Where I live it can get very hot in the summer months, well over 100 Farenheit. I know some of you live in areas that get hotter and it's difficult to ride mid day. I decided to search for a mesh jacket to offer some cooling air along with some protection, instead of riding in just T-shirt or long sleeve white T shirt. As I perused the myriad of mesh jacket options offered on-line, I was surprised to see none that were all in light or white colors without having a portion of the jacket be black. Now everyone with a brain knows that dark colors absorb heat, so I was determined to find something without any dark areas. I wanted something that seemed well made, so I finally found this from Held, but when I inquired with the distributor of availability in the US, I was told NO! So now I've ordered this all the way from Europe, where it probably never get's hotter than 85 or so. Go figure. Anyone else tried this? [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
I haven't tried that particular jacket, but it looks nice. I do have a mesh jacket, black of course, with armor in all the usual places, but I've decided I'm really not that crazy about it. A couple of years ago my wife and I were traveling across the Mojave desert and it was 100 degrees(F) at 9:00 in the morning! At one point I started watching my dash and matching my speed to the rapidly climbing outside air temperature. At ninety degrees, ninety MPH, etc. I finally stopped playing that game at 105, I think Esther thought I was trying to ditch her. We stopped for gas in Needles and the guy there said, "Man, you guys are smart to be traveling through here early in the day, it got to 120 here yesterday afternoon!" Get me the fuck out of here, says I! Anyway, I had the meshie on and I rigged up a makeshift holder on my dash so I could grab a water bottle with a big hole in the lid and drench myself while riding at high speed. The problem was, the air was so dry, and with the wind of riding, I was bone dry in a minute and a half. And then I ran out of water.
Plus, when I wasn't wearing it, the mesh jacket was taking up valuable, limited cargo space. So next time I'm leaving the meshie at home, putting on a long sleeved t-shirt, soaking wet, and then covering it up with my regular textile riding jacket with all the vents open. The theory being that the moisture will last longer and the slower evaporation should keep me cooler.
A couple of other notes: I tried one of those soakable gel vests on another desert trip one time, and that was a total P.I.T.A! It takes awhile to prep the damn thing to get it really saturated, and then you have to bag it and carry it until the heat of the day when you really need it, and when you put it on, it feels like you're wrapping yourself in wet meat. It's heavy and soggy and damned uncomfortable.
Now here's something else I haven't tried, but I saw at the International Motorcycle Show here in December. Might should have bought a pair, but figured I could fashion something similar myself. [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] An important feature is the screen in front - keeps bees from flying up your sleeves!
Subject: Re: Hot Weather riding jacket Wed Apr 22, 2015 2:02 am
Hey thanks Street, for that info. The vents product looks interesting too. I might try one.
Blue Nibbio
Posts : 855 Join date : 2014-08-18 Age : 60
Subject: Re: Hot Weather riding jacket Wed Apr 22, 2015 4:32 am
As I live in the UK - I cannot comment on hot weather! But have seen the Held jackets here and they do look like a good bit of kit. Hope it all works out well for you CC.
I ride in this one when it gets above 90*: ALPINESTARS-T-AST-Air-Mesh-Motorcycle-Jacket
It's good in that the light inner liner helps prevent immediate evaporation. Armor in all the typical places, although I did upgrade the back and chest armor.
While we were in the US touring on the Cali Jude bought a full Revvit mesh suit and loves it. Since se only rides with me when the weather is good here in Oz it's her 'Go To' for most of her riding. For the really hot months she has a cooling vest too. I bought one of these as well and when the ambient temp rises to the high thirties it's a real godsend, especially around where I live where it's generally a very dry heat.
For some peculiar reason getting really good hot weather gear is actually much harder in Oz than it is in America! Go figure!
I sometimes ride with my jacket sleeves loose to let air in, but I never considered that bees or wasps or winged centipedes might swarm in. Those 'Ventz' look interesting.
Of course, I won't need to worry about it until late September, because...
Stinging insects seem to have a knack for finding a loose sleeve. Happened to me on a return trip from the Hill Country and a yellow jacket wasp motivated me to pull off onto the shoulder asap and strip off my mesh jacket. Little sucker got me pretty good.
I ordered a couple sets of Ventz yesterday, decided upon further reflection that they seemed like a really good idea and I'd probably never get around to reinventing them myself. This afternoon I walked into the kitchen and found them sitting on the table. "Holy shit! I just ordered these yesterday!", I exclaimed. Esther grinned like a Cheshire cat. Turns out she'd bought some at the Euro Moto show last weekend, behind my back, and was going to give 'em to me on my birthday in a couple of weeks. And she's doubly clever, she somehow intercepted the Amazon order and cancelled the second pair. She's a keeper!
