Here are some of the best adventure motorcycle jackets on the market today. You’ll find features, pros, cons, round-ups and winners in this article as well as info on how we selected them and what makes a great adventure bike jacket.
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Adventure Motorcycle Jackets for Travellers
An adventure motorcycle jacket is different to your standard bike jacket. Companies love slapping the word ‘adventure’ on every garment they can because it sells. But just having the word in the product description doesn’t make it suitable for travel.
So, we pulled this list together to focus on proper adventure bike jackets that are perfect for motorcycle travel. And in this case, by travel we mean motorcycle adventures through multiple climates and weather conditions.
What makes a good adventure motorcycle jacket?
An adventure bike jacket needs to be able to do everything and be adaptable. It’s a demanding task; the jacket has to be waterproof, breathable, vented, light, protective and keep you both warm and cool. Here’s the most important things to look out for in an adventure jacket.
Breathability and ventilation is crucial. If a jacket doesn’t have big vents on the chest, ports at the back and on the arms (preferably full arm length vents) then it’s not suitable for travel.
Adventure motorcycle jackets need to have features suitable for travelling like large pockets, hidden internal stash pockets, waterproof pockets, a large rear map pocket for stuffing your liners in and extra features like slots for hydration packs. Fitting is also very important, these jackets need adjustable collars, cuffs, waist or chest and arm straps so you can get more airflow when needed on hot days or close it all up for a cold ride. Additionally, all the zips, poppers and straps for the vents and closures need to be high quality as they’ll be used more regularly than the average touring jacket.
You’ll be living in your jacket on a daily basis from queuing up at borders and walking around town to heaving your bike out of sand dunes and riding day in, day out. So the last thing you want is a heavy jacket burning down on your shoulders all day. It needs to be light enough for comfort, but still have quality materials for decent protection including CE approved armour.
Adventure motorcycle jackets often use a three-layer system of removable and internal waterproof and thermal liners and then your external outer jacket. The liners can be zipped inside your jacket and trousers when the heavens open and stuffed in your panniers when in hotter climates. Adventure jackets need to have removable layers so that they remain cool and highly breathable in hot conditions.
The alternative to removable layers is a bonded jacket whereby the waterproof liner is fixed to the inside of the jacket or there’s the option of pro laminate where the outer jacket is waterproof. These options aren’t usually suitable for travel because they’re hotter, thicker and lack ventilation. However, we do have an exception in this list (check out the Klim below). But 90% of the time, adventure jackets are far better suited to removable layers.
Our personal thoughts on layering
After years of travel, we’ve found that the removable internal layer system just isn’t practical for long-term trips (and bonded and pro laminate are way too hot). If you’re riding in one climate for a long period then it’s fine, but stopping in a rainstorm, taking your jacket off, finding the inner and zipping it inside is a pain (and it’s extra awkward doing that with the trousers too!). A far easier approach is to buy cheap waterproof throw-overs as it’s less faff to just chuck them over the gear you’re wearing, your outer jacket and trousers won’t get sodden either and they’re also handy to have off the bike too.
It’s a similar case for thermal liners. It makes more sense to do away with the liner that comes with the jacket and buy your own quality compression down jacket that packs up small and can be used when off the bike.
However, we appreciate that this way of thinking isn’t for everyone and there are circumstances where a layer will work well, especially if you are in one type of climate for a considerable amount of time. It’s your call.
How we chose these jackets
We based these jackets on the criteria above. Each jacket is waterproof, has excellent ventilation, plenty of deep pockets, is lightweight and protective with additional features we feel motorcycle travellers would appreciate. We reckon these jackets are perfect for adventure bike riders and long-distance travellers.
