The best motorcycle textile jackets | motorcycle jacket buyer's guide
We pick some of the best textile jackets you can buy for touring, sports and around-town use
Choosing the best textile motorcycle jacket for you is both a hugely important decision – and a very difficult one. While leather remains a popular choice, advances in textile technology, not just in terms of protection but also comfort and weather prevention, means that textile jackets can now offer the best blend of protection, warmth, comfort and value – whatever your riding style.
But that last bit is vitally important: what sort of riding you do fundamentally affects the type of textile motorcycle jacket you should buy.
For example: if you're a learner or scooter rider and are looking for something stylish but with reasonable protection that works best over short hops or in a commuter environment, you’ll want something affordable, not too bulky, with decent protection yet bags of street cred style.
At the other extreme, if you have a long-distance touring or adventure-style bike and ride all year round, you’re probably after a more sophisticated ‘all-season’ jacket packed with features and flexibility and you’re less bothered about slimline looks and bargain basement prices.
Here at Visordown, we are always out and about testing the latest motorcycles, electric motorbikes, tech, and clothing. We review textile jackets after putting in the hard miles in all conditions to help you make an informed decision. This list includes some of the best textile jackets we’ve tested and some that we haven’t just but have heard compellingly high ratings for.
We'll be updating this list as time goes on and as new textile jackets are released and tested.
The best textile jackets for year-round touring/adventure
These motorcycle textile jackets are designed and developed to perform over vast distances and through all types of weather. As such they’re often not the cheapest but they are packed with features, often two or three-layer thermal liners along with sophisticated weatherproofing and ventilation systems to make them genuine year-round jackets; can be ordered with matching trousers and are equipped with the latest CE armour and even, in some cases, airbags.
Richa Infinity 2 Pro
We’ve been testing this jacket for the last few months and have been seriously impressed with it. It’s a mid-price but high-spec, year-round touring jacket with a high-performance, abrasion-resistant textile fabric construction. There’s a laminated Aquashell Pro 2L outer to help keep you dry, a detachable thermal liner, inbuilt zip ventilation front and rear, soft-finish neoprene collar and cuffs, a large rear storage pocket plus additional front pockets and a connecting zip for attachment to the optional matching trousers.
Armour protection, meanwhile, is all CE-rated and comprises D3O shoulder, elbow and back armour with an additional pocket for an optional chest protector. It also comes in four different colourways and in eight sizes ranging from S to 5XL.
Oxford Mondial Advanced
One of the best-rated and most popular all-round textile jackets currently available – partly due to a very affordable RRP of currently £289.99 (and we’ve also seen discounted prices of significantly less than that, too).
Designed to match the spec of most laminated jackets but at a price within reach of most motorcycle riders, the Mondial Advanced is also light, doesn't hold water in a downpour and dries out really quickly. There’s a tough nylon outer shell with an Oxford ‘Dry2Dry’ laminated waterproof, breathable membrane.
The durable inner lining is designed to be comfortable against the skin and includes ‘WarmDry thermal tech’ removable insulated lining. If it’s too warm, there are zip-operated ventilation panels. Water-resistant YKK zips are used throughout, there are both full 360-degree and short connecting zips to trousers and the CE-certified armour includes shoulder and elbow protectors plus a pocket for an optional back protector. Again, a variety of different colourways are available, and it comes in seven different sizes from S to 5XL.
Alpinestars Andes V3
One of the most sophisticated all-season textile jackets available that is also very highly rated – although you do pay a slight premium for the privilege.
As with all high-end Alpinestars textile all-weather offerings, it features the Italian firm’s own exclusive Drystar membrane which is claimed to offer both 100 per cent waterproofing and high levels of breathability, even in difficult riding conditions. There’s also advanced CE armour which is adaptable to all weather conditions thanks to its high airflow vents and a removable liner.
The outer shell is in reinforced poly fabric with a Drystar waterproof and breathable membrane. There’s a removable thermal liner (100g body, 80g sleeves), and the zippered ventilation system has both front intakes and high air flow rear exhaust vents. Neat touches include a pre-curved arm design with elbow flex panels, an internal cord adjustment to the lower hem, front waterproof cargo pockets and an internal waterproof wallet pocket. Protection-wise, there are CE level 1 Nucleon Flex P shoulder and elbow protectors, pockets for optional chest and back armour and it's even Tech-Air 5 airbag compatible.
The best textile jackets for sports riding
If you’re less of a touring or adventure bike motorcyclist and more of a sports ride, your requirements for a textile motorcycle jacket will be somewhat different. Although protection, warmth and waterproofing are still important, when tucked into a sports crouch things like low weight, slim fit and ventilation are important, too – not to mention a sportier, snazzier style. Here are our picks of the best…
RST Sabre
Opting for textiles over leather doesn’t mean you have to compromise on style. There are plenty of sporty-looking textile jacket options out there, one of which is the RST Sabre. The textile version looks almost the same as the leather Sabre and is also available with or without an In & Motion Airbag, with the bagged version coming in at an RRP of £399.99 compared to £179.99 for the regular Sabre.
