Dressing Up

Summer’s approaching. Time to sort out new waterproofs…

- Oliver Hulme

SUMMER IS COMING, and anyone who rides all year round will know the uncomfortable feeling of sweat trickling down their back and the smell well-worn all-weather gear acquires after a long ride on a hot summer day.

Most people will shed layers to keep things comfortable or open their jackets to ensure a cool flow of air – which is all well and good until you find an angry wasp between jacket and T-shirt, and while the British summer can sometimes be a little inclement, those who head south for the summer will know the discomfort of wearing gear designed for our moist and temperate climes in places where the sun shines all day. Could it be time to add something a little more purpose made for the summer to your riding wardrobe?

Biker’s Paradise is selling its Rida-Tec Ultimate Summer Riding Jacket (£199.99) for just such a purpose. At first glance the Rida-Tec jacket looks like a conventional bomber style leather jacket. But on closer inspection the jacket is very different. Lined in mesh cotton, that mesh extends to large panels front and back, with more mesh panels in the sleeves and perforated leather allowing cooling air to flow through. The jacket is fitted with removable and adjustable Viscotec armour on the shoulders and elbows. Unlike hard armour, Viscotec is a memory foam rubber which absorbs energy, slowing the impact to the bones and helping prevent bone injury as well as abrasions. The memory foam, although pre-moulded, changes shape to that of body contours, making the jacket extremely comfortable and the armour almost undetectable externally. The jacket also has a back protector.