The BEST Adventure Motorcycle Jackets
Rev’it Sand 3 Adventure Jacket
Quick info: from £399, removable liners, all rounder
The Rev’it Sand 3 is what most people think of when someone mentions adventure bike jackets. The Sand 3 epitomises adventure jackets with big ventilation openings, chunky zips, loads of pockets, removable liners, it’s well made, lightweight and looks the part too. It also comes with loads of extra features like hand warmer pockets, a slick collar closure, action camera straps on the shoulder and clever fitment fastenings.
Rev’it have also made the Sand jacket compatible with their other products such as neck braces, HV vests, cooling vest and trousers.
- Removable waterproof liner: Yes (Hydratex)
- Removable thermal liner: Yes
- Pockets: Front, rear, internal, hand warmers
- Ventilation: Arms, chest, back
- Protection included: Shoulder and elbow (Seeflex level 2)
- Material: Ripstop, PWR shell, Polyester 600D
- Matching trousers: Yes
- Fit adjustment: Collar, waist, chest, arms, cuffs
- Extra features: Action camera straps on shoulders
- Large ventilation openings on front, arms and back
- Chunky quality zips
- Abundance of pockets including deep outside pockets and hand warmers
- Plenty of size adjustable straps
- Well made and high quality fabrics
- Back protector sold separately
- No slot, fasteners or loops for bladder pack or hose.
- Rev’it Sand 3 Black – £399
- Rev’it Sand 3 Blue – £399
- Rev’it Sand 3 Sand – £399
- Rev’it Sand 3 Jeans – £299
- Rev’it Sand 3 Gloves– £84
Klim Badlands Pro Adventure Jacket
Quick info: from £996, Pro laminate Gore-Tex, premium
The Klim Badlands Pro is the crème de la crème of adventure biking jackets – and it’s got a price tag to match. This is a premium, ultra high-quality jacket. It’s covered in tough abrasion resistant material, is packed with pockets, fitting straps and loads of high quality additional features.
But the Badlands jacket is the exception to our adventure bike jackets list because it uses a pro laminate Gore-Tex setup while the rest of the jackets have removable waterproof liners. Pro laminate jackets rarely (if ever) have decent ventilation because their priority is to be waterproof. Pro laminate means the outer material is waterproof so rain slides off it like water off a duck’s back. That’s not good for adventure jackets because they can get hot and heavy, but the Klim jacket is the exception because it is pro laminate Gore-Tex and still has loads of ventilation throughout.
The other jackets in this line-up (and most adventure styled jackets) have a thin and removable waterproof layer instead. That means the outer jacket gets sodden in downpours, but they’re often lighter and cooler in hot conditions.
- Removable waterproof liner: No (outer shell is pro-laminate Gore-Tex)
- Removable thermal liner: No
- Pockets: Front, arms. internal, back, hidden stash pockets
- Ventilation: Chest, side, lower body, bicep
- Protection included: Back, shoulder and elbow (Aero Pro D3O)
- Material: 840D and 500D Karbonite panels
- Matching trousers: Yes
- Fit adjustment: Collar, waist, chest, arms, cuffs, bottom hem
- Extra features: Hidden stash pocket on arm, hydration setup, kidney belt support
- Exceptionally high quality
- Comes with back protector
- Comes with hydration pack setup
- Four internal pockets (two hidden stash pockets), six external pockets including large double opening back pocket, ID pocket on forearm with secret stash pocket
- Internal moisture wicking mesh
- Pro laminate Gore-Tex waterproof outer layer
- 840D material is heavier duty than most jackets
- The most expensive jacket in this list by nearly double.
- Klim Badlands Pro Black – £996
- Klim Badlands Pro Grey– £1042
- Klim Badlands Pro Light Grey – £819
- Klim Badlands Pro Sage – £1070
- Klim Badlands Pro Fluo – £1042
- Klim Badlands Pro Blue – £1070
- Klim Badlands Pro Trousers – £740 (black, sage, grey options)
- Klim Badlands Pro Gloves – from £160 (short, long, Gore-Tex)
RST Pro Series Adventure-X Jacket
Quick info: from £239, budget jacket but packs a punch
The RST Pro Series Adventure-X jacket is the lowest price jacket on this test, but that doesn’t mean you should take it for granted. It’s made using MaxTex synthetic material with hardened armour sections and abrasion panels for extra protection. It also comes with shoulder, elbow and a CE level 2 certified back protector as standard (something a lot of higher priced jackets don’t include).
