Product Review: Finally, a Jacket I Love

PROTECTION, WATERPROOF, CUSTOM FIT WITH TONS OF POCKETS

IRONBORN JACKET

VIDEO REVIEW:

I dreaded UPS showing up with my new Viking Cycle's Ironborn Textile Jacket as I expected to be, once again, disappointed. Jackets never fit right. They are always either too bulky in the shoulders, baggy in the waist, climbing up the small of my back or too long in the sleeves. Good protection is rarely present in a price point that I want. I typically laid down well over 10,000 miles on my bike each year, which means protection is a high priority for me. If I'm going to spend the kind of money that armored and waterproofed jackets cost, I want to love it completely. Including how it fits, which never happens.

As soon as I picked up the Ironborn jacket, I was surprised by how lightweight it was and as soon as I put it on I felt at home. This jacket was comfortable right from the start. Protection all around, waterproof and a ton of pockets. I already liked it more than the plethora of jackets hanging in my closet. Surely, this was too good to be true. After examining every inch of this jacket, here is what I found:

Viking Cycle's Ironborn Textile Jacket has it all, in a comfortable & flattering fit

PROTECTION: It comes with C.E. rated shoulder armor and elbow armor as well as a spine protector, and you can swap out the armor for your favorite brand if you like. It is fully waterproof, which I would not expect at a sub $100 price point. I actually accidentally tested this out and the jacket did quite well. The seams are well made and appear to be lasting, as do the zippers which I can operate with my gloves on.

JACKET CUT:

The textile material is lightweight and flexible, which allowed me more range of motion in my arms than I am accustom to with other jackets. Zipping it up gave me the feeling it fit well instantly. A longer cut in back and a zipper at the bottom to attach to your riding pants. First thing I did was sit on my Harley and lean forward, confirming that the longer length of the jacket in the back would cover my all-too-sensitive lower back region from icy cold winds. Once that was confirmed, I then sat on my Ducati to put it to the test and got into my racing tuck. Sure enough, it was long enough. One thing that I began to notice was how soft and comfortable the collar was, and that it laid flat against my neck. No chaffing risk and nothing to slap against the helmet at higher speeds. It is a comfortable jacket.

VENTILATION:

Not only is there the common zippered vents along the back of the shoulders but also in the front chest. These can be easily snapped open to force even more air flow through your upper body, which is an additional feature I particularly enjoy here in the desert. Between the two, the cooling effect seems to be quite nice for a waterproof textile jacket.

FUNCTION: THREE SEASON RIDING JACKET

The ability to zip out the internal lining takes this from a spring/fall riding jacket and extends it through the summer as well. The ventilation system will allow me to wear this jacket into the 90's with a thin shirt underneath. For the colder days in the fall, there is enough room to layer up and, with the liner in place, the jacket should be sufficient down into the lower 40's. As it is fully waterproof, not having to carry additional rain gear for shorter rides in wintery weather is a real bonus. Overall, the functionality of the jacket seems to be there.

CUSTOM FITMENT: Now that it passed my initial requirements, I began to explore the fitment process. First, the snaps on the sleeves were easy enough to function, even with one hand. This allows for tightening or loosening depending upon the layers you wear underneath. The true customizations are in the three straps in the back, however. The top one is perfectly positioned to allow you to adjust to your body for your expanding rib cage, the middle for a snugger waist and the bottom is ideally located to seal out any wind that wants to sneak in from below. For those who tend to have a bit of curve to the hip area, they've provided two vertical zippers at the base of the jacket in the rear which gives quite a bit more room without encouraging wind flapping. The end result is a truly flattering fit. Additional Features:

My favorite bonus feature is the pockets. We've got pockets!! Not only are there the two standard hand warming pockets on the outside, there is a plethora of internal pockets. On each side of the zipper you will find three pockets in various sizes. One of these fits my iPod Shuffle perfectly, another one is ideal for sunglasses and then a larger one at the bottom. The right side is the same, but also has an additional over-sized pocket which is padded so that items will not poke into your ribs. Finally, there is an incredibly handy left-hand sleeve pocket which is just large enough for cash, credit cards and ID, which is perfect for quick stops at the gas station.

Just when I thought I was done, I discovered these little clips along the inside of the zipper and realized they are headphone wire guides. This is a wonderful feature that allows you to remove your jacket and put it back on without having to deal with headphone wires getting tangled up each time. I struggle with my cords staying in place quite often so this feature will be well used.

Although not so much a feature, it should be noted that the smaller sized logo placement is appreciated. I tire of the large branding that other manufacturers do to be sure their name is seen. I prefer a subtle look and the Viking logo is quite attractive on the back without taking away from the flattering lines of the jacket. In these pictures you can see the subtle design of the front of the jacket, the internal pockets, headphone guides and the zip-out liner.

Ironborn Jacket Front

Ironborn Jacket Inside

Ironborn Jacket Zip-out Liner

FINAL THOUGHTS:

I have been through over half a dozen well made jackets that just have not fit my personal demands. Protection, waterproofing, armor, fit, and comfort seem to be impossible to have all in one lightweight jacket. I have many jackets that are good for specific purposes, but none of them 'had it all', and especially not with a flattering fit. Most of my jackets are far too bulky, too long in the sleeves as I am a petite rider, too short in the low back, and/or too tight in the shoulders for a comfortable riding position. I wore them anyway as the protection was there, but I was quick to take them off as soon as I could as they were uncomfortable. I am completely surprised by this one, however. Viking Cycle has hit it out of the park with this lightweight but rugged women's riding jacket; everything that I demand is in this jacket; C.E. rated armor in the elbows and shoulders with additional spine protection, textile everywhere, fully waterproof, zip-out liner, excellent fitment and a lot of attention to details that I just haven't found in other jackets. At such an affordable price you can pick one up and see for yourself. It just might become your favorite riding jacket the instant you put it on. Check it out for yourself here.