The RST Airbag Armour Shirt is a game-changer in the world of motorcycle safety gear.
Made from high-quality materials and incorporating state-of-the-art technology, this shirt aims to minimize the risk of serious injury in the event of a crash. Designed to be worn under a regular motorcycle jacket, the RST Airbag Armour Shirt features built-in airbag protection that deploys when it detects an impact.
Read this post in full and more in issue 8 of Modern Classic Motorcycle News
RST’s Airbag Armour Shirt is fitted with Level 2 armour in the chest, shoulder and elbow areas with the additional protection of the integrated In&Motion** airbag system.
Lightweight and breathable with a non-slip silicone hem detail for comfort and grip.
** Please note that your RST Garment will be without the In&box that is required to operate the Airbag system. You will need to register and request your In&box from In&motion upon purchase of your RST airbag garment, using a simple online registration process. More information can be found here: Inemotion
The Brandish 2 is the second jacket in the RST TT Classic Collection using a heavy duty vintage cowhide with a soft twill chequered lining, vintage zip details, front entry pockets and double layer leather to the shoulder and elbows.
Product Specifications
Safety
CE Certification Rating:AA
Elbow Armour:Level 1 Elbow
Shoulder Armour:Level 1 Shoulder
Material
Main Outer Material:Premium Drum Dyed Cowhide Leather
The RST Reinforced Lumberjack style shirt is CE Certified to Level A. The shirt come with a pocket for a back protector to be added, two outer front pockets, a button down closure which cleverly conceals a zip closure on the inside for added security so that you know that in the event of a crash your shirt won’t be popping open. The armour in the shoulders and elbows are both CE Level 1. The jacket is made of HTC with a DuPont™ Kevlar® lining.
RRP: £139.99
Safety
CE Certification Rating: A
Shoulder Armour: Level 1 Shoulder
Material
Main Outer Material: Cotton
Product Lining: Brushed Polyester Lining And Dupont Kevlar
The Crosby 2 is a classic cotton canvas jacket, paying homage to RST’s sponsorship of the Isle of Man TT. Available in vintage colour-ways; charcoal and green, with a removable thermal lining and fix waterproof lining on the inside. So a textile classic offering from the RST TT Collection.
RRP: £199.99
Safety
CE Certification Rating:A
Shoulder Armour:Level 1 Shoulder
Material
Main Outer Material:Cotton Canvas
Product Lining:Fixed Mesh With Sinaqua Membrane, Removable Lightweight Thermal Lining
Ventilator XT is updated for 2023 with even more mesh on the outer shell to flow as much air as possible making it a truly versatile jacket for both sports and touring riders when combined with a Ventilator XT jean.
Geared towards summer riding and based on the fantastic S1 Textile Jacket, using the same chassis, the jacket comes equipped with a mesh layer to allow air to flow around the body. Paired with a removable water- resistant lining on the inside increases the jacket’s practicality.
RST IOM TT CROSBY 2 CE MENS TEXTILE JACKET
The Crosby 2 is a classic cotton canvas jacket, paying homage to RST’s sponsorship of the Isle of Man TT. Available in vintage colour-ways; charcoal and green, with a removable thermal lining and fix waterproof lining on the inside. So a textile classic offering from the RST TT Collection.
A classically styled denim garment, backed with Kevlar® protection and lined with Sherpa fleece on the inside. With CE approved armour at the shoulders and elbows, a true biker jacket with a real fashion style.
With a look towards spring/summer riding on this test we decided on some more casual wear rather than standard leather or textile jackets and trouser we have done in the past.
With many thanks to RST, you can see RST’s new 2023 collection on their website. We went for RST Lumberjack shirt, RST tapered fit (black) jeans, RST Roadster gloves and RST Roadster boots.
Motorcycle apparel has come a long way both in terms of safety as well as style. thats said one aspect that riders often complain about is the overall weight of leathers which can weigh down on them, especially on longer rides or whilst off the bike. You could say the weight of the gear is associated with its quality, the heavier the better it will be at protecting the rider. While this is certainly true, there is no denying that lighter and more breathable alternatives are becoming increasingly popular among riders.
Winning the trust of most motorcyclists amongst such alternatives are reinforced textile shirts and jeans. These may look like everyday worn garments but their clever construction and the quality of materials used allow them to withstand impacts that their everyday-worn peers would simply succumb to. We decided to try out a different combination of safety gear during a brief ride during a break in the weather.