It has a single removable waterproof and thermal lining and a fixed inner mesh layer, standard zipped vents on the arms, shoulders and back. But it also has large vent panels on the chest – revealed by unzipping and pinning back the two panels on the upper chest.
There are a few extra features like a large removable rear map pocket (which can be used as a carry bag when off the bike), pocket for hydration pouch and an opening for the hose and a removable quilted collar.
- Removable waterproof liner: Yes bonded to the thermal liner (SinAqua)
- Removable thermal liner: Yes (and removable thermal collar)
- Pockets: Front, internal, back
- Ventilation: Chest, arms, back, side
- Protection included: Back, shoulder and elbow (Contour and Aktiv)
- Material: Cordura
- Matching trousers: Yes
- Fit adjustment: Collar, waist, arms, cuffs
- Extra features: Removable map pocket can double up as bag, hydration pack ready.
- Well priced and affordable
- Full arm length vents
- Comes with back protector
- Plenty of pockets
- Removable large rear map pocket has a strap and can turn into a carry bag when off the bike
- Removable thermal neck warmer
- Ladies cut option
- Airbag ready option
- Lacks the nice but subtle finishing touches of other jackets on this list. But it does have excellent features that other far higher priced jackets have.
Jacket
- RST Pro Series Adventure-X Black – £239
- RST Pro Series Adventure-X Grey – £234
- RST Pro Series Adventure-X Green– £299
Other jacket options
Extras
- RST Pro Series Adventure Trousers – from £199
- RST Pro Series Adventure Gloves– £49
Rev’it Defender Pro Adventure Jacket
Quick info: from £599, quality jacket, well-made, packed with features
The Rev’it Defender Pro GTX is a serious adventure jacket and packed with features. It’s Teflon coated for abrasion resistance and comes with protective sections as well as elbow and shoulder protectors and a back protector. You can feel the hard wearing materials and textiles on the jacket.
The Defender has a detachable Gore-Tex liner that can be quickly zipped in and out in rainy weather and comes with with waterproof inner pockets, two large hand pockets at the bottom and two more pockets up top, an extra large map pocket, slit pockets, a sleeve card holder and hand warmer pockets. The Pro excels in the ventilation department with huge sleeve and chest vents too.
It also comes with plenty of adjustable straps to get the fit perfect, including velcro tabbed cuffs, sleeve adjusters, two waist straps and a very sleek collar fastener (with a hook closure to keep the collar out of the way when you want it undone). It’s a hard wearing, tough jacket and I’ve used it for years around the world. For more info, check out our review below.
- Removable waterproof liner: Yes (Gore-Tex)
- Removable thermal liner: No
- Pockets: Front, internal, back, sleeve, hand warmers
- Ventilation: Chest, arms, back
- Protection included: Back, shoulder and elbow (Seeflex CE Level 2)
- Material: 750D and 1000D Teflon coated outer
- Matching trousers: Yes
- Fit adjustment: Collar, waist, arms, cuffs
- Extra features: Internal hidden stash pocket and document pocket, compatible with neck brace.
- High quality materials and tough fabrics
- Full arm length vents
- Excellent ventilation system
- Comes with back protector
- Plenty of pockets and internal waterproof pockets
- Removable Gore-Tex waterproof liner
- Hefty price tag, but high quality and very well made.
Spidi Modular Adventure Jacket
Quick info: from £389, good all-rounder, removable liners
Spidi produce the Modular jacket and the Voyager jacket. While Spidi say the Voyager is their more adventure styled jacket (and it is adventure styled), it has far less ventilation than the Modular and so we’ve elected to keep the Modular in this list instead.
