hello all, i have been looking at mesh jackets for warm/summer riding. i have looked at so many jackets i am not sure which one to get. i like the looks of the JR Phoenix, tried the Tecniks(?) and the fieldsheer. i just don't know ..... i welcome your opinions good and bad!
I've had my Phoenix for one year, and I like it quite a bit. I like the fit, the pockets, the adjustabilty, AND the liner works great for Florida winter riding. I rode all winter with it, only once having to wear long sleeves under the whole jacket/liner combo.
As a fellow Floridian, I can tell you that sitting at a light in the hot sun, it's hot. But, the second you start to move, air just rushes through.
To wash it, I lay it in a bathtub, put a few spare floor tiles on it to weigh it down (does it ever float!!), add a capful of detergent, and fill the tub 4 inches or so and let it soak. The rinse cycle means opening the drain and turning on the shower head! tongue.gif
I've been using the newest version of the Joe Rocket Phoenix and I think it's great value for the money. My favorite detail is the visor pocket for carrying a spare visor so you can switch from smoked during the day, to clear for night time. I also recommend upgrading to the CE back armor, it vents far better then the supplied piece of back armor. Looks and fits great. Check it out.
I've got a Fieldsheer Mach 4 which has a "poachers" pocket in the back for the liner or whatever which is a nice feature too. Armor is good. fing02.gif
Just about any product is better than Joe Rocket, It is no secret they are poor quality. Save the top end competition leathers. Mesh though is a trade off, comfort for protection either way.
ok so JR's at the bottom of the food chain. has anyone tried fieldsheer's jacket? i tried one on at the local Kaw/Yam shop. it seemed comfy. the backpad was a bit annoying,but i guess i'd get used to it.
I recommend motoport's gear.....if you can afford it. I really don't think mesh will hold up well in the event of a slide greater than 25-30mph. The material is just not strong enough reguardless of who makes it. Now the motoport stuff with kevelar is a different story...but they are pricey. I would invest as much $$$ as possible in gear IMO.
I bought a Teknic Supervent of new enough's ebay auctions for $30 fing02.gif It flows air great and the armor is awesome. I would have paid $30 just for the damn armor! I think the quality is great and using YKK zippers. Only negative is there is no liner......but who needs on in Florida. I'd go with Teknic for the cash. But the Cortech is nice. In fact if I still might get the Cortech HRX or GX air with leather. They are both awesome.
HispanicSlammer, Apr 12 2006, 05:49 PMJust about any product is better than Joe Rocket, It is no secret they are poor quality. Save the top end competition leathers. Mesh though is a trade off, comfort for protection either way.
Darn...now I feel bad about even being seen riding my VFR in my Joe Rocket Jacket(It was free with the bike).
HispanicSlammer, Apr 12 2006, 05:49 PMJust about any product is better than Joe Rocket, It is no secret they are poor quality. Save the top end competition leathers. Mesh though is a trade off, comfort for protection either way.
and i on the other hand have found joe rocket stuff of good quality. my alter ego jacket was awesome. to bad i didnt buy the size that fit me. got a too warm to ride in first gear jacket to replace it.
VFRROBIN, Apr 11 2006, 05:35 PMhello all, i have been looking at mesh jackets for warm/summer riding. i have looked at so many jackets i am not sure which one to get. i like the looks of the JR Phoenix, tried the Tecniks(?) and the fieldsheer. i just don't know ..... i welcome your opinions good and bad!
thank you
Robin +1.gif
Someone else on this thread rec'd Motoport/Cycleport. I 100% agree: Check out their website and the issue of kevlar vs. other materials. I own the air mesh kevlar jacket and matching pants. The jacket feels as though you are wearing a t-shirt - it is that cool and breezy (I live in Southern California). With cool/cold weather, one can zip in the liner AND a thermal liner (good for +40 degrees F. days). On hot summer days the jacket itself is great. The pants are just as breezy yet offer supreme protection (once again using kevlar) + knee, hip and shin armor. One feels very well protected with the suit. I wear Oxtar boots + gloves on my 78 mile round trip commute (splitting lanes, of course). I want to be as well protected as possible - in case you know what.
Anyhow, their stuff isn't cheap BUT how much do skin graft(s) cost - not to mention the pain and agony......
www.motoport.com
Good luck. Anything you buy should provide some protection, either way.
I got dainese stuff (http://www.dainese.com/eng/home.asp?f=ko), but i work very close to their factory (Vicenza Italy) so it's relatively cheap for me. They got kangaroo leather perforate suits for the summer (awesome!), or some cordura vent jackets for the very hot days (about 150 euros).
Otherwise some other very good brands are :
http://www.spyke.it/home.php (i got one of their mid season leather suits since the factory is in Vicenza too) less known brand perhaps, but as good as Dainese.
http://www.clover.it/en/ (very small factory in Vicenza but with high quality stuff, i was told they still make handmade products, i got their winter water proof jacket and pants
You might think i got the GAS, and well... that's true tongue.gif , but having the right gear for every season it's very important for me, as i don't ride w/o gear, and here in the summer it's very hot, while in winter it's very cold.
