Rukka all day long. My kit is now 6 yrs old .. used most days for commuting throughout the year and foreign trips ( Betws-y-Coed ) and it has NEVER let me down. Don't waste your money on anything else.
Which New Textile Suit ??
- Thread starter Dodger
- Start date
After much online & magazine fretting into which is the best allround textile suit to go for, I’ve finally shortlisted...
BMW Rallye 4 Suit, or
Rukka Flexius.
Like other forum comments, my priority would be comfort, practicality and cooler in in hot climates as opposed to the inconvenience of stopping to put on a 2-piece waterproof over-suit.
BMW Rallye 4 Suit, or
Rukka Flexius.
Like other forum comments, my priority would be comfort, practicality and cooler in in hot climates as opposed to the inconvenience of stopping to put on a 2-piece waterproof over-suit.
Gargy
Registered user
Had Rukka............. To hot in the summer months, and the vents don't work.
Now have a Rev'it Poseidon jacket with the inner cooling jacket. Brilliant fit, well ventilated, and with the cooling jacket in it worked well up 28 degrees +.
Good luck.
Now have a Rev'it Poseidon jacket with the inner cooling jacket. Brilliant fit, well ventilated, and with the cooling jacket in it worked well up 28 degrees +.
Good luck.
Have a look at Dane, best I have had of many over the years ��
Ive got a Dainese Explorer, its a four season jacket hence some compromises like removable gore tex liner. Just returned from a trip to Spain, and its mahooosive vents coped really well.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Key difference is Goretex 3 layer pro shell vs Goretex 2 layer - 3 layer had much better abrasion resistance. Also there are lots more vents in the Badlands, and the Badlands has the "internal harness" thingy, which redistributes the weight. I had both sent down by Adventure spec to compare and kept the Badlands.
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Hillfields
Registered user
Having had Hg touring kit for many years that served well, i bought a Rukka Cosmic jacket and trousers last year. I would echo all the positives - fit, protection, apparent durability (5 + 1 year warranty) comfort and weather protection. It has vents, but is too hot for me in summer - 3 season jacket autumn,spring,summer. For cold weather riding its the best i've ever had.
The one really key bit of advice I would give is that whatever you buy , make sure its a pro-shell suit , where the goretex or schoeller ,etc waterproof membrane is an integral part of the outer shell. It does cost more but means you avoid jackets etc getting soaked through and even if the remiovable waterproof liner keeps you dry, the wet jacket and wind chill still make youfeel wet.it also means at the end of the ridd your kit doesnt weigh a tonne and needs ages to dry out - and which feels cold and damp when you put it on next day.
Goretex has the benefit of lifetime guarantee, but other brands work as well i am told.
I tried some Alipnestars touring kit that was well vented . You've had others recommend revit and klim which are also good brands by reputation. If you want a much cheaper but still pro-shell suit, try the Richa Spirit c-change. Again I did try this but got seduced by the reputation , build quality and warranty of Rukka. Like it was said earlier in high summer, its an alpinestars mesh jacket and a waterproof oversuit if it rains.
Good hunting.
The one really key bit of advice I would give is that whatever you buy , make sure its a pro-shell suit , where the goretex or schoeller ,etc waterproof membrane is an integral part of the outer shell. It does cost more but means you avoid jackets etc getting soaked through and even if the remiovable waterproof liner keeps you dry, the wet jacket and wind chill still make youfeel wet.it also means at the end of the ridd your kit doesnt weigh a tonne and needs ages to dry out - and which feels cold and damp when you put it on next day.
Goretex has the benefit of lifetime guarantee, but other brands work as well i am told.
I tried some Alipnestars touring kit that was well vented . You've had others recommend revit and klim which are also good brands by reputation. If you want a much cheaper but still pro-shell suit, try the Richa Spirit c-change. Again I did try this but got seduced by the reputation , build quality and warranty of Rukka. Like it was said earlier in high summer, its an alpinestars mesh jacket and a waterproof oversuit if it rains.
Good hunting.
Bit the bullet and bought a Armaxis jacket today. I got cought out in heavy rain on Saturday and my Halvarssons wetted out and I was bloody cold.
Tried a Dane and a Rukka Flexius but didn't like the feel of either.
Rev'It Poseidon came very close but couldn't get my gloves under the cuffs.
Armaxis had it all for me (but so it should at the price) .....cuffs are great with the Gortex inner, and really easy to do up zips with the gloves tucked in. The neoprene collar felt nice and the storm collar worked well. Venting seems minimal but I'm prepared to consider it a three season jacket if need be as I do enough winter riding to warrant it.
Tried a Dane and a Rukka Flexius but didn't like the feel of either.
Rev'It Poseidon came very close but couldn't get my gloves under the cuffs.
