So the jacket and trousers arrived a wee while back and I've been out with it a couple of times on the bike. Initial impressions are listed below. Apologies for the length of the post - best pop on the kettle before reading!
So why did I buy?
Up till now I was a two-piece leathers + two-piece waterproofs user. In colder weather I'd pop a Cold Killers windstopper top on under the leather jacket and if it got really chilly or wet the Oxford Rainseal jacket went on too. This gave me top level protection (decent leathers and Forcefield back protector) and complete waterproofness with the Rainseal jacket and Flexothane trousers. Only weak point for me was when the weather was hot and it started to bucket down (rare enough I know). Even with just a light technical t-shirt underneath, the leathers plus waterproofs combo would have ye cooking in no time. And in really hot (Spain/France) weather, even the leathers alone would be toasty. I've always struggled more with staying cool in hot weather than staying warm in cold weather.
So I wanted to get a textile type suit that would offer good crash protection, good weather protection and yet be light enough to provide comfort in hotter climates too. I'm doing a two week trip to Europe in August so I'll be riding in a fair bit of heat. Most of the kit I checked out used an inner waterproof layer which kept you dry but in rain the jacket got wet, heavy and took ages to dry out. And adding/removing the inner waterproof layer takes a lot more faffing about than with my current Rainseal jacket. The newer laminate stuff from the likes of Rukka/Klim etc. was quite frankly beyond my budget.
A mate sent me a link to the Siima Jacket and I was interested straight away. Here was an adventure style textile suit, non-waterproof, that came with a separate waterproof jacket worn over the textile one (in the same fashion as I already did with my leathers and waterproof gear). The Siima jacket also came with removable liner for warmth in the colder months, but crucially (for me) it came with many features to keep you cool when riding in the heat.
After some very helpful and always timely consultation regarding sizing options with the company owner, Giorgios, I settled on size and placed an order for both jacket and trousers online. Goods were delivered quickly and the online price includes shipping.
Initial impressions
The build quality of the gear is very good indeed. Stitchwork, seals, zippers (YKK), fasteners are all top notch. Elbow, shoulder, chest and knee armour are all CE approved Level 1 or 2. Back protector is the foam piece you usually get in a new jacket - I'll upgrade to something else in the near future. The two tightening straps on the arms ensure the jacket and armour sit nice and snug. The reflective panels on jacket and trousers are very good without being over the top.
There are plenty of pockets both inside and outside the jacket for storage of keys, phone wallet etc. If, unlike me, you're a real adventure rider, there's a pocket in the back of the jacket for a Camelbak type bladder for when you're off-roading.
There's loads of venting in both the jacket and trousers, in fact the jacket can strip back to a 50% mesh item while still having all the armour in situ. Check out the video from the first post to see what I mean. This is really why I went for this gear - it's ability to allow lots of airflow when riding in really warm weather.
The trousers come with braces which I'd never tried before and have to say I'm liking them. They take the weight of the trousers off your hips and ensures they sit nice snugly against your crotch. The trousers and jacket both have an all-round zip to connect them together. Coming from two-piece leathers, this is crucial for me as it stops the jacket riding up as you slide down the road.
Even with sports style boots which have chunky shin protection, getting the trouser legs over the top of my boots is easy using the expanding calf zipper. Just pop the legs over the boots, do up the zipper and then tighten it all up with the Velcro straps. Similarly, the jacket cuffs are adjustable and easily match up to the cuff of my gloves. The jacket collar can be removed when riding in warmer weather, otherwise it zips into place, buttons down over the top of the main zip and velcros across the front. Worn in conjunction with a wee neck buff, I'm nice and snug with no cold breeze on my neck or coming into the bottom of my Nexx XD1 lid.
Sat on the bike the gear is comfortable and light. There's more freedom of movement that with my leathers as the fit is that little bit looser. The knee armour stays nicely in place with legs bent and same with the elbow protection. I did notice the seat is a bit more slidey with the textile kit than with the leathers, but not enough to annoy me.
Things to watch out for:
Sizing is a bit unconventional, which is why I spent some time consulting with Giorgios before deciding what to get. I'm average sized - 5 foot 9 inches, about 13 stone, 36 inch waist and 32 inch inside leg. After taking various measurements (hip, waist, chest, arm length etc.), I ended up getting a 2XL jacket and an XL trousers! First time I ever ordered a 2XL anything
In summary:
I'm really happy with the quality and finish of the gear. I'm impressed with several of the features which makes it stand out from other makes of similar kit. At under €400 for both jacket and trousers shipped to my door, it comes in at a very competitive price. There's a coupon code that gets you a 20% discount on the jacket -
Sibirsky20 if I recall correctly. That saves almost €60 and the price to under €400.
More day to day use will bring to light other plusses and minuses and I've yet to try out the gear in really crap conditions with all the waterproofing fitted on, but I'll post another update here after I do.
Time for a refill for that tea by now!
