Recognizing the success that the Sand 2 and Outback gear have been enjoying, the REV'IT! Vapor Jacket has just been released and it is designed to slot right in between the two aforementioned competitors.
The REV’IT! Vapor Jacket is all-new for the fall of 2014, and its raison d’etre is to create a true four-season jacket for most riders, and address the lack of adjustability of many other jackets around this price point. The Vapor is a step up from the REV’IT! Outback jacket, and the Sand 2 sits right above the Vapor.
In terms of construction, the Vapor uses a combination of Schoeller and REV’IT! PWR textile for the outer shell, which has a dobby finish, to give the appearance of a woven pattern. The waterproofing is REV’IT’s proprietary Hydratex liner, which is baked into the shell of the jacket, so the Vapor is always waterproof with no removable waterproof liner. Inside the jacket, you will find a full-sleeve insulated thermal liner, which does zip out, and the Vapor is prepared for the Challenger cooling vest, which is available separately to help with the warmer temperatures. When it comes to impact protection, the Vapor uses ProLife CE-Rated armor in the shoulders and elbows, and there is a pocket for a Seesoft CE-Level 2 back protector insert.The amount of reflectivity on this jacket is huge. The Vapor has 3M reflectivity laminated at the chest and back, with additional reflective logos at the chest, back and upper arms. If that’s not enough for you, the Vapor is prepared for REV’IT’s Hi-Viz stand-alone vest, which connects via straps on the chest.
Another big plus is the amount of ventilation. The Vapor has two large direct-to-body vents at the chest, which remain waterproof when closed. Accompanying these vents are two massive forearm vents, underarm vents, and an exhaust vent. Due to the size of these vents, though, they are only venting to the liner, and not directly to the body.
REV'IT! Vapor Jacket Review:
The pièce de résistance is by far the adjustability that is built into the jacket. We have seen adjustment straps on a multitude of multi-season jackets, but REV’IT! has incorporated a rail system in conjunction with the straps, so they can move up or down to where you need the adjustability. These fancy adjusters are found on each forearm, and at each side of the waist. In addition to the straps, there are also snap adjusters at the biceps, and the collar has a snap adjust as well. Rounding out the ergonomics is a drawcord at the hips and soft padding right at the adam’s apple.
We only have two jeers about this jacket, one of which is minor nitpicking: The white textile used on those lovely adjustment rails will get grimy quite quickly. The Vapor jacket is available in three colorways: black/white, black/red and silver/red. This brings us to the second gripe with this jacket: there is no Hi-Viz option at the time of launch. Besides that, stepping up to the Sand 2 gets you a removable waterproof liner, so the venting is direct to body with the liner removed. That would still be a better option for riders doing more technical off-road riding.
- FlipZwicki
No comments:
Post a Comment