review of the revit legacy gtx suit
Pricing/Features
- Discontinued
- MSRP $549.99, Euro Size 34-48 (US Womens 2-14). My size: Euro 36. (20lbs down from Euro 38)
- Colors: Black, Black/Silver
- Zippered vents on the chest (waterproof/sealed), forearms and back
- Collar hook to pull open the collar, hold it open and let some air in when the temps start to go up
- Flexisnap at the collar to adjust neck circumference
- 6" connection zipper to pants with 6" YKK zippers (REV'IT and other brands such as Olympia, Tourmaster and Cortech use the same zipper size. So nice!)
- 2 waterproof stash pockets on the jacket shell, 2 additional stash pockets on the removable thermal liner (for all your junk)
- Hand warmer pockets; meaning that the pockets in front also have side access (super convenient when you're hanging out at Starbucks and posing with your buddies)
- Waist cinching adjustments, velcro adjustments on the hips, cinching on the upper arms and adjustment snaps on the forearms
- GORE-TEX® lining laminated to the outer shell. Meaning, you don't have to zip in another liner to stay dry. YES!
- Matching pants available, see REV'IT Legacy GTX Pants
Protection/Safety
- CE PRO-Life Armor provided in the elbows and shoulders (removable, but no need to upgrade, they're fabulous)
- Back protector pocket will fit a Knox Insert, Forcefield TPro insert or REV'IT's own Seesoft armor.
- Outer shell is constructed of a combination of 1000Denier Cordura Ribstop with Teflon coating, PWR|Shell 750Denier with Teflon coating and PWR|wax 500Denier. Basically the most protection that REV'IT has to offer for women's gear.
- Laminated, reflective panels on the chest and back
- Sampled provided by REV'IT for review
- Review Date: November 2012
Overview
It's definitely possible to fall in love with an inanimate object. If that doesn't tell you how much I adore this jacket, I don't know what else to say. I do have a couple of minor complaints but let's start with the good stuff.
My Favorite Feature is the laminated GORE-TEX® (GT) liner. What this means is that a layer of this magical material is hiding behind the outer shell. You can see it when you open the vents on the forearm. If you don't know what GT is, go read up on it right quick.
It's also considered the most breathable, waterproof materials on the market. It really does make for a more comfortable ride in changing weather conditions. Of course, if it's 90 degrees out, it's going to be Hot. But if you're going back and forth and need one outfit to work mostly in the extreme cold and sometimes in the heat, a GT lined jacket is the way to go.
I've never had a jacket that was waterproof without a removable liner. It's the most wonderful feature to have, especially during winter riding season. It makes me so happy to not have to worry about bringing my liner, or getting caught in the rain going home and needing to pull over and put in my liner, or just think about my stupid waterproof liner. It also provides better wind blocking compared to REV'IT's Hydratex removable, waterproof liner. I think the outer shell construction definitely helps with the wind blocking but I think the two features together are what makes this jacket so unique.
Above: Wet Sleeve, but only on the outside
I rode in the rain several times, including short trips across town and on the freeway going 65mph to the motorcycle show in San Mateo. Each and every time, I showed up perfectly dry. I never felt the 'wet cold' seep through the lining or anything like that.
When the temps dropped down to the 50s (40s with wind chill), I had to use my heated liner just to be sure that I would be extra toasty. I've only worn the detachable liner around town and it definitely kept me warm. I think if I wore the liner and my Schampa layers, I'd be fine. I've always wondered if my heated liner would work better with a GT lined jacket. And sure enough, it does. I don't have to turn my heat up as high as I used to and find that I can feel the heat better all over.
