Top to toe
1 Helmet: HJC RPHA 11 Deroka Orange £359.99
www.oxfordproducts.com I resisted conversion to the church of HJC for years, mostly out of snobbery and prejudice. More fool me. I’ve worn the RHPA 11 (sexier name, please Mr HJC) almost exclusively since May 2018, accumulating more than 8000 miles in it. It’s all-week-comfortable, light, well ventilated, sturdy and the visor swaps are quick and easy. I wish the visor would stay one-click open at speed for demisting (it snaps shut) and it can’t quite capture the glossy, cosseting opulence of an Arai (maybe that’s just snobbery again) but for the price, it’s a very worthy piece of kit.
2 Jacket: Klim Gore-tex Latitude £714.99
www.klim.com You’ll get a lifetime’s waterproof adventuring from the fully featured Klim jacket, as you’d expect for the price. With multiple pockets, goatskin leather elbows, D3O armour and reflective strips, it feels bombproof, never mind rain and wind. Not sure about the cold though; it’s thin and you’ll need a liner, preferably heated (go up a size). Cuffs don’t open, are a pain to get gloves under and the collar is leaky. But you’ll still have it in 20 years’ time.
3 Trousers: Oxford Freeway £179.99
www.oxfordproducts.com Pretty straightforward leather trousers with CE armoured knees, stretch panels and reinforced areas, plus a high waist to help keep bum-breeze out; they short-zip to Oxford jackets but I use braces with other jackets. Ankles are flappy, so use them over or under boots, at a stretch.
4 Gloves: Weise Scorpion (discontinued)
www.weise.co.uk Handy pair of short, leather-and-textile summer gloves with smartphone-sensitive touch-screen fingers (which don’t seem to work). Now discontinued, you can still find them online for £40. A Weise alternative is the Deacon, for £74.99.
5 Boots: TCX Rt-race WP (discontinued)
www.tcxboots.com TCX no longer makes a waterproof Rt-race boot — it still makes the non-waterproof version (£199.99), and several varieties of waterproof sports boots (including a Gore-tex Sp-master for £229.99). The Rt-race WP is still available from online stores for £259.99, which seems a bit steep in comparison. But they’re good; comfy, offer usual protection and are waterproof to a point (water sneaks in after a couple of hours). If only they didn’t squeak so much.
6 Rucksack: Oxford Aqua B-25 £59.99
www.oxfordproducts.com Default, go-to, waterproof budget rucksack. If you don’t need the bells-and-whistles, multi-pocketed features of more expensive back-packs, the Aqua is perfect — 100% waterproof, roll-top, 25-litre main storage, two front zipped pockets, removable waist strap, reflective strips and that’s your lot.
7 Bum-bag: Kriega R-3 £69.00
www.kriega.com The Kriega R-3 is the Rolls Royce of bum-bags, with roll-top waterproof main pocket, zipped flap pocket and a waterproof zipped back pocket. Easy waist adjustment with a big metal loop, and a robust build quality that makes the R-3 a pleasure to use — and you can’t say that about many bum-bags. SIMON HARGREAVES
“Default, go-to, waterproof budget rucksack. Perfect”