For all the hardcore adventure riding women out there, it's well-known that finding high-performance gear that isn't just a downsized version of a man's outfit is an arduous task. Sure, there is the REV'IT! Siren Jacket, billed as an all-weather ADV jacket, but in reality it's only going to perform well in Fall-Winter-Spring. And then of course there is the REV'IT! Sand or the REV'IT! Cayenne Pro, which are unisex sizing according to REV'IT! but can really prove challenging for a female to find her proper fit. This year, REV'IT! responded to the requests and produced the most bombproof ADV outfit the women's motorcycling community has seen to date. The REV'IT! Womens Ventura Jacket and REV'IT! Womens Ventura Pants will perform in all seasons
and all weather conditions and truly live up to the REV'IT! name.
Starting with the shell, the Ventura is a 500D PWRShell construction for abrasion resistance with strategically placed PWRShell 500D Stretch fabric for comfort and ease of motion. Internally, ladies-specific ProLife CE rated armor is in the shoulder, elbow and knee (which is height adjustable), with a foam back pad that can be upgraded to a Knox TP2 CE Back Protector in addition to EVA foam hip padding. For seasonality, both jacket and pants feature detachable quilted thermal liners and detachable Hydratex waterproof breathable liners. With them in, you'll be protected from all forms of precipitation and your body will stay warm as the mercury drops. When it's hot and sunny out, simply take out both the liners, and pop open the
ventilation. The outer collar of the jacket is fully removable, and when taken off reveals a large Dynax mesh panel to flow air. The sleeve zippers are two-way, similar to the Sand except they extend higher for even more airflow, and there are additional intake vents at the upper legs and on each side of the torso. So, with the liners out and the vents open, you'll get solid airflow that will keep you cool in the summertime. For storage, there are two large dry cargo pockets on the jacket, two pockets on the pants, inner pockets for valuables, and a large rabbit pouch for storage of a liner.
The key to this outfit is the womens-specific nature of the design. REV'IT! utilized their Engineered Skin design, which is essentially garments created from many different panels of fabric that are ergonomically designed on a CAD machine. But to add to the specific curves and contours built into the outfit, REV'IT! added multiple zones of adjustability to accommodate the widest range of women's body shapes that they could. So you'll find adjustability at the hips, waist, cuffs, upper arms, waist (of pants) and ankles. So, with the stretch paneling and the hip/waist adjustments, in addition to the fact that this outfit is available in short, long and standard sizes, every female ADV rider should be covered. There is
stretch paneling in the Ventura above the knees and at the lower back, in addition to the backs of the elbows, for maximum comfort when riding. The removable collar also features a 5-way adjustable closure and a lockdown system so there will be no flapping when riding with the collar open. Laminated reflective panels are strategically placed for maximum visibility during night time rides. Both the jacket and pants feature short and long connection zippers to be paired up and make a full suit.
Female ADV riders everywhere are sure to be excited about the brand new REV'IT! Ventura Jacket and Pants. When we first heard that the rumors of this outfit were actually materializing, we knew that REV'IT! was finally going to deliver and fill a longstanding gap in their female product line. We hope that this starts a trend in the industry and more manufacturers start to realize how big a segment the female ADV community is.
The much anticipated line of REV'IT! Spring 2011 Gear is here and we've got HD video reviews for you. 15 videos in total that detail and break down 20 brand new pieces from REV'IT!. From the aggressive hot weather sport styling of the REV'IT! Tarmac Air Jacket to the multi-season all-weather hi-viz commuter-focused REV'IT! Energy HV Jacket (at right) all the way through the REV'IT! Tarmac Race Suit, REV'IT! has addressed many holes in the lineup and come out with a seriously impressive run of new gear.
One outfit in particular that has a ton of hype surrounding it is the brand new REV'IT! Women's Ventura Jacket (at right)
and REV'IT! Women's Ventura Pants. This is the first truly women-specific, in terms of cut and sizing, all-season all-weather Adventure Touring outfit. Take the REV'IT! Sand Jacket and REV'IT! Sand Pants, make it specific to ladies, and then increase the functionality and ventilation. Out comes the REV'IT! Ventura Jacket and Pants, sure to be an absolute home run amongst the hardcore adventuring female community.
Over the course of the next several days, we will be posting up our HD video gear reviews of all this new product in addition to blogs that will accompany them. For now, I'll quickly go through the new line with a couple brief notes about each new product.
