When style meets protection.

Back when I started riding, there weren’t a lot of options available for protection. ATGATT wasn’t yet an invented acronym, or at least it wasn’t in my neck of the woods. Other than a scratched helmet with a dubious history that you could scrounge from a friend, it was commonplace to see younger riders wearing jean jackets, work boots and work gloves as their basic protection against everything motorcycles could throw at you. I know, I was one of them, and the above-mentioned riding gear was what I could afford at the time.

While leather still offers the most wear-resistant protection against road rash, these days there are many other viable, safe options for a motorcyclist’s protection against Mother Nature, as well as from the harsher reality of unforgiving tarmac. 

Many riders also want to look cool, and that’s fair, but looking cool doesn’t always translate to wearing safer riding gear. But what if you could look cool and wear a jacket that offers superior protection at the same time? This is where Roadskin Motorcycle Wear comes into play.

Roadskin manufactures a wide range of protective riding gear that includes amoured jeans and a variety of armoured jackets that are not only functional but are good-looking and pretty cool at the same time. The subject of this review is the company’s Munro motorcycle shirt, as the company calls it. But it’s much more than just a shirt in the traditional sense of the word.

The Munro Shirt offers AA-rated protection and is constructed of an outer shell of heavy but comfortable 200 gsm cotton fabric. Digging deeper into the garment, below the cotton outer fabric is a high-performance Kevlar lining for protection against abrasion; next is CE Level 2 elbow, shoulder and back armour, which fit into their respective internal pockets and finally, a vented lining for internal ventilation and comfort — it, too, offers another level of protection in case of an accident.

The Munro is a substantial piece of kit that is stylishly good-looking, comfortable to wear and not at all cumbersome to spend a day in.

There are two YKK zippered chest vents above the small chest pockets and a full width YKK zippered back vent for cooling. At speed, wind is kept at bay by the main substantial-weight YKK zipper, and the addition of an over flap with snap closures helps keep cold air from creeping through the zipper. Below the chest vents are two patch pockets with snap closures. These pockets measure just 11 x 13 cm, so they are useful for small items — although these items do not include hands. Two inside pockets — one zippered and the other with a Velcro closure — will hold a phone, wallet or something similar in size. That rounds out the storage options. 

I’d like to see zippered side pockets to hold my keys, but in saying that, keep in mind that this is a day ride-type “shirt” — and how many shirts have side pockets? 

The wrist cuffs are adjustable with two snaps and a gusseted zipper. The quilted shoulder yoke is a nice design touch and all main seams are double stitched for durability.

Overall, this is a pretty decent piece of protective yet stylish clothing that will fit well into anyone’s riding gear closet. It has become my jacket of choice for a day ride or a quick trip to the store, and judging by the number of five-star online reviews, I am apparently not the only one who feels that this is an ideal riding jacket.

The Munro shirt retails for CDN$252, which I’d consider to be a very fair price for what you get. It comes in black or stone (a kind of light grey colour). Check the Munro shirt and other casual, protective riding gear out at roadskin.co.uk.