What I noticed immediately about the temperature difference with this jacket was that I didn't need to bring an extra layer or the liner around town when the temperatures were in the high 50s/low 60s (which for SF is chilly). I could be perfectly happy in a long sleeve short or light sweater and be just fine. Now that the temps have dropped to low 50s/high 40s, I definitely feel the need for the liner or another layer. I did need my heated liner when I rode down to Alice's in the high 40s. (If you have heated, don't wear the thermal liner and your heated liner, it's simply too bulky. Unless it's 10-15 degrees outside, then I could see needing both. But who rides in that kind of cold?).
Above: 1 of 4 stash pockets, there's another one hiding behind the flap of the detachable thermal liner.
As a smallish person, I am ALWAYS and easily cold. I also can jump right up into getting too warm within a matter of minutes. I'm such a pain in my own ass. As a temperamental person, this jacket fits right into my riding lifestyle. I received the entire outfit right before my trip to Horizons Unlimited in Cambria, CA (470 miles round trip). The temperature started out at ~80 degrees in San Francisco and then dropped down to high 50s by the time I made it into town. Wearing just my Klim Solstice baselayers almost all the way down, I was super comfortable and not overheating. Luckily I could pop my collar open and use the collar hook for more ventilation. Ooooo Aaaaah Ohhhhh.
I didn't bring the liner but I did have my trusty north face smart wool zip up (thin, lightweight hoodie). I put that on about 70 miles before my destination, knowing that it would be chilly once I dropped down off the cliffs of Hwy 1 into the open valley of San Simeon. I've ridden this road on all my past motorcycles about 5-6 times? Every time, I've always had to pull over along Hwy 1 and put on my liner and another layer or plug in my heated liner.
But not this time! Sure it was cool and I could feel the cool air around me, but I didn't feel the need to pull over immediately as I always had to before. It was getting darker and colder. But I felt far more protected against the extra wind blasts from the ocean and very comfortable going forward without pulling over.
Aside from the GT lining, the outer shell construction is the same as the men's version. The Ribstop Cordura is basically a really strong, abrasion resistant material that actually rips in a zig-zag formation, side to side. It's supposed to stop the tearing and maintain the overall integrity of the jacket. This layer doesn't make it feel heavy or weigh it down. On the contrary, it's lightweight and really comfortable for distance riding. Heavier doesn't necessarily mean stronger. The areas over the high abrasion zones (shoulders/elbows) are the ones reinforced with the Ribstop Cordura. The rest of the shell is using the 750Denier PWR Shell by REV'IT.
If you do a lot of distance riding or commuting, you'll definitely appreciate a jacket that's lighter and stronger. Why wouldn't you want a lightweight touring jacket that doesn't weigh you down but will protect you equally as well?
Wish List
This jacket is full of features which I for the most part, really like. My only real complaint is the chest vents. Or boob vents, as I like to call them. Just as on the Ventura, they're useless! And they need to back to the vertical placement as they are on the men's version. They're also really difficult to open or close one or off the bike. I tried having them both open but didn't really feel anything. I think they would actually work better if they were in front like in the men's version. It's clear that these zippers are designed this way just for aesthetics. REV'IT, please put these where they will actually work better.
I also wish they would add an exterior access pocket next to the zipper so you don't have to unzip the jacket completely to access whatever it is you want to keep in there. Many brands do this, but I wonder if it wasn't possible with this jacket due to the GT membrane. GT has many specifications on how garments are to be manufactured in order for the garment to stay waterproof. But if they're not limited by that in terms of design, that would be super useful. Actually, if they would just convert the inner left stash pocket (that's attached to the outer shell) to a zipper closure instead of velcro closure, that would be fantastic. For some reason, out of the 4 interior stash pockets, only this one has a velcro closure. If you're left handed, you probably won't even notice. But as a right hander, I'm always reaching into the left side of my jacket. I started using the one on the right more since I got tired of trying to pry open the velcro with my right hand.
Fit
When you are on a bike with a super forward riding position, it can be hard to find touring gear that fits as well in that riding position. This particular jacket is designed for adventure/dual sport riding positions aka fully upright. So if it's extra chilly, I definitely have to wear a neck gaitor to keep air from swooping down my chest and freezing me out (one of the easiest ways you can get cold).