First is the new REV'IT! Tarmac series. There is the REV'IT! Tarmac Race Suit (at right), coming in to take the place of the REV'IT! TT Suit, the big upgrade here being the integration of a hydration-bag-ready speed hump. The liner system is now 3D bubble mesh, fully removable and washable, which creates a microclimate within the suit for temperature regulation and is a big step up over the standard mesh liner in the TT. It also comes in at a lower price point which is always nice. The REV'IT! Tarmac Leather Jacket and REV'IT! Tarmac Pants are essentially the top and bottom halves of this suit and offer the versatility of varied sizing if the one-piece suit is a difficult fit for you. And of course, the jacket on its own can be paired with any race-level pants and vice versa with the Tarmac
Pants. The REV'IT! Tarmac Gloves are also brand new and complete the racing side of the Tarmac line. Consider the Tarmac Gloves the little brother to the REV'IT! Jerez Gloves, as they replace the REV'IT! GT Corse as the second in command in REV'IT!'s race glove offering. The Tarmac Gloves add dual compound aluminum/honeycomb armor to the back of the hand, essentially an aluminum plate for sliding set in a honeycomb backing for resistance to impact. They are definitely a forward step from the GT Corse gloves. Rounding out this portion of the line is the REV'IT! Tarmac Air Jacket (at right) which is essentially a REV'IT! Air Jacket on steroids, with beefier mesh, a shell
more abrasion-resistant than the Air, and more aggressive
styling for the sportbike rider.
The next two products are designed with the commuter in mind and finally address some glaring holes in the REV'IT! lineup. The brand new REV'IT! Energy HV Jacket (pictured above) and REV'IT! Axis Pants are sure to be a smash hit with commuters for a number of reasons. The Energy Jacket finally delivers on the need for a completely hi-visibility all-season and all-weather jacket in the REV'IT! line. The Energy HV absolutely glows! The Axis pants, on the other hand, are an overpant designed exclusively with the commuter in mind, with extraordinarily fast on and off speed (our REV'IT! rep claims that it can be done in under thirty seconds, a feat you'll witness when that video is released). They also boast a 600D shell and adjustable CE
rated armor and reflective for visibility.
The REV'IT! Tornado Jacket (at left) and REV'IT! Tornado Pants (below left) take the design of the REV'IT! Turbine Jacket and Turbine Pants to the next level. With more mesh than REV'IT! has ever utilized in a jacket and pant combo, the Tornado will flow more air while keeping you extremely well protected than anything else in the REV'IT! lineup (and probably on the market for that matter). Beyond the immense airflow, the most significant upgrade is the addition of a 2-in-1 liner system. The detachable liner is a standalone windbreaker that is waterproof breathable and features thermal insulating qualities.
The pants liner, though not designed to be worn alone, is also the 2-in-1 thermally insulated waterproof breathable liner system. So in reality, the only weather condition this outfit will not perform in is the dead cold of winter. Any other time of year through a wide temperature range and all precipitation, the Tornado will be a go-to option. Also available in a women-specific REV'IT! Women's Tornado Jacket and REV'IT! Women's Tornado Pants. This version will be cut and contoured to match the shape of a woman's body and designed for long-distance touring comfort.
REV'IT! put a lot of focus on women-specific gear this year,
noticing the glaring need in the industry for technical gear contoured for the shape and curves of women. For the sporty female rider, the REV'IT! Women's Raven Jacket (at right), REV'IT! Women's Raven Pants and REV'IT! Women's Raven Gloves give women a slick-looking sport and track riding combo. Designed by women riders for women riders, the curves and lines of this outfit are pre-shaped to fit a woman, unlike a lot of women's gear that is simply smaller versions of men's sizes. The jacket and pants both feature 360ยบ zips, safety stitching, and ladies-specific armor and the jacket also has a removable thermal liner for colder riding. The REV'IT! Raven Gloves are a full gauntlet sport glove, with plenty of protection and armor for track riding.
In addition to the Tarmac and Raven Gloves, REV'IT! has also released five other gloves for Spring 2011. The REV'IT! Fly Gloves (at right) are a lightweight short cuff summertime sport riding glove a notch below the REV'IT! Monster Gloves in features and functionality. A step up from the Fly and Monsters would be the REV'IT! Curb Gloves, another lightweight summertime sport glove built for aggressive riding, that touts carbon fiber protection and a dual-compound aluminum and honeycomb palm slider. The REV'IT! Phantom GTX Gloves are a multi-season all-weather sport touring glove featuring a Gore-Tex waterproof breathable membrane and hard shell protection. With protective elements borrowed from the Jerez race glove, the Phantom GTX gloves will get you through the
I realize this is rather long-winded for a simple overview of the line, but there is a lot here. REV'IT! has taken giant strides forward this Spring, just like they did in the Fall with their Gore-Tex line. It will be interesting to see how the competition responds and what they've got in store for new Spring gear.
Stay tuned for video reviews and detailed blogs to go along with all of the new REV'IT! Gear.