At £389, it’s not a cheap jacket and doesn’t fall into the budget category for good reason. It’s got all the features you’d expect from this type of jacket: fit fastenings on the waist and arm, big pockets, a rear map pocket, ventilation on the chest, sleeve and back and removable waterproof and thermal liners.
The Spidi Modular is a far more low key adventure styled jacket than its competitors and sort of sits on the ‘Touring’ fence. But we’ve included it here because it gives the others a run for their money.
- Removable waterproof liner: Yes (H2OUT)
- Removable thermal liner: Yes
- Pockets: Front, internal, back
- Ventilation: Chest, arms, back
- Protection included: Shoulder and elbow (Force-Tech)
- Material: Tynax Nylon 6.6
- Matching trousers: Yes
- Fit adjustment: Collar, waist, arms, cuffs, drawstring
- Extra features: None
- Full arm length vents
- Good ventilation system with large chest panels
- Removable waterproof and thermal liner
- “Step-in” technology – basically means that you can wear any of the three layers independently
- Back protector not included
- Spidi Modular Trousers – £224
Richa Touareg 2 Adventure Jacket
Quick info: from £269, everything you’d expect from an adventure jacket
The Richa Touareg 2 is a mid-priced adventure jacket with plenty of vents, removable waterproof and thermal liners, fitting fasteners at the cuff, waist, hem, collar and neck and large pockets. It’s a simple, no frills adventure bike jacket that does everything you need without making a fuss.
- Removable waterproof liner: Yes
- Removable thermal liner: Yes
- Pockets: Front, internal, back
- Ventilation: Chest, shoulders, arms, back
- Protection included: Shoulder and elbow and back (D3O)
- Material: High density polyester
- Matching trousers: Yes
- Fit adjustment: Collar, waist, arms, cuffs, bottom of jacket
- Extra features: None
- Full arm length vents
- Good ventilation with long vertical zippers at the front and plenty of ventilation at the back too.
- Removable waterproof and thermal liner
- Comes with a back protector
- Able to take a chest protector
- More features would be nice
- Richa Touareg 2 Trousers – £206
The Best Adventure Motorcycle Jacket Winners
The Best All-Round Adventure Motorcycle Jacket: Rev’it Sand 3
The Rev’it Sand 3 takes the win here because of its features, fit, style and materials. Budget jackets in this genre sit at around £250-£300 and the Sand sits just above that in the mid-range at £400. The only let down is that the back protector has to be bought separately. Other than that, it’s an excellent jacket, all-day comfy and simple. Perfect for any adventure.
The Best Features Adventure Motorcycle Jacket: Klim Badlands Pro
The Klim Badlands Pro jacket is eye-wateringly expensive at £1,000, but there’s no denying the extremely high build quality and materials used. The Badlands’ functionality is top notch too with plenty of pockets, hidden stash pockets, ventilation and extras like a bladder pack pocket. It’s also Gore-Tex pro laminate which means you don’t need to worry about layers, but still has plenty of vents so you won’t sweat up either like with most pro laminate suits.
The Best Budget Adventure Motorcycle Jacket: RST Pro Adventure-X
The RST Pro Adventure-X is the cheapest jacket on test at £239. But it doesn’t take this win just because it’s the cheapest – it’s also one of our favourites because of what you get for your money: excellent ventilation including full arm vents, vent panels on the chest, removable back-pocket, hydration pack ready and a thermal and waterproof bonded liner.
Read more on motorcycle clothing and gear
Thanks for checking out our Best Adventure Motorcycle Jackets Guide. We hope you enjoyed it! Here’s a few more articles on motorcycle clothing and gear that we recommend you read next.
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Let us know what you think of this Best Adventure Motorcycle Jackets guide in the comments below! We’d love to hear from you if you have any suggestions, questions or use any of these jackets.