That's why it's SO important to sit on the bike when you try your jacket on, to see if it bunches up a lot around the chest while everything is fully zipped up. And, you can also tell if you're sizing yourself up too high if there's a lot of extra material up front. Remember that the space across the chest is typically shorter because well, you're going to bring your arms forward and you'll need less space up front in riding position for this very reason.
Something else to remember is that if you size yourself up too far, you'll have extra space around you which will get in the way of keeping the heat in. Invest in a really good thermal baselayer too, and it'll certainly improve the fit and feel of your outer layers.
If you have any extra room around the neck, it can get cold so easy and all the extra space in the chest is also going to add to that problem. If you're going to be leaning forward at all, I definitely recommend doublechecking the neck space on your bike or get a good neck buff to block it out.
Other than that, I found the sleeves to be long enough (my arms are fully extended so I need a slightly longer sleeve length than normal) and the horizontal armpit to armpit fit to be pretty comfortable. Something that REV'IT adds to all of it's jackets is the wonderful accordion layout above the back of the elbows. This is such an important feature when you're in a forward riding position.
Having this panel back there really helps with the range of motion and freedom of movement. Even in a fully upright position, just bending your elbows constantly can make a difference with the fit. The arms are slightly pre curved which helps as well.
The upper arm is adjustable which is nice, especially if you're Not like me and actually work out and have some muscles there to fill the space. I have all the cinches on my arms snug as possible (with the liner attached). I wouldn't go a size down because then my waist would be too tight.
The cuffs have these handy velcro adjusters . I can fit them under my Racer gloves easily. I can't fit them under gloves with a smaller gauntlet like the Summits. If it's raining I tend to wear my sleeves over my gloves anyway.
I'd say that the overall fitment on the Legacy is average. Not super narrow (like the Indigo) but a touch narrower across the chest but providing plenty of bust space. I think the only problem you may have with this fit is if your bust size is really disproportionate to the rest of you or if you have above average bust size for your height/weight. I find there's still space up front (according to the size charts, I have another 2 inches of bust space available).
The downside to wearing this on my SV is that no matter how tightly I close the Flexisnap, I can't get the neck to close up tight enough. Because I'm leaning forward, it bunches up a little bit more around the chest too, and the air is blowing straight down my neck. So I just grab a neck buff and wear that if I know I'll be riding at night or in colder temps. This definitely isn't an issue on the Brammo (below). Being fully upright, nothing is going down my neck so I only have to worry about my chin getting cold.
I found the torso (between the bust and waist) fit to be a little bit slightly narrow but with ample and tummy space. Side access pockets are awesome! So nice to have a place for your hands when you're not wearing gloves. I've stuffed my beloved iPhone into the front pockets while riding in the rain and she came out dry as a bone. So every pocket is fully waterproof. Marvelous!
The length of the Legacy is a little on the longish side. I have short torso so this falls just below my hips. Certainly nice when it's chillier out. When you're touring or adventure riding, it's definitely nicer to have a longer jacket fit. For me, when I'm fully upright I do notice that the bottom bunches up a little bit luckily the velcro hip adjustments let me expand that space nicely without bunching.
Overall, I'm very very happy with the Legacy and would highly, highly recommend this as a winter 2 piece textile. You just can't beat the flexibility of GORE-TEX® in colder temperatures.
The fully waterproof shell, combined with the great fit, protective shell materials and deep pockets make these the best riding pants I've ever worn. This is the kind of outfit you buy once every 10 years and hold onto for as long as it'll last.
Just remember to read your GORE-TEX® care instructions to make sure your outfit stays waterproof. They actually recommend washing And drying your gear. It also needs to be cleaned every now and then to maintain the waterproof-ness.
The Legacy is the best textile jacket I've ever worn, and the best by far in the REV'IT lineup for women riders.
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