Cold Weather Motorcycle Glove Guide

To round out our series of winter motorcycle gear guides, we scoured our inventory and decided on three groups of winter motorcycle gloves. We broke it down into "Cool Weather Sport Touring Gloves," "Cold Weather Touring Gloves," and "Extreme Cold Weather Adventure Gloves." As you move through the ranks, the materials used improve, including protective elements and creature comforts, and you get vaster temperature range & precipitation coverage. The rider who is riding five miles back and forth from work won't need a brawny glove in all likelihood just as the adventure touring rider in freezing temperatures will want to look for something more bulky than a basic winter riding glove. That explains how we broke down our categories. Let's get into the video, our Cold Weather Motorcycle Glove Guide.

Cool Weather Sport Touring Gloves

In our first bucket of gloves, the milder temperature range array, you'll find motorcycle gloves from Firstgear, REV'IT! and Cortech. The Firstgear Navigator glove and Firstgear Kilimanjaro glove (pictured at left) each feature a Hipora waterproof breathable membrane that will keep your hands dry while the Kilimanjaro has Thinsulate for the lining and the Navigator uses a warmer Thermolite liner. Consider the Navigator the leather counterpart to the Kilimanjaro. Both these gloves perform well in cool to cold weather basic riding scenarios.

The sportiest looking glove of all the gloves we show in this video is the Cortech Scarab glove, constructed from a mix of leather, goatskin & textile. All of this is backed with a Hipora waterproof breathable membrane. For protection, the Scarab has a molded titanium/carbon knuckle with finger and wrist protection as well.

The top-of-the-line glove in this group is the REV'IT! Zenith H2O glove, which provides a mix of goatskin and leather with coated carbon hard shell knuckles. The upgrade here being the Hydratex membrane from REV'IT! which will be more breathable than the waterproofing in the other gloves. The addition of SuperFabric on the pinky is another upgrade on this top-end cool/cold weather sport touring glove.

Cold Weather Touring Gloves

In the next lineup, you're looking at Cold Weather Touring Gloves that will stand up well to all the elements and a deeper temperature range than the previous grouping. Here you'll find gloves from REV'IT!, Tour Master, and Held. This is where you'll start to see advanced technologies such as Gore-Tex membranes and so forth. The Tour Master Winter Elite Glove is the starting point for this bunch and also the thickest. Constructed from goatskin and sheepskin with Thinsulate Liteloft insulation, the Winter Elite also features a visor wiper for convenience, a large storm cuff, and a built-in nylon polar cover for the extremes of temperature and precipitation.

From REV'IT!, the new REV'IT! Orion GTX Glove features Gore-Tex while the REV'IT! Kelvin H2O Glove was voted WebBikeWorld's Best Winter Glove 2009. The Orion is 1000D ripstop Cordura and 500D PWRShell with a Thermolite tri-fleece liner. The distinguishing factor is the Gore-Tex membrane that gives the highest level of waterproof breathability. Period. The Kelvin (pictured) is a full leather construction with Hydratex waterproof breathability. The distinguisher here is the Schoeller PCM Insulator which is a temperature regulator that absorbs heat. If the hand is too hot, the PCM absorbs it and your hand cools; if your hand gets cold, the PCM releases the heat.

Rounding out this group is the Held Freezer Glove, a water-repellent cowhide glove with a Gore-Tex membrane for waterproof breathability. The lining here is what's special: Primaloft, used by the military, is an extremely lightweight microfiber insulation that stays amazingly warm no matter the application. That does it for category two.

Extreme Cold Weather Adventure Gloves

If you're an Adventure rider or you want to ride really long distances in the cold weather, you need look no further than this group of gloves. These are the extremely technical gloves with the most futuristic technologies and extensive R&D. The Gerbing's T5 Heated Gloves are the only pair in this group that is heated and are best suited for the rider dipping into the lowest possible temperature ranges. Gerbing's Microwire Heating Technology was developed at the behest of the military.

Two gloves from REV'IT!, the REV'IT! Alaska GTX Glove & REV'IT! Bastion GTX Glove (pictured at left) feature Gore-Tex membranes, the Alaska being the leather alternative to the Bastion's extreme textile construction. Both of these gloves will handle the freezing elements with comfort and style, with the main differentiating factor being the SuperFabric and MotoGP elements that are in the Bastion.

The Held Warm N Dry glove is Held's highest end cold weather glove. With a mix of cowhide, textile and goatskin, the Warm N Dry also has a Gore-Tex membrane for waterproof breathability. SuperFabric provides reinforcement, the knuckles are protected by hard plastic armor, and the liner is Gore-Tex Thermoplush Fleece. Keeping in mind the Adventure Touring rider, Held kept the palm on these gloves thin enough for use with heated grips. This is a great Extreme Cold Weather glove.

Finally, our last glove is the Dainese Jerico Glove, probably the slickest and cleanest design of the bunch. The Jerico is made from Cowhide-Clarino, a synthetic abrasion-resistant textile material. It has a full Gore-Tex membrane and utilizes Primaloft insulation. It is the highest-priced glove for a good reason: it outperforms every other glove on the table and of course, offers that classic Dainese style.

