I have been looking around for a second jacket that is more comfortable to wear in winter and which doesn't rely in a removable waterproof liner (I don't like having to wrestle the things over gloves every time) and also which comes down a little lower on the back than my RST Adventure pro 3 jacket. Good as the RST is (and few jackets are armoured as well, irrespective of price), I prefer using it with all the air vents and mesh panels opened as a well armoured summer jacket. It's one of the few I've owned which is comfortable even on the hottest days. It's also a warm jacket with the liners in but you can't zip the trousers to the top and stop water from coming in around the midriff as the zip prevents the liner from coming down lower...it has to be unzipped from the trousers. Many jackets using removable waterproof liners are like this which is a shocking oversight.
Long story short, I looked at Rukka, Klim and a few of the usual suspects before settling on Halvarssons Prime Jacket. There are some great deals for them presently and it offered everything I needed. Rukka I think are over priced and having owned Rukka gear in the past I don't really rate them as worth twice or three times more than the lines of the Halvarssons or even some of Revits clothing lines. I also wanted a jacket with an outlast lining, built in waterproofing/breathable layer and an outer that wasn't as open weave as the 600 denier of the heavyweight RST jacket so wouldn't absorb water as readily and which should stay relatively proofed with some DWR spray applied externally. Goretex is good but too hot in summer and some alternative linings these days are almost as good if not better in warmer weather. I don't like the stiffness of laminated shells either. The Prime jacket ticked all the boxes so I duly acquired one in a size 54 which at 5ft 8 and a 44 chest, fitted me perfectly with enough room for a fleece jumper underneath if needed. I already have a Halvarssons long sleeve mesh base layer which is excellent.
Fit is longish which I prefer. It's more a 3/4 length cut and the arms in particular are very long but with enough adjustment to wear them over or under gloves quite easily. No back armour supplied but I will use the CE level 2 back armour from my RST anyway which fits straight in. Armour in the shoulders and elbows is good and the jacket is better made than the RST which I expected. It's also lighter and very comfortable to wear so I can see this as becoming my firm favourite touring jacket. Two large main lower waterproof pockets and I like the magnetic flap closure...very nifty! Inside there's a removable outlast lining and permanent WP breathable liner under the main mesh liner. There's also a good size waterproof wallet/phone pocket.
It comes with a removable Hi Viz bib which I have attached so there's no excuses for not being seen and has a handy map pocket at the rear. Zips are top drawer in quality and stitching is neat. The one surprise is that the storm flap hasn't a full length velcro closure. I would have rather seen rubberised pop fastners than intermittent, thin looking velcro closure patches. We'll have to see how that affects water proofing but other than that, this is a seriously good jacket and a contender for what is probably the best textile jacket at the price currently available.
I bought mine from On Yer Bike where it's currently down from £489 to just £299 and at that price it was a no-brainer. Highly recommended. You pay more for some lesser second hand jackets in well used condition! It also zips into any of the Halvarssons trousers using a 3/4 length zip but I don't know what others its compatible with. Not RST anyway. It's not a problem if it doesn't zip in for weather protection due to the generous low cut and shape, and I can't see it readily riding up in the event of an off with the side adjusters firmed up a bit especially. If your trousers need support to walk around, you'd want to wear braces if not zipped in. Mine don't.
Long story short, I looked at Rukka, Klim and a few of the usual suspects before settling on Halvarssons Prime Jacket. There are some great deals for them presently and it offered everything I needed. Rukka I think are over priced and having owned Rukka gear in the past I don't really rate them as worth twice or three times more than the lines of the Halvarssons or even some of Revits clothing lines. I also wanted a jacket with an outlast lining, built in waterproofing/breathable layer and an outer that wasn't as open weave as the 600 denier of the heavyweight RST jacket so wouldn't absorb water as readily and which should stay relatively proofed with some DWR spray applied externally. Goretex is good but too hot in summer and some alternative linings these days are almost as good if not better in warmer weather. I don't like the stiffness of laminated shells either. The Prime jacket ticked all the boxes so I duly acquired one in a size 54 which at 5ft 8 and a 44 chest, fitted me perfectly with enough room for a fleece jumper underneath if needed. I already have a Halvarssons long sleeve mesh base layer which is excellent.
Fit is longish which I prefer. It's more a 3/4 length cut and the arms in particular are very long but with enough adjustment to wear them over or under gloves quite easily. No back armour supplied but I will use the CE level 2 back armour from my RST anyway which fits straight in. Armour in the shoulders and elbows is good and the jacket is better made than the RST which I expected. It's also lighter and very comfortable to wear so I can see this as becoming my firm favourite touring jacket. Two large main lower waterproof pockets and I like the magnetic flap closure...very nifty! Inside there's a removable outlast lining and permanent WP breathable liner under the main mesh liner. There's also a good size waterproof wallet/phone pocket.
It comes with a removable Hi Viz bib which I have attached so there's no excuses for not being seen and has a handy map pocket at the rear. Zips are top drawer in quality and stitching is neat. The one surprise is that the storm flap hasn't a full length velcro closure. I would have rather seen rubberised pop fastners than intermittent, thin looking velcro closure patches. We'll have to see how that affects water proofing but other than that, this is a seriously good jacket and a contender for what is probably the best textile jacket at the price currently available.
I bought mine from On Yer Bike where it's currently down from £489 to just £299 and at that price it was a no-brainer. Highly recommended. You pay more for some lesser second hand jackets in well used condition! It also zips into any of the Halvarssons trousers using a 3/4 length zip but I don't know what others its compatible with. Not RST anyway. It's not a problem if it doesn't zip in for weather protection due to the generous low cut and shape, and I can't see it readily riding up in the event of an off with the side adjusters firmed up a bit especially. If your trousers need support to walk around, you'd want to wear braces if not zipped in. Mine don't.