As previously stated we decided to opt on the RST Lumberjack textile shirt together with their tapered-fit textile jean, the Roadster gloves and Roadster boots.
Starting with my RSTxKevlar red checkered shirt, I will admit I was a bit skeptical at first. Nevertheless I decided to go for it, and suffice to say I was pleasantly surprised. The overall composure and freedom I attained were unprecedented. Not only was it comfy enough to wear around but its sturdy yet soft construction allowed enough maneuverability. On the surface, the checkered shirt seems like any other shirt you’d wear around but as they say, the devil lies in the details.
Stitched neatly underneath the back and front sides are protector pockets that allow for easy insertion of protective pads whenever needed. Even with the protectors added, the fitting was quite relaxed, and I never felt trapped inside the shirt. Aside from protecting the vulnerable chest and back, there is also an arrangement for shoulder and elbow armor that also feel sturdy and firmly in place. Both these armors are CE Level 1 certified, just in case you only buy certified products. Last but not least is the closing mechanism that relies on the combination of rugged zip-line buttons to ensure extra protection in case of an impact.
As for my RST tapered fit textile jeans, it too worked quite well. The tapered fit may not be the favorite fit for many riders. The key reason for suggesting so is the fact that it hugs your legs pretty firmly from the bottom where the wind deflection is the highest. The stretchable construction allows for easy breathability and dangling your leg is as comfortable as you can possibly think of. Just like the RST Lumber shirt, there are provisions for armor in vulnerable areas. All the armor is CE Level 1 certified and is provided in all the key areas you can think of. Both the RST Lumberjack textile shirt and the tapered jeans are available in several color combinations. Aside from that, both are also covered by RST’s 12-month warranty, providing you with a sense of security that your hard-earned money wouldn’t go in vain.
Now onto my selection for gloves and boots, the RST Roadster gloves may not be the ideal choice in chilly weather as they are a more summer glove (especially for someone for suffers from raynaud’s). Just like the Lumberjack shirt and the jeans, the Roadster gloves too seem as if they don’t provide any layer of security but a deeper look would reveal to you a solid knuckle protector and a sleek motion panel that keeps the gloves in a static position once you’ve donned them. Since these gloves have been made to go with the Roadster jacket, therefore, they are available in matching leather and colour to the jacket.
It would be unfair not to mention the RST Roadster boots that were also accompanying me during my ride. Being someone who wears Doc Martens when not on the bike the boots weren’t much of a dramatic change. I agree that the boots look more like work boots than riding boots but the additional reinforcing leather strap on the toe box instantly gives away the real identity of these boots. The thick sole has a deep grip pattern engraved upon it thus allowing for confident walks and rides on slippery surfaces. Crafted to go with the RST Kevlar jeans, the Roadster boots are thus a natural fit with any casual riding outfit. The availability in both vintage brown and glossy black colors enhances the versatility, a characteristic long attributed to RST motorcycle gear.
For more RST Apparel News check out our dedicated page RST News
RST is delighted to announce the signing of Suzuki Ecstar MotoGP Test Rider and Suzuki Endurance Yoshimura SERT Motul Racing team rider, Sylvain Guintoli.
The 2021 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race winner will wear RST’s flagship airbag suit using In&motion’s airbag technology.
Guintoli will debut his RST suit from Monday 31st January during testing for the 2022 season in Malaysia.
Sylvain Guintoli said: “The racing products and the airbag technology has been moving on a lot in recent years. It feels like the right time. Everything is working well at RST right now and the suits are getting better and better. When you crash at 150mph, you need to have a suit that is going to take the abuse, take the sliding and tumbling. It’s very important, not only performance, but for the safety of the riders.”
Zoe Turner, Race Department Manager, said: “It’s a fantastic signing for us. We’re so proud that a rider of Sylvain’s quality has trusted RST with his race suits for 2022 and we’re looking forward to supporting him in the MotoGP and EWC season.”
About Sylvain Guintoli Sylvain Guintoli (born 24 June 1982 in Montélimar) is a French professional motorcycle racer. He was FIM World Superbike Champion in 2014. He is contracted to the Suzuki MotoGP team as a test rider with occasional race entries, as a wild card or replacement rider. In 2021, he was the winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race on Suzuki together with Xavier Simeon and Gregg Black.
