the same jacket. He slid a good bit, ended up underneath a tractor/trailer and the jacket did not tear. I was impressed!
FWIW, I wore this jacket this week in temps of around 104. Sorry, but it was still hot, especially at stoplights!
I have the Harley convertible mesh/cordura jacket.
I think I have mistakenly called this a FXRG, but fact is, I'm not really sure anymore.
They keep changing the styles so fast that the name I bought it under may not be correct anymore.
I think they call it a switchback jacket now.
Anyway, the front and back zip off completely to reveal a mesh body jacket. There are pads in the shoulders and elbows, along with cordura type material on the high stress areas such as the outside of the sleeves and the upper shoulders.
There is a removable rain liner included with the jacket as well.
It's not ideal at all if you are stopped in Atl. traffic, but in that situation, not much will help anyway. Going down the road it is plenty comfy.
I have two jackets a wear in summer. If it's 70-85 degrees I wear a Vanson Leathers strip jacket. It has strips of leather sewn onto ballistic nylon. You get airlflow over the entire jacket and 80% of the protection of a solid leather jacket. Over 85 I wear a Harley Crossroads (they don't seem to sell it anymore) jacket that is made of ballistic nylon. Allows pretty decent airflow and medium protection.
I wear a Tourmaster jacket here in the toasty temps of east central GA. It has a two-stage liner so it is actually warm down to the 50's and you can peel out inner quilted liner and then the nylon shell to get to a mesh jacket. It is actually cooler when riding with the mesh jacket than in a t-shirt because you are shaded from the direct sun and the air flowing through the mesh is cooled somewhat. It has armor for protection if you go down.
I wear a Tourmaster jacket here in the toasty temps of east central GA. It has a two-stage liner so it is actually warm down to the 50's and you can peel out inner quilted liner and then the nylon shell to get to a mesh jacket. It is actually cooler when riding with the mesh jacket than in a t-shirt because you are shaded from the direct sun and the air flowing through the mesh is cooled somewhat. It has armor for protection if you go down.
That's the one. I much prefer to wear leather, but when it is going to get hot, it is nice to just have to stash a little liner in the saddlebags instead of having to switch jackets. When it is really hot, it can't be beat, IMHO.
Tourmaster Transition Series 2 jacket. It has lots of zippered vents, some armor, and a zip-out quilted liner for the colder weather. It's supposed to be very water-resistant, but I haven't tested that theory. I ride daily in East Alabama/West Georgia. It's been between 100 deg and 110 deg on the bike lately and I manage to stay in it. When it's that hot down here, no jacket is going to be very comfortable!
Another option to consider is a cooling vest. Silver Eagle makes them at reasonable prices. You soak in ice water for 15 minutes, then put it on. It makes hot, humid weather a whole lot more bearable.
I swear by their cooling vests. Rode through Death Valley during the day in one. Couldn't believe how comfortable I was. Bought a River Road jacket this spring- bottom half is mesh, top half leather. Has removable vest liner. Love it so far. Can easily throw on a windblock fleece jacket for cooler temps under the jacket if needed be
I have a HD textile & leather jacket which both have plenty of ventilation and work well (for me) up to about 80 degrees +-. When temps get higher I use a Draggin shirt which I know is not protection comparable to a jacket, but it's much better than a t-shirt.
Bought a Vanson Vent Max last year. Figured after 30 years of riding in T-shirts something better was in order. I now wear it all the time. Solid black with CE armor and 1000 denier mesh.
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