Canyon Carver Sfregiato
Posts : 467 Join date : 2014-06-13 Age : 74
Subject: Re: Hot Weather riding jacket Thu Apr 23, 2015 12:04 am
Street wrote:
I ordered a couple sets of Ventz yesterday, decided upon further reflection that they seemed like a really good idea and I'd probably never get around to reinventing them myself. This afternoon I walked into the kitchen and found them sitting on the table. "Holy shit! I just ordered these yesterday!", I exclaimed. Esther grinned like a Cheshire cat. Turns out she'd bought some at the Euro Moto show last weekend, behind my back, and was going to give 'em to me on my birthday in a couple of weeks. And she's doubly clever, she somehow intercepted the Amazon order and cancelled the second pair. She's a keeper!
Lucky guy! All my wife ever gives me is a hard time! Let me know how you like the Ventz when you can.
Street L'Innominato
Posts : 3425 Join date : 2013-05-29 Age : 65
Subject: Re: Hot Weather riding jacket Thu Apr 23, 2015 1:18 am
Canyon Carver wrote:
All my wife ever gives me is a hard time!...
A couple, three times a week if I'm lucky.
waterbottle GRiSO Capo
Posts : 1785 Join date : 2015-02-02 Age : 63
Subject: Re: Hot Weather riding jacket Thu Apr 23, 2015 3:15 am
Too much info Street , ( you lucky bastard ) Those vents look like an idea though. Ive often soaked my tee shirt and mesh jacket with water on hot days but it only lasts about 30 miles or so.
pokeyjoe Don Abbondio
Posts : 127 Join date : 2014-08-22
Subject: Re: Hot Weather riding jacket Thu Apr 23, 2015 9:11 am
Good lucky with a white jacket. I had a tan textile jacket I wore on coolish days. Boy, did it get dirty. Every crease and fold seamed to have a shadow behind it. The jacket got steadily darker as you moved front to back. It didn't come clean in the wash either. I finally replaced it with a leather one when I could afford it. Black doesn't show dirt. Just sayin'.
Canyon Carver Sfregiato
Posts : 467 Join date : 2014-06-13 Age : 74
Subject: Re: Hot Weather riding jacket Thu Apr 23, 2015 11:52 am
pokeyjoe wrote:
Good lucky with a white jacket. I had a tan textile jacket I wore on coolish days. Boy, did it get dirty. Every crease and fold seamed to have a shadow behind it. The jacket got steadily darker as you moved front to back. It didn't come clean in the wash either. I finally replaced it with a leather one when I could afford it. Black doesn't show dirt. Just sayin'.
I hear ya'. I don't plan on wearing it all the time, only when it's real hot. Plus it's not white white. They say it's light grey. I have a black leather and blue denim jacket for most days. I also have a force field around me to keep asteroids and particulates away. [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]
Where I live it can get very hot in the summer months, well over 100 Farenheit. I know some of you live in areas that get hotter and it's difficult to ride mid day. I decided to search for a mesh jacket to offer some cooling air along with some protection, instead of riding in just T-shirt or long sleeve white T shirt. As I perused the myriad of mesh jacket options offered on-line, I was surprised to see none that were all in light or white colors without having a portion of the jacket be black. Now everyone with a brain knows that dark colors absorb heat, so I was determined to find something without any dark areas. I wanted something that seemed well made, so I finally found this from Held, but when I inquired with the distributor of availability in the US, I was told NO! So now I've ordered this all the way from Europe, where it probably never get's hotter than 85 or so. Go figure. Anyone else tried this? [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
Well I got this Held Tropic II and it's too baggy and sleeves a bit to long. Guess I should have ordered the Medium, instead of the Large. Dang. I wear a 42 suit jacket and a medium Cortech denim. Any one in the US want it I will let it go for $125.
Chronic Montanarolo
Posts : 22 Join date : 2014-12-11 Age : 67
Subject: Re: Hot Weather riding jacket Mon May 11, 2015 6:54 pm
I finally gave up on Mesh textiles because they always seemed a bit too baggy and would flap & flutter too much for my liking..... drove me crazy. Perforated leather was my answer. The AGV "Breeze" has big enough perf for good wind flow and not so big that a wetted down shirt doesn't dry too quickly. I think we had a record number of days over 100 F last summer and rode quite a few afternoons in it and was not too bad considering was in a leather jacket (and matched perf'd pants when sport riding). Well, anyway, seems to work well for me
Subject: Re: Hot Weather riding jacket Mon May 11, 2015 9:42 pm
I want a Rev'It! Ignition 2 Jacket.
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2012 MOTO GUZZI GRiSO 1200SE
2013 MOTO GUZZI STELVIO 1200NTX - Orange Blossom Special
Canyon Carver Sfregiato
Posts : 467 Join date : 2014-06-13 Age : 74
Subject: Re: Hot Weather riding jacket Tue May 12, 2015 2:43 am
Both nice jackets above, thanks. However my search was for as light a colored jacket as possible to avoid gathering heat from the sun. NO black or dark panels framing the mesh or breathable sections.
Blue Nibbio
Posts : 855 Join date : 2014-08-18 Age : 60
Subject: Re: Hot Weather riding jacket Tue May 12, 2015 5:24 am
Subject: Hot Weather riding jacket 
Tue Apr 21, 2015 10:51 pm
