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Online smoker

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Help me find a new summer jacket please
« on: April 01, 2014, 06:31:50 PM »
My summer jacket was on it's last leg about 3 years ago, so it's time to replace it.
Here's what I want/need:
Good airflow
Great protection
100% waterproof liner
Comfortable

Budget is less than $300.
This is what I've found so far:
http://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/cortech-gx-sport-air-30-mesh-jacket
http://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/joe-rocket-alter-ego-30-jacket
http://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/olympia-airglide-4-jacket

Which one would you buy and why? I'm open to other suggestions as well.
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Online Max Wedge

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Re: Help me find a new summer jacket please
« Reply #1 on: April 01, 2014, 07:32:21 PM »
Have you looked at Rev-it? Not sure if the airwave has the liner, but the rest of the jacket was pretty nice. They have one with a liner, I'm sure. I have the A* Vapor if you have any questions on that one.
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Online Cablebandit

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Re: Help me find a new summer jacket please
« Reply #2 on: April 01, 2014, 07:44:07 PM »
Scratch the Olympia.  The padding sucks.


Buy Doug's old Rev-it

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Re: Help me find a new summer jacket please
« Reply #3 on: April 01, 2014, 07:51:17 PM »
Chris, I want a completely waterproof liner.
Max, did you mean the Viper? If so, is it waterproof?

What I like about the JR is the outer shell. If you have an inner liner and you're riding in the rain for 5 hours, then it stops and you take out the liner, you're putting on a wet jacket. I think I would prefer to stow the wet outer liner and be riding dry. With my heated liner, it would be a 4 season jacket for me.
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Offline Rincewind

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Re: Help me find a new summer jacket please
« Reply #4 on: April 02, 2014, 06:29:38 AM »
Is a jacket with a removable waterproof outer liner that much of a benefit versus a mesh jacket with a Frogg Togg rain jacket over top?  I don't know, I've never tried that.

I'm still real happy with my Triumph Highgate mesh jacket - on sale for $99 here.  10x better finished than the JR mesh it replaced.  There is no liner - I use a heated liner underneath or rain jacket over top as needed.
« Last Edit: April 02, 2014, 06:39:43 AM by Rincewind »

Online st2sam

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Re: Help me find a new summer jacket please
« Reply #5 on: April 02, 2014, 07:05:42 AM »
What I like about the JR is the outer shell. With my heated liner, it would be a 4 season jacket for me.

 :thumbsup:  If your not packing a rain suit an outer shell is the ticket.

I have two JR jackets, both over ten years old, and in great shape.
I'm happy with my JR gear, wears like iron.  (I'm not sure about the newer gear, maybe it's made cheaper?)

Of your three picks I like the JR Alter ego...

Oh, and the sizing on the JR gear used to run on the large size, however I'm not sure about the newer gear.

Online Max Wedge

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Re: Help me find a new summer jacket please
« Reply #6 on: April 02, 2014, 08:42:55 AM »
Yes, I meant the Viper (Vapor, whatever  ;D ). I upgraded the back armor as the foam pad is a joke, but it seems to be built pretty well. I don't like the European left-hand zipper, but otherwise I like it. Waterproof liner LOOKS good, has been in the closet since day one. I use a Firstgear rain jacket if I an going to be using that jacket and doing a lot of rain riding, because, like you said, who wants to pull out the rain liner and ride in a wet jacket? I'd rather store a wet rain jacket. Mostly my fall/winter/spring jacket is a waterproof shell, with venting.

As far a JR stuff, I have had some including some of the Alter Ego stuff, and it is hit and miss. From what I have read, it depends on the country of manufacture for them. Their old stuff was mostly Korean (I think) and was well done. They moved some of their production to China and quality went down. I haven't bought any JR gear in the last couple years, so they might have tightened up on China build quality.
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Online BMW-K

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Re: Help me find a new summer jacket please
« Reply #7 on: April 03, 2014, 02:28:30 PM »
Heck, if you're a size 44r I have a 10 year old Roadcrafter jacket that looks like hell but still works.  I'd make a deal on that one.
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Offline Dan K

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Re: Help me find a new summer jacket please
« Reply #8 on: April 03, 2014, 02:34:23 PM »
Look up my old thread on STN about the Scorpion something or other...

http://www.sport-touring.net/forums/index.php/topic,70779.0.html#.Uz23PKL68s1

Scorpion Master.  Not the breeziest of mesh jackets, but great fitment features and pockets (including, zipper plus snap over the top, waterproof pockets, camelback pocket, etc.) with the rain/wind liner in, it is absolutely 100% waterproof. Tested in frog stranglers on multiple occasions.

Collar on the liner is a bit abrasive, but that's the only bad thing I can say about it.

It was not expensive, if I remember correctly.


- Dan
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Offline motormike

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Re: Help me find a new summer jacket please
« Reply #9 on: April 03, 2014, 04:02:23 PM »
Look up my old thread on STN about the Scorpion something or other...


To me, Scorpion screams "young street rider" and Olympia screams "old geezer rider".

 8)

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Re: Help me find a new summer jacket please
« Reply #10 on: April 03, 2014, 05:53:18 PM »
...and internal rain liners scream " I like wearing a 50 pound waterlogged shell"

Online squeezer

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Re: Help me find a new summer jacket please
« Reply #11 on: April 03, 2014, 06:31:24 PM »
I've been wearing a Tourmaster Intake as my main jacket for several years. It's the same jacket  as the Cortech GX Air you listed except the graphics on the Tourmaster version are more oriented toward the geezer crowd (the GX also used to use leather instead of Cordura in the abrasion areas, but I don't think that's true of the GX 3.0). The two stage liner is exactly the same -- a full sleeve insulated liner and a nylon liner for waterproofing.

