I have been pondering a multi - use armoured layer for a while and certainly something that made riding in the heat more tolerable (especially my commute which has some low - speed heavy traffic portions in it). So, with my birthday money from June burning a hole in my pocket I took the plunge and ordered a Knox Urbane Mk2 shirt - I have ridden in it twice now (both in this hot weather, obviously!) and my first impressions are really favourable. It is a really well constructed AA - rated shirt and the armour (for me) sits in exactly the right places. The armour is really soft and I particularly like that the back protector covers your whole spine and is brilliant as it flexes with you as you move, avoiding the “ironing board in the back of your jacket” feeling. The fit is snug as it is supposed to be and I think it looks really good on it’s own. It can be worn with nothing underneath but I have layered a thin merino T shirt under it on both occasions so I can stop and unzip it without flashing other bikers who are simply trying to enjoy their brews and fry - ups and to protect it from too much contact with sweat! It is really easy to move in and I have tried putting on other clothes over the top of it; which is simple. On the bike in the hot weather it felt absolutely incredible; it allows totally free movement and it’s easy to forget you’re wearing a bike jacket, I think thanks to the flexibility and softness of the armour. You get so much airflow pretty much everywhere which is a little alien to get used to but in this heat felt INCREDIBLE - I stepped off the bike feeling cool as a cucumber yesterday whereas @Helmut Visor was suffering a little in his perforated leather jacket. I wore it with my leather trousers which are pretty low waisted but the shirt is long and the back does not ride up at all. There are also elastic loops to stop the sleeves riding up when you put gloves on or put on clothes over the top of it, but the cuffs are pretty snug and I don’t think they would go anywhere. I also like the look as it’s less heavy and “bikey” if you want to go anywhere and walk around, especially unzipped, or have to carry it. My impressions so far is that it will likely become one of my very favourite pieces of kit due to it’s versatility; I’ll see how it fairs as the temperatures vary . https://www.planet-knox.com/product/womens-urbane-pro-mk2/
Looks like that will be ideal for warmer days,I wear a light summer leather jacket when it's low 20s then when its above 25 I wear a riding shirt which is great,
I hope so. I won't ride without level two back protection so always want something that will accommodate it; I broke it years ago and wouldn't walk away from rehab a second time I am sure!!
i think most summer jackets and shirts have the facility for level 2 protectors, i did have a level 2 in my shirt but found it too heavy so put in a level 1 and it feels much better, although i realize it doesn't offer the same protection but i do tend to ride a bit slower when i wear it, and i don't really ride on busy roads so that helps
That's interesting thanks, I tried this on at the Motorcycle Live a few years ago. Without wearing anything underneath, it wasn't very comfortable, so something like your base layer makes sense.
Intriguing concept; thanks for posting this. My riding season is 5C-37C so the Honister jacket paired with the Dual Pro jacket may be just the thing. One possible issue is wearing it with a Tech Air 5 as the required expansion space necessitates a larger size, possibly degrading the elbow armor effectiveness.
The Honister is without doubt the best jacket I've ever owned. It's also incredibly versatile given what you could wear underneath or over the top.
Does anyone else offer this concept? Those 37C days I mentioned make me a little leery of solar gain off the bike, along with visibility issues from the all-black look (sorry, Kiwis). Otherwise it seems awesome.
