Icon Contra Torrent Jacket

We tried the size Medium in this jacket on Huey and we put an XL jacket on Dewey. These are the sizes they normally wear and both fit great. My advice would be to wear the size you normally wear in men’s clothing.

If you look at Icon’s chart and choose a jacket size based on your chest size, you may be choosing a size larger than you normally wear (example a person with a 46 chest typically is an XL, but using Icon’s chart you’d buy a XXL). Icon’s styling has always been sort of loose as compared to other brands’ sport style jackets. This probably explains why the size chart understates the chest size range for any given alpha jacket size.

My personal advice for a good fit that is snug enough not to flap or inflate while riding would be to buy the size you normally wear in men’s clothing. If you prefer a loose fit, then Icon’s chart would be appropriate.

Here is the size chart provided by Icon:

The Icon Contra Torrent jacket adds some wild graphics to their Contra lineup. We’ve got some great close-up pics you can view by clicking the “View Larger Images” link above. You can also see how the jacket fits on our Fit Check mannequins. This jacket uses quite a variety of materials which add up to some sharp styling and a jacket that should be very comfortable to wear and ride in. Most of the jacket uses solid textile materials, but a portion is mesh to let some air flow through. The mesh panels are the solid white panels you seen near the shoulders and the underside of the arms. The rest of the jacket is a very sturdy feeling nylon material with extra reinforcement in key impact areas. On top of that, the sides and underarms are made from a very soft, stretchy fabric which seems to breathe well and definitely adds to the comfort factor. Speaking of stretchy, there are also stretch panels at the elbows, shoulders, and upper back. There are some ratchet type waist adjustment straps which seem to work well – these help keep unwanted air from entering the bottom of the jacket and also keep the jacket from riding up. The Icon logo on the front of the jacket is a molded rubber piece, and there are large rubber pieces on the upper arms and upper back as well. Protection in this jacket seems to be quite good. The chassis of the jacket is made from a thick, sturdy feeling ballistic nylon. There is CE approved armor for the elbows and shoulders, and a dual density foam back pad. The Contra would be well suited to cool to hot climates. There is a fully sleeved insulated liner which will help keep you warm, but remember that a good portion of the jacket is mesh – so colder temperatures are going to get through to you. In the summer I think this jacket would work quite well – and it seems beefier than the usual mesh jackets that are out there. :: Paul, 10-12-11