I've loved this jacket and it has held up through lotsa miles (it's been across the country a few times). On the FJR, I've rarely needed the insulated liner. Using the rain liner as wind shield usually keeps me warm enough when the temp drops. If I need more, I'd rather add a fleece layer than their insulated liner. Regardless, it was a solid three season jacket for me in central PA and extended well into the fourth. It made it almost perfect for cross-country touring across a range of weather conditions.

The downside: yes, it's an internal rain liner, so the shell gets wet. I haven't found that a big issue while touring. It's mesh and Cordura, so it's not going to hold a lot of water. It dries very quickly when you're riding. And that liner is not breathable which means that it may keep water out but it also keeps sweat in.

I've liked it enough that when I eventually replace it, I'll have a hard time convincing myself that anything else gives as much bang for the buck.

I haven't worn the others so I won't comment except to note that I seem to see an awful lot of complaints online that Olympia jackets leak. Not so many recently, so maybe they fixed it. Can't confirm either way.




Offline Dan K

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Re: Help me find a new summer jacket please
« Reply #12 on: April 04, 2014, 04:33:02 AM »
Look up my old thread on STN about the Scorpion something or other...


To me, Scorpion screams "young street rider" and Olympia screams "old geezer rider".

 8)

There are no badges and mine is black and high vis fluorescent green. Nothing about it screams young rider. Plus it's a longer jacket - adventure style, not short and ending at the waist. Check it out.

Because of the mesh, it's not heavily waterlogged when in the rain with the liner. Have t say of the 5 or 6 jackets I've run through, this is the best designed of then all.

- Dan
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Online R Doug

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Re: Help me find a new summer jacket please
« Reply #13 on: April 04, 2014, 06:17:56 AM »
Regarding a rain liner inside the outer shell versus having waterproofing built into the outer shell, I have come to appreciate having a water proof inner liner very much.  This is especially true when it's a Gortex liner (as I have found other brands to be a bit steamy and / or allow water to pass).

I've ridden with my RevIt Defender jacket all day in the rain several times and while the outer shell holds some water, it isn't much.  The brilliant thing about having an inner shell as opposed to having it built in like my old 'Stitch Darien is when the day dries up and the Sun comes about, the liner can be removed and the jacket has more airflow.  And, as mentioned previously, the outer shell is still water resistant, it doesn't retain water like most garments and it drys VERY quickly.

Online R Doug

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Re: Help me find a new summer jacket please
« Reply #14 on: April 04, 2014, 06:21:21 AM »
Which one would you buy and why? I'm open to other suggestions as well.

My only suggestion is to get one with a Gortex liner so that you don't get all steamy on hot rainy days.

Online smoker

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Re: Help me find a new summer jacket please
« Reply #15 on: April 13, 2014, 04:32:24 PM »
Well I finally had a chance to try out my new jacket yesterday. Since I value squeezer's opinion over the rest of you monkeys, (he's old), I decided on the Cortech GX Air. It was right on 70* when I tested it, and with just a long sleeve shirt on underneath and no liners in, I was actually a little cool, which was fantastic. I'll keep carrying the rain gear as I probably won't use the inner liner, I just hate putting a wet jacket on. Also all the jackets with Gore-Tex were out of my price range. Time will tell whether it holds up like my former JR which has almost 100K miles on it. Thanks for all the suggestions guys.
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Online Papa Lazarou

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Re: Help me find a new summer jacket please
« Reply #16 on: April 14, 2014, 11:45:28 AM »
Too late, but Halvarssons have just released a very nice leather jacket called the Seventy.....sorry.

Offline mastros2

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Re: Help me find a new summer jacket please
« Reply #17 on: April 15, 2014, 12:31:10 PM »
Well I finally had a chance to try out my new jacket yesterday. Since I value squeezer's opinion over the rest of you monkeys, (he's old),

Haha, I chuckled! Ed's not old. Maybe "matured"?

Glad you found a winner, Shane.   

Online squeezer

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Re: Help me find a new summer jacket please
« Reply #18 on: April 15, 2014, 04:20:14 PM »
Well I finally had a chance to try out my new jacket yesterday. Since I value squeezer's opinion over the rest of you monkeys, (he's old),

Haha, I chuckled! Ed's not old. Maybe "matured"?

Glad you found a winner, Shane.   

No, he's old.      :gerg:

Online chornbe

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Re: Help me find a new summer jacket please
« Reply #19 on: April 15, 2014, 06:02:03 PM »
My summer jacket was on it's last leg about 3 years ago, so it's time to replace it.
Here's what I want/need:
Good airflow
Great protection
100% waterproof liner
Comfortable

Budget is less than $300.
This is what I've found so far:
http://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/cortech-gx-sport-air-30-mesh-jacket
http://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/joe-rocket-alter-ego-30-jacket
http://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/olympia-airglide-4-jacket

Which one would you buy and why? I'm open to other suggestions as well.


I vote for the Alter Ego. I've had my 2.0 for ~8 years. Love it.
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Online R Doug

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Re: Help me find a new summer jacket please
« Reply #20 on: April 15, 2014, 06:21:52 PM »



Well I finally had a chance to try out my new jacket yesterday.

Thanks for all the suggestions guys.





I vote for the Alter Ego. I've had my 2.0 for ~8 years. Love it.






    


:lol:




My secret vote was he would go for the RevIt jacket I have for sale. 

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Re: Help me find a new summer jacket please
« Reply #21 on: April 15, 2014, 06:28:07 PM »
DOH! Didn't read through the thread far enough. 
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