About RST RST is the UK’s number 1 motorcycle apparel provider with collections designed for Sport, Adventure & Urban riding. Trusted by the world’s most successful motorcyclists, including Ian Hutchinson (IOM TT, BSB), Conor Cummins (IOM TT), Alex Lowes (WSBK) and Kenny Foray (FSBK), RST is also the proud Official Safety Partner of the Isle of Man TT (IOM TT).
For more RST Apparel News check out our dedicated page RST News
The Pro Series Pathfinder glove is CE Certified to Level 1 KP. Made from full grain leather, the glove features a SinAqua waterproof membrane and comes with reflective detail, smart touch index fingers and thumb and pre-curved fingers and finger motion panels.
The double layer leather palm is supported by the padded palm and silicone palm grips for extra support.
Added to this are integrated Carbon knuckle protector and memory foam thumb protection, and hook & loop strap closure which all support added comfort and security.
Available in: Black
SRP: £99.99
For more RST Apparel News check out our dedicated page RST News
Providing full CE Level AAA protection, normally afforded to “traditional” riding jeans, the RST x Kevlar® Tech Pro Jean riding jeans go far beyond what is expected of a casual style riding jean.
Heavy-duty Cordura Denim reinforced with DuPont™ Kevlar® provides exceptional abrasion resistance, with CE Level 2 armour and bonded nylon thread for extra durability.
The relaxed fit aids comfort in a range of riding positions while the casual styling looks good in any situation – not just on the bike.
Available in: Black, Dark Wash Blue
SRP: £169.99
For more RST Apparel News check out our dedicated page RST News
This zip through Motorcycle Hoodie is lightweight and stylish – great for the biker looking for a casual hoodie offering CE protection.
Soft to touch, the hoodie is made from cotton and reinforced with DuPont™ Kevlar® throughout, offering supreme abrasion resistance in the event of coming off your bike.
It comes with CE Level 1 Hexa armour to the shoulder and elbow, a pocket for a back protector and a drawstring hood which reduces any billowing whilst riding.
Available in: Black/Black
SRP: £119.99
For more RST Apparel News check out our dedicated page RST News
RST Tech X Technical wear has been designed for comfort in the most demanding of conditions.
Suitable for a wide variety of sports and leisure applications, the Tech X technical garments are made from CP-U fabric which has outstanding moisture wicking properties keeping your skin temperature regulated.
The Tech X technical wear is the perfect under garment choice for any activity that challenges the body.
Long & short sleeve top SRP: £32.99
Pant SRP: £34.99
For more RST Apparel News check out our dedicated page RST News
Back and better than ever, the Paragon 6 is RST’s best performing wet weather jacket.
Packed with features, the Paragon 6 is made from Ballistic Reinforced MaxTex coated with a hydrophobic Durable Water Repellent (DWR) coating and lined, a removable thermal lining and a fixed SinAqua Pro lining which when combined offer incredible warmth and waterproofing.
Every detail has been considered, from the adjusters that improve fit to the throat coat and waterproof pockets.
Available in: Black/Black, Black/Flo Yellow
Jacket SRP: £199.99
Jean SRP: £159.99
For more RST Apparel News check out our dedicated page RST News
Maverick by name, by nature – this textile kit is the ultimate four-season jacket, with removable SinAqua and thermal linings for colder, wetter conditions. Large zip vents on the chest, arms and legs are easy to use with press stud fastenings to keep them in place, directing large amounts of air through the jacket, while the reflex print detail aids visibility in darker conditions.
Available in: Black/Black, Black/Grey/Silver, Silver/Black/Red, Blue/Silver/Neon, Black/Neon
Maja Kenney of Maja’s Motorcycle Adventures spends her Slovenian tour testing out some RST Waterproof kit. The kit features RST Maverick Textiles, Pathfinder Touring Boots and Paragon Gloves kindly supplied for this test by RST Moto
On this year’s motorcycle tour to Slovenia I had the opportunity to test the RST Maverick ladies jacket and jean together with their Pathfinder touring boots and Paragon gloves.
The textiles are cleverly layered and are suitable for all-year riding. The outer layer has air pockets that can be clipped open for summer rides as well as perforation on the upper body. There are four ventilation pockets, two on the leg and two on the chest area. You can wear textiles without any layers on those hot and sunny days.
The waterproof layer is separate and acts as windproof, too. It zips neatly inside the main jacket and trousers the only downside is, if you get caught in the rain it’s not a quick fix.
