2 BUY A BRILLIANT JACKET

Decent kit makes autumn feel like summer. Kind of...

TO GORE-TEX OR NOT TO GORE-TEX?

“Gore-tex is the best-known waterproof and breathable membrane but many manufacturers offer a more affordable own-brand version, such as RST’S Sinaqua, Oxford’s Dry2dry, Spidi’s H2out or Dainese’s D-dry. They all work in broadly the same way — an ultra-thin layer containing microscopic holes big enough to let sweat out but small enough to stop water getting in. Gore-tex products tend to be more expensive as it is involved in the design, testing and inspection of kit using its membrane.”

LAMINATE OR LINER?

“Waterproof membranes can be built into jackets as a fixed drop-liner, a removable liner, or a laminated liner. A permanent drop-liner is the simplest, most affordable solution, where the membrane is sewn into place between the outer fabric and the inner lining. A removable liner is more popular on adventure-style jackets, where riders might want maximum breathability for when they’re working hard off-road. The last option is where the membrane is laminated to the inner surface of the outer protective fabric. This prevents the outer material from saturating, in turn speeding up drying times.”

THERMAL LINING

“Most thermal linings contain full-length sleeves but some are more of a waistcoat/vest style. Some high-end thermal linings are designed to be worn as standalone items. Also consider what level of fit-adjustability the jacket offers, as when you take the lining out you might want to tighten up the sleeves and sides to prevent it feeling slightly baggy.”

BREATHABILITY

“More vents can create more opportunity to let rain in, which can then require waterproof zips to seal properly, which can be expensive. Jackets with fixed membranes can suffer poor breathability too — even though a vent’s open, airflow is then stopped when it hits the membrane. Laminate jackets also are less affected, as opening the vent allows air to pass straight through the outer material, and therefore straight through the membrane itself.”

CE RATING

“There’s more than one standard that a jacket can be tested to, but the newest and most common is EN17092. In short, look for the CE label in a jacket. If it’s been tested to EN17092 then it’ll bear either an ‘A’, ‘AA’ or ‘AAA’ rating. The most protective is ‘AAA’ but is rare in textile jackets. ‘AA’ is the second-highest level of protection, and starting to become more common in textiles, while an ‘A’ rating means a jacket has been tested to the minimum standard of protection.”

ARMOUR

“Armour is rated separately from the jacket itself. Most textile jackets come with shoulder and elbow armour. Some have a back protector insert too, while others have just the pocket for an insert. All armour has to be CE approved, and on the basis of impact tests will gain either a Level-1 (basic) or Level-2 (higher) rating for its ability to absorb energy. All shoulder and elbow armour can be sized as either Type A (smaller) or Type B (larger) too. All this information tends to be moulded onto the armour itself. Take it out and have a look.”

PRICE

“A higher price will go hand in hand with higher-quality materials, better construction and additional features. Jackets with laminated membranes can be had for around £200. Gore-tex tends to come in around the £400-£500 mark, with Gore-tex Pro (laminated Gore-tex) costing more still. You can even get textile jackets with integrated airbags — RST’S Sabre is just £350 (plus a subscription cost).”