That's quite a bit of information but we hope very informative. Our intention is to take some of the pain out of figuring all these details on your own. We hope we met our goal of connecting the dots in terms of subtle differences of winter motorcycle gloves.

Be sure not to miss our all of our winter gear suggestions at our Cold Weather Motorcycle Gear Guide at RevZilla.com

-RetroZilla

Related:

Cold Weather ADV Motorcycle Gear Guide

Cold Weather Touring Motorcycle Gear Guide

Cold Weather Sport Riding Motorcycle Gear Guide

HJC RPS-10 Helmet Review

Being billed as the premier race helmet from HJC Helmets, the brand new for Fall 2010 HJC RPS-10 Helmet has us very impressed. HJC teamed up with MotoGP rider Ben Spies for a 2.5-year development period in which they fine tuned this helmet, creating a top-end race-level helmet at a very modest price point. Ben Spies is now wearing this helmet when racing MotoGP and it is crystal-clear that this helmet is worlds ahead of their old race helmet, the FS-15.

Check out our video review below:

Let's take a quick look at the spec breakdown of this helmet:

• Advanced PIM Shell: Aramid, Fiberglass & Carbon Fiber fuse together to create an extremely lightweight (3.3lbs) helmet that is CAD-designed for fit and comfort
• ACS (Advanced Channeling Ventilation System) provides full front-to-back airflow to pull heat and humidity out of the helmet; Two top-of-head vents are 6-way adjustable and glove-friendly for as much or as little airflow as you choose
• SilverCool Plus Interior is very plush, moisture-wicking and treated with gingko extract and silver which provides antibacterial and odor-free properties; the guts are 100% washable and removable with built-in communication speaker pockets
• Rapidfire Shield Replacement System allows for fast and easy tool-free shield changes
• Brand new HJC-20 shield features a groundbreaking one-touch center open/close mechanism that provides an extremely tight seal in addition to simple operation

Any time a helmet is being worn by a MotoGP rider, it is a huge endorsement. But when a race-level lid is developed in conjunction with a rider, it's entirely next-level. Starting at $314.99 for the six solid colors available (including hi-vis yellow) and going up to $499.99 for the HJC RPS-10 Ben Spies Replica Helmet, this is a moderately priced helmet for the advanced technological features it offers.

Check out its competitors by visiting our Snell 2010 Helmets page and our Sportbike Helmets page.

-RetroZilla

Related:

Motorcycle Helmet Buying Guide

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Cold Weather Everyday Riding Motorcycle Gear Guide

The next installment of our Cold Weather Gear Guides is for the rider who isn't planning any 8,000-mile adventure rides for the winter and doesn't plan to be hitting the off-road trails either. This gear will perform well for the urban commuter or the casual everyday rider looking to stay warm. It also offers a subtle look that will be stylish on the bike or wandering around the streets of the city. All of the gear in this video will be built for Fall-Winter-Spring riding, featuring water-resistance and thermal liners. Be sure not to miss our other guides which feature our picks for Sport, Touring & ADV cold weather riding if any of those is more your style. In this guide we feature outfits from REV'IT!, Icon, Firstgear & Alpinestars.

Here is our Cold Weather Everyday Riding Motorcycle Gear Guide:

Starting out, we have an outfit from Alpinestars that will perform well in the cool and cold weather, and completely shield you from precipitation. The Alpinestars Verona WP Jacket & Alpinestars P1 Sport Touring Drystar Pants have a great muted style that will make it difficult for people to even know you were riding a motorcycle. The jacket and pants are constructed with 450D & 500D Cordura for durability and weather resistance and feature CE rated armor in the shoulders, elbows and knees. The jacket has a PU coating on the exterior to assist the built-in waterproof membrane in ensuring you'll stay dry while riding. Alpinestars' minimalist styling of the jacket makes it an ideal choice for anyone wishing to fly under the radar. The pants are form-fitting and contoured, providing an ergonomic sport fit that is not bulky at all. This is an excellent option from Alpinestars, who always delivers on style and performance.

The REV'IT! CR Textile Jacket & REV'IT! Zip Pants is one of a few featured REV'IT! outfits in this lineup. Previously seen in our Sport Riding gear guide, the REV'IT! CR Textile Jacket provides a vintage style that will appeal to any classic-type of rider. Moto Guzzi riders, cafe racers, light motorcyclists, scooter riders: that's who REV'IT! made this jacket for. With bold racing stripes on the chest, arms, and back, the CR jacket also has Knox CE rated armor in the shoulders and elbows with a detachable thermal vest liner to keep you insulated in the cold. The Zip pants offer the same Knox CE armor but also have a Hydralining waterproof breathable membrane to keep your legs free from precipitation. They built this overpant specifically for the everyday rider as it fits conveniently over jeans or business wear. A great option from REVIT that corners the niche of riders that rock the vintage look.

Changing gears and moving into something a bit more in-your-face, the Icon Contra Slate Jacket & Icon Arc Textile Pants are a great choice for the everyday sportbike rider in the winter time. We showed off the Icon Contra Redeemer Jacket in our sport riding video in addition to the Arc pants in a different pairing. Removable CE rated armor in the shoulders, elbows and knees and a durable textile chassis with heavyweight reinforcement panels ensure your safety from abrasion and impact in this combo. Both jacket and pants are water-resistant so this won't be ideal for very rainy conditions. But for basic everyday riding in the cold, this outfit is going to perform tremendously.

