Review: ViaTerra’s Wayne Urban Riding Jacket
I got the basic riding gear, like gloves, a helmet, and riding boots, first. For some reason, it took me a while to get a riding jacket. Probably because I already have too many jackets and pullovers in my life and didn’t want to add another. But before the Kuppalli ride, Manju and I started thinking about a really long drive in 2027. That meant I would need a jacket then, so buying one now wouldn’t be a bad idea.
Requirements
- A decent riding protection
- It should fit well and be comfortable,
- Multipurpose. It should work as a regular jacket even in non-riding scenarios, just like my boots and bag do.
- Looks good
- Good Price
Solution
I did quite a bit of searching for this. In most cases, I was not happy about the design. Most of them looked like they were made for racers, not for regular folks. Some were really heavy. Finally, I landed in the urban riding jackets category. This category includes some nice jackets, such as the Rev’it! Eclipse Mesh Jacket, Alton II D3O Leather Jacket, Zero Denim Riding Jacket by TripMachine, and Wayne Urban Riding Jacket by ViaTerra. All four looked great. Because I wasn’t very sure, and since
I like canvas as a material. I went for Wayne. I got it in olive green because I already have a Khaki/Brown canvas jacket (you would have seen me wearing it on other rides) by Levi‘s, which I love.
Things I like
- It looks good. It’s made up of good, thick canvas and fits well. It has a polyester inner mesh lining and some leather elements.
- It has space for removable armour for elbows, shoulders, and the back. I got PowerTector SEB Set – Level 2 for this. Adding and removing armour is easy and takes 2 minutes. It does come with leather panels on the elbows. It’s more of a design element than a safety element, I think.
- You can wear it without armour. It looks and fits like any other jacket. It weighs about 1.3Kg. It’s relatively lightweight compared to other riding jackets. With armour, it becomes a bit heavy but very manageable.
- I like that it’s not just zippers; it also has snap buttons. So sometimes you can ride with just half-zippers, but fully buttoned up, especially when it’s very hot. It has mesh panels on the sides of the torso for airflow. It also has waist adjustment loops.
- It has two pockets with a zipper, fits a phone and wallet easily and securely. There are two usual handwarming pockets. There is a goggle loop that you can use to hang your googles when not riding. The main zipper is a YKK zippers, which feel good and strong.
Things to think about
It’s not waterproof; it’s water-resistant, which is natural given that it’s made of canvas. If you are looking for one, this is not it. Also, since it’s a canvas, you have to take care of it. It’s not cheap. Jacket, Armour, Shipping, and taxes came to ~Rs. 9400, so it is on the expensive side.
Conclusion
I love it. I wore it on my ride to Kuppalli. I felt like I was wearing my regular Levi’s jacket, but a bit heavier, that’s all. I didn’t have to compromise on my posture or mobility. It felt very natural and comfortable. I have not worn it outside the riding situations, but I will, and I will let you know how it feels. I think it will be a great travel jacket as well.
