FirstGear Adventure Mesh Jacket - 2014

FirstGear has always offered a generous cut, but this jacket is running a bit large. They are running about one size larger than their stated size. We tried the jackets on our Fit Check mannequins (see a picture by taking the “View Larger Images” link above) and measured each size. The max chest and waist are consistently about two inches larger than they should be for any given size (about one size).

Below are the “Sizing Guidelines” offered by FirstGear for this style. I’ve added the “Our Chest” and “Our Waist” columns to let you know what we observed with a tape measure. The sleeve length estimates FirstGear offered seemed about right, so I didn’t give an alternate column for those.

Tall sizes: FirstGear offers this jacket in talls. The body and sleeves of the jackets are 1 1/2 to 2 inches taller than the “standard” cut jackets. If you normally have to buy “talls” then these should work for you.

Our overall assessment is that most people should buy one size smaller jacket than they normally wear in men’s clothing.

Need help measuring? Get it here.

We finally have something a bit different for our mesh jacket department with this new Adventure Mesh jacket by FirstGear. I say so because it has been a long time since I’ve seen a FULL mesh jacket offered in a 3/4 touring/adventure style like this. I really like mesh jackets for when it gets hot out. I’ve always said that wearing a mesh jacket on really hot days is actually more comfortable than no jacket at all. The fabric will allow complete air flow, but also blocks the sun and cuts down on windburn. And then there is the issue of crash protection. A jacket like this is light years better than a cotton tee shirt I assure you! A longer, 3/4 style jacket like this affords the addition of storage features, and this jacket has a bunch of them. Please take the “View Larger Images” link above and click through the photos to see them all. If you have more stuff to lug around than this jacket will carry, you should have taken the car! Also, I see this jacket has a two-way front zipper, which is nice when sitting so you can unzip a bit from the bottom up and prevent the jacket from “bunching up” in front of you. Of course you get CE armor in the shoulders and elbows and a foam back pad for some crash protection. I have sort of skinny arms for my size and I liked the way I could effectively snug up the arms and hold the armor in better position with the Velcro arm straps. I talked about this being a full mesh jacket, but they give you a windproof full-sleeve liner which will help you on cool mornings, or riding through areas with highly variable air temps…such as over mountain passes. The wind liner will extend the comfort range down into the “mild” temps. Overall, I really like this new style and I bet there are a lot of riders who will find a use for such a “useful” design that can be comfortably worn in hot weather. :: Paul, 03-13-14

Back Protector Upgrade: FirstGear does not offer their own branded back protector upgrade for this jacket, but we’ve checked and can recommend the men’s size D3O CE Approved Back Pad. The shape is correct for the back protector pocket in the jacket and some of FirstGear’s newer jackets come stock with the D3O back pad. The stock back protector in this jacket is a simple perforated unit with no specific safety rating (see our close-up pics for a good look).

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