The Firstgear Kenya Jacket and brand new for Fall 2010 Firstgear HT Overpants is one of the most versatile options in this lineup. It'll do a great job in the cold, but also perform well as the mercury begins to rise. Both jacket and pants are built with 600D polyester and have Firstgear's proprietary Hypertex waterproof breathable membrane. CE rated armor exists in the shoulders, elbows and knees. The jacket has a fully-sleeved removable insulated liner and the pants, designed as overpants, also have a zip-out thermal liner pant that can be worn standalone. The HT Overpants are completely redesigned over previous models with greatly upgraded articulation and fit. This is a do-it-all three to four season outfit from Firstgear that will offer superb performance in the cold and wet months. We also highlight these pants with the Firstgear Kilimanjaro Jacket later in this guide. The Kilimanjaro is waterproof breathable with CE rated armor, and an excellent ventilation scheme for true four-season riding.

The REV'IT! Dragon Jacket & REV'IT! Factor Pants are another four-season riding option. This combo will absolutely shine in the Fall, Winter & Spring but will also perform in the hotter months of the year, with removable liners and excellent ventilation. The pants have REV'IT!'s Hydralining (waterproof & breathable) sandwiched into the outershell and the jacket has a detachable Hydratex liner that is waterproof breathable as well and can be worn standalone. With a durable construction of high deniers including 600D polyester, 750D PWRShell & 1000D Cordura, this outfit is going to keep you toasty and dry all through the year. The jacket is also available in hi-vis, with bright yellow accents that is an excellent choice for the commuter. Both the pants and jacket are available in womens-specific sizing and fit, the REV'IT! Siren Jacket being the womens version.

Lastly, the REV'IT! Brighton Jacket & REV'IT! Factor Pants combo may seem familiar to anyone who has seen our Sport Riding gear guide. That's because the Brighton is essentially the slightly longer version of the REV'IT! Bronx Jacket. This outfit looks great zipping around town or hopping off the bike and walking. I've already spoken at length about the Factor pants so I'll focus on the jacket. Constructed with a highly water-repellent fabric and providing a removable thermal liner, the Brighton will keep you warm and dry. It also offers the versatility of a removable thermal collar for the warmer days of the season. Simply put, this is a great choice for the urban rider: protective, understated, stylish.

That'll do it for our seven picks for Everyday Winter Riding. Don't miss all of our Cold Weather Motorcycle Gear Guides at RevZilla.com. Keep it warm, dry, and safe in the winter!

-RetroZilla

Related:

Cold Weather ADV Motorcycle Gear Guide

Cold Weather Touring Motorcycle Gear Guide

Cold Weather & Winter Sport Riding Gear Guide

Cold Weather Sport Riding Motorcycle Gear Guide

Some guys roll the sportbikes into the garage at the first sight of winter weather. We don't think that's how it should be. So we assembled our top six outfits for the sport rider that wants to extend the riding season into the lower temperatures. These outfits will generally feature aggressive styling and a cut that is designed to be in the tuck position. Outfits in this guide come from REV'IT!, Icon & Alpinestars. All of this said, we think this guide will present a bunch of different choices and styles for the winter sport motorcycle rider.

Watch below, our Cold Weather Sport Riding Gear Guide.

Our first featured outfit is the Alpinestars Argon WP Jacket & Alpinestars Edge Drystar Pants. Highlighted by that classic Alpinestars style, the Argon WP Jacket is built on a 600D chassis with a PU coating that adds to the waterproofing & durability of the coat. Sandwiched between the outershell and the interior is a waterproof breathable membrane that keeps you dry while allowing perspiration to evaporate out. The jacket features a removable thermal liner and the Edge Drystar pants have the Drystar membrane, offering upgraded waterproofing and breathability.

Alpinestars utilizes their proprietary CE rated Bio Armor in the shoulders, elbows & knees. There are ergonomic stretch panels in the right places for comfortable articulation and as always with AStars, YKK zippers throughout both the jacket and pants. This outfit is one of the more muted options in our winter sport riding gear options for a subtler vibe.

Amping up the aggressiveness (as they tend to do), we paired the Icon Contra Redeemer Jacket with the Icon Insulated Canvas Pants. The Redeemer is a graphic version of the Icon Contra Jacket, which comes in at a lower price point. The street riding theme of this outfit extends to the fit which is urban-styled, generous, and a little looser than the European-designed gear in this guide. The jacket has removable CE rated Icon Field Armor in the shoulders and elbows, while the knees have aramid reinforcement panels in the knees.

Both the jacket and pants feature removable insulated thermal liners to give you the flexibility of riding in the cold with the liners in or pulling them out and getting into some milder temperatures. What really shines on this outfit is the graphics of the jacket. As Icon puts it, "the Contra Redeemer is a worthy talisman in the continuous quest for moto salvation."