In its standard form, the RST Sabre textile jacket seems like excellent value considering the decent levels of protection and the good build quality it offers. It has abrasion and tear-resistant HTC fabric construction with a ‘Sinaqua’ waterproof membrane, removable 125g thermal lining, CE level 1 shoulder and elbow protection plus a pocket for optional back protection.
It seems less of a steal when the airbag is factored in, both for the additional upfront cost and the subscription fees - only you can weigh up whether it’s worth it for the extra protection offered. We've tested one of these for thousands of miles of riding in 2023.
Furygan Atom
With the Furygan Atom Vented Evo jacket, riders get superior protection and sharp style, while keeping the summer heat at bay thanks to an efficient airflow system. A stylish, vented, textile sports motorcycle jacket, the Atom has all the style of classic French firm Furygan’s leather sports jackets but with a lightweight textile outer. There are large mesh panels front and back, light and breathable fixed lining, D3O Level 1 shoulder and elbow protectors, a pocket for an optional Furygan D3O back protector, it’s compatible with the optional Fury Air Bag System and four pockets (two outside and two inside). It also comes in three different colours and seven different sizes, all for around £140.
Rev ‘It Eclipse
The Eclipse might not be a year-round jacket, but it’s a great-looking, well-specced, stylish summer textile jacket that stands out from the crowd, is very highly rated and, at around £130 or less, is great value, too. The impact zones are made of abrasion-resistant polyester 600D, while the front, back and inner arms are mesh to allow full airflow to the upper body. CE-rated body armour comes standard and is upgradable with the optional Seesoft CE level 2 back protector. Various adjustment straps allow the rider to create the desired close fit, and the jeans loops allow the Eclipse to be attached to Rev'it jeans. It also comes in four different colours and seven different sizes, from S to 5XL.
The best textile jackets for commuter/urban use
Of course, not all motorcycling is about travelling long distances or even going everywhere at speed. If you’re a commuter or youngster heading out onto two wheels for the first time your requirements are almost certainly different again, going less for a snug sports fit or adaptable year-round features, and more for urban style and great value – and, again, there’s a big selection of textile jackets to choose from. Here are some of the best…
Weise Stealth hoodie
How about this for a stylish, street-credible ‘hoodie’ that just ‘happens’ to be designed for scooter-riding teens or fashion-conscious young bikers by coming with a tough construction, DE-approved body armour and more – and all for around £120?
Made by reputable German motorcycle clothing firm Weise, the ‘Stealth’ is claimed to be a comfortable, heavy-duty, CE armoured cotton fleece with a removable hood. There’s a tough, heavy-duty outer with a 250gms aramid fibre lining with mesh overlay. Inside there is removable, CE-approved shoulder, elbow and back armour. There’s a removable hood with zip fastening and drawstring, a tough YKK main central zip, an elasticated, ribbed hem and cuff, two external pockets with handy zip closures and an internal pocket, too. It comes in two different colours, eight different sizes and in women’s versions as well.
Rukka Forsair Pro
If you’re after an ‘urban’ style textile motorcycle jacket that’s a bit more serious than a hoodie – yet still stylish – and have also got a larger budget available how about this?
Called the Forsair Pro it’s from legendary quality Scandinavian motorcycle clothing brand Rukka and features a knitted mesh Cordura AFT and AFT+ construction for maximum airflow, with strengthening on the elbows and shoulders. There’s highly breathable AFT+ material at the sides and shoulders, zip adjustment at the cuffs, and hook and loop tightening in the hem for a perfect, snug fit. There are two front pockets with one watertight pocket inside the left-hand version, D3O XTR shoulder and elbow armour plus pockets for optional chest and back protectors. Again, eight sizes are available, and prices start around £300 – it’s a quality piece of kit.
Spada Ladies ‘Grid’
Here's proof that here are plenty of cool, urban-style textile motorcycle jackets that come in women’s cuts and sizes, too. The Grid is a zip-fronted style hoodie from respected brand Spada that comes in both men’s and women’s cuts and is also temptingly priced at well under £100. There’s a durable textile construction with a waterproof membrane lining, CE-certified elbow, shoulder and back protectors, waterproof pockets and a ‘Ventech’ air vent cooling system. It’s also double stitched for increased strength and both men's and women’s versions come in three different colourways with the women’s in sizes from 8-22.
A vastly-experienced motorcycle journalist and bike tester, Phil West is also an ex-Executive Editor of MCN, former Editor of Bike and What Bike?, author of numerous motorcycle books and has ridden virtually every bike of the last 30 years.
