Motorcycle News - Road Tested: Gear from Icon 1000, REV’IT! and Saint
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Let’s take a closer look.
Icon have absolutely nailed its bomber jacket design, and I’d be lying if I didn’t admit that it’s become an instant staple in my gear closet on looks alone. It’s well made too, and loaded with little touches that add to its style, comfort and practicality. The main chassis consists of a black denim cordura that has a fantastic hand to it, and doesn’t weigh a ton. The cuffs and lower edge feature knitted bits to hit that bomber jacket vibe, and there’s a slight drop tail at the rear for extra coverage.
But the Brigand doesn’t just look good—it’s also well sorted on the protection front. Cordura has long been a popular choice for abrasion resistance, and Icon have also included D30 armor at the elbows, shoulders and back. D30’s biggest selling point is how flexible is—and it’s incorporated it into the Brigand so well that it’s slim enough to work well off the bike, too.
There’s an extra little feature on the sleeves: elasticated thumb loops, to keep the sleeves locked in place at all times. They’re stitched in deep enough so that you can easily slip shorter gloves under the cuffs (and longer gloves over), but they can be hit and miss. They didn’t quite gel with some of my mid-length gloves, but in those cases I simply tucked them away.
As an added bonus, you also get a removable rain liner. It packs small into its own dedicated pouch, and zips into the main jacket in less than 90 seconds. And it doesn’t add much bulk, so it’s handy as an extra wind-blocking layer too.
But for mild to chilly days, the Brigand’s a champ. And it’s subtle enough that I don’t feel the need to ditch it the second I get off the bike either. Price: c. GBP 275 / USD 301.50 | Buy
Despite the minimal vibe, the Arch is well put together…and serious about protection, too. REV’IT! have included a full size, hard shell knuckle protector, and small temper foam pads in the palm. (I had to Google ‘temper foam’; it’s a type of memory foam that offers good impact resistance.) There’s also some of the company’s proprietary PWR Shield abrasion resistance fabric at key spots on the palm.
On the hand, the Arch glove is quite comfortable, even if it is a bit snug. It does run a size smaller than most gloves—so check the size chart carefully when you buy, and consider sizing up if you’re on the cusp. It’s also really tight around the knuckle protector area at first—but I’ve managed to break it in nicely after just a few rides, and suspect it’ll get even more comfortable with time.
Price: USD 79.99 | Buy
And yes: I’m fully aware that lower body impact protection is a big deal, and that I’m compromising. But within that compromise, I like to opt for pants that look good, feel good, and offer as much abrasion resistance as possible. So I’ve been sticking with Saint’s denim for the longest time.
Saint use a special denim in their jeans that’s woven with the ultra-strong material Dyneema, and also has a little Elastane mixed in. So there’s only one layer of denim, with no extra abrasion resistant panels stitched in. They’ve used less Dyneema in the mix than before, but thanks to how the fabrics are woven, the final result is just as tough. On its own, the fabric has an AA Rating for impact abrasion resistance, according to the Darmstadt prEN 17092-1:2017 standard.
They also come in black now (which I’m stoked about) as well as two different blue finishes, depending on what cut you pick—slim or straight. The slims taper towards the ankles, while the straights don’t, and both have a low rise fit. They fit true to size too, so you can just pick your normal jeans size).
The overall styling is very typical for jeans, with a zippered fly and a neat little Saint ‘wing’ embroidered on the back pocket. That casual style, coupled with their overall comfort, have made them an instant staple on and off the bike. And judging by how well my older Saints have faded over time, I’m looking forward to seeing what these look like two years from now. Colors: Black, Indigo (straight), bleached blue (slim) | Price: c.GBP 288 / USD 387.83 | Buy Images by Devin Paisley Motorcycles via Bike EXIF https://ift.tt/2Mf9b0c December 7, 2019 at 11:20AM Leave a Reply. |
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12/7/2019
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