Rennie Scaysbrook | March 16, 2021
Dutch apparel giants REV’IT have been doing the sleek urban look better than most for a while now, and two of the latest offerings in the lineup are the Afterburn H20 jacket and Alpha Chino pants.
Starting off with the Afterburn H20 jacket, as the name suggests, this is a waterproof garment constructed using a Hydratex mesh G-liner that’s incredibly soft, mated to a detachable thermal liner. Inside sits REV’IT’s CE-rated SeeSmart armor at the shoulders and elbows, and it also has provisions for the company’s CE-level 2 back protector insert to be fitted.
Storage comes with two zipped pockets on either side and an inner pocket, and you can zip the jacket to almost any REV’IT trousers when using the company’s Safeway belt.
The Alpha Chino pants are definitely on the casual side but are still extremely safe. The pants are made using combination of Cordura denim and REV’IT’s in-house developed PWR shield, and there’s also a REV’IT CoolMax element to the thread of the pants to actively wick away moisture on hot days.
The Alpha comes equipped with flexible SeeSmart CE-level 1 knee protectors and you can upgrade them with similar hip protection.
REV’IT Afterburn H2O Jacket and Alpha Chino Pants Lowdown
REV’IT Afterburn H2O Jacket MSRP: $309.99
REV’IT Alpha Chino Pants MSRP: $199.99
Standout Feature: Absolutely one of the most comfortable jacket and pant combinations I’ve ever worn.
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Jacket: Extremely comfortable |
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Jacket: temperature regulation is excellent |
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Pants: Pockets could be larger |
REV’IT Afterburn H2O Jacket and Alpha Chino Pants Rider Analysis
The older I get, the more I like casual riding wear. Looking like a racer ready for the TT when I’m heading to the shops is really not my style anymore, and I’ve already waxed lyrical about the Overshirt Worker jacket, so you could say I’m a fan of the Dutch dudes at REV’IT.
I have three jackets in my garage that are my everyday go-to’s, and the Afterburn is seeing more wear than either of the other two jackets right now. The Afterburn is incredibly comfortable. The armor is a little on the soft side, but it makes for a garment that molds to my shape almost perfectly. I’ve worn this jacket on a couple of intros (the Honda CT125 Trail and the Honda Rebel 1100), both of which were in varying temps, and the Afterburn didn’t have me wanting an under suit to keep the cold out, nor did I want to take the liner out.
As such, the temperature regulation is excellent in the Afterburn, and it flows plenty of air when the zips on the arms are open.
I also love the style. It’s almost a snowboarding-type garment, understated and undoubtedly cool. I’m moving more away from all-black gear these days, but the Alpha comes in black, dark navy and dark grey (the world can be dreary enough as it is, I like to throw a bit of color around), so this is a jacket that really suits my style.
The Alpha Chino pants have equally seen a massive amount of wear. These are probably the most un-motorcycle motorcycle pants in my collection, and half the time I just wear them around the house—especially in the colder months. I feel as it gets hotter, these will probably need to make way for pants that have a bit more airflow to them, but right now, these things are delightfully comfortable.
The only gripe I have with the Chinos is I find the pockets too small. I have one of those big-sized iPhones, and it barely fits in the left pocket—and when it does, when I’m in the ride position on the bike, it’s not very comfortable. Aside from that, I love the Alphas. You can barely feel the armor on the knees, and its comfortable enough to wear for huge periods, unlike many motorcycle-specific denim counterparts.
REV’IT does excellent gear at great prices, and they’re probably not as big in the U.S. as they could be. That’s probably going to change as the gear gets recognized by more riders across the country as premium offerings.CN
For more information, visit www.revitsport.com
Click here to read the REV’IT Afterburn H2O Jacket and Alpha Chino Pants Review in the Cycle News Digital Edition Magazine.