If you're a moto guzzi or light motorcycle guy or general retro enthusiast, the vintage styling of the REV'IT! CR Textile Jacket paired with the REV'IT! Factor Pants might be just what you're looking for. With bold, blocky racing stripes down the front, back, and sleeves of this jacket, it screams vintage rider. CE rated armor in the shoulders, elbows and knees, a water-resistant treatment on the jacket with Hydralining waterproof breathable membrane built into the pants. The jacket has a built-in jeans loop for riding on milder days and a removable thermal vest liner (the pants have removable thermal lining as well) for when the temperature dips. Also available in a stylish retro red color, the jacket isn't the warmest in this lineup, but as far as style is concerned, it gets it done. You will get great performance out of this outfit in Fall, Winter and Spring.

The Alpinestars Ransom WP Jacket & Alpinestars ST-5 Drystar Pants combo is going to keep you absolutely warm and dry in the colder months of the year. The jacket features a built-in waterproof breathable membrane and the pants have Alpinestars' upgraded Drystar membrane, equally waterproof but slightly more breathable than the jacket. Each piece in this outfit has a removable quilted thermal liner for cool and cold weather versatility.

Removable CE rated armor in the shoulder, elbows & knees and a strong 660D pants construction equates to excellent protection from abrasion and impact in this combo. Alpinestars subtle styling in the jacket is a real draw for the sporty rider with the understated color blocking and the high profile collar. Another great option in our Cold Weather Sport Riding Guide that is going to perform excellently in the cool and cold weather, wet or dry.

Gixxer guy? We've got you covered. The Icon Arc Jacket comes in a couple of different designs, but the Icon Arc Suzuki Jacket was designed with only the GSX-R enthusiast in mind. Couple it with the Icon Arc Textile Pants and you can ride your bike in the winter with an aggressive look. The jacket is the only one in this bunch that features a mix of textile and leather, with 1.2-1.4mm premium cowhide in the impact areas. It also has removable CE rated armor in the elbows and shoulders with a removable insulated liner for temperature versatility.

The jacket is designed in a very urban style with a loose and relaxed fit. The same goes for the pants, which also have removable armor in the knees and durable Cordura and Aramid reinforcement panels. Sized as an overpant with a loose fit, be sure to order your normal pants size if you're wearing them over jeans. If you're gonna rock them commando, buy one size lower for proper fit.

Last but certainly not least in winter sport riding gear guide, the REV'IT! Bronx Jacket and REV'IT! Factor Pants (we know, we feature them a lot..) is the most understated of the lineup, and will probably appear most to the city guy, whether he's riding a light motorcycle or even a scooter. Both the jacket and pants are constructed with high denier fabrics for abrasion resistance and offer Knox CE rated armor in the shoulders, elbows and knees.

The Bronx is essentially a waist-length version of the REV'IT! Brighton Jacket, which is showcased in another of our winter gear guides. Other than the muted style of this combo, my favorite nuance is the removable knitted collar. When it's frosty out, keep it attached, but when the temperatures are slightly high in the Autumn or Spring, pop it off and you're riding comfortable.

That does it for this installment of winter gear guides. Be sure not to miss our full series of guides, including our Winter Motorcycle Glove Guide.

-RetroZilla

Related:

Cold Weather Touring Motorcycle Gear Guide

Cold Weather ADV Motorcycle Gear Guide

Motorcycle Helmet Buying Guide

Klim Adventure Rally Off-Road Suit Review

The ultimate in bombproof all-season Adventure Touring with more emphasis on off-road riding, the Klim Adventure Rally Jacket & Klim Adventure Rally Pants deserves the full HD video RevZilla treatment. We've had this one in the works for a long time, and now we're delivering our full 15-minute detailed review and breakdown of this veritable beast of an ADV outfit. Check out our look at all the subtleties of this jacket in the video below.

Here's the bullet points on what the Klim ADV Rally is bringing to the table:

• Inspired by Dakar Rally for all-weather all-season extreme off-road adventure riding
• Full GORE-TEX ProShell Outer Construction, utilizing Talisman fabric which is developed by Gore & SuperFabric and is a waterproof breathable version of SuperFabric; GORE-TEX Armacor & SPL600 Pro Shell is used in non-impact areas
• d3o molecular-level armor in the shoulders, elbows, knees, hips & back: soft and flexible when riding but becomes rigid upon impact, dispersing energy across entire surface area of armor
• Gore-Tex Lock-Out ventilation system; heavy-duty ziplock-style zipper system is 100% waterproof when closed thanks to Gore's newest technology, but when opened will flow a ton of air and keep you cool in the hot months
• High-capacity storage system with integrated removable harness system that evenly distributes weight across torso; 11550 cubic cm in jacket alone, which converts to over 4500 cubic inches of storage
• Fully waterproof collar is built to be compatible with a Leatt neck brace; includes standard collar and larger storm cuff collar designed to fit over neck brace
• Integrated hydration system inspired by Dakar Rally prohibiting any external backpacks
• Moisture-wicking antibacterial mesh liner
• Pants feature large leather panels on inner side of lower legs for heat and wear resistance
• High-back yoke for support and moisture-wicking

Let's not kid around: this is a serious suit for the passionately hardcore adventure rider, and the price tag reflects it. But with all of the space-age technologies and the sheer quality of fabrics and materials, you're getting precisely what you're paying for with this suit. Klim specializes in off-road gear, having produced the highest-quality products possible for over ten years. After two years in R&D, the Klim Adventure Rally Suit has been unveiled and it's sure to be a monster hit in the ADV community.

