RST PRO SERIES X-RAID SUIT
I've been a bit of an RST leathers and textiles fan for the last 20 years. RST derived from the original cheap-as-chips 'Rhino' brand back in the late 1980s, but year after year they've really moved the goal posts for budget biker kit.
My first foray into the brand was a few leather and textile suits from 2000 and I've seen both types of biker apparel come on in leaps and bounds since. Budget they may be, but the quality has continued to rise. My last textile 'adventure' suit was the Paragon II from around 2010, which I only stopped wearing last year, and this X-raid seems to be the logical successor.
And what a successor it is... Comparing old and new with eye and hand, the X-raid jacket and jeans feel reassuringly heavier and look much better put together. The development team at RST in the UK are all riders and (some) racers, and this shows. The X-raid jacket has multiple pockets, and CE Level 2 approved armour in the back, shoulder and elbows and knees. They zip together like my old Paragon suit, but I've loved the braces on the X-raid, which ensure no 'cold back' issues in winter. Pockets aplenty too: a removable map pocket, four outer pockets and three inner. I don't use them all as I bulk out even more, and comfort does get affected if the two outer 'waist' pockets are full. I just keep my mobile in the internal chest/inner.
I've tested this suit for around a year and 9000 miles, and for me it's a winner. Not only is the styling and construction way ahead of my old Paragon suit, it's also a lot more waterproof. I rode through many rainstorms in the last year and only on one trip (a Biblical downpour ride to castle Combe) did a seam 'let go' and only get my large belly wet, which wasn't bad for six hours in a deluge. In any other (nonreligious) rain all was well.
The padded thermal liner can be removed for summer and personally I found I had to take that liner out for winter, too, but perhaps that's just 'large' me. Do remember to zip those vents up (two chest, one back, two leg) in winter - and in the rain - but they do help in high summer and here's why. If there's just one small criticism it's probably the colour of my ones: black. In high summer you are really feeling the heat so you need to open those vents. I can't recall my (noticeably lighter) Paragon II jacket feeling so hot, but then it wasn't all-over black, either. If I could choose again, I'd not go for the overall black scheme.
Which brings us nicely on to colours: choices are black, dark grey/black and magnesium/black: sizes 40 (S) to 54 (5XL) jacket and 30 (S), 44 5XL for the trousers. Whatever colour you choose (even black) the X-raid Suit is pure gold ...
Bertie Simmonds Price: Jacket: £269.99, trousers: £219.99: www.rst-moto.com