Hey there, everyone! We’re getting a lot more wet weather so I’ve been looking a lot more at waterproof jackets, hunting around for a balance of a good deal with good quality. Mostly I’ve been looking for myself, wanting to get a new jacket since I’ve been caught in a couple of heavy downpours as of late but I thought I’d also share my findings here in the Ghostbikes Blog with all of you.
Usually if I’m looking to spend a decent amount of money in the hopes that I’m going to get decent quality in return, my gaze tends to turn to Oxford gear. But lately I’ve noticed quite a few really good jackets from ARMR Moto too and one such jacket is the ARMR Moto Hirama 2 Motorcycle Jacket. Priced at £149.99 it’s in a price range just a bit above most Oxford gear but it’s not outrageous. So I got to wondering what the jacket has that makes it worth that much.
And I have to say it’s worth every penny, this jacket is busting at the seams with features to make a biker’s life all that more comfortable. And one of those features is actually seams that won’t bust but I’ll get to that shortly. Before I go talking about the shell and seams I want to cover what impact protection this jacket has- most jackets will only provide the shoulder, the elbows and then leave you with an empty pocket, waiting for a back protector to be put in.
But not the Hirama 2, this jacket already comes with a CE level 2 back protector installed, the highest CE level it can get. Of course it features the shoulder and elbow armour as well but the elbow armour is also height adjustable so you can get it in exactly the right spot for you. It’s a feature I haven’t seen on many jackets so that, combined with the inclusion of the back protector, is already a huge incentive from an impact safety standpoint.
What I’d really like to test is whether the elbow armour is still adjustable with an aftermarket upgrade but for now- I’m completely happy with what it’s got. But what about what it hasn’t got that it -could- have? The jacket is compatible with ARMR Moto’s A9115 Hexagon chest protector and a chest protector in a road jacket is a feature I’ve never seen before outside of what ARMR Moto make. It even has kidney protection- another thing motorcycle jackets commonly don’t have!
Another big feature that’s worth a load of personal brownie points is in the shell. The 600DN Polytech shell is mostly polyester, a pretty standard material in bike gear for it’s toughness, abrasive resistance and light weight but the seams on this jacket are what impress me. That bit earlier about a feature so that the jacket won’t bust at the seams was no joke, the Triple Lock Seam Technology ARMR Moto use with their three-fold stitching ensures that the seams will hold up even in a really nasty slide down the road. This jacket can and will save your skin if the situation ever calls for it.
ARMR Moto really have taken care to think of everything, cover all those critical areas of impact and abrasion protection and keep the riders that wear their jackets in the safest hands they can be in. They’ve even taken care to position the Scotchlite and Vision Tech reflective panels in strategic places to maximise your chances of being seen by other road users and keep you from getting in an accident in the first place. So your super-protective ARMR Moto Jacket can remain scuff-free.
Now we can move onto some other features- the stuff that focuses on making your life a bit more comfortable on a ride instead of saving it. The Hirama 2 has a detachable thermal liner, so you can leave it in when you want to be warm and take it out when you don’t. It’s a common feature in a lot of motorcycle jackets but it’s absolutely a benchmark feature for a versatile jacket for taking on different temperatures and weather conditions.
For increased weather versatility and allowing you to take on wetter journeys, the ARMR Moto Hirama 2 Motorcycle Jacket has a DRY TEK Waterproof Membrane that will keep you dry yet still allow the jacket to breathe and keep you from overheating. To aid the jacket in it’s waterproofing the jacket also has a storm flap to keep any of that water from slipping in from the front where the zipper is- a common place for leaks on cheaper biker jackets. The waterproofing on this jacket even covers the two outer pockets which is another rare thing on a biker jacket.
To keep you from overheating; the jacket has four ventilation zippers- two on the front and two on the back, allowing for a good flow of air though the jacket to let the fresh, cool stuff in and push the hot, bad stuff out. But if things are too cold- check this out- the jacket comes with a detachable neoprene face and neck mask. There’s just so much thrown into this jacket! The more you look for stuff on it, the more you find and it excites me every time!
On the inside the jacket has more pockets including a waterproof wallet pocket and mobile phone pockets. They’re already provided us with waterproof pockets on the outside of the jacket but knowing we still have a more secure pocket for our valuables is still comforting. There’s also a link zipper at the lower back of the jacket, so you can join the Hirama 2 to a compatible pair of pants and really maximise both your protection and comfort. For best results- go for a pair of ARMR Moto Trousers to go with the jacket.
To make sure the jacket fits well, the ARMR Moto Hirama 2 has an Exact Fit System. There are areas of adjustability all over the jacket including the waist, hips, arms and cuffs so that you can pull them tighter or slack them off as much as required for you to be comfortable.
So the ARMR Moto Hirama 2 Motorcycle Jacket has a whole lot going for it-
- Full impact protection in the shoulders, elbows and back. Also some kidney protection.
- The ability to accommodate a chest protector to really max out the impact protection.
- Really good fabric for abrasion protection.
- Triple Lock Seams to maximise the abrasion protection.
- I’ve used the word “protection” a lot but it is what it is- a really safe jacket.
- Scotchlite and reflective panels to help you be seen in low light situations.
- Thermal liner for the cold. It’s removable for the hot.
- Ventilation system for the really hot.
- Waterproofing with a storm flap for weather defense.
- Detachable face and neck curtain for really harsh weather defense.
- Lots of pockets and plenty of them are waterproof for keeping your belongings dry.
- Link Zipper for your bike trousers.
- Adjusters for a good fit.
This jacket really has got everything a biker could need, especially if you’re a tour biker or a commuter that travels regardless of the weather outside. This jacket has really earned nice high spot on my shortlist I’ll be considering for my next jacket. And it’s going right next to one of it’s sibling jackets; the ARMR Moto Kumaji. If I’ve learned anything from my recent research into bike jackets- it’s that getting an ARMR Moto Jacket is a wise investment. It’d be nice if the Hirama 2 had another colour option like the Kumaji also comes in black and Hi-Vis but when it’s raining hard- you’re not really wearing the jacket as a fashion statement. And black looks great and goes with everything anyway.
Thanks for reading, everyone! Until next time!
-MattW at Ghostbikes.com
That’s a great and comprehensive review… I bought an ARMR moto pants and it is the best I’ve worn! I’ll certainly be looking into a jacket from them soon!
Thanks, Mark, I hope you found the review helpful. ARMR Moto really know their stuff, a few members of staff here already own ARMR jackets and they’ve never had a bad word to say about them. Thanks for the coment!
-Matt W at Ghostbikes.com