You can check out some its competitors by visiting our four-season motorcycle jackets and all weather motorcycle pants. Also, don't miss our Cold Weather ADV Gear Guide page at RevZilla.com.

-RetroZilla

Related:

Cold Weather ADV Motorcycle Gear Guide

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Motorcycle Helmet Buying Guide

We get countless calls from first-time motorcycle helmet buyers here at RevZilla.com who are curious as to what they should be looking for when shopping for a motorcycle helmet. In this guide we attempted to touch on all of the basic subjects and questions that a first-time or even long-time motorcycle rider might have about purchasing a new motorcycle helmet. We cover the following topics in this video: Helmet Fit, Safety Standards, Helmet Brands, Helmet Applications and Types in addition to cost of helmets and what we consider the three tiers of motorcycle helmet price range. Again, the goal of these videos is to educate motorcycle riders about the crucial details and connect the dots when it's time to buy your next helmet. Watch the video below for all the details!

This is the first installation in a four-part motorcycle helmet buying guide from us. We will soon be rolling out the next three segments, Everyday Helmets, Premium Helmets & Super Premium Helmets.

We generally consider Everyday Helmets to fall into the $100 to $250 price range. These are helmets for the day-to-day rider that are DOT certified and will offer great performance in everyday riding situations. Everyday motorcycle helmets are produced by brands such as SparX Helmets, HJC Helmets, Scorpion Helmets, Bell Helmets and more.

The next level is Premium Motorcycle Helmets. We consider these helmets to fall within the $250 to $500 range. Premium helmets are lighter, more likely to have Snell certification, quieter, and provide better ergonomics than everyday helmets. Also, premium helmets are designed for a more specific riding application than everyday helmets. In this range, you start to see dual sport helmets, modular motorcycle helmets, and some race helmets. Some brands that produce premium helmets are Shark Helmets, Icon Helmets, Nolan Helmets, Akuma Helmets and more.

Finally, the top tier of motorcycle helmets are Super Premium Helmets. These helmets range begin at $500 and provide the most specific application of any of the helmet tiers. You start to see space-age materials in construction with advanced R&D and technological testing. Race replica helmets, hypermiling long-distance helmets, and extreme enduro helmets are all found in this category. They are the lightest and strongest helmets available. Period. Super Premium Helmets come from brands such as Arai Helmets, Shoei Helmets, AGV Helmets, Shark Helmets, Suomy Helmets and Bell Helmets.

We hope this first installment was informative and helpful. Stay tuned for the next three parts!

-RetroZilla

Related:

Touring Motorcycle Helmet Buying Guide

Modular Motorcycle Helmet Buying Guide

Dual Sport & Enduro Helmet Buying Guide

Scorpion Motorcycle Helmet Buying Guide

REV'IT! Defender GTX vs REV'IT! Cayenne Pro: Comparison and Conclusion

We were recently asked to compare and contrast the new REV'IT! Defender GTX Jacket and Pants Outfit with the REV'IT! Cayenne Pro Jacket and Pants Outfit. Before REV'IT! GORE-TEX line and the Defender GTX were released the REV'IT! Cayenne Pro had been the top of the food chain ADV jacket from REV'IT! for a few years. The Defender GTX now raises the bar and changes the game.

The Defender GTX, as most folks know is new for Fall 2010 and features some upgrades as well as a GORE-TEX liner. In this post we are going to take a deep dive on functionality and material similarities and differences between them.

If you would rather watch the HD videos of both outfits, they are on the product pages as well as video detailing liner breakdown and fit. Click to see the REV'IT! Cayenne Pro or REV'IT! Defender GTX Jacket to watch the video.

On to the comparison.....

Styling: Slightly Different. Both jackets are close to waist length, but the color blocking on both is different. The Defender GTX is more inline with the updated style of the Sand Jacket and Pants. The Cayenne Pro comes in 5 jacket colors and 3 pant colors, Defender GTX comes in 4 jacket colors and 2 pants colors. In our opinion we like that they are different enough to stand out from one another.

Fit: Slightly Different. Both jackets have a more of a European cut. The Cayenne Pro is a dramatic athletic / sport cut while the Defender GTX is a more forgiving "Touring Fit" for a wider range of body types.

Armor: Same. Both The REV'IT! Defender and REV'IT! Cayenne Pro use the SAS-TEC molecular armor in shoulders, elbows and knees. The SAS-TEC armor is only getting better and is some of the best armor available on the planet. It becomes rigid upon impact and absorbs more joules of energy than anything currently available. It is also continually improving. They both come with a temperfoam back pad, but you can upgrade to a SAS-TEC. We find that most folks do.


Superfabric: Slightly different. Both the Cayenne Pro and the Defender GTX user Superfabric Panels to cover high-impact areas (elbows and knees). SuperFabric is tiny laser welded ceramic plates which are 14x more abrasion resistant than Kevlar. The ability to slide longer distance without transferring heat is huge upside in a get-off. For the Defender the Superfabric was cut into a cross-hatched pattern, which upon testing showed no diminishment in protection but increased ability to breath which is a plus in warmer / more active scenarios when you are potentially sweating.

