Maja Kenney of Maja’s Motorcycle Adventures reviews the RST F-Lite Mesh Jacket
Summer riding made comfortable! Finally, the weather has turned up the heat and I was delighted to have had the opportunity to wear my new mesh jacket on the motorcycle. I’ve had quite enough of the layering up and the cold rides. I love summer and I love the sunshine.
As much as the ideal picture of a summer riding on a motorcycle seems a dream (and it is), it is also the time of suffering in your motorcycle clothing whenever you come to a stop. The hot weather doesn’t go well with protective clothing. Luckily, there are alternatives. A mesh riding jacket is perfect for those scorchio days that we sometimes get in the UK. Believe me, they are worth the investment!
The RST F-lite jacket is lightweight and breathable. Of course, it is constructed with mesh fabric (K540) which allows for excellent ventilation and you can feel the cooling effect of it whilst riding. And when you stop, there is no sudden rush of heat you normally experience with heavier jackets.
The jacket comes with internal windproof and shower resistant liner that zips into the jacket. This is great for those warm days that still have a little bit of a chill in the air and of course, it protects you from light rain if you get caught out whilst out riding.
There are two settings for the poppers on the sleeves to allow the adjustment for your arms and the two waist zips on each side of the jacket allow for a better fit to adjust to your body shape. The cuffs have a velcro closing strap to fit around your wrists.
The two side pockets are of good size. The pocket liner is perforated fabric which means it doesn’t stop the air flow but it does seem to bunch up inside the pocket making it, at times, difficult to fish out small items such as ear plugs. Perhaps stitching the pocket liners in a couple of places would improve that.
The front of the jacket is shorter than the back. I think I understand the thinking behind it. Some jackets can be a bit bulky when you sit on the bike and the fabric bunches up. However, I never found that a big problem on any of my jackets and I find the cut somewhat strange as this means that my t-shirt sticks out of the jacket and makes for a somewhat odd look when not on the bike. 
When the internal liner is removed you will find two internal chest pockets, one with a zip, as well as a pocket for the back protector. The jacket comes with elbow and shoulder armour. There is also a zip connector at the back to join the jacket with a compatible jean.
It comes in all black colour with subtle design panels on the front to break up the texture. I would have like to have seen a pop of colour (not pink!) as my preference for summer riding but that doesn’t deter me from the jacket. A couple of reflective strips just below the shoulders on the arms and a subtle RST logo finish off the design tastefully. I am very much a fan of subtle branding on any of my clothing.
Overall the jacket is very comfortable, and well tailored for most body shapes with the available adjustments. It looks great with a pair of denim riding jeans for urban riding and even short touring trips.
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