VFRROBIN, Apr 12 2006, 07:14 PM ok so JR's at the bottom of the food chain. has anyone tried fieldsheer's jacket? i tried one on at the local Kaw/Yam shop. it seemed comfy. the backpad was a bit annoying,but i guess i'd get used to it.
thanks again
Robin
Robin, I've had the last two versions of the Fieldsheer Titanium mesh jacket and pants. Both are quite comfy and the jackets are available in colors other than black. The jacket also has CE armor with the hard plastic outer cover in the forearms and shoulders. I just purchased new mesh gear due to my loss of about 10 pounds. I'm going to put my Fieldsheer jacket and pants Ebay this weekend, but I hold off if you or another member may be interested in it. Red/white/black jacket and black pants. Size large jacket (44) and size 34 pants. PM me if you have more questions.
767fixer, Apr 13 2006, 12:10 AMand i on the other hand have found joe rocket stuff of good quality. my alter ego jacket was awesome. to bad i didnt buy the size that fit me. got a too warm to ride in first gear jacket to replace it.
+1.gif
I have a JR sonic 2 perfed leather jacket thats nice. I also have the JR Speedmaster perfed pants that are very well made. I think it just depends on what you get from JR. I know several others who have JR leather stuff and they like it.
FWIW, I do know of three separate accidents where the wearers were wearing JR Phoenix(early model) jackets and these particular jackets did do their respective jobs in those circumstances.
I have a JR sonic 2 perfed leather jacket thats nice. I also have the JR Speedmaster perfed pants that are very well made. I think it just depends on what you get from JR. I know several others who have JR leather stuff and they like it.
I agree, I guess my post was a little misleading. I own a JR Speedmaster Jacket & love it. It's well made, comfy & above all looks like it's going to protect if I need it too. It's just the Phoenix I'm not to sure about.
HispanicSlammer, Apr 12 2006, 03:49 PMJust about any product is better than Joe Rocket, It is no secret they are poor quality. Save the top end competition leathers. Mesh though is a trade off, comfort for protection either way.
And they probably got that image because of all the counterfeit JR gear out there.
VFRROBIN, Apr 11 2006, 05:35 PM i have looked at so many jackets i am not sure which one to get.
I cannot help you in your decision, but I am completely with you on this. I have been to many stores, and I have been looking at various jackets and suits. The first couple times I was in the market for gear, I simply went with a friend's advise. This time I decided to do some research, and I am simply overwhelmed. The guy who paid $1000 for his Aerostich, or Dianese loves his suit. So does the guy who paid $200 for his stuff. Everybody likes what they have, and there are so many terms, its so hard to compare.
How does a "600 denier PU coated Carbolex nylon" compare to just "Nylon lining" or, "500 Cordura". Heavy Vs Light, Thick Vs Thin etc. And all manufacturers seem to have patented/invented their version of armour. Which one is going to withstand a fall better...... I guess I will never know that. I do not believe in the fact that the costliest will be the best/safest, some brands are simply priced high.
hello, first off, i do appreciate all the thoughts,opinions,and info.that's what makes this site enjoyable. i have solved my jacket issue. i bought a TourMaster Flex jacket. it is three jackets in one. textile outside with removable arm ,side and back panels. making it a vented mesh jacket. plus it has a breathable liner for waterproofing. lastly a quilted liner for cold weather days. a true multi-task coat. this time i made sure to try it without the quilted liner,to get the proper fit. also, i got the guy at honda to knock off 10%. not much, but better than no discount!
How does a "600 denier PU coated Carbolex nylon" compare to just "Nylon lining" or, "500 Cordura". Heavy Vs Light, Thick Vs Thin etc. And all manufacturers seem to have patented/invented their version of armour. Which one is going to withstand a fall better...... I guess I will never know that. I do not believe in the fact that the costliest will be the best/safest, some brands are simply priced high.
-Prasadee
The PU coated usually means a plastic coating that makes the jacket water resistant. Unfortunatly, if you slide down the road, the plastic melts and if the Cordura tears you can end up with the plastic melting on your skin.
My doctor buddy told me about dealing with plastic melted on bike accident victims before. He says it's a BAD THING.
In order to pack as light as possible for a 10 day excursion (everything had to fit in a small Tailbag and Tankbag only), I decided to pick up the Cortech GRX jacket, as it offered the versatility of mesh for ventilation, leather in the "ouchy" parts (arms & elbows), external plastic armor on the shoulders, and a water/windproof liner plus an insulating liner that zipped inside the waterproof liner. In other words, a "do it all" solution. I'm happy to report that, for the most part, it worked "as advertised". I rode through torrential rain and stayed dry, and 90 degree+ heat and stayed, well, alive, if not exactly comfortable.
The only downsides were that altering the configuration for the appropriate conditions involved lots of zipping/unzipping and lots of little tabs that had to be snapped around various loops sewn at strategic anchor points around the jacket. A little complicated and a little time consuming, and not something you could do quickly under an overpass if you suddenly needed to insert the waterproof liner. Also, the mesh exterior is darned difficult to scrub splattered bugs off.