SuperFabric Pattern: Cayenne Pro on left, Defender GTX on Right

Insulation Liner: Same. Both use REV'IT!'s removable Exkin Air Thermal Liner which is half the weight, half the thickness and and 4x the warmth of DuPont Thermalite. In a nutshell is is one of the warmest synthetics around which stretches both of these jacket deeper into the temp range than anything we carry. The only thing warmer at RevZilla is Gerbings Heated Gear. The Thermal liner is a removable drop liner.


Waterproof / Breathable Liner: Different. This feature is a huge difference between the jackets. The "GTX" in Defender GTX stands for GORE-TEX Performance Shell. The Cayenne Pro uses  REV'IT!'s best proprietary Hydratex drop liner which is waterproof and breathable. The Defender's GORE-TEX liner is more waterproof over longer periods of extreme testing and it will breath better than the Hydratex. Tech specs: GTX is 9000ml/H20 24hrs - Hydratex is 5000ml/H20 24hrs. When you sweat in a jacket like this, the ease in which your perspiration can evaporate out of the jacket is key. The REV'IT! Hydratex liner is an 8/10. The GORE-TEX liner is a 10/10. GORE-TEX invented the technology and it remains the standard for waterproof and breathable membranes. The Defender also passes W.L. Gore's OnRoad test which is the most stringent waterproof test done in the industry. The inclusion of GORE-TEX in the Defender GTX is the biggest factor in the price increase over the Cayenne Pro. Both waterproof liners are removable in both outfits.


Outer Shell Construction: Different. The Cayenne Pro will always remain a bombproof jacket featuring DuPont Cordura® 500D, DuPont Cordura® 1000D. In its own right a very strong tag team of textiles. The Defender raises the bar slightly by using Cordura® 500D ripstop with Teflon® coating, PWR|shell 500D with Teflon® coating, Cordura® 1000D ripstop with Teflon® coating. The teflon coating on all the fabrics aid in its strength and durability. Ripstop is a tiny checkerboard pattern on the textile to keep a potential puncture or tear from running. This is a nice upgrade for a very adventure oriented jacket. Both upgraded features make the Defender GTX shell stronger and more durable in the long and short term. Also while neither outershell is waterproof (the inner liners are) they are both water resistant and have a DWR coating. REV'IT! continued the tradition of rugged exteriors which do not have a "crunchy" feel to them. We find most riders are happy with that approach. The upgrade from either of these jackets is something like the KLIM Adventure Rally suit using GORE-TEX Talisman and Armacore which are stronger but heavier, less comfortable fabrics.



Ventilation: Different. The Defender uses 3D Mesh panels for better airflow than the Cayenne Pro. Similar to the Sand Jacket, the 3D mesh creates a slight gap from the chest and the outershell to offer less restriction of airflow and aid in body cooling. The Cayenne Pro uses upgraded Dynax Mesh in its chest panels which flow slightly less air. The Defender also uses the Two-way cuff / sleeve zipper system which in the open position directs airflow up the sleeve vs the Cayenne Pro's basic sleeve vent. Neither of these jackets will vent as well as a mesh like the REV'IT! Sirocco, but If I give the Cayenne Pro Jacket an 7.5/10 in Venting, the Defender GTX Jacket gets a 9. Both Pants vent similarly. At highway speeds a rider would be fine in either aside from extreme conditions. At a stand still, like any jacket, a rider could become hot fast.

Reflective : Slightly Different. They both use 3M Scotchlight panels, but the design is slightly improved on the Defender GTX Jacket.

Price:  The Cayenne Pro will set you back $579 for Jacket and $399 for the Pants. The Defender GTX comes in at $749 for the Jacket and $599 for the pants. It's reasonable increase in price built around mainly the GORE-TEX inclusion and R&D as well as some new features and upgraded shell materials.

Conclusion:  For the hardcore adventurer, the Defender GTX is a big step up in functional performance with the inclusion of GORE-TEX, some newer generation ripstop elements and a better ventilaiton scheme than the already solid Cayenne Pro. Overall the features should contribute to a jacket / pants combo which will be more rugged, protective and further the active extreme temperature range but may very well be overkill for the average to above average touring rider. The Cayenne Pro was built with heavy duty extreme riding in mind and, while the Defender GTX pushes the envelope, the GTX level of cost may not be necessary for 95% of the 4-Season Riding population. Most folks can save the extra cash and go Cayenne Pro unless they know the extra functionality is valuable to them.The bottom line is that for their price points, both of these outfits are excellent.

 We have already road and off-road tested our Defenders and have been quite impressed with the performance - I will admit that we are not surprised.

-Anthony Bucci

Find the Gear On RevZilla.com:  $549.99

REV'IT! Defender GTX Jacket $749.99
REV'IT! Defender GTX Pants $599.99

REV'IT! Cayenne Pro Jacket $549.99
REV'IT! Cayenne Pro Pants $399.99

REV'IT! GORE-TEX Gear

Cold Weather Touring Motorcycle Gear Guide

Next up in our Cold Weather Motorcycle Gear Guide series is Touring Gear. Winter Touring Motorcycle Gear has to meet certain criteria for us to classify it as such. It needs to be able to handle cold extremely well making thermal liners a must. It also has to fend off all elements that Mother Nature rains down; snow, sleet, rain - it all needs to bounce right off. To that end, all this gear needs to have an element of waterproof breathability, be it a membrane bonded to the outershell or a removable liner membrane.

