A tough good looking jacket from Icon, cool fitted womens selvedge jeans from SJC, a warm new vest from ELMC and a great twist of the helmet bag from El Solitario, plus stuff to keep your vision clean from Motul. All in this week 34 of the Gear Guide.
PRODUCT REVIEW BY THE BIKE SHED’S OWN ALI LATIMER – ICON 1000 BELTWAY JACKET
The Icon One Thousand range is aimed at riders that want to be ready for the apocalypse… and if gear can handle explosions and zombies; then it should be able to handle pretty much anything.
The Beltway jacket is a serious bit of kit, not only does it feature loads of useful cargo pockets, a magnetic storm flap and reinforced leather panelling over a heavy canvas construction; it’s also fully armoured with CE certified back, elbow and shoulder protection. In addition to functionality and protection you also get a removable quilted vest for extra warmth for out of season riding.
Icon regard it as ‘Ruggedly handsome and brutally effective’. That pretty much sums it up, I’ve had this jacket for several months now; I wear it on 90% of my journeys no matter which bike I’m taking, so I have given it a good test, being a skinny runt, I do need an extra base layer when riding in sub 10°C. In heavy, persistent rain; and I’m talking biblical conditions, I did get a little damp on the arms, but that said, the Beltway has made 6 of my other jackets redundant.
It’s well made with all the features you need, it’s reassuringly weighty and goes with anything from jeans, combats and leathers. Currently I’d say I don’t need another jacket and doubt I will for many years to come.
SJC BAD KITTY WOMENS JEANS
We posted the exclusive for the SJC vintage denim kevlar bike denim a couple of weeks ago and now we see SJC is killing it on Kickstarter. I spoke to the man himself and he explained his inspiration for the collection: “Take any Kevlar denim you see around the traps. It just looks like bad supermarket shit with Kevlar stuffed into it. Who wants to get off their bike and walk around looking like a lost schoolboy in that crap? Zero girl love right there mate. I feel more sorry for the bike.” Simon has a pretty uncompromising attitude to denim.
Girl love is critical. I am constantly hearing lady friends of mine bemoaning the lack of decent denim for women. It may come as a surprise to denim manufactures, but there are plenty of women who appreciate quality denim and who want jeans cut for them made out of the same quality indigo stuff as their fellas wear.
Simon has heard the call to arms, and has created a vintage skinny denim range for women. His Bad Kitty Jeans are based on a late 50’s cut, when jeans went tight for the first time ever and suddenly pulled the female figure into shape. These Bad Kitty’s are tight and look like jeans, but do not look like the ubiquitous stretch denim spray paint jeans.
Made from 12/13oz Japanese selvedge denim the Bad Kitty’s feature all the bells and whistles as far as tight cut, stitching and artwork is concerned but they also come with a matching denim jacket, which is also cut tight.
“Purrrrrrfect for your girl” and at a great price on his Kickstarter.
ELMC BIKER FLIGHT VEST
The stunning flight vest is the latest product from Eastman Leather’s ELMC. This handsome vest is great worn under a leather or a wax jacket to keep your core warm on the road in the winter months. It also look great off the bike worn over a flannel or denim shirt. It’s all natural fabrics are a welcome change to the synthetic technical garments that are targeted at bikers from the mainstream manufactures.
ELMC is an offshoot of Eastman Leathers, the thirty year old producer of high quality, authentic military issue flight jackets. ELMC produces bike orientated gear that has a retro feel.
All of the materials and components in the ELMC range are produced to the highest degree of quality and authenticity possible. The leather and sheepskin garments are naturally all made in their factory in Devon. The hides are custom made exclusively for them – nothing is from off-the-shelf merchants.
The flight vest is a slim fitting, lightweight and toasty body warmer, made from premium grade North American sheepskin. It has a low shorn 6mm fleece pile for a neat look and for comfort. It has Italian veg-tanned horsehide trim around all the edges for durability and veg-tanned horsehide pockets. It’s fastened with a dull-nickel vintage metal zip.
The Biker Flight Vest is available in Vintage Brown and Havana Brown, and has a four to six week delivery time.
EL SOLITARIO – DENIM HELMET BAG
So you’ve just spent more than a month’s mortgage payment on a lovely new Ruby lid, and you’re on the way round to the lock-up and ding it against the spikey anti-bill board paint on the sign post. A stream of expletives that would make a sailor blush is followed by tears and a severe bout of self loathing. If only, if only…..
I’d bought a helmet bag.
The guys at El Solitario make a lovely 14oz Red Selvedge Dry Denim bag that’s inspired by air force helmet bags that pilots used to carry their helmets and flying gear to their mission. It’s the perfect bag to carry all your everyday supplies.
Handmade in 14oz Japanese red selvedge, it’s dimensions are 46cm X 46cm. It has thick natural leather adjustable shoulder strap and handles and reinforced stitching. It has brass heavy duty YKK zipper which protects the precious contents. It has two exterior pockets for keys, phone, wallet etc, and interior secret pocket for hiding contraband.
Get yourself a bargain as it’s currently on sale.
MOTUL HELMET & VISOR CLEAN
Whether it’s bugs in the summer or mud in the winter, its a constant battle to keep your visor/goggles clean and vision clear.
Motul make a great liquid spray cleaner that works well on the visor/lenses and on the outside of the lid. It has a neutral and non-aggressive formula that won’t damage or corrode. It removes oily and dry dirt without damaging the surface, and without leaving streaks.
It comes in a trigger spray canister and should be applied from a distance of approximately 20cm. You leave it to dry for a few moments and wipe clean with a soft dry cloth for a clean, clear finish. Job done.
via The Bike Shed