There is a further layer for cold weather riding. A thermal layer that zips in either with the waterproof layer or on its own. The zips are cleverly layered so there is no bulging of the zips sitting too close together. As the inner layers zip into the jacket (and trousers) this means you still only need one zip to close the jacket fully.
Both, the jacket and the jean zip together around the waist to retain the warmth and keep the rain out.
The jean have a high back which sits nicely around the lower back. The waist is adjustable with two velcro straps which might need tweaking depending on how many layers you wear on a cold day. Together with stretch panels, it does make for a good fit. There are two hip pockets with zips.
The jean and the jacket feel a bit stiff for the first couple of wears but they do settle around your body nicely and feel very comfortable.
I felt the trouser leg could have been a tiny bit longer for me. The trouser leg in a size up was perfect for me but the rest of the jean was too big. Not an issue once you put the boots on just my personal preference. Of course, they come with knee protectors and the jean is CE Certified to Level A.
The jacket is well designed and contoured for ladies’ fit. Stretch panels, arm and waist adjusters offer further options to adjust the jacket for comfort and fit. It has several pockets, inside and outside of the jacket as well as a large one on the back of the jacket for storing larger items such as maps, documents or a spare pair of gloves.
The jacket closes with a zip and the textile secures over it with velcro. This is a bit of an annoyance when the jacket is open and you are not riding. The velcro on the left cuffs tends to stick to the velcro next to the zip and so find your left arm getting attached to the jacket a lot. As the jean, the jacket is also CE certified to Level A and comes with Level 1 back protector, shoulder and elbow armour.Personally, I feel the sleeves are a bit too wide around the wrists, too. There is a velcro strap to tighten the cuffs but I find too much textile around my wrists makes it quite uncomfortable. It does mean that the gloves are easy to put on when I wear them inside my sleeves.
The boots are my absolute favourite so far. They really are waterproof. I mean proper, Welsh downpour waterproof. Top marks for that. The boots have two zips at the front, one on each side of the leg which means they are really easy to put on and take off. But more importantly, you can adjust how tightly you want them to fit around your calf. Boots are usually too wide for me but these are a perfect fit thanks to the design. They are incredibly comfortable, too. I wore them for 5 days constantly on the bike and to walk around sights we stopped at. The soles have good grip and I felt secure exploring sights off the paved paths. My feet didn’t even feel tired at the end of the day.
The gloves feel soft and snuggly on the inside. They feel a little big on my fingers and I guess that’s down to all the padding and layers to keep my hands warm. I have summer gloves from RST which are designed for ladies, they are the same size and they fit perfectly. The Paragon waterproof gloves are not specifically designed for ladies’ hands and it shows in sizing. My pair are size 7 or extra small so anyone with smaller hands might find these too big. They are waterproof and they have certainly been tested in the wet!
Overall the whole outfit is excellent value for money. The jacket and jean are suitable for all-year riding, excellent for long touring trips, they will protect you from most weather elements and they fit well. The boots and the gloves will keep you warm and dry in the colder months but will be too hot for the summer months.
While it might be the dream for a dry summer of riding in the UK, the reality is that it’s often wet and often at short notice. With that in mind, it’s always best to be prepared, and RST waterproofs make it easy to ride knowing if you need it, you’ll be kept dry.
The Lightweight Waterproof Jacket and Pant make the perfect companion for changing conditions, providing exceptional waterproofing while remaining easy to put on and pack away, while the Hi-Vis Waterproof Suit is ideal for heading when you know it’s going to be dark and wet.
Completing the line-up is the Pro-Series Jacket and Pant – designed for the wettest conditions and featuring an expandable pocket to fit over leathers.
Fusion may be styled like a vintage motorcycle jacket, but inside it’s brimming with modern day technology for unparalleled levels of protection.
This classic jacket feels incredible to wear. Made from a super soft, matte finish premium Aniline Waxed leather, it features a four-way woven stretch material to the sides and arms which offers maximum comfort and aids airbag deployment.
Additionally, key features such as the fixed Quick Dry mesh lining, rolled leather cuffs and collar, quality vintage style zips and waist adjusters are key detail that support a fresh, tailored fit and a subtle, low-key design that enhances the classic understated look of the Fusion.
Add in a suite of CE Level 1 armour and back protector and integrated In&motion Airbag technology, and you have a classic jacket that really is a ‘Fusion’ of old and new.
SRP: £449.99
For more RST Apparel News check out our dedicated page RST News