The main differentiating factors between this Touring Gear Guide and our previous ADV Gear Guide lie in application and technologies used. With ADV Touring Gear, you generally see more space-age materials in addition to advanced technical features that are very specific to the application the gear is designed for. ADV Gear is designed for a closer-to-even balance of on-road & off-road riding and therefore needs to be more technically-advanced. The Touring Motorcycle Gear featured in this video will be focused more towards on-road riding with slightly less adventurous, if any at all, off-roading.

That said, we pulled out seven of our favorite Cold Weather Touring outfits and gave a brief breakdown of the application, features and fit of each. We hope this will serve as a guide for all the Sport Touring riders out their looking to keep the rubber side on the road through the coldest months. Without further adieu, our Cold Weather & Winter Touring Motorcycle Gear Guide:

First up in our Winter Touring Motorcycle Gear Guide is the REV'IT! Sand Jacket & REV'IT! Sand Pants. This combo is the best-selling mid-level touring outfit of 2010. Out of all the outfits featured in this video, this very well may be the best at performing in all four seasons. With an impressive venting configuration for hot weather and removable Hydratex waterproof breathable liner and thermal liner, you're covered in cool & cold wet weather as well. Don't miss our part 1, the REV'IT! Sand Jacket & Pant Review, and part 2, the REV'IT! Sand Jacket & Pant Armor & Liner Breakdown, for a more detailed look at this impressive piece of gear.

We know we featured this outfit in our Winter ADV Motorcycle Gear Guide, but it's for good reason that we included the Firstgear TPG Rainier Jacket & Firstgear TPG Escape Pants in this collection as well: performance in all weather conditions, all temperature ranges and all seasons. The TPG Rainier was a standout of last year's Firstgear class, and a year later the TPG Escape pants came up to speed. The fit is articulated, the d3o molecular-level armor is there; it's simply an all-around better pant than the first iteration was. This combo will do a great job of competing with anything else on the market.

As part of REV'IT!'s new teaming with GORE-TEX and as a complement to the REV'IT! Defender GTX featured in our ADV guide, the REV'IT! Legacy GTX Jacket & REV'IT! Legacy GTX Pants pack a mean punch and will be perfectly suited for the rider in the Pacific Northwest. The reasoning? They feature a non-removable GORE-TEX waterproof breathable membrane that is bonded to the outershell. This outfit is the only one in this collection that features GORE-TEX, the ultimate in waterproof breathability. You can stretch this outfit into the warmer temperature zones with the removable thermal liner, but it's going to shine in the cool/cold wet weather. Seattle, Portland, this is for you.

Out of everything in this video, the Olympia AST Jacket & Olympia Ranger 2 Over Pants comprise the outfit most relegated to three-season riding. With fewer venting options than the other six combos in this lineup, the AST Jacket & Ranger 2 Pants will perform extremely well in the cool and cold weather, easily fending off all forms of precipitation. The Thermolite insulated liner jacket can be worn standalone, making it a great destination layer for when you get off the bike. And of course, the thermal liner jacket can be taken out entirely and vents opened up for the warmer times of the year. It's also available in the hi-vis yellow option from Olympia shown in the video.

The REV'IT! Dragon Jacket & REV'IT! Factor Pants are the mid-range offering from REV'IT! for Cold Weather Touring rides. The Dragon features a stylish standalone liner jacket that also contains the Hydratex membrane, the waterproof breathable element of this jacket. Beyond that is a detachable thermal liner that will keep you plenty warm in the winter but when removed, will flow a great amount of air for warmer weather riding. The Factor pants also offer a detachable thermal lining, but the waterproof breathable membrane is bonded to the outershell. Bottom line, this outfit will perform great in all seasons, all temperatures, and all levels of precipitation.

Next up, the Firstgear Kilimanjaro Jacket & Firstgear HT Overpants are a great option for the rider looking for a roomier fit. These Firstgear products feature a box cut which puts them along the lines of a classic American fit as opposed to the European svelte cut that we so often see in Touring gear. The Hypertex bonded membrane in the jacket and the pants provide the waterproofing and breathability in this outfit. The jacket and pants both offer standalone thermal liners that can be worn when you hop off the bike or removed entirely for warmer weather riding. This is another excellent mid-level Winter Touring option from Firstgear.

Finally, the Dainese D-System D-Dry Jacket and Dainese D-System D-Dry Pants take all of the great Italian styling and design that go into their street gear and apply it to an all-season all-weather Touring outfit. With a full DuPont Cordura outer construction and a removable waterproof breathable D-Dry liner system, Dainese created an outfit that will keep you warm, dry and in style no matter what treacherous winter weather gets hurled at you. It's going to shine in the colder, wetter months of the year but also perform very well in the heat with its ample ventilation.