Armaxis had it all for me (but so it should at the price) .....cuffs are great with the Gortex inner, and really easy to do up zips with the gloves tucked in. The neoprene collar felt nice and the storm collar worked well. Venting seems minimal but I'm prepared to consider it a three season jacket if need be as I do enough winter riding to warrant it.
Bungy
Registered user
I've been pleased with my Rukka through winter but I find it hard to keep cool in the summer. I'm on the look out for something else to supplement it with for the warmer months.
I tried a Klim the other day.....think it was a discontinued jacket....Blade I think. Laminated Gortex but unlined. Unzip the vents and there's nothing but the inner mesh so should get plenty of ventilation through. Pretty lightweight though, not going to offer Rukka levels of protection in the event of an off......if you dwell on such circumstances that is.
Liked it, very comfortable.
tadhgocuilleain
Registered user
I have a Klim Badlands suit and I think it's the holy grail of suits. I've worn it in low single-digit temperatures here in Ireland and recently at over 40°C in southern Morocco. I've worn it in absolute downpours and never got a drop inside. It is wind-proof, which makes it comfortable at low temperatures if you wear appropriate layers underneath.
In Morocco, with all the vents open and wearing Alpinestars SMX-1 Air gloves, it was comfortable until the temperature reached around 40°C. At that point, I could feel the air circulating through the suit, but it was hot air. To stay cool above 40°C, I poured water down inside the front and back of my jacket, which gave a nice cooling affect as it evaporated. I think the Badlands being windproof was actually an advantage there. The buff around my neck was air-drying, bone dry, in three or four minutes, literally. I think if I had a mesh suit on, the water I'd poured into my jacket would have evaporated much more quickly and I'd have had to stop more often. With the Badlands, I could feel that my t-shirt was wet for 30-40 minutes and I was comfortable for about an hour before I had to stop again. I was happy to stop every hour because I needed to drink regularly anyway to replenish what I was losing.
As Andres said, it is stiff at first and takes a fair bit of breaking in, but I find it very comfortable now. That bit of initial stiffness makes me feel like it's made of quality materials which will last a long time and will provide good protection in an off.
I'm not sure what SPL means about the "floppy collar" issue. In reviews, what I read about was the opposite - people complained that the collar was too stiff - but like the rest of the jacket it breaks in eventually.
In Morocco, with all the vents open and wearing Alpinestars SMX-1 Air gloves, it was comfortable until the temperature reached around 40°C. At that point, I could feel the air circulating through the suit, but it was hot air. To stay cool above 40°C, I poured water down inside the front and back of my jacket, which gave a nice cooling affect as it evaporated. I think the Badlands being windproof was actually an advantage there. The buff around my neck was air-drying, bone dry, in three or four minutes, literally. I think if I had a mesh suit on, the water I'd poured into my jacket would have evaporated much more quickly and I'd have had to stop more often. With the Badlands, I could feel that my t-shirt was wet for 30-40 minutes and I was comfortable for about an hour before I had to stop again. I was happy to stop every hour because I needed to drink regularly anyway to replenish what I was losing.
As Andres said, it is stiff at first and takes a fair bit of breaking in, but I find it very comfortable now. That bit of initial stiffness makes me feel like it's made of quality materials which will last a long time and will provide good protection in an off.
I'm not sure what SPL means about the "floppy collar" issue. In reviews, what I read about was the opposite - people complained that the collar was too stiff - but like the rest of the jacket it breaks in eventually.
Had my ArmaS jacket for 6 years. Went back to Rukka for a zip replacement under warranty. Used year round for commuting and travel, hands down the best money I've spent on bike gear in 30 years of riding. Because I ride year round in the UK, I value waterproofness above hot weather comfort and the Rukka has never let me down despite day long soakings. It's not the best vented jacket but I find that with a t-shirt underneath and the liners out, it's comfy for most uk use. I wouldn't use it in Morocco I don't think but i"ve not been there yet.
I use an electric jacket liner if it gets cold and open the vents when it's hot. It's comfortable to wear but does get hot in the sunshine. Now that i've just bought my first proper off road bike, I'm going to need a different set of gear because i'm going to overheat picking the TTR up on the trails
For general everyday riding in the UK, I've not seen anything better than the Rukka, though I believe the Dane jackets are good and there's probably others out there now that match the quality.
I use an electric jacket liner if it gets cold and open the vents when it's hot. It's comfortable to wear but does get hot in the sunshine. Now that i've just bought my first proper off road bike, I'm going to need a different set of gear because i'm going to overheat picking the TTR up on the trails
For general everyday riding in the UK, I've not seen anything better than the Rukka, though I believe the Dane jackets are good and there's probably others out there now that match the quality.
It's a problem on the Apex, which is the jacket I was after. The top part of the collar (leather finished) folds inside as soon as you put the jacket on so it rubs your neck.
Presumably in heavy rain it also lets water run down inside your jacket.
Never seen any reference to this issue on Badlands - seems specific to the Apex.
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