I think a leather jacket, with a removable liner and loaded with strategically placed ventilating zippers, plus a dedicated Goretex rain jacket and pants is a better way to go. Just my tuppence.
I have seen a few mesh jackets that are pretty decent, but in my humble opinion, leather is the only way to go.
I had a Tourmaster fully perfed leather jacket that flowed air pretty well while providing excellent protection.
I have some Joe Rocket leathers (Speedmaster jacket and pants) which zip together and they are as very well made. The leather is thick and the stitching is sturdy. I have seen some of the JR stuff that did seem a bit cheap, but some of their better products are well made.
I don't care for the idea of mesh that much, but do have a JR Reactor? for extreme heat . It is like a Phoenix, but uses leather in the more critical areas like the sleeves which also provides superior rash protection it also holds the elbow pads in place more securely. my .02 beer.gif
HispanicSlammer, Apr 12 2006, 05:49 PMJust about any product is better than Joe Rocket, It is no secret they are poor quality. Save the top end competition leathers. Mesh though is a trade off, comfort for protection either way.
Well I had a Phoenix Jacket and it felt to floppy with just straight mesh. SO I returned it and bought the the Reactor leather mesh combo. I'm not sure where folks get the idea this stuff does not work. I road tested my Reactor on labor day last year when I tucked the front end on my VFR. I slid about 40 feet on my left side, my Shoei X-11 as you can see from my avatar was toast(faces are not good brakes). My Icon Motorhead boots were also toast, the slide ate right through the double toe and stitching. My Alpinestars gloves had minor rash and my Reactor shrugged off the slide with some slight rashing. To put this is perspecctive I weighed about 325lbs so there was siginificant pressure on the jacket. The crap stock armor saved my collar bone and elbow. Both gloves and jacket are well within serviceable condition and I still use them today.
My friend got off his bike at about 45mph wearing his JR Rio mesh and took ZERO damage through the edge of a turn and into a ditch. He hit so hard it ripped the vents out of his Shoei TZ-R.
Rocket gear is far from crap, but just like any product YMMV. After my wreck I have no problems wearing JR as a matter of fact I made my Gap runs wearing the same jacket.
Probably the best quality mesh jackets I have seen is the Alpinestar T-Venom and T-Stunt jackets. They retail at $200 but are just awesome jackets.
For slightly less money the Cortech GX-Air is a nice jacket as well at $179. But there are a ton of decent options at the $170 and under price range. One doesn't really stand out from another at these lower prices.
But seriously...if you want the best...get the Alpinestar...we have them in stock if you are ever in Florida wink.gif
Another slightly more expensive option is Rev'It. I'm considering their Airflow jacket + Airvent pants combo to cope with the next 4 months of 90+ here in DFW. Rev'It makes the only mesh combo I've seen with a full length zipper which should really help keep things in place during a crash IMO.
>>my crash report - I've been putting off writing this because I'm POed at myself
I recently lowsided the R6 I bought for my wife @ about 40mph (lady started to turn left in front of me and I hit the front brake too hard while in the gunk in the middle of the lane). I was wearing my JR Atomic jacket, Icon TiMax mesh pants, Icon Motorhead boots, KBC VR-1 helmet, and cheap JR summer gloves. The pants wore through the outer layer at the hip where I landed, but no rash. The helmet got a good impact scrape that dislodged the visor but didn't break anything. The left boot buckles ground down a bit (sparks!!) and the outer toe "leather" wore off, but still completely functional. The gloves got beat up enough to be thrown out, but didn't wear through. The jacket has some wear marks near the end of the sleeve, but no where else. However, somehow, my arm got a little rash on it despite not a mark on the jacket near that spot - I'm guessing the armor "rubbed" hard enough on impact to cause it, but it wasn't much of an injury. My most significant (physical) injury was a strained calf - tore it a little I think; but I've already played volleyball on it twice less than a week later, so it's not that bad. The bike has tons of cosmetic damage that will cost a fortune, but no mechanical damage. My wife was surprisingly not-too-pissed despite being Italian and having only ridden her new toy once. smile.gif
Here in Sunny England ( ..... ) I have used a Hein Gerricke Tuareg textile waterproof jacket removable lining etc etc , and for those sunny days an Alpinestars leather jacket with vent zips etc
... now guess which gets most use ............... ??
Can you get Gerricke gear in the US , by the way ??
Victor_Meldrew, Jun 1 2006, 04:25 PMHere in Sunny England ( ..... ) I have used a Hein Gerricke Tuareg textile waterproof jacket removable lining etc etc , and for those sunny days an Alpinestars leather jacket with vent zips etc ... now guess which gets most use ............... ??
Can you get Gerricke gear in the US , by the way ?? Cheers VM
HeinGerick is available here, they are made by Intersport. They also make First Gear which is what we see more of.
End of thread · 37 posts recoveredWayback Machine snapshot 24 Oct 2006