That will wrap up our second Cold Weather Motorcycle Gear Guide. Be sure not to miss all of the installments!

-RetroZilla

Cold Weather ADV Motorcycle Gear Guide

REV'IT! GORE-TEX Gear Guide

Olympia Ranger 2 Pants Review

REV'IT! Legacy GTX Jacket & Pants Review

Cold Weather ADV Motorcycle Gear Guide

It's that time of year again. Time to put away the lightweight summer mesh jackets and bust out the brawnier winter motorcycle gear. Park the sportbike in the garage until spring and roll out the GS (or KTM or V-Strom of course). No more outdoor picnics in the sunshine. Just raw, bleak, absolutely bone-chilling weather. There will be freezing rain, sleet, blizzards. All of this makes it seem like the perfect time to ride, right? If you have the right gear for the weather, then there's no doubt about it.

That said, we're rolling out a series of HD videos we're calling our 2010 Cold Weather Motorcycle Gear Guides. Our hope is that these guides will serve as a means to navigate the vast array of cold weather motorcycle gear, effectively making the buying process that much easier. We've broken it down into four categories: Everyday Riding, Sport Riding, Sport Touring, and ADV Touring.

This first video focuses on our picks for Cold Weather ADV Touring Motorcycle Gear. We cover six different outfits from five brands to give a glance at the many different options available. Check out the full video below:

The first outfit we featured is REV'IT!'s new flagship all-season all-weather outfit, born from their new marriage with GORE-TEX. The REV'IT! Defender GTX Jacket & REV'IT! Defender GTX Pants will perform tremendously under any conditions that Mother Nature throws. We've done a two full 10-minute videos on the Defender, one in which we discuss application, features, and fit; in the other we break down the armor and liner system. You can check them out by visiting our REV'IT! Defender GTX Jacket & Pants.

Next up is the new for Fall 2010 Alpinestars Durban Gore-Tex Jacket & Alpinestars Durban Gore-Tex Pants. With a strong history of producing apparel for the race track and roots in motocross gear, it only seemed logical that Alpinestars would eventually enter the ADV Touring realm with strong offerings. Building on the strong foundation of the Alpinestars Frontier Gore-Tex Jacket, they spent another year worth of R&D and came out swinging with the Durban suit. The Alpinestars Durban Suit plays really well in the arena of ADV Touring gear and offers a ton of four-season versatility. We'll be rolling out our full 15-minute review of this suit in the very near future.

Third in line is the Firstgear TPG Rainier Jacket & Firstgear TPG Escape Pants. We already knew that Firstgear had hit an ADV Touring home run last fall when they released the TPG Rainier, a jacket that immediately joined the upper-echelon of all-season all-weather gear. But the R&D in the TPG pants weren't quite there yet. Give them another year of hard work, and they roll out the much new and improved TPG Escape pants. The addition of molecular-level d3o armor, the completely redesigned fit & articulation and a generally more well-thought out product results in a pair of winter motorcycle pants that can flex its muscles up against the best of the best on the market.

The Olympia X-Moto Jacket and Olympia X-Moto Pants also get a thumbs-up from us. Out of all the cold weather ADV motorcycle gear we carry, this outfit is likely to be the most versatile in terms of multi-season wearability. Utilizing Olympia's Mega Vent Panel system, this suit will work very well with the integrated hydration pack in the summer as well as performing exceptionally in the brutal, bitter cold of winter. The waterproof breathable liner will keep you dry, the Thermolite lining will keep you warm, and the 2000D Cordura reinforcements will keep you protected. This is a great middle-of-the-road option that offers a ton of bang for the buck.

Next, we featured the Klim Adventure Rally Jacket & Klim Adventure Rally Pants for the rider who is going to do the majority of riding off-road. Think something along the lines of a 90% off-road, 10% on-road split. Inspired by the Dakar Rally, Klim created this suit to be the most bomb-proof outershell on the market today. Constructed exclusively with the most rugged GORE-TEX materials, the Klim Adventure Rally Suit is waterproof, breathable and ultimately indestructible. The only caveat with this outfit is the lack of thermal liner. Basically, what you choose to do for in terms of insulation is your call with this suit, but the exterior is heavy-duty to the point where we couldn't leave it out.

Finally, perhaps the best-selling ADV touring outfit over the last three years at RevZilla.com, the REV'IT! Cayenne Pro Jacket & REV'IT! Cayenne Pro Pants. Prior to the previously-detailed REV'IT! Defender GTX Jacket & Pants, this was the absolute mountaintop for REV'IT's ADV gear. And for good reason. It offers true four-season flexibility, with removable liner systems, Hydratex waterproof breathability, and futuristic materials like SuperFabric. The implementation of the Exkin liner, 2x warmer & 1/2 the weight of Thermolite, means you'll be nice and toasty in the frosty weather. This is without question an upper-echelon beast of an ADV touring outfit.

There are two 10-minute video reviews detailing this outfit that you can see by visiting our REV'IT! Cayenne Pro Review page.

That does it for our first Cold Weather Motorcycle Gear Guide. Stay tuned for all four installments.

-RetroZilla

Related Posts:

REV'IT! GORE-TEX Gear Guide

Alpinestars Tech Touring Gear

Olympia X-Moto Review