1. RST Sabre Jacket 42
I've worn the jacket about a month now of commuting. Pros: it fits pretty close to my RST CPX Pro race suit. I'm 5-8 and 175lbs, and the measurements said I should be in a 42. Its comfrotable once on the bike. The stretch panels help with the fit of my middle age spread. I think a 44 in the chest would have been a consderation, but I chose to keep the 42 as its fits sporty, and I ride a sporty bike. The Arms are very comfortable, and I hve pretty big forearms and biceps for a smaller guy, not "buff" but " I bet that guy used to lift" size. Its a great protective street jacket that fits my American middle age, former athletic body. The leather is very soft and supple. It fits a bit better than the 25 year old Joe rocket blaster in the same size, but I could still use that jacket if needed. This jacket is just warm enough for 50F mornings, but Its best range is 55-75f. I just wore it in 84f, and it is getting warm at that point.
Cons: Its tough to start the zipper.. It does not vent well in the heat, but this is way more protective than a vented touring jacket. The hanging loop on the collar broke the first week of use (lost a star for that -- now a have to use a hanger to hang it up at work). The side velcros are weird. The inside pocket is too small. the outside pockets are unusable.
Overall I really like it and think is a great value for leather protective gear. I'm comparing it to my RST suit, Joe Rocket and A-stars jackets in textile and leather. been riding for 30 years, and yes I have even asphalt tested the suit (corner 1 at AMP, about 40ish mph lowside). The RST suit held up ok - I burned through the forearm and needed a patch, but the seat, thigh knee took the slide in stride. I would